Chapter 16

I lay in bed and moved to the radio only for the net for four days. The east crew who were following my route finally worked their way beyond the rocks and should meet me today. I was looking forward to seeing someone. They had a paramedic with them and the doctor was waiting in Salt Lake City for my arrival. A day later, I arrived back in Salt Lake and immediately went into the operating room where they worked over my leg. I was put under but was later told that further delay would have left me crippled for life. As it was, I was in for a long time to heal and rehabilitate. The south crew had already turned back when they headed east only to be met by landslides. The Colonel had the east crew work over the road until the chance of more problems were minimal in the future.

My time in the bed and then getting to be able to walk normally again took the rest of the year and into the spring. I watched romances develop between Will and Sheila and between Bill and Linda along with others that I didn't know as well. Mother Harriman came by often and helped in my rehab. She could be more than just tough when she needed to be.

We celebrated the Day with a solemn ceremony. It was the end of the first year after the Day. I walked with a slight limp but the doctor said that it would go away if I kept my exercises going. I had found a new RV and mounted new radios and antennas in it.

It was another month before I was ready to leave. I met with the Colonel and Jam. They told me that an expedition would be mounted within the year to check out the east and they would expect to see me. I told them that I would report back by radio on a frequent basis.

It was a warm, spring day when I left a second time from Salt Lake. I kept in constant radio contact this time to Echo. The road had held up over the winter but would need some work to maintain it. It was going to be an effort to go east from Salt Lake. I suggested to Jam over the radio that their expedition consider going south first and then head east or west. Road maintenance was not what it used to be.

I drove hard the first two days and made it through Topeka, Kansas, without pause or incident. I continued to stop at RV resorts at night. So far, I didn't need any supplies and hoped to make it to Richmond with no stops except gas and to sleep. I would not spend the night in any city but stick to the RV sites. On the third day, I made St. Louis and stopped just long enough to look at the Arch before continuing on. My route was all interstates and I was making time. I saw one car in St. Louis but neither of us stopped. Each evening, I would talk to the team in Salt Lake as well as Roger and Ben. I couldn't always get to Juan or Arturo though could hear the Salt Lake team talk to them. I usually parked into the trees and didn't try to set up any fancy antennas so I really didn't expect too much. Forty meters worked well and Ben and Roger both were making a connection with the Salt Lake team.

Except for having to chase gas in Kentucky, I would have made it home in three days. Power outages forced me to find a station with power and that hunt wasted some time. Trying to get a pump to work without power is not a winning proposition. Losing power was not going to be a good thing but would gradually be more of an issue. After next winter and spring, there would be many power outages and scavenging gas could become a real time consuming item in an agenda.

On the third day from St. Louis, I pulled into home late in the afternoon. I pulled into the driveway of my house and parked. Going inside, I found the house undisturbed and that the utilities were still working. I set up a recording to broadcast my call and CQ. Each evening at the house, I checked the tape. I made various excursions around the area. One evening when I returned, I had an answer! I tried responding but received no reply. It had been a while. She said there was a net so I would wait for the net.

In the meantime, I made contacts from my fixed station and I could talk to everyone easily except for Arturo. We completed our little net and I decided to "spin the dial" to eighty meters. I went to eighty meters and went to 3.970 MHz and found the net. I talked with Shirley and Jack. I told them I would head their way three days from tonight.

I spent the next few hours narrating this story to them. I will clean my house out taking any item that I would want. I don't plan to return. I also need a day to clean the RV and get it ready one last time.

The next night, I told everyone what was happening and what I planned. The Salt Lake team planned to try contact Preservation on eighty meters. Ben and Roger were not sure what they would need to do. Arturo and Juan would not likely have any success on that distance with eighty meters. However, as I was explaining on forty, Jack came in and introduced himself to everyone. I sat back and let him have the floor. He agreed to listen for Juan and Arturo on twenty meters tomorrow and talk with them. He invited all three groups to join the community in Preservation if they wished. Ben admitted he would have to talk with the others. Roger said that they would start down and weren't far from Birmingham.

Roger and Marion beat me there. They arrived the next day. I took two days to make the trip. Ben and his group were going to at least visit Preservation. Depending upon their experience, they would decide whether or not to move there permanently. In any event, they planned to stay in touch.

There was a party to meet me and to welcome me to Preservation. At the party, I met two young women my age who lived together in a farm house. Mary and Louise were extremely welcoming and invited me to stay with them while I got situated. After six months, I still hadn't moved. We became a triple and were recognized as a family unit.

Preservation was willing to accept the relationship after Jack and Shirley talked with us and approved it. Some of the older ladies were reluctant. Both Mary and Louise were questioned about being married to the same man. Louise told the truth while Mary made up a couple of weird stories. It eventually was all sorted out. They have told me that they will take turns being pregnant. They don't want us to have two newborns at the same time. They are both attractive, care for me and each other, and are looking forward to our children. Me, I guess I'm going with the flow and enjoying the trip. It's nice to have someone or some two as my partners.

Over the radio last night, Jam Henderson announced that he was coming to visit along with Will and Sheila plus a few others. They want to talk about a tighter relationship with Preservation. The Colonel asked him to go. They have the reverse problem as we in Preservation. In Salt Lake, there are more men than women while Preservation has more women. I was told how this happened in Preservation. I can't say I'm sorry when it resulted in my having Mary and Louise as my spouses.

In late spring, Will radioed on the two meter repeater that they were close and requested details on coming in. I was at Jack's house and watched as he coordinated the welcome. It was friendly but careful. Traps were not tolerated by Preservation. Jam had no trap in mind so the welcome stayed cordial. Jam's party was given a motel for their stay and Preservation set up a welcoming party for them.

At the party, Jam came to me to have me introduce his topic to the leaders. I explained to Jam that this was truly a party and that Jack was in charge. I said, "Wait until tomorrow or the next day, Jack will be in touch. Enjoy yourself tonight. Business will be conducted later."

Jam joined in with the others in partying. Will and Sheila spent some time with my wives and me that evening. As things were winding down, Mary asked them if they would like to stay at our house rather than "that old motel." They looked at each other and nodded. They followed us home.

Once home, Sheila cornered the three of us and asked, "Please, explain your relationship to me. Will and I don't understand."

Mary began, "Louise and I became friends after the Day. We were captured by some bad men who made life miserable. Jack and the people from Preservation rescued us and killed off the badies. We were welcome to move here or go anywhere we wanted. Louise and I talked it over and decided to move here and found this house making it our own."