One time, in 1966, my brother and I rented motorscooters in downtown Quito, Ecuador (my father was stationed there by the Army). We had just sort of began riding after learning from friend Bill Moss. At his estate, we would ride around the driveways on his motorscooter and had a blast! His dad's chauffeur would drive us around town in an old Checker cab to our favorite hamburger hangout, La Fuente, and through Old Town.
Anyway, Arthur and I weren't that great of drivers but we were ripe for adventure so we rode through the plazas (where the cuties were), kind of showing off but keeping it cool with all the pedestrians. We were told not to ride our scooters by the U.S. Embassy but the rule was not strictly enforced. All the kids did so anyway. We are riding along when my brother lost traction and slid into a light pole. By the time I got back to him, several nuns have calmed him down and alerted the medics. He had a brain concussion and needed to be air lifted to Fort Clayton, Panama. (I now know my father must have gotten his ass chewed out by the Army brass for this incident.)
My mother had five kids to tend to and my father was away in Bolivia on the hunt for Che Guevera so my brother and I immediately boarded an American C-130 Hercules with a pressurized medic room and two nurses. Bob the co-pilot tucked me into a pull down seat with an oxygen mask and strapped me in. He said not to get out because he had a surprise for me. He apparently got word from my dad that we enjoyed mountain climbing and just loved the Andes. We knew all the names of the volcanoes. With a roar of four turboprops, we took off down the runway. Just after we were airborne, the tail gate opened up and I began to see Quito below, sitting high in the Pichincha range. I also saw the other mountains and verdant valleys. Then we passed by the highest active volcano in the world, Mount Cotopaxi. As we circled, I saw the majestic Avenue of the Volcanos: Chimborazo, Sangay, and the back bones of the Andes all the way to Peru. WOW! The gate then closed and Bob came and greeted me with a big grin. “Did you like the view?” he said, “Wait till you see this! The pilot wants to see you.” We proceeded to the cockpit and I stared at all the cool clouds speeding by, taking in the numerous dials and the smell of leather seats. I was overwhelmed by the moment!
The pilot said “Say Bob, why don't you get us some coffee and let Calvin sit in your seat.” I excitedly sat down in that seat of honor and we conversed about the accident and to never drive those scooters again. They were just too dangerous. Meanwhile, he told me to grab hold of the steering but said not to mess with anything else. He coached me on slightly steering around the upcoming clouds. I glanced in awe over each side of the plane to these huge turboprops, which were in my hands!!!! I must have had the controls for ten minutes!
We soon arrived in Panama where Arthur got the care that he needed. While waiting there for three days without my parents, the U.S. Army put several guys in charge of me with the intent to keep me happy and worry-free about my brother's well-being. One of those days, they took me to the canal zone to tour the locks. The next two days we flew out to the Darien zone and hunted for anything we wanted like tapirs and three toed sloths. We also picked papaya. That was so much fun!!
I'll never forget that once in a lifetime trip!
Stay tuned for more true adventures to come...
Keep the faith,
Cal