Steady On The Line
By: Skip Cheever
The first year CGG 05 worked up in the mountains of Wyo. was
with horses, jackasses, and a helicopter. We worked with 120lbs.cables from the
road crews. One hook on the long line, juggies picking up the line and the
cowboys loading the net to swing up to the front as they were dropped off to the
wrangler to lay the line out. Powder crew laid out 250 grain prima-cord. It was
a camp job, with everybody having their own horse. Very slow during these days
of exploration. Winter shut down the crews in the fall of 1975.
Spring of 1976 all hell broke loose. All new horses, wranglers, & new cables.
These were 90lbs.Working out of Jackson Hole was too much fun for some. Girls
partying with guys in camp to wee hour in the morning. This crew was CGG 08.CGG
09 was working Alpine. Weather day Wilson Wyo.08 partying. The weather cleared
up and the crew had been out to lunch. No show. Eight doodlebuggers were fired
that next day. Dick, Jim, Rooster, Rooky, Piss, Dusty and others.Tom,3/4 Ed,
Dewitt, and then some new doodlebugger Joe, Rena, Moe, Stosh, Kobe, replacement
for the things to come. We finished up in Wilson, then on to working out side of
Park City, where we picked up some new Juggies from Oak Creek. We had a full
crew. Alfred was PM at that time and came up with a deal that if we could shoot
two miles a day,we would get paid for 12 hours. Scott, Peter Z, & Russ Wilson
had the fuel from Oak Creek. Good horses and great wranglers and the rack
attack. We were in Salt Lake every day and cleaned up and partied, buying new
toys. Grace Slick and the Grateful Dead the days of the eight track. From that
time on the cables got down to 60lbs.We went on to two hooks, four hooks, eight
hooks and on. The horses were off to the glue factory. The dollar a shot came
after two miles. We went from 24 traces to 48,Crew 08 went on to breaking
shooting record day after day. Donna, Dave, Robin, Slezy Tom, pilot one eye Phil
Rogers, Ram Jet. What a crew. CGG went on a few years later CGG crew# 12 all
hand pick and shot nine miles. Four hundred thirty six shots .Lots of money.