So today starts the next test.  A 2 day trip with a pretty normal pack except it only contains enough food for 2 days and 1 night.  And because it is suppose to be in the 90’s and perhaps 100 there is no need for any cold weather gear or rain gear.  I’m guessing the pack is at about 35 to 40 pounds.  I start where I left off 2 days ago at Hwy 66 and plan on going to Hwy 140.  Notice that I took a day off, not because I was all that tired or hurting but I just was not sure what the next hike should be.   The hike between the Hwy 66 and Hwy 140 is 38 miles and seems very possible.

But on yesterday I hear from “Optimistic” again.  Turns out he wants me to pick him up on Dead Indian Memorial Road which is between the 66 and the 140.    He figures he will be there about 6:30 pm and I tell him I’ll be glad to come get him.   Anyway I was curious how a road could have such a name and so I googled and found this:

By late summer 1855, vengeance and retribution were about to explode. Settlers and American Indians both felt the tension.

By late summer 1855, vengeance and retribution were about to explode. Settlers and American Indians both felt the tension.

Two years after the 1853 Rogue River Indian War had ended, fear and suspicion were stronger than ever.

In September 1855, Fred Alberding was returning to the Oregon Territory after a year living in the United States. He made camp in the Siskiyou Mountains off the Applegate Trail.

When he woke up, one of his horses was missing. Seeing smoke from a nearby Indian village, he decided they must have taken it.

He hurried to Ashland, where he spread the news that Indians had stolen his horse on the Emigrant Road. It didn’t take long to find 15 men who were willing to go out and “lick them Indians,” just to get Fred’s pony back.

They rode to the Greensprings and camped, intending to attack the village before daybreak, but they overslept and the attack came well after sunrise.

The Indians had been peacefully gathering berries for the winter, but as soon as they saw the attacking settlers, they grabbed their rifles, took shelter behind trees and opened fire.

One settler was shot through the hand, another through his arm and Alberding was wounded above his eye. Granville Keene was dead.

The outnumbered “posse,” chased by the tribe, scrambled for their lives. Only when the Indian’s leader was wounded did his men stop their pursuit.

The next day, a detachment of 38 soldiers from Fort Lane were ordered to recover Keene’s body. Nearby Keene Creek would be named for him.

It was an embarrassing defeat for the volunteers, especially when Alberding’s horse suddenly reappeared, dragging a large tree branch caught in its harness. It was the same branch that Alberding had tied the horse to on the night it had disappeared.

With a rumor that Keene’s body had been mutilated, another, larger company of volunteers set off to find his killers.

To the west, not far from an old Indian trail, buzzards circling in the air drew the men to an abandoned Indian camp. There they found at least two, and some say as many as 15 murdered bodies.

Because items were found that Alberding’s volunteers lost when they ran away, it was assumed that these Indians were the ones who had attacked on Keene Creek.

Who had killed the Indians has always generated controversy. Some say it was the volunteers, although it was a time when a settler was likely to brag about killing an Indian, and no one ever did.

Another story said members of an Indian tribe who camped along Little Butte Creek had told Indian Agent Ambrose they were the culprits.

According to the account, fearing they would be blamed for Keene’s death, they had sent a war party to the camp and murdered the men of the tribe while letting the women run away.

The area where the bodies were found soon was known as Dead Indian Prairie, and when the settlers began developing the Indian trail they named it Dead Indian Road.

In 1993, after years of protest, the road was renamed Dead Indian Memorial Road.

And, as happens so often in our history, after all these years, no one knows for sure what really happened.

Writer Bill Miller lives in Shady Cove. Reach him at [email protected].

When I get there to pick “Optimistic” up he simply shakes his head and says the the PCT just kicked his butt.  I laugh out loud and tell him the story of me at REI getting ready to start the PCT and the salesman convincing me to train for a year because frankly the PCT is going to kick my ass.  Here is a copy of that blog post:

I then decided that my next test would have to be a full blown training hike with complete hiking backpack, tent, pad, etc.  Full blown simulation.  (A description of some of my training hikes in the next post).  Of course, I had NONE of this stuff.  I have never backpacked before.   Time for a visit to REI.   Not my first visit to REI and I have always enjoyed shopping there to get clothes and “stuff” for various birding trips.  However I was exceeding lucky (blessed) on this trip as I hooked up with Gary, a very fit employee about my age who was a backpacker.   I told him I needed some backpacking supplies such as a backpack and tent.  Ok he said, what are you planning to do?  I’m going to hike the PCT.  Ok he said, when?   This year.  Ok he said, have you ever done an backpacking before?  No.  OOOOOOKKKKKKKK he said.   So we went over and he picked out the backpack that he thought would be best for me and for the PCT.  We then went over and he helped pick up a tent and pad that he thought would be best for the PCT.  Then he said, you really think you should hike this year? Yes.  OK, then we went over and helped me pick out some trekking poles and some water proof bags to hold “stuff” in, and talked to me about stoves and food supplies.  Then he said, if you have never done this before, it my personal opinion that it would not be best for you to do the PCT this year.  You need to get some experience first.  The PCT will kick your ass.  I smiled and nodded.  Ok, water bottles, water storage, water purification, emergency equipment, rain gear.  Then he said, I would not feel good about myself if I let you walk out of here without saying again that you should not try to walk the PCT this year.  You need to try it out first on small adventures to get trained up and to make sure you even like it.  Thank you, I said, I will think about it.  Ok he said and on we went, socks, gloves, hats, boots (size 10.5, the same size I have worn my entire life).

So, I gave him a ride back to our hotel and he got a room and was going to travel up to Portland and decide when to head back to North Carolina.  Then he was going to plan and train and try to do Oregon next year and I will probably never see him again.

So the temperature is going to be high but I am walking through a nice Oregon forest and shade on most of the trail.  It is another beautiful hike and there seem to be more meadows along the trail. Here are a few photos of the meadow trail

There seems to be a bit of a water issue in this section of the PCT.  Hyatt Reservoir and the campgrounds are suppose to be good sources for water but all water is shut off because of Coliform issues.  But it is still a pretty area

 

About 8 miles ahead there is another lake named Howard Prairie Lake which is about 2 tenths of a mile off the PCT.  There is a campground here called Klum Landing and I went down there and got some water and used their facilities.  Always nice to be able to actually use a bath room.  They also had very nice free shower facilities which I can imagine are a huge hit for PCT’ers that have been out for days.  I stayed here for awhile and had some food.  I loaded up with 6 liters of water so that I had plenty for the night meal, drinking during the night, and breakfast in the morning.  In real life I never get up and drink during the night but while hiking I will frequently drink a liter of water during the night.   I passed this scene on the way there which should have been a clue for me that perhaps not all of Oregon is green forest.

I continue for a couple miles after Klum landing where I cross a dirt road and on the other side is some nice flat ground.  Its been 17 miles and I decide to camp here for the night.

It has been a good day.