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'Mule'ing it over at the Grand Canyon

Jack McKinney stands with his mule “Snoopy” before heading down Bright Angel Trail. Photo/Jeanie Sharp<br /><br /><!-- 1upcrlf2 -->

Jack McKinney stands with his mule “Snoopy” before heading down Bright Angel Trail. Photo/Jeanie Sharp<br /><br /><!-- 1upcrlf2 -->

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - American novelist and poet Gertrude Stein once said, "We are always the same age inside."

Soon to be 94 years old, Jack McKinney proved Stein was right when he became the oldest person to trek down to Phantom Ranch on the back of a mule last month.

"I've been telling everyone that I had to do this before I get old," McKinney laughed. "If anyone ever tells you that you can't do something, prove them wrong and do it."

Inspiration hit McKinney back in 1955, when he met all-around champion cowboy Everett Bowman. At the time, McKinney was helping to build Wickenburg's hospital.

The cowboy's ranch was just down the road from the construction site and Bowman would stop by often, always on top of a mule.

"He was training them for the trail because he said they were so much better and smoother gaited than a horse," McKinney said. "I remember he couldn't say enough good things about riding a mule, so from that time on, I always wanted to ride one and then especially wanted to ride one to Phantom Ranch."

Jeanie Sharp, McKinney's daughter, said that her dad's desire to ride a Canyon mule comes as no surprise to the family. McKinney flies and builds airplanes, camps with the family, takes his fishing boat out and lives life dictated by what's inside his heart, not his body.

"He does everything," Sharp said. "He doesn't know he's 93-years-old."

After a five-hour mule trek down to Phantom Ranch, McKinney and Sharp spent two nights in the inner rim before heading out.

"I'd been looking forward to it a long time," McKinney said. "Now that I finally did it, I wish I hadn't waited until so late in life to do it."

In the future, McKinney has several Colorado River boat trips planned, and looks forward to flying his new trike - an airplane that is flown sitting down in a lawnchair-type position.

And in between flying airplanes, which have earned him several awards from different EAA chapters, and fishing, McKinney found the time to take on another new hobby - blacksmithing.

"It's pretty amazing that he's doing this and does all the stuff he still does," Sharp said. "He's an inspiration to his kids and family."

McKinney said a "thank you" is in order to Xanterra and made this possible for him, especially Steve Burd for helping him prepare before the trip, Joni Badley and her crew at Phantom Ranch and Jon Streit and Nora Berry and Livery Manager John Berry, who rode as his guide.

"The experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity," Sharp said "It was beautiful and my dad would encourage anyone to make the trip."


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