Road Trip - 4/26/2021 to 5/1/2021 - Part Four

 Waning Gibbous Moon

A short cruise west over the mountains on Hwy 36 from Susanville brought me to the bustling little town of Chester on the north end of Lake Almanor, a large reservoir formed by the damming of the north fork of the Feather River. Chester is the closest town to the mid-point of the Pacific Crest Trail, in ancestral Maidu territory. Before it was flooded by the creation of the lake, the big meadow on the valley floor was home to the original inhabitants of the area for thousands of years. 

I arrived a few days after the opening of fishing season, so there was plenty of optimistic commotion in and around the town. Aside from fishing and other lake-related recreational undertakings, Chester is at its heart a timber town. When you hike the surrounding trails, frequent signs remind you that the logging company that operates in the gorgeous forests is large and in charge.

My business was not in Chester, though. I wanted to stop about 8 miles west of town at the parking area for the PCT and say a brief hello to my old friend. I stretched my legs for a couple of miles south, turned around, and walked back to my car. A few patches of snow still lingered in the shade, but mostly I had a soft forest duff trail and tall, sturdy trees for company in the sunny, early afternoon - perfect! I was reminded that, as hard as all the logistics and planning can sometimes be, hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail is a beautifully simple act.

Next up was something I had wanted to do for a long time. I wanted to ride south along Hwy 32 and see if I could pick up any residual vibes from the past. This was Yana territory, between Mill Creek and Deer Creek in what is now the Ishi Wilderness. Ishi's story is well chronicled in many sources, but in general, Ishi was a man from a small tribe which lived in the rugged, steep terrain between Lassen Peak and the foothills near today's Chico, CA. He was the last surviving member of his band, the rest of whom had been starved and/or murdered in the late 1800's by settlers. California law at the time allowed (encouraged) the extermination of Indigenous people. The Yana had always been a little contentious, even with the peaceful Maidu, due to their difficult living circumstances in rough country, so when the Euro-Americans came along building roads over their ridges and tearing up trees, they fought back. And lost. Ishi, the last of the group, hid for many years, then wandered out of his homeland and was found by a ranch near Oroville, disoriented and hungry. There are books and videos that tell his story in much more detail.

I wanted to spend a little time walking along beautiful Deer Creek and feeling a little of the sense of the place. Had time and people covered up all footprints, real and otherwise, or would I be accepted by this mysterious place and allowed to see any signs of a past presence? I was sad to discover that this was not the day for me to be there. I felt it as soon as I left the car. It was like a wall with a keep out sign, holding back an atmospheric river of pain. I never ignore things like that, so I left. Maybe another day will be better. I really hope so. I took no pictures and I didn't speak a word. I just moved on.

Down the road, on the edge of the Great Central Valley, I entered Chico, a college town which had grown twofold since I was last there. It was a madhouse of car traffic and I couldn't wait to escape - completely consistent with all the feelings that had hit me on Deer Creek. This place was not for me, either, at least not this day. I decided to continue on to Oroville to see if there might be a historical museum with info or exhibits from which I could learn more about Ishi's exit from Yana territory. 

I holed up in a Motel 6 for the night to get clean and to rest from a few days on the road. In the morning I scarfed up some righteous vittles at The Cornucopia Restaurant, a pretty ordinary family diner with really good food.  This was the first time in over a year that I was able to sit at a counter and eat, which I believe is one of life's most enjoyable experiences. I was a happy lad. 

Oroville has a Main Street (Montgomery Street, I think) that runs through a lovely green tree tunnel in their historical district. They have a nice town park, a Veteran's Memorial, and a Pioneer Museum in a cool old stone building. But just like Deer Creek, I was thwarted, this time by museum closure due to COVID. A local walker told me to be sure to come back, though, because they have tons of Ishi stuff, including a wax museum style likeness of him from his time there. "Is that a good thing?" I wondered. 

I wandered over to see the bike path along the Feather River and the park that sits just above it. I was totally impressed. Oroville is a really pleasant place to walk.

Even though I didn't get to hone my Ishi knowledge like I had anticipated, I ended up feeling pretty good about this segment of the trip. I know better than to be disappointed or to give up. I'll come back and try again.

Peace, Love, and Patience,

Jim