Through the winter 2017-18 we had several fellows who were scouting a place for a corporate retreat. They stayed at the lodge on 3 different dates as they planned and organized for a group of 70 people. The groups’ name was a secret ‘till they came and it was Phillips Corp headquartered in Amsterdam. It was requested that I give the safety briefing ( they wanted an older voice to impress safety on the young corporate leaders) before these people got into 12 side by side 4x4 off road vehicles and traveled from the air strip to the rim of the Grand Canyon for the first big day of corporate mtgs.
So after the briefing we all traveled in convoy the 10 mi. to the rim. Some bar10 staff had been to the rim the day before and set up a kitchen, and toilet facilities as they were to be there all day. They were to return to the lodge in the evening for the night stay and meals. In the morning we would convoy them to a new location for the next days mtg/ activities.
We had driven to the rim and were told we must park 1/4 mi away and walk to the mtg spots - as they did not want to see any vehicles. After walking to the site we learned from our staff that we’d forgotten napkins and a tub of jam needed for the lunch. So with 1 hr. ‘till lunch time I volunteered to take a quad bike back to the lodge (10 mi) for these items. As soon as I got to radio coverage I called for someone at the lodge to meet me half way for an exchange. When we met and swapped machines all was secured except for the tub of jam that was handed to me. Without any way to secure it and knowing the time was short I put the jam down the front of my hoodie and tucked it in my jeans so it would not escape. After a distance of hurrying back along the road to the rim, a glance told me the jam was on my leg and heading for a spill. In that moment of not seeing the road I found myself no longer seated on the quad but rather on the ground on my back looking to the sky. I could hear the machines’ soft engine sound next to me and it seemed as if to say to me, “I’m waiting what are you doing laying there.” I then began frantically looking through the desert cactus and rocks to find my lost jam. Upon standing I learned that my left leg and my shoulder hurt and a goose egg was raising on my head and my right wrist was throbbing. With luck I found the jam a short distance away still in tact and hurried to to the quad that was still idling. Nothing was amiss with the bike except the handlebars were now at a steep angle up, probably the cause of my hurt hand/wrist. So I put the jam back in my hoodie, retucked, and off I go only more carefully than before. Every bump hurt my leg and every turn hurt my wrist. There was some blood from my head but my cap had glued itself to my bleeding goose egg, so no visible sign of injury. As I travel back toward the awaiting lunch I realized my leg was not going to walk down the 1/4 mile to the group. I thought , well I will just call on the radio and have someone come up and get it. As I reached for the radio that had been in my pocket I discovered a large rip in the pocket and no radio. I thought that walk down to deliver the stuff is going to be long and painful and I will still need to go back to the incident spot and look for the lost radio. About this time one of the groups’ security team was approaching me on a quad bike. So I stopped him and asked if he could call to the lunch people and have someone come up and meet me and take the jam down. He made the call then left. When I got to the rim the leaders agreed that I could drive in as time was of the essence, so I did. After delivering the lunch stuff I sat down to assess my injuries. I then remembered that there was a Dr. here with the security team and I started looking for him as he had nothing to do so I thought I would take a private minute or two of his time. He was happy to do so and said nothing was broken and recommended some ibuprofen.
I spent next 4 hours getting stiff and sore waiting at the rim for the meeting to be over.
Two days before this group had come I discovered one of our side by side vehicles had a carrier bearing on the drive shaft that was completely worn out. Management told me that no parts could be found to fix it in short notice so do what I could to get another twenty miles out of it for this group. So with a welder and a conduit clamp I made a carrier bearing. It worked but needed hand applied grease every ten or so miles. Also I did not allow anyone else to drive it as the condition needed to monitored by me if it was to go the needed distance. I had greased it at the rim before the jam run so I needed to drive it back.
I was not looking forward to this as my leg was getting very stiff and I could feel the crunchy skin of road rash under my jeans. As part of the cleanup crew I was able to hitch a ride up the 1/4 mile to my machine and occupied riders that awaited. I put on my best no hurting posture (this is called cowboying up) and made it to my seat and off we went back. I knew on the ride back I must stop and find the radio. I was not looking forward to the accompanying pain I would experience looking for the radio, and how to explain what I was doing when I stopped. This would be awkward after the safety briefing I hade made earlier in the day. Also everyone would see me and would ask what I was doing. So when I got to the spot to look for the radio I just bit the pain bullet and jumped out like I knew what I was doing. I almost collapsed but luckily found the radio on my first hunting pass. By this time 8 vehicles had stopped behind mine and all were asking the same questions. I vaguely gave a answer that I was picking up my radio that was plugged into a nearby current bush and that we needed to be on our way. Being mostly foreigners they probably didn’t understand what I said and hopefully just forgot the stop. We all got back to to the lodge and I went up to my apartment to fully access my injuries and take more medication.
So here is the kicker-The next day I was informed that they never even used or even opened that “dam” jam. So I guess one just had to feel satisfied in taking one for the team when you get no points. I guarantee you that it won't happen that way if there is a next time!
