| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 03 2003 : 1:11:25 PM
Sir, at last I have finished my report on my trek into the Wilderness of Oregon:
“My Trek Into The Wilderness” . . . or “The Corps of Discovery I and I/2.”
3rd June: Despite his arguments to the contrary, my scout did manage to fit my trunk into the canoe, and we set out north to Syracuse-town where I joined my fellow explorers on The Iron Horse.
4th June: It was a long, arduous and somewhat sleepless all-night trip, but we safely arrived at our first destination of Fort Chicago at mid-morn. The fort was a-bustle with activity, giving me much opportunity to observe many types of people there.
The Corps left Chicago about 4:30 p.m., slowly meandered its way out of Fort Chicago, and proceeded north up the left side of Lake Michigan. After turning westward, we forded the Mighty Mississippi River, a very large river, indeed, containing many islands of all sizes.
5th June: We began passing through an area our scout called Dakota [North]. It is very green, slightly rolling, and if the grasslands might be tamed, it would become excellent and productive farmland, I do believe. There are some trees and lots of little areas of “standing water” that are teeming with all kinds of birds and water fowl. I saw many kinds of ducks, geese, herons, and a lovely large white bird with a long neck, which I have no name for, although I know it was not a swan.
When we reached Fort Minot, I was told that 2 scouts had joined our Corps. [Two people from the National Park Service to provide a program called “Rails To Trails.”] The scouts were knowledgeable of the Corps of Discovery and of Captains Lewis and Clark. I had the opportunity to listen to them speaking of the Captains and their expedition as we traveled. [A program was presented in the Lounge Car, where they had set up a very small exhibit of some Indian artifacts, brochures, maps, and other publications.] Being familiar with the area, the scouts helped us by pointing out to us certain landmarks. When we arrived at Fort Union Trading Post [A reconstructed National Historic Site], the scouts left us, and were sorely missed by me, as they were most informative.
(See www.nps.gov/fous/history.htm)
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Continuing westward, we came upon a vast, high plain, covered with nothing but grasslands everywhere we could see. [Eastern Montana.] The sky there seems to be so large as to completely dominate the landscape, from horizon to horizon. As I looked around me, I could see wondrous cloud formations, and great storms passing in other directions. I did, after a time, wish to be able to see a tree once again, as this land is quite barren.
However, the wildlife I saw kept me from the brink of boredom. I saw coyotes, foxes, white-tail deer, prong-horn antelope, and even buffalo!! [Ok… so the buffalo were domestically raised, and were fenced in.] I hoped to see one of the little towns of “barking squirrels” of which Capt. Lewis wrote. But, alas, we did not!
Westward, westward, we continued across the seemingly endless landscape. Then… suddenly, I beheld a most magnificent vision: great jagged mountains suddenly rose from the high plains! Wonderful, tall peaks that still held areas of frozen snow high in their arms. It was glorious! And I wondered, as we progressed, how we would be able to gain the heights of them to get to the other side. Ah! Little did I know that the scouts knew of a “pass” through them. [The Marias Pass in Glacier National Park.] www.exploretheoldwest.org/marias_pass.htm www.nps.gov/glac/
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We wound around and |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| securemann |
Posted - July 09 2003 : 5:06:53 PM
Yeah,I can remember my Afro back then 69-70.Loved Hendrix and was already burnt out at a young age.Oh well,live and learn. |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 09 2003 : 08:18:51 AM
Always the diplomat, King Richard!
Had long hair for a while in my distant past, but found it annoying, so went short and "artificially" curly. I wasn't the 60s "flower child" sort of hippie, rather the mid-70s "back-to-the-land" sort: the ones who ate a vegetarian diet, grew their own veggies, raised milk goats, etc. We had a group of friends who lived on a commune near Canton in St. Lawrence Co., NY. If I can drum up an old photo or two and get them scanned, I will show you. Ahhh... the things we do in our somewhat-foolish-youth.
It is fun to imagine what people look like, isn't it? There are still some community members here that I have imaginary images of. (Ooops... bad sentence structure.) Hint, hint!
(BTW... I don't care what anyone says... that emoticon is a cow, not a goat!)
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| richfed |
Posted - July 09 2003 : 05:46:36 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Wilderness Woman
(I wouldn't want to put words in your fingers, but adjectives like slim... brunette... tanned... and, of course, gorgeous... are all perfectly acceptable.)
Yeah, that's it! EXACTLY!!!!
No, seriously, the mind conjures up vague images - I guess based on words - so I really don't know what I thought you looked like. Long hair, I think, based on your "hippie-days" reference in one post.
It's always fun seeing the face behind the words!  |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 9:41:10 PM
quote:
Originally posted by securemann
Wow,I just noticed that it is my one year anniversary on this Richy and Lainey Fed Mohican site.Holy cow!(as Phil Rizzuto used to say)I can't believe how fast a year went.
And Happy Anniversary, Securemann! |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 9:37:52 PM
Sooooooooo...... Rich. Without using words like scraggly hair... warts... black cats... and brooms... describe for me how you envisioned me. I'd be interested in knowing how I should look to go along with my Mohicanland personality!
(I wouldn't want to put words in your fingers, but adjectives like slim... brunette... tanned... and, of course, gorgeous... are all perfectly acceptable.)
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| richfed |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 6:55:01 PM
And, glad [very] to have you aboard, Mate!!!
Speaking of time flying ... in out SEVENTH YEAR of doing this! Yowsah! |
| securemann |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 4:07:04 PM
Wow,I just noticed that it is my one year anniversary on this Richy and Lainey Fed Mohican site.Holy cow!(as Phil Rizzuto used to say)I can't believe how fast a year went. |
| securemann |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 3:59:59 PM
Glad to meet ya,W.W.That is a very nice picture. |
| richfed |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 1:43:27 PM
A lot of G's in there ... are we implying another GGGG?!?
Glad to re-meet you, Joyce!!! As usual, you look NOTHING like I envisioned. Nobody ever does ...
And, I third the opinion expressed just above ... come on down & see us, y'hear?! |
| Theresa |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 10:53:56 AM
What a sweet family! Thanks for sharing them with us, W.W. Now, like G.G., I would love it if you came to next Junes' BIG GREAT GRAND WONDERFUL GLORIOUS GATHERING!, too! |
| Gadget Girl |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 10:30:20 AM
Thanks for sharing that Ms. WW. Now just because we have a face to go with a name DOES NOT get you off the hook for attending next June's BIG GREAT GRAND WONDERFUL GLORIUS GATHERING!! THey have trains that run south too ya know!!!
GG |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 08 2003 : 09:20:19 AM
I've finally gotten brave enough to do this...
Here is one last photo from my trek.
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My parents, Frances and Merle Gilb, and myself... Ol' Wilderness Woman. |
| Scott Bubar |
Posted - July 07 2003 : 11:08:43 PM
Gee, somehow I missed this.
Sounds like quite an adventure, WW.
I have fond memories of taking The Southerner from NYC to New Orleans and back in '57 with my mother and brother--my first and only long-distance train trip. It was exciting as a kid (though with long periods of boredom), but I'm not at all sure I'd want to do it today. |
| Seamus |
Posted - July 07 2003 : 09:03:56 AM
Awwwwwwwwwwwwww! .....gosh........gee............you make me blush, WW. Thanks for the kind words. T'is just a hobby........ |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 07 2003 : 08:21:08 AM
Thanks, guys, for all of the kind comments. Glad you enjoyed it.
BTW, since Seamus most likely will not... er... "toot his own horn"... I would just like to mention that he carves a gorgeous horn! I have seen photos online of one fine specimen he carved. As far as I'm concerned, it looks good enough to be in a museum next to one that is valued at around $25,000!! Nice work, Seamus.
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| richfed |
Posted - July 06 2003 : 08:24:56 AM
quote:
Originally posted by securemann
Hey Rich,Did you have a pooper scooper for that big old smelly?
Alas, I'm afraid not. All was not lost, though. Uniformed personnel were quickly on the scene - alerted by ... by ... the smell????  ... to remove the offensive material from public view. Much to my relief, I might add - not to mention that of the gathering hordes ... some found it quite amusing!
Hey Seamus ... good show! Man, you do get around, don't you! When might next you find yourself in the Carolinas? |
| Seamus |
Posted - July 05 2003 : 9:07:50 PM
Your much-anticipated report has been received at Headquarters, WW, and is filed appropriately. I am very happy to read of your safe return. Your mission was completed in a most commendable manner. My congratulations! I found it quite fascinating! Well done, my friend......VERY well done!!
I have just returned this day from the colony of Virginia, where I took part in a Living History Day at Thomas Jefferson's Retreat, Poplar Forest (www.poplarforest.org), near Lynchburg. It is an annual event which showcases a number of exhibits, demonstrations and presentations of late 18th century/early 19th century life, period crafters and entertainers, Indian life, and the house itself, which is under renovation and reconstruction to Mr. Jefferson's original specifications. In addition, there are ongoing archeological projects on site. I was invited to portray a hornsmith, as I am a charter member of the Hornworker's Guild, called The Honourable Company of Horners. The focus this year was on the 200th Anniversary of the start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, so, you see, we are bound together by the Corps of Discovery. We had around 2500 people through the grounds.........and I am about all talked out! It was a wonderful experience.
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| securemann |
Posted - July 05 2003 : 11:06:35 AM
Hey Rich,Did you have a pooper scooper for that big old smelly? |
| Theresa |
Posted - July 03 2003 : 8:54:05 PM
Wowza!! Sounds like you had quite an "adventcha" there W.W. You can certainly paint a picture. I have my own train ride experience(s). I went to Washington, D.C. with a group of Girl Scouts when I was in sixth grade. Round trip, meals, hotel, everything except souveniers for five days....$72! (Oh no! I think I just aged myself). Then when our daughter was 11 I took MY group of Girl Scouts to Mobile, spent the night on the USS Alabama and toured the city. Loads of fun.
This was a most enjoyable read, W.W. Thank you for sharing. |
| richfed |
Posted - July 03 2003 : 7:27:05 PM
Double WOW, WW!
Great report! Very interesting & it brought back memories of my own journeys out West ... just about everything you referred to I could place myself into via my own experience. Well I remember my first glimpse of the Rockies up in Alberta, Canada in '72.
Awesome!
And the train ride ... I once took Amtrak from Oceanside, California to New York, New York. What a trip! With 2 dogs, too! I remember standing in the enormous lobby at Grand Central Station on a pay phone calling for a ride, dogs on a leash. One of my dogs had absolutely refused to poop in his crate on the train ... the last leg was a straight 24 hours. No walks at all. He couldn't stand it any more ... a big old smelly right there in the middle of the crowds of NYC! 
Thanks, Joyce ... a great read ...
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| securemann |
Posted - July 03 2003 : 2:47:33 PM
WOW. |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 03 2003 : 1:19:46 PM
My thoughts on the train: All in all I enjoyed it very much. It was very relaxing.
Sleeping: my first night out of Syracuse, I had a “sleeper” or what Amtrak laughingly calls “accomodations.” It was offered to me at a bargain price and because I was sick with a cold, I took it. It was rather like sleeping in a tall, tin coffin meant for 2 people. It was tiny (6 x 4 ft!) and was very confining. I was thankful I am not claustrophobic. As far as I am concerned, its only redeeming feature is being able to stretch out flat to sleep. By the way, there was also a miniature toilet and sink in this small space!
From then on, I was in the coach, which I liked much better. I was up higher and could see out much better on both sides of the train. The seats are much roomier than on a plane. They recline and with the footrest up, a little pillow and a blanket (which you must bring), you can manage to get fairly comfortable. The lights are dimmed at night and if you are one who can sleep while sitting in your recliner with the TV on… no problem!
Food is expensive. I never did eat in the dining car, opting instead to get sandwiches, chips, sodas, muffins, yogurt, coffee, etc. from the snack/lounge car. I also brought some granola bars and crackers with me.
People were generally very nice and friendly. Most of the time, I did not have someone in the seat next to me (which helped with sleeping because I could curl up across both seats), but when I did have a seatmate, we had an enjoyable time chatting. Train personnel were, for the most part, very cheerful and helpful.
Amtrak tries very hard to stay on schedule, but things do happen. Locomotives break down… freight trains get in the way and sometimes we had to “side” for a little bit to let traffic clear out… supplies run out (once we were told to save our coffee cups if we wanted to buy more coffee because the snack car ran out of cups). My trains ran pretty much on time, but we were 1-1/2 hours late on the Syracuse-Chicago leg, and coming home, we were about 1 hour late getting into Syracuse. You just “roll with it.”
Would I do it again? If I can get another good price on the ticket… you bet!
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| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - July 03 2003 : 1:16:51 PM
On a personal note:
My visit with my parents was very nice, if uneventful. There is, however, one very interesting thing I want to tell you about.
My father, who is as interested in history as I am, saw an article in the Portland paper, clipped it and saved it for me. And while I was there, we drove to the small farming town of St. Paul, Oregon (a little south of Portland), to see the grave of the only Revolutionary War soldier buried in the state of Oregon! Here is the story:
William Cannon was important in the early history of what is now the State of Oregon. He was born in 1755 in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. He served with the 4th PA Artillery Regiment, and was involved with the battles of King’s Mountain and Cowpens (and probably others). He learned the blacksmithing and millwright trades, and was somewhat of an adventurer.
By 1810, William Cannon was a soldier at one of the frontier outposts and was at Fort Mackinac (at the juncture of Lakes Michigan and Huron) when Wilson Price Hunt (a partner of John Jacob Astor) was forming an overland party to go to the mouth of the Columbia River (on the Pacific Ocean). At the age of 55, William Cannon joined the expedition, which was the first overland expedition after Lewis and Clark and followed in their footsteps.
On Feb. 12, 1812, the Astor expedition reached what became Ft. Astoria in present day Oregon. William Cannon was first assigned to Willamette Post, near present day Salem, Oregon. He took a Chinook woman of the Clackamas tribe as his wife and they had one son, John, who was baptized in the Catholic church, but may have been raised by his mother’s tribe.
Ft. Astoria was sold to the Northwest Company, and William chose to stay with Northwest, spending 10 years with them as an employee in the summer and a free trapper in the winter. When the NW Company and Hudson’s Bay merged in 1821, William was involved in building Ft. Vancouver (on the Washington side of the Columbia) under the direction of the chief factor, John McLoughlin. He was 69 years old and still going strong as a millwright and blacksmith. He became superintendent of the mills and the blacksmith shop at Ft. Vancouver.
By 1836, William had apparently retired and was living and working around an area called French Prairie in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. (Champoeg State Park is in this area.) By now he was 81 years old. The Oregon territory was becoming more settled, and it was time for the people living there to decide the fate of a state.
In 1843, a secret meeting was held at Champoeg, in the French Prairie area, to decide whether the territory should be Independent, British, or American. On May 2, 1843, after a heated debate, a vote was taken. The result was 52 to 50 in favor of an American Provisional government. The first official government of the future State of Oregon. William Cannon was one of the 52, casting his vote at the age of 88. His name is on an obelisk at Champoeg State Park.
William Cannon died in 1854 at the age of 99 and was buried by Bishop Francis Norbert Blanchet in the old cemetery in St. Paul, Oregon. With him are a number of unmarked graves, but the names inscribed on a boulder identify them as Frenchmen who were among the early settlers of Oregon.
But William’s story does not end here. The SAR and the DAR researched William and in 1991 a gravestone was erected in the little cemetery declaring William to be the only Rev. War soldier buried in Oregon. The quest began to give William an official U.S. government headstone. The process took 12 years! It seems William did not have the required documents… a discharge certificate, a military ID #, or a Social Security #. His champions didn’t give up. It took the DAR, the SAR, the American Legion and the St. Paul mayor to do it, but the government finally gave in. In April 2003, an official gravestone was put in place and was dedicated in |
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