When I first got out of the Army, my head still kinda fucked up from Nam, I packed everyone up and moved to the desert. Cathedral City...About 4 miles So. of Palm Springs. I wanted to get away from all the news and shit that was going on at the time. I was working for a plumbing shop in Palm Desert and we would hit the job site around 6:00 am and work straight through until 2:00. By then it was so hot you had to get out of it.
I had a favorite coffee shop in Cat city called the Spud Nut. This guy made the best potato raised, glazed donuts. They would melt in your mouth. I would hit his place around 5:00 am and have my morning coffee and sugar fix.
One morning, about 2 weeks before opening season for Dove, I was just finishing up and getting ready to head out for work, when these 2 guys came in.
I thought, "Damn, this guy looks familiar, where have I seen him? Carpenter? Some job site, for sure." When the owner said, "Good morning Mr. McQueen." Click, duh. I looked at him and he was wearing Levis, work boots and a white tee shirt. I had to say something as I had just, not too long ago seen the movie, The Great Escape. And, as I was into racing motorcycles and Steve McQueen was my favorite actor at the time. I said, Hey Mr. McQueen, how's it goin'?"
He looked at me and said, "Call me Steve, No, call me Stebo." Shaking my hand.
Ok.....I said, "Did you do that jump over the barbed wire in your movie" He said, "No, I wanted to, but they let the stunt man, Bud Ekins, do the jump."
We chatted for awhile, he introduced me to his agent, can't remember his name. The conversation turned to Dove hunting as this is why he was out early. He was looking for a good spot and a morning feeding area.
I told him I knew of several good spots as I had been hunting the area for the past couple of years. He said, "Tell you what, I'll meet you here opening morning about 4:00am and you can take me out to one of your good spots."
Wow!, Of course I agreed. I spent many early mornings before work and weekends scouting out just the right spot.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. I was at the coffee shop at 3:30 am, opening morning, even though I knew in my heart that he wouldn't show.
Here he came, by himself. I said, "Hey Stebo, found us a really good spot, lot's of White Wing." He said, "I've got a great place to shoot,....Dove all day long." He showed me an engraved invitation from Mike Ivy at his ranch. Now Mike Ivy didn't allow anyone access to his Ranch because he raised Quarter Horses for show. But he had Invited McQueen and a guest to come hunt on his ranch on opening morning.
We had our coffee and donuts and as he was parked right in front of me at the curb, he told me to follow him. He got in his big, black pick-up and even though I knew where Mike Ivy's ranch was, I followed him out there.
I parked my truck outside the gate and got into Steve's truck. We drove on into the ranch and I waited while Steve went up to the house. Mike Ivy came out and told Steve that he would have his Son take us out to where the best and safest shooting was. We got out to the spot just as it was getting light enough to see fairly well. Steve got behind the seat and pulled out his gun case, pulled out his shotgun. Fuck, this was the most beautiful gun I'd ever seen. It was an Ithica, Over and Under, 12ga, w/hunting scenes and birds engraved on the breech and stock. Silver and gold inlay with pearl. Man, He let me hold and look at that thing and I WANTED IT.
I pulled out my old Montgomery Ward side by side double barrel, 16ga. w/ the Styrene stock and forpiece and thought fuck, now I hve gun envy. To make a long story somewhat shorter, we had a great hunt, every Dove we shot was a White Wing, which are much larger than your standard Morning Dove, with much larger breasts. They knew where it was safe, as they were very seldom hunted in that area.
I got as many Dove as Stebo, if not a few more. He was a good shot, but not to brag, I was better. Mike Ivy had his Son use the dog so we didn't have to walk the fields to find downed birds. We got about 3 limits apiece as no game warden would be coming on Mike Ivy's property. We kept one limit, 10 birds each and gave the rest to Mike Ivy. Mike fixed us a great lunch. Needless to say, that was quite a day and one I still remember very fondly.
Steve McQueen was just a regular guy away from Hollywood. After that he started coming to our Motorcycle meetings (Coachella Valley Motorcycle club, (CVMC), District 16.) as he was an avid bike rider and loved off road racing. He raced a couple of our events untill the studio absolutley forbid him from doing anymore racing. But he did bring Lee Marvin and Keenin Winn (both these guys rode dirt bikes) to a couple of meetings. Me and Steve both rode Triumph 500cc bikes at the time.
Funny, when you get these people away from their usual environment and in a kick back setting, they are pretty cool. We'd be sitting around in the shop, sitting up on the work benches, drinking beer and the stories would flow. Keenin Winn, had the most foul mouth I ever heard but was funny as shit. Lot's of good times there. Sorry for the length of the story, but hey, It's all good for me.
Look Mommy! I'm spinning!!!
