Fat Man’s Misery (Part 1 of 8)

It was an incentive to get us to earn as many scouting awards as possible – a special hike to the narrows of the Virgin River in a place called Fat Man’s Misery. In our scout troop of over twenty boys, only five would be selected to go. It was based on number of merit badges earned, rank advancements, attendance at Priesthood meeting, and participation at scout meeting. Everyone worked towards it. But in June of 1974, the five boys were announced. Kyle Hunter, Todd Copling, David Datwyler, Brian Barlow, and then me. We were honored at the Stake Court of Honor just before the actual hike. My parents joined in by giving me a new, lime green sleeping bag as a present. Our Scout Master, Earl Gubler, was from that area of Southern Utah. The man who had been his scout master when he was a boy would be the guide and would be taking a group of his own scouts down the Narrows as well. We drove down to St. George, and then on to a near-by town called Santa Clara. Joe Barlow, who would later be our Bishop, and Earl Gubler drove. That night we slept on the lawn of Earl’s parents’ house. The next day we drove to Zion’s National Park. We loaded most of our gear and food in the back of an old truck. We were to meet up with this truck later that night.