Weber High School, Class of 1955—three distinctions describe Gary Ellis—rodeo, wrestling and writing. (Don’t look for the name Ellis in the Golden Spike yearbook—that wasn’t my nam...view moreWeber High School, Class of 1955—three distinctions describe Gary Ellis—rodeo, wrestling and writing. (Don’t look for the name Ellis in the Golden Spike yearbook—that wasn’t my name then. You figure it out!) After the bulls, broncs and graduation began a labored university curriculum in Physics. College deferment was not in Uncle Sam’s vocabulary in 1959. There were only two options—two years in the infantry or three years doing physics stuff that I’m not suppose to talk about. I can talk about some of the places I toured—usually solo and without a passport--almost every country in Europe along with Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt. (Space here doesn’t permit a travel log.) This era ended, thank goodness, with an honorable discharge in 1962.
I returned to Utah, where I repaired TV’s, completed a quarter at the University, remarried my ex, with the same dismal consequences, then on to Arizona, where I worked a couple years for IBM. I quit IBM and started climbing towers in 1964. I must like it; I’m still doing it. Oh, there were a few other adventures—a two-week dog sled trip with Paul Shurke, a solo winter climb to the peak of Mt. Elbert, a couple marathons (one of which earned me an impressive trophy), a couple failed businesses (a factory and cycle shop), one moderately successful contracting business (from which I retired after thirty-two years) two unsuccessful bids to our state’s legislature and the completion of two 500+ page manuscripts. (Random House and Knopf didn’t have the same high opinion of them that I did. They were probably right.) My wife, Nancy, and I presently own and operate a boarding stable.
Well, here I am writing again and you, dear friend, have the first opportunity to be impressed or offended—and I don’t give a damn which, as long as you buy the book.view less