production and product support. She still found time for the outdoors, and in her mid-30s


completed her first big bike ride, a three-day ride in Illinois, consisting of 60 miles each for two days and 30 miles the third day. She also biked the Katy Trail from Sedalia, Mo., to St. Lou- is. In her 40s and 50s, she ran three marathons. “I just like to do it,” she says simply. When she became an engine representative for Caterpil-


lar’s western region, the family moved to Phoenix, but Jim, and often their children, would continue to spend summers in the Twin Lakes Area, their lives revolving around the water. The family also skied in Colorado, hiked, kayaked and went


on scuba diving trips. Among the places Mary Jo has been scuba diving are the


Virgin Islands, Mexico, Burma, Thailand, Fiji, Antigua, the Honduran Bay Islands Utila and Roatan, Southern California, the Florida Keys and freshwater in Florida. “What’s not to like about diving?” Mary Jo says. Underwater, one can experience the beauty of sea life. In


Fiji, she described the unbelievable visibility, seeing huge cor- al reefs and sea creatures indigenous to the area. A diver feels weightless, and sound is different, too. “It’s such an easy sport,” Mary Jo says. “If you can breathe


and swim, you can dive.” Outdoor adventures Some of Mary Jo’s excursions could have ended badly,


though they make for riveting stories. In the early 1990s, she joined co-workers on a 5-day kay-


aking trip on the Salmon River in Idaho, which has class 5 rap- ids.


She was undeterred, even though it was her first time on an


inflatable kayak, and she tipped over many times. A raft car- ried their food and at night they camped along the river. “It was just so exciting,” Mary Jo says. “Every day was a new


adventure.” She enjoyed the trip so much, she returned with her kids,


and went on a third trip with Jim. She took a fourth trip with her nephew. On one of the trips, someone in the group sug- gested body surfing, riding the rapids with your body and keeping your feet in front of you. While in the water, her feet popped up, and her back end forcefully hit a rock. After she got home from the trip, her back went out and she required thera- py, she says, ending the story with a quick laugh. In 1995, Jim and Mary Jo built the current SCUBA Doo Dive


Shop building off U.S. Highway 62 E, which houses a heated, indoor pool. They offer scuba and outdoor sports retail and equipment sales and repair, where divers can get their tanks tested, repaired and filled. They also offer open swim, water aerobics, lifeguarding certification, and scuba, snorkeling and


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Mary Jo Augustine takes break on her solo 2008 journey hiking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago in Spain. She left her sister’s ashes at this spot. The two hiked the Camino de Santiago together in 2005. A true adventurer, Augustine travels on her own terms, many times alone. Last year at 74 she biked in Italy. SUBMITTED PHOTO


swim lessons. The Mountain Home swim team also works out at the pool. Although swimming is always in Mary Jo’s life, hiking is


another frequent activity. She’s hiked in the forests of Peru, twice, with her late sister,


Louise, who was an avid birder and recorded bird populations. During the trips, which took place 16 years ago, they walked and climbed all day, with mules carrying their supplies. She was quick to add her sister, who was nine years older, had more stamina than she did. She’s also hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim, starting at Bright Angel Trail up the north rim and heading in the opposite


BB-0000136390


Where it’s a party for your pet every day!


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