Chet Kershner and his 40 horse Scott was able to get Steele up on a slalom ski. Steele now had to upsize his boat to a 16ft Lone Star with a 75 horse motor. Not only would this boat allow for faster slalom skiing but now we could build pyramids. One pyramid in particular had Gary, Lloyd�s brother, Debbie Barnes, miss America 1964, on the base and Lloyd on the top. It seems Debbie couldn�t climb the ladder. She, like many, did ski backwards after Lloyd finally learned how to teach that skill. The head between the legs and the but high in the air. Not sure how Annie Goade did it but it wasn�t that way. We made our first set of tricks with the help of the industrial arts teacher form Sarcoxie, Missouri. This was during a break from classes at Pittsburg State. Just split some ash boards, glue them back together in a form then use inner tube rubber to make the foot pieces.
With Debbie Barnes�s boyfriend�s mother as a sponsor we head to Table Rock Lake with an integrated group. Gary Steele, Rodney Folger, Larry Peterson, Debbie Barnes, Delbert Ludlum, Joyce Ludlum, Jerry Weast, Beth Barnett and Duane Folger were all in attendance. Pete had a new competitor in Jerry but the same old result. While at Moran the old boat made a blind date trip Oklahoma City so Darrell Thompson could see his main squeeze. Lloyd got a blind date out of the deal. You get up early when you sleep in the boat while it is on the trailer. We skied and attended church services that night. Lloyd�s date couldn�t ski so she just bounced on her belly an extended period of time while on the disk.
I can�t forget Ralph Coles who looked me up years later at Table Rock. His first quote was you pretty much stay in one place. No I have moved a lot. Ralph stated I found you after many years. Yup I guess you are right: Buffalo, Pittsburg, Moran, New Mexico, Colony, Clifton, Wamego, Emporia, and Ottawa but always Table Rock.
To New Mexico Highlands University for a master�s degree and the old twin finned combo made the trip. Little did I know that the motor doesn�t run good at high altitudes or that the temperature at 6,000 feet stays mighty cool. The alternative was to learn to snow ski. That is a whole different history. A summer ending trip to Table Rock and a job coaching under an old friend Charley Schooler. The high school kids at Colony, Kansas would learn to ski. Charley had coached my brother Gary and had been hired by a board of education that included my dad, Walt.
Lloyd would move to Colony with a weimerwimer dog a 1964 Chevy truck, a overhead camper, and a master�s degree. He would accumulate a couple of girl friends, Ann a former student from Moran, Michelle from Iola and a 1966 Dodge Charger. In order to support his skiing habit, his girl friends and his Dodge Charger he had numerous summer jobs. He drove a semi hay truck, worked in the Buffalo brick yard, and a service station. During the school year all he did was drive the bus, coach football, basketball, track, baseball, and teach. During skiing season kids to Pamona Lake, Michelle, Hamm�s, and Gary�s to Table Rock and many other trips to the lakes.
Lloyd�s trusty dog Bacchus was the center of many stories. He would follow everywhere or hunt his master down like law hunts down criminals. He woke old maids up to let him in the apartment, was a trusty mascot on dates, and would just eat leftovers in Charley�s pickup. Oh I forgot he was a chicken herder. Just 13 on them died. Bacchus spent his later years doing favors for Walt.
I was the basketball coach, Gary was the football coach the following year, and the Steele family taught the total math and science cirriculum. Colony had an undefeated football season that year and won 17 and lost 3 basketball games. Bruce Calahan, the Richardson brothers, Janet Strickler, Harold Colgin, Orval Beckman, Leon Decker, Randy Adams, and many more took their turns behind the boat. It is a small world in that Steve Richardson is now my neighbor and his granddaughter Cory was a student at Karen�s school in Webb City. Harold Colgin works for Empire District Electric and the Brown�s know him well.