Beating Tito

[PapaYolk]

Took a ride around the "Bend". The Snake runs east across Idaho until it runs up against the Owyhee uplands. It then swings north and is the state line between Idaho and Oregon until it's confluence with the Clearwater at Lewiston WA. An old survey's error starts the straight line south to Nevada a bit after the Snake turns north and created the Bend, the only bit of Oregon east of the Snake. The first cattle drive to the Idaho Territory ended in the bend. With the Snake on two sides and the marsh at the confluence of the Boise and a sandy ridge on the other sides, it was perfect for wintering the heard that was incrementally supplied to the miners up in Silver City on War Eagle Mountain, at astronomical prices.

This water tower sets atop a hill overlooking the Roswell Marsh. It is the end of a conduit to the main ditch running along the sand hills across the marsh and contains checks to open the flow of water at the level of the main ditch.



Being cut off from the county seat in Vale, the homesteaders in the bend became a stubbornly Independent lot. They had their own grange, schools, and with the advent of the auto, rejected being part of the county's road districts. I had to dig my old Willys out of a snow drift there one winter when the roads on ether side of the bend had been kept plowed and clear. When I lived there, in Oregon, our party line was an Idaho number and all calls to Oregon (except little Adrian) were long-distance, as were all calls to Idaho. The power lines are still strung on glass insulators atop rotting wooden pegs. Power outs every time we had a good blow our ice storm. My wife was visiting a friend two miles down the road when lightning struck a tree, our car (cooked the computer) and the power pole. Because the old power poles grounds have rotted, it came all the way to my house and fried the TV, microwave oven, and phone.

the old grange on Redtop Rd,



This old pump house is all that's left of a large park. I remember the stone and iron gateway and huge old trees before they were cleared to farm. It was the pride of the bend, with a dance pavilion and band stand. People would come by wagon and carriage a days journey from Idaho and Oregon on the 4th of July and camp over. The bend is mostly depopulated now as farms grew larger and most old homesteads and schools have vanished in the past few years.



The bend.

[PapaYolk]

The Treasure Valley is greened here by the Snake, head-watered in Wyoming, comming out from deep canyons into this valley, silted by the confluence of five rivers. This is the Owyhee, lined with native black willow. It's headwaters are in Nevada. This is near it's dumping into the Snake.




I rode down the Oregon side (N) of the Snake today. On an obscure farm road that dead ends at the river are a retired silo and tractor. And a local shoe tree.

[Boondox]

Love your writing style! You definitely have Tito beat in that department. I don't think he slows down enough to commit anything to posterity. Be sure to rack up enough miles so you have a safety margin. As deadlines approach he resembles the Patriots marching 97 yards downfield for the winning score.

[PapaYolk]

Thanks to all who have read and commented. I may have a bit more kick late in the stretch. If Jayson, manufacturing my trailer, finishes a production proto by Jan, I'm off. Every Podunk biker swap-meet or poker run I can find, I'll be there showing off Spud and taking orders. With Spud's bed and a galley, just gas and groceries and I'm on my way.

But today, It's rain and wind and a nice 50 out. Swapped out my milk crate and saddle bags with a dry-bag... and mounted some Christmas lights. I,m off to the remnants of a CCC work camp, Japanese internment camp and German POW compound.

[PapaYolk]

This is cow hollow. The Oregon Trail fords the Snake at a crossing where islands formed from the influx of The Owyhee and Boise rivers; then here at the hollow, along a creek, joins the alternate (southern) route of the trail. This has always been a place for gathering. In 1935 a large CCC camp was built here and filled with young men from New Jersey. With the war the camp turned semi-internment and was filled with families of Japanese.







The trees outline the camp's yard. We set up here, in their shade, my first son's wedding.



Not much camp left.



Foundations churned up by roots. One old quarters.





The camps gate posts have been toppled and shoved to the weeds and rubish at the roads edge. The foot stone bares a mason's mark. I feel a duty to save these artifacts. FDR was driven between these pillers. If I can line up five fit men and a truck they would do well in my wife's gardens.





The weather is playing nice as I ride to the POW camp.







Flag popping winds.

[PapaYolk]

Again it's the trees that show the layout at the WWII POW Camp.



Old Gate



Mess-hall









The hall is buttoned up tight with old olive drab, WW II issue bunks nailed to the insides of doors and windows.



Dry ride home.

[trailrider383]

I am enjoying the history lesson of where I have lived my whole life. I spent over half my life about 4 miles from Cow Hollow.

Great thread! Although every time I see the title, I think you are beating up a member of the Jackson Five.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tito_Jackson

[AustinJake]

PapaYolk, I rate this metaljockey, great thread, good luck!

[KingOfFleece]

If anybody wins it's because Tito let them win.!

[Liberia]

Originally Posted by PapaYolk

They recently banned jumping from the old span.

Dang! That takes a lot of anticipation out of your ride report.

[TheAdmiral]

Boy, I've ridden on Cow Hollow and through Nyssa so many times and never new the history of the CCC/Internment Camp or the POW Camp. How interesting. I'm glad I decided to follow this thread. It's way more than just beating Tito! Thanks for sharing.

[Bob]

More great pics, I had to open the map program and try and figure out all the places you have been going.

[PapaYolk]

Off to get gas in Nyssa. Wind and rain leavin the house..



My wife runs the budget. She rides the "card" close to drawn and it's only good for about a tank's worth. So she knows if I splurg for a burger and brew, knows before I get home, because shes always with her new BFF, Sam, (Samsong) or standby Ken (Kendall). But granddad's old co-op account gets billed once a month and no self serve in OR., just ride in and they put it on the account. Don't even have to swipe a card.



Off to Vale.





I work up over the highland between the valleys of the Snake and Malheur. It's cool and windy and with a roll of the head through a turn I see the whole encirclement by mountains, close and across-the-valley far, that feed the rivers that join the Snake here.





I pick up the Oregon Trail a few miles north of Cow Hollow. It climbs slow dusty scrub to Kenny Pass then down to the Malheur at Vale.



At the last rocky slope before the river, at the toe, lies Jon D Hinderson, along the trail where he breathed his last. Remembered because it was etched in stone, 1853.





At Vale, the stone stronghold with a once thick sod roof to withstand a casual burning by the hands or arrows of hostiles.









In 1872 Kenny's way-stop was cornered by Rineharts Inn.



With the advent of rail one could fetch a Sears house like this: pre-cut lumber, fixtures, hardware, and kegs of nail, mail-order catalog shipped and dropped at the station.



A puddle was much deeper than it looked along here, topped my boots and filled them with cold muddy water.

[RedRockRider]

Following along. Like TheAdmiral said, Lots of stuff in the thread, not just about beating Tito. Still, you've got a fan club. Go, go PapaYolk!

[PapaYolk]

My Grandpa Tony, thick Czech accent and wide Slavic smile, set bouncing beside me on the way to Vale. Forbidden Planet was Playing at the REX. My first trip to the movies. I was five or six.





Scared the shit out of me. Huge room of chattering strangers-- then the lights go out. Then a freaking invisible monster's footprints advance until bang, outlined by the electrics of a force field, standing 12 feet tall right there in front of me... I was screaming, headed for the doors when Toni caught me, pulled me back.



Malheur Butte Dominates the valley and was a vantage point for Indians watching for travelers on the Oregon Trail.



This is an ancient volcano, 10 x older than the vents and cinder cones common to this area. It was preserved under the silt of Lake Idaho then re-exposed as river cuts meandered the valley. The magma that last pushed toward vent dried slow and hard in the little volcano's gullet.




Water from the Owyhee Lake main canal flows down across the valley to more highland ditch that greens the Snake's valley to the north.