Man spent night outdoors
By Joe
Erickson
I have been
dreading this phone call for a couple of years
now, and sure enough I got it.
Sunday morning
at 6:00 a.m. Kevin Walker called me with a
mission, informing me that I would have to
perform the duty of Operations Leader. Yuk. The
mission would be out in the Elsinore area near
the upper San Juan campground. Double yuk. Most
missions in the Elsinore area have a strange
twist, and this one was no exception.
When Kevin
told me a hiker was missing from near the upper
San Juan campground and that we were to meet at
the Sheriff's sub-station in Lake Elsinore I must
have still been groggy because I went straight up
to the campground. Also, I had called Ray Hussey
and told him we were meeting at the campground.
When I got
there and no one was around I got a bit
apprehensive and drove up to the cafe across from
the San Juan loop trail and telephoned to base. I
was told of my mistake and that when all members
were assembled at the designated site (Sheriff's
Office) they would join me at the campground.
l hung up the
telephone and saw Ray drive by. I figured he
would come back up the road for the same reason I
did, so I walked across the road to look at the
trail while I waited. Just then I saw a fellow
walking up the road. The man had wet feet and
looked like he had spent the night outdoors. I
called to him. He confirmed that he was our
subject and so I telephoned the Sheriff's Office
and told them the mission was secure. Ray Hussey
came back and we drove down the hill to the
awaiting Sheriff's Deputy and the faithful RMRU
troops. Those present were: Bruce Gahagan
(Operations Leader), Mary Bowman, Rob Gardner,
Ray Hussey, Henry Negrete, Gil Carr and myself.
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