NEVER A DULL MOMENT

TOM GROVER'S BACKWOODS ADVENTURES HAVE FILLED A LIFETIME.

- Christopher Nyerges

Tom Grover is 82 years old, living in Idaho and has been married to his wife, Joyce, for 62 years. And, he's had a remarkable life.

I began corresponding with him because he was sharing his discoveries about how to make a fire piston that actually worked. He sent me many that a worked quite well-much to my surprise (see the related article on the fire pistons beginning on page 64 of this issue).

Tom and Joyce met in junior high school and got married in 1960.

"Joyce and I spent 10 years in a trailer below Palisade Dam at the south fork of the Snake River," he said. "We lived there from the end of May to October each year, and we went back to Boise for the winter. However, we sold the trailer and the jet boat around 2016."

While living in the woods, he ran a trap line ("before I knew better!" Grover quipped). He did lots of hunting, mostly with a handgun, and he has taken bear, deer and elk with it. He pointed out that he's eaten everything from rattlesnakes to elk in the outdoors.

For six years, Grover was part of the Idaho Air Guard, learning a lot about fire and fighting fires. He lived in the woods most of his life but recently moved into Boise because of age and health issues. He's lost his hearing and so doesn't take phone calls. He also doesn't use e-mail.

BACKGROUND

Tom Grover was born in Driggs, Idaho, on August 20, 1939. His father was an Eagle Scout who guided his son onto a path of wilderness adventures that would last a lifetime.