Jackasses

Those of you who are faithful readers of Prairie Roots, know how much I love Trail of the Jackasses, by Bob Wakefield. It is the story of Mom's first cousin Jean DeHaven (son of Helen Daugherty and Tom DeHaven)and his 5000 mile trek from California to Montreal, Canada with a twenty-mule jerkline team "traversing some of the most rugged and dangerously beautiful terrain on the North American continent; an adventure that had no precedent, the success of which depended wholly upon the judgement and courage of a man and the skill of his cowboy crew. "

The writer, Bob Wakefield, used Jean's journals as his basis for this wonderful book. Jean was a cowboy, adventurer, enterpreneur, auctioneer, cattleman, athlete, mule skinner, husband and father. When this trek was made husband Joe and I were in Washington DC, thanks to the determination of the US Army and a war taking place in Vietnam, so we missed the excitement of something like this happening in our very own family.

Bob is a retired journalism professor. He worked in radio in Sheridan and Laramie. He served as news director for K2-TV in Casper and taught journalism at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado and at several colleges and universities in Texas for 20 years until he retired. Bob has performed in more than 40 musicals, operas, and plays and founded Wellington Press, publishing books relating to Wyoming.

I found Bob's E-Mail address after some searching and we have communicated a few times. Despite open heart surgery and a victim of tainted Heparin, he is still completing a film footage of Jean's trek and will be sending me a DVD when it is finished. Bob is also writing abook about his experiences as the Heparin Miracle Man. I've really enjoyed my contacts with Bob. I'm assuming he is still living in Sheridan, WY. Joe and I spent some time in Sheridan this summer. I wish I would have known of Bob's residence there at the time and visited him. Another one of the "would of, should of, could of's".

I asked for some transcripts from the University of Wyoming on Jean DeHaven and had mentioned to Bob that Jean earned little or no money from his book sales. Bob replied, "You are correct about the book sales. I had a contract with Jean, and the publisher paid me in books, so I came out all right. It also gave me a foot in the door for my second book, Schwiering And the West." I visited Jean's wife, Norma, this summer and was delighted with the company of this lovely, welcoming, gracious woman. If you want a copy of Trail of the Jackasses you may want to look at Amazon or Abe's Books. They are still out there...a good purchase.

As with most subjects on my blog...you'll find out more about Jean and Bob at a later date. I would love to hear from my readers. If you want to respond to this blog, then contact me at Joep1@frontiernet.net and I'll authorize you to be a writer. Pass the word along.