Unsupervised

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

Wednesday, Rich and I rode our bikes the ½ mile from our camp to the entrance to the Upper Rogue River trail. We left our bikes leaning against a stump near the entrance, then went for a walk up the trail, heading north. At one point, we bush-whacked our way to the river through the undergrowth.

At the river, we each found walking sticks. These gray limbs had been chewed smooth by beaver, making them ideal and ready-made for our use!

Eventually, we headed back with our new finds. But when we returned to our bikes, we discovered that our park ranger had given us a citation for running amuck unsupervised. 

 

Ranger Citation

Our ranger has a great (and much-appreciated) sense of humor.

Cheryl

Smoke Break

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

Today is very smoky, and it just has not cleared at any point during the day. 

Smoky

For a breath of fresh air, Rich and I went to the library in town. It's a great relief to get out of the endless smoke.

I've mentioned the Crescent Ridge fire a couple of times. Well, currently the smoke in our camp is from the Stouts fire, which is about 40 miles away from us. The Crescent Ridge fire - about 20 miles away - is now 40% contained. Which is nice to hear, but - smoke, smoke, and more smoke. It's ghastly.

Here's a map that shows the Crescent Ridge fire as it has progressed from its beginnings on August 1. 

 

Crescent Ridge Fire

The blue marks were added by me, and they show the birthday hike path to Boundary Springs that Rich and I took back on August 6. We look forward to hiking the area again next year and see what changes the fire created. 

But for now, we hide out in our library sanctuary. Blessed relief.

Cheryl

Crescent Ridge Fire Update

Weather Update from Camp Webegone

9 August - 27 August
 

High: 91.0
Low: 45.5
Humidity: 27%-79%
Rain: Zip

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

August 21, 2015

Well, today is the clearest, smoke free day Rich and I have had in about a month. What a relief!

Fires

Yesterday we traveled up to Crater Lake so that we could view the Crescent Ridge Fire. The cinder cone in the picture is called Red Cone. Thanks to all this, we have been learning lots of fire lingo and information. (More than we ever really want to know.)

The Crescent Ridge fire in its infancy was about 30 acres. Today it is over eight thousand acres. So, how come the fire got so large? How come the fire fighters have not been able to contain the fire? 

Well, those are a deep questions, and the answers involve the philosophy of the National Park Service on whose property the fire is burning. Since the fire was started by lightening, the National Park Service philosophy is that the fire is a natural process that should be left to burn undeterred - as long as the fire is not threatening any homes. That means no dropping of flame retardant, no dropping of water, no bulldozing a wide fire line. The fire fighters can only hand-dig a ditch line around a perimeter in an effort to contain the blaze. Hence the growth of the fire from 30 to eight thousand acres.

The tourist industry in the area has been impacted too. When Rich and I were at Crater Lake, the parking lots were about 1/8^th full. Usually at this time of year, you are lucky to fine a spot. Lunch at Beckies Restaurant Wednesday, we were one of four tables being served. Again, you usually have to wait in line for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ice cream shop is now closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Rich and I will be doing our small part to help, and we plan to eat at Beckies one time a week until we leave.

There are some positive aspects. The lodge pole pine tree (the predominant tree in the fire area), their pine cones only open up and drop their seeds under extreme heat or when exposed to a fire. Such is the variety of nature. 

And we have seen some spectacular sunsets and a few reddish sunrises.

Sunset

Cheryl

Camp sounds

Rich's News From Camp WeBegone

In our everyday lives, there is sound all around us. The background noise of life. We don't even notice it.

Having now the luxury of time, I often contemplate the variety of sounds we experience here. Earlier today Jay and Cheryl heard a Nuthatch (which I missed). We sat for hours listening to the baby Dippers as they called out for the insects presented by their parent. 

Just sitting here now, a fly buzzes by, and there's a yellow jacket. Plus, high overhead the echoing noise of a helicopter heading out on its way to a fire. 

In the distance, a Raven awk awk awks. And I ponder the many sounds these birds have in their repertoire. - Did you know birds have two voice boxes? 

Now a plane - also probably on fire duty - rushes by. And later, as I quiet my mind, I notice the constant background rush of the Rogue as it flows through a narrow part of the river. A lively chatter, mixed with a whisper of wind in the tree tops.

And there are familiar sounds as well, like the clank of the bicycle as Cheryl goes on a short ride.

Oh, and ah yes! the sounds of meals being prepared. Familiar metallic sounds and the pouring of water. We have gravel roads here, and the crunch of tires and of feet across the gravel is a distinct sound - and one that Mimi usually hears before we do! 

And of course the Mimi sounds. Her mew is quiet, and the reward of a purr when we pick her up or pet her in the morning.

Hwy 62 is a half mile away, so we seldom hear highway noises here. But just now comes the screech of tires on the pavement, echoing all of the way here. Civilization mixed with nature.
Much as is the sounds the squirrels nipping pine cones that fall thump thump to the earth or that clang down on the car.

All of these sounds remind me of the diversity of this forest. Of the great range of sounds we hear here. Of how the trees sometimes crackle in the morning as the sun calls the water to come up to the top. Of the occasional crash of a falling tree - there is a distinct crack crack crack as the trunk breaks and the breaking of limbs and the rumble as it hits the ground. Of how sometimes, with weather changes, we get a stillness - mostly the lack of insect sounds. This stillness might be broken by a clap of thunder, and if lucky the rain fall on our tarps car and tents.

Life here is simple and mostly unhurried. Simplicity allows us these peaceful moment, where we can listen and appreciate this sound-filled life. The rhythm of morning chores. With the chopping of wood and the toting of water comes a zen feeling. 

The only thing that interferes with this feeling is the mind when it gets on with its habit of worry, fear, planning, and guilt - which, once we are aware of it, we can thank it for its input and go back to sitting or reading.

Fritz Perls said that as humans, we have two tasks: doing and being. Our culture supports and expects the doing, but it is not so receptive to the being. And, he concludes, this state of affairs creates human doings rather than human beings.

Be well today. Enjoy the sounds around you.

Rich

Video of the Rogue River Near the Origin

Cheryl's News From Camp WeBegone

Rogue River Gorge, near origin of the Rogue River

A photo and video today, both taken at the Rogue River Gorge, near to the Rogue River's origin.

Taking You Along on Rich's Birthday Hike

Weather Update for 26 July – 1 August, 2015

High Temp: 99.3

Low Temp: 44.4

Humidity: 92% - 22%

Rain: Zip

Cheryl's News from Camp Webegone

Rich's birthday.

The day begins with me asking Rich what birthday breakfast he would like. He requests French Toast drizzled with local Huckleberry Syrup. After that, it's time to head out for Rich's Birthday Hike.

As ever, everything takes longer than you plan. So, a bit later than expected (10:27 to be exact) and 60 degrees outside, we drive to the Boundary Springs Trail entrance at Mazama Viewpoint. After the 21 mile drive to get there, the temperature has risen to 68 degrees. With a mild forecast for the day, we energetically begin walking down the Upper Rogue River trail. 

C&R Heading Out

The beginnings of the trail is set atop a ravine that follows a creek that we can hear but not see. The trail on the left side drops off into the ravine - a long tumble if you fall. The trail on the right is a rather

Desolate Woods

desolate forest comprised mostly of lodge poll pine and some mountain hemlock. 

Growing beside the trail is lupine. In May and June when the lupine is in bloom, the trail must look stunning - a half mile trek lined with purple blooms. Perhaps we will visit it again in bloom, to see it in its full splendor.

Noble Fir

Rich and I continue on until we reach a fork in the trail. Nailed to a tree is a very, very faded trail marker. If you look closely and know beforehand what the sign should say, you can make out "Boundary Springs". We follow the left side of the fork to Boundary Springs and see our first glimpses of the Rogue River. At one point the trail is set atop a high ridge with the Rogue River way down on the right, and the creek way down on the left.

The terrain in this area is quite lush. Surrounding us is a dense forest filled with white pine, sub alpine fir, noble fir, mountain hemlock, shasta red cedar, and acres and acres of huckleberries. The noble fir are picture perfect for a holiday tree.

I take special note of the huckleberry. There are two kinds of huckleberry in the area:: mountain huckleberry and huckleberry I am used to seeing in the Pacific Northwest. And I snapped a few pictures of the mountain huckleberry.

Mountain Huckleberry

One of the special things about this is place is that along and within the Rogue River, there are lots of meadows. Meadows of wildflowers.

Wildflower Meadow

Meadows of grass. Meadows of bushes.

Bush Meadow

For lunch we sit beside the Rogue River and marvel at the beauty of the meadows. 

The goal of our hike is the the origin of the Rogue River. It's actually not much farther from where we stopped for lunch. And after wandering down a few unmarked trails, we finally arrive. I find it very beautiful. But what surprises me is the volume of water at the origin is just about the same volume that flows through Natural Bridge.

Rogue River Origin

As of yet, the powers that be have not determined where the water comes from that forms the origin of the Rogue River. At any rate, it is already a mighty underground river before reaching topside. 

Rich and I hang out beside the river enjoying the peace, beauty and quiet. We've met only two other hikers on the entire trail. Of course, occasionally we do smell smoke from the Crescent Ridge fire. Can't ever quite get away from that up here. 

Rich at Boundary Springs

Eventually, it's time to head back to camp.  No sadness today, though - as we pick about two cups of huckleberries along the way. (Huckleberry pancakes for breakfast is in our near future!) We get back to the car at about 5:15, and it's now 81 degrees. Warm, but pleasant. And after dinner at Beckies, we head back to camp.

This was a new hike for both Rich and I. At camp we reflect on the beauty of nature, the quiet, the peace, the power of a river and the abundance of life a mighty river feeds. We marvel at the variety of birds observed: flickers, chickadees, robins, nuthatches, jays and humming birds. A wonderful day to celebrate a wonderful man on his 69^th birthday. 

Cheryl