Greenwood/Elk columns

May 6,~ July 15, 1987

May 6th.

What a great time of year this is and what a special place to live. The season of outdoor barbecues, fish fries, and abalone feeds are upon us.

While out of town folks rush through town, hunting for a place to eat; just up the hill, down some lane, the locals are pounding on an abalone, dipping fresh caught mussels into butter and garlic, munching homemade bread and fresh grown salad. Drinking local wine while waiting for the salmon on the barbecue to get, "just right".

How many people get to listen to a stand up bass, a homemade hurtygurty, and a concertina while stretched out on a blanket in a meadow? How about dancing for hours in the moon light to African drums?

It is happening once again, all over the place, and all for the price of a potluck. Like they say to the tourists, up in Mendocino, "Enjoy"!

I called Jane Matson to find out how much rain we got last week. It turns out that Jane is out of town but Mel went out and checked anyway. He found two bugs floating in sixty five hundredths of an inch of water.

Elk has received a total of 28.46 inches so far. Mel said we are about ten inches under last year's total.

The Harbor House has a recipe for an Oriental Pasta Salad, if you are interested;

Sixty chicken breasts. Thirty bunches of spinach. Twenty four bags of noodles. Eight gallons of dressing.

Jane Lewis, Sari Scannlon, and Terry Garner tossed this beauty for the Food and Wine Fest in Mendocino, last weekend. It was a real hit for the MPAC benefit.

The Buchannan family has maintained the same post office box number, possibly since the Elk Post Office was first established back in 1887. Verification by post office stamp go back as early as 1903 on some letters kept by family members. Post Office box numbers are vivid in the memories of various writers of "Memories of the Elk Post Office in the Village of Greenwood", a booklet being printed by the Greenwood Civic Club and soon available for sale.

The Greenwood School Open House will be on May 13th, 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Children's work will be on display. There will be several brief presentations. Hope you all can come see what is happening in our school by the sea.

One more reminder of the Folk Dance Party at the Community Center this Saturday, May 9th. One dollar for kids under twelve. Two dollar for Seniors and teens. Three fifty for the rest of us. Proceeds will fund the trip to the Soviet Union for three local high school students.

Mother's Day this Sunday. Get your act together and make it on down to the Community Center for a great Breakfast. The first sourdough pancake and barbecued sausages will hit the plates at 8:00 AM.

The ambulance was called out for a bicycle accident North of town. Linda Aubrey's son Erin flipped over the handle bars and received a mild concussion and a check out at the Fort Bragg Hospital. Erin is okay.

Gerry and Mary Huckaby celebrated their birthday, May 3rd. Gerry said, "He is thirty four. Mary is a lot older".

Have your ever seen the Elk water clearer or tasting better? Compare it to that stuff in the Bay Area sometime.

May 13th.

Last Wednesday, my dog and I took a walk down to the beach and found Joseph Huckaby and Annie Gallo swimming around in the pond.

"Come on in. The water's fine."

Yeah sure. I've heard that one before but, after thinking about it for a while, I finally did. They were right. The water was perfect. Warm enough to be enjoyable, yet cool enough to be refreshing. Nice and clear with no algae taste. The algae occurs later this summer.

My rumor about the Roadhouse Cafe was only off by two weeks. This Thursday, the 14th of May, those great chocolate shakes and hamburgers will again be available. No more hundred and twenty mile round trips to McDonalds in Ukiah.

Mother's Day Breakfast happened once again. Mel Matson said it was the best breakfast he has ever had. Jane won't speak to him now.

Well hey, I'm sorry, but when you have a team of cooks like Al Weaver, George Montag, Bill Baker, with Ed Bird mixing Gin Fizzes, well, that's tough to beat. Kristi Matson greeted people at the door and Abra Brayman, Lori Petty, Delphine Davidson, served. The flowers for table decorations came from Sue Matson's yard though, I don't know if she knows. All in all another success for the Community Center.

During breakfast I talked to Charlie Acker about the Elk water system. I have found it amazing that a lot of people living here have no idea where our water comes from except the faucet.

We have two electric driven wells located below the bridge over Greenwood Creek. If you look over the South end of the bridge you will see them. The one on the East side of the bridge is #1 and driven twenty five feet deep. The one on the West side of the bridge is #2 and it is eighteen feet deep.

You can also see the Gabion wall that was built last year to protect well #1. The wall contains one hundred and fifty cubic yards of hand placed rock. It is seventy feet long and nine feet high with a twelve foot base. Each layer is narrower and now that it has been backfilled only the upper most rows are exposed. The creek was cutting too close to the well and surface water was getting in. We had to switch to well #2 and that is where the rust was coming from. The wall has stopped the influx of surface water and now we are back on well #1.

The water is pumped up the South side of Greenwood Creek to the holding tanks. The tanks are in a clump of trees and hard to spot unless you know where to look. The view from up there is spectacular, out over the town and on North towards Cuffey Cove. Currently we have two wood tanks that hold thirty five thousand gallons. A metal tank will be in place by late summer with a capacity of eighty four thousand gallons, bringing our total to one hundred and twenty thousand gallons. All this for a town of about seventy five hookups. Charlie said the pumps only run about ten minutes per hour to keep up with the town.

Kindergarten Registration from 2:00 to 3:30, May 18 through 21. Children who are five before December 2nd, 1987, are eligible. Bring immunization records and proof of birth. Call Jane Corey at 877-3361 if you have questions. Also call or come in if you have children who will be entering Greenwood School in September.

May 20th.

If you want to boil frogs, bring the water to a boil real slow. That way they won't know when the water gets too hot.

That is what comes to mind when I think about Louisiana Pacific's logging practices and the tree spiking up on Cameron Road. The water seemed too hot for some frogs but others think it isn't too bad and besides, what can you do about it.

It is usually us new frogs that get upset. The old-timers say that it has all been logged before and it will all grow back. In a few years you won't know the difference, but when they show you photos of how it was in the "good old days", you see ten guys standing on a stump. Today it would be hard to fit ten frogs on a stump!

It really does seem like a no win situation. I know a frog who has kept a close eye on logging violations and recently took photos and called in the authorities. A citation was written, a fine was issued, and the price of lumber goes up. Some other frog spikes a tree and the only one who gets hurt is another frog. Either way, political process or direct action, we end up paying for it.

Now it is Greenwood Creek's turn, again. The equipment rolled through town last week. I am told that there are thirteen logging plans for our town's watershed. I am told it won't affect our water. Only the spraying of herbicide could have an effect on us and maybe that can be stopped. As for the steelhead, well, they aren't frogs.

Peg Frankel showed me a four inch Japanese fish float she found last week on Manchester beach. She said it was the first one she has found since 1958, and she walks a lot of beach. Later in the day I was talking to Roff Barnett and he told me his glass float story.

He found one in 1974. He saw a shiny object imbedded in the face of a sandstone cliff, about thirty feet up. At first he thought it was a car headlight, but as he dug, it turned out to be a fish float about sixteen inches in diameter. He still has it. We speculated for a while about how it could possibly have ended up in a location like that.

I have never been to the "Keep Moving" aerobics class at the Community Center here in Elk, but a friend of mine has taken aerobic classes in New York City, and down in L.A., and she said that the one we have here is the best one she has ever attended.

Ayn Ruyman teaches the class and she is great. You might want to note that she has changed the days to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 4 to 5, so more people can attend.

All I get are the sweaty bodies in tights that come zooming into the Elk Store after aerobics for soft drinks, but I'm not complaining!

Sari Scanlon and Miles Clark are now married. Big wedding last Sunday. You had to be there and most of us were. We all wish them the best.

Elk's Ben Thompson, Kiva Bolton, Dorothy Piper, Cinnamon, Jordie Williams, Elias Steinbuck, Merlin Hemble, Robin Bird, and Tony and Tim Galletti joined Manchester and Point Arena to form a major and minor league hardball team.

They stormed over the hill to Boonville and took first place in both divisions. Elias Steinbuck took 'Most Valuable Player', again.

The trophy will be on display at the Elk Store. Way to go!!!

May 27th.

I'm real sorry to learn that Roger and Sallie Barton, and their children, Brad and Amanda, will be moving back to Phoenix next month.

The Bartons have been very busy running the Greenwood Lodge and yet found the time to be involved in our community and the church in Comptche. Roger became a volunteer fireman and they both taught CPR.

Last month when salmon season started, Roger got out and caught a beautiful twenty pounder. He told me to stop by after work. When I did I found I had to get in line behind Walt and Bob Matson. We looked like cats waiting for fish bones, licking our chops and pacing back and forth.

From the desk of Baseball Commissioner, Bill Edison:

"Next Sunday, May 31st, at 2:00 PM. Elk celebrates Pepper Martin Day at the old ball field, which has been completely renovated this year. For those of you too young to know, or too old and have forgotten, Pepper Martin was one of the greatest characters ever to play the national pastime. He got his nick name "Wild Horse of the Osage" because he could chase jack rabbits for miles across the Oklahoma plains. He would run the bases with fury and catch ground balls with his chest. Having invented and perfected the belly flop slide, he was the only one to do it without an athletic supporter.

In the 1931 World Series, as a member of the Saint Louis Cardinals "Gashouse Gang", he batted .500 and stole sixteen bases and got more applause than President Herbert Hoover. So each year a prize is given; the Pepper Martin Spittoon, found in a wine cellar in Point Arena, to the player that emulates the Pepper Martin spirit of 'guts and guile'.

Kristi Matson won in 1985 for climbing the backstop and catching a foul ball in her mouth! A rendition of the "Wabash Cannonball", Martin's favorite song, will be sung before the game and Francis Fashauer promises to throw out the first ball.

So for a "dash of Pepper", come out to the Elk Stadium this Sunday."

I attended the Philo Yacht Club Regatta, under the Philo/Greenwood bridge at Hendy Woods, last Sunday. Twenty six creative entries and about seventy people showed up.

Don Shanley represented Elk with the "Sod Sloop" complete with drip system. He said it was derived from a century old design invented by Nebraska homesteaders. Not only did it float, but it also survived the final event of the day, the deadly Bridge Drop!

Some of the other entries that caught my eye were the "Tostada Regatta" from the Floodgate Cafe and the "Submarine", an eighteen inch long submarine sandwich wrapped in plastic. The "Slip Sloop" from the Philo Pottery was beautiful but only floated about eight minutes before water started showing in the bilge and it sank.

The most tense moment of the day was when a square rigger, manned by "Captain Tex" caught fire. Just as the sails went up in flames, a loud explosion occurred and to our surprise, Captain Tex came floating down under a hefty bag parachute. Rainbow, the designer of the ship, wadded out and snatched Captain Tex from the water, and after a bit of CPR, pronounced him alive and well, much to the relief of us, waiting along the shore.

Rainbow and Captain Tex promise to return next year.

Don't forget the Highway One Jazz Choir, 8:00 PM. this Sunday at the Community Center. Elk's own Carolyn Steinbuck directing and Linda Barnett and Carolyn Carleton among the singers.

June 3rd.

A big farewell party over at Hendy Woods for Doug and Jan Johnson. Sorry to say but they too are moving on. They are heading for the gold country of Jackson. They have been a part of the Elk Scene for thirteen years. Time for a change and higher pay. They are going to hang on to their property and promise to be back.

The Greenwood Children's Barn is closing it's doors after thirteen years of operation. It was built by parents and community members. Bill Edison kept the school well supplied with art supplies and new books, and at the annual holiday party, filled Santa's sock with gifts for each child.

Students remember Bills spirited rendition of favorite books and his re-enactment of Billy Goat Gruff on the 'Yeal Troll Bridge', also the many wonderful outings and his unflagging efforts to initiate the children of "health food nuts" into the joys of white sugar!

Three students from the first class are graduating from high school this year. Zappa Montag, Eva Katz, and Amber Lasciak.  (Correction:  Amber e-mailed April 30, 2004, to inform me that she..."did not graduate with them, in that year, or in Mendocino at all!)

During the biggest year, the school had twenty one students coming from as far as Anderson Valley and the Navarro Ridge. During the last two years the School has been proud to be twinned with a school in Nicaragua. This project was instituted and maintained by Lydia Edison who did all the correspondence and arranged fund raising events.

This Saturday, June 6th, from 10 to 4, there will be a sale of supplies at the school. All proceeds go to our school in Nicaragua.

I was in the "Press Box" at the Pepper Martin softball tournament Sunday. My notes are as follows:

Francis Fashaur tossed out the first ball.

Gerry Huckaby, first hit.

Becky Matson, second hit, caught by Bill Baker, double play.

Catcher Ben Thompson tags out Mike Ramone at home plate.

Tim Fashaur...home run.

Kiva Bolton caught a high pop up.

Vincent Carleton physically holds David Dinzel at third base while outfield looks for the ball.

Huckaby home run on a series of errors.

Raven from Point Arena tries tossing in an extra ball to first base. Gets caught.

Discussion about whether it is the bottom of the fourth or the top of the fifth.

Raven dives to third.

Two run hit by Angelo Pronsolino.

Angelo runs in. Score 9-6.

Adam Steinbuck, home run. Tie game 9-9.

Huckaby dribbles base hit.

Huckaby upsets second baseman, steals third.

Bottom of fifth.

Robbi Robison steals third. 10-9

Raven hits single, three runs in on comedy of errors.

Elias Steinbuck, great catch, retires inning 13-9.

Bottom of sixth.

Top of seventh.

Bottom of seventh.

Ben Thompson, only one who knows what's the score and inning.

Huckaby, great catch at first, Baker out.

Game deteriorates into a series of screwy pitches by Raven.

More goofy errors and Mike Ramone slides home, 13-12.

Tie game top of eight, bottom of eighth.

Raven grabs hot hit.

Katy Edison makes third out.

Top of ninth. Tied game.

One out.

Time out.

Raven to first, Raven hit home.

Throw to third, hits Huckaby, Baker damages knee trying to cover.

Ben bunts, slides to first, out.

Rusty Gates hits.

Adam Steinbuck catches, second out.

Mike Ramone up with two outs, lots of pressure, single hit.

Caught by Huckaby, game over.

Roff Barnett's team, the Peppers won.

The Martins, Bill Baker's team lost.

Gerry Huckaby is the first adult to win the Pepper Martin Spittoon for guts and guile. Some claim he isn't an adult.

Raven won the Pepper Martin photo.

Baby Doc DuValiar award to the umpire, Bill Edison.

You had to be there.

June 10th.

Margaret Feliz was in a head on accident by the Harvest Market, last Wednesday morning. She was still in intensive care Thursday evening. Margaret had just gotten over a long illness a couple of months ago, now this. We all wish her the best and hope for a fast recovery.

Coach "Baby Doc" Edison reports that the Greenwood/Elk Elementary School played the Acorn School from Point Arena and won 10-zip! Coach Edison, during the pre game pep talk, told the kids to "just play like Gerry Huckaby did during the Pepper Martin game".

The high point of the game was when Connor Bird turned in two double plays. Connor also presented "excellent clutch hitting, speed on the bases and superb execution on the field". Congratulations to the Greenwood/Elk school baseball team.

There was a bunch of folks down at the beach swimming hole during that hot afternoon/evening last Tuesday. Try it, you'll like it!

There was a end of the school year camping party over at Hendy Woods last Tuesday night for Claire Skilton's 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from the Greenwood/Elk school. Twenty kids in all. Seven adults rode shotgun. The kids built a dam across the river and made themselves a swimming hole which got a lot of use because of the hot weather.

One of my short informants told me about the trick they played on their teacher. It seems there was a roasted marshmallow that got tossed into her sleeping bag and, "Giggle, giggle!, she slept on it all night"!!!

All in all everyone had a great time and came back sleepy eyed and smelling of campfire smoke.

I have been stopping by the Roadhouse Cafe at eight in the morning for coffee and breakfast, if I have the time. It is great to have it open again.

Bob Matson is usually starting the fire to knock off the morning chill, Sue Matson is getting it together in the kitchen and Gerry Huckaby, Sheryl Matson or Tracey Hembel, depending on who has the duty, is putting a tape in the stereo. I hope we can show enough support for the Roadhouse Cafe this summer to con the Matsons into keeping it going past Labor Day and on into the winter when we really need some hot coffee, a cup of soup, and a place to meet our neighbors.

The Greenwood Civic Club reports that the plans for the Post Office Centennial are coming together. The celebration will start at noon, August 22nd, four day short of when the Post Office first opened, one hundred years ago.

Flag raising and introduction of notables will start the event. The Cal Aggie band will play. Historic walks will be led by current and former residents. Historical photos will be on display. Native Indians will dance. The Community Center will feature a Barbecue. Picnic tables will be scattered throughout the State Park Property, surrounding the Post Office, for family reunions. Many old time former residents will be back to enjoy our community and reminisce about days gone by. Try to attend this one because it is going to be a long time before the next one!

If you want to see what upsets people about Louisiana Pacific's method of logging, take a look eight tenths of a mile up Greenwood road. Gaze up towards Edison's, place. Not only is it just the beginning of their harvesting but it is also our town watershed. Something is definitely wrong here.

June 17th.

It's tough to go on vacation when I'm on one all the time. Oh, I have work to do and all that, but living here seems like being on vacation, after all, this is the kind of place I go to for vacation.

So the idea of leaving for a weekend or so seems more like having to wash the dishes; something that I don't look forward to but something I should do.

Last weekend was that way. A group of friends were going to Richardson's Grove, North of Leggett, and I was invited. At the last minute I got my stuff together and went, but I was still thinking of all I could be doing, or not doing, in Elk.

Once the tent was up, the campfire going, my feet in the river, the sun on my back, a cold beer in my hand, and nothing else to do, well, it wasn't bad at all. In fact it was real good. Sort of like the feeling I have when the dishes are all done. The weather was beautiful, the park almost empty and the fog waited until I returned to Elk.

Plans for Great Day in Elk are coming together. In fact, it is going to be cranked up another notch to become "Great Day/Great Night in Elk".

Zulu Spear has been signed on for the evening entertainment! Just think. We won't have to drive all that way to Caspar! The U.C. Davis Maverick Marching Band is coming back. We have plans for KMFB to broadcast live from Elk during the day. Various wineries and local B&B's are providing wine salads and baked goods. We are talking about a three seating Barbecue Salmon Dinner. During the afternoon there will be Chicken Shiskibob and Vegetarian Chili. We are working on the various bottlenecks that occurred last year, attempting to make everything flow more smoothly. Boy, if this thing gets any bigger we may have to move it to Boonville!

Well, school is over and the kids are bored. The shorter variety don't seem to have much trouble. They are zooming around on bikes, playing down at the beach, building clubhouses and who knows what else, but those born to shop and cruise, well, it is pretty tough going here in downtown Elk. I am afraid I am going to become painfully aware of this fact. My teenage daughter, Sarah, is coming down from Seattle for a month or so. I sure hope she loves playing with my dog.

We have been having a severe infestation of bicyclists lately. "Doing the One", is popular in spite of the lack of highway shoulder, and too many logging trucks and motor homes. Working at the Elk Store, I get to meet a lot of these folks. My favorite so far are the three students from Scotland that came through last fall.

They started their trip in Chile and were headed for Alaska. They had logged ten thousand miles just getting to Elk! They weren't talking to each other any more. They said they had already said it all and were listening to Walkmans instead.

Another favorite of mine was Steve Roberts and his 36 speed, 225 pound recumbent bicycle. The eight foot long bike has five computer systems, ham radio, CB, a two inch TV, electronic compass, digital short-wave radio, two cassette players, one for music, the other for dictation, plus camping gear and clothes. Steve has a keyboard system built into the handlebars and he can write stories and books as he travels along. His new book, "Computing Across America" will soon be out. Steve and his lady friend, Maggie Victor stayed the night with Charlie and Rosie Acker.

June 24th.

Searching for news I was given these cryptic messages which I will pass along.

"I love you Chris and Jeff.
Love, Isa and Kristi"

and

"Best wishes to Kriste, Isa, Jeff and Chris.
Love, Becky."

Speaking of teenagers, my daughter is working at the Elk Store. Kristi Matson is working at the Elk Garage, filling in for Mel who hasn't been feeling well. It looks like most of the jobs in town are being taken over by the teen set.

Jackie, Terry, Ben and Casey Thompson are getting ready to move to Santa Rosa. More folks leaving town. We hate to see them go. Ben and Casey were very important in helping me make candy reorder selections at the Elk Store. They had a fine tuned taste in that department. Jackie and Terry will be missed in every other way. They had a hand in almost every aspect of Elk life, over the years.

Aum Bolton has left for a summer job at Yosemite. That sounds like a fun time and a good experience.

Offsetting the exodus of friends and neighbors we can welcome our new Park Ranger, Kevin Joe, who has moved into town and is living in Ruth Orchard's house.

There was a big Summer Solstice Party up at Karen Mathis and Ejler Westh's place last Saturday afternoon and evening. It seemed like almost everyone was there. Great food, entertainment, and music. Doctor Dubious performed magic to the delight of young and old alike. In the evening, thanks to a Honda generator tucked away in the woods, "Word of Mouth" played real danceable music into the wee hours. The party started out in sunshine and ended in a light rain but it didn't dampen a thing. Thirteen hundredths of an inch, for those who keep track of that sort of thing. Much thanks to Karen and Ejler who host this event every year.

I talked to Belvie Rooks last Sunday and she told me about a recent experience of hers. She and Alice Walker went down to the Concord Naval Base and joined up with a bunch of other folks to protest the shipping of war material to Central America. They were arrested and when Alice Walker was asked why she was in jail she said that she pays a lot to taxes and decided to see where the money goes.

"It brought me here."

Belvie said it was a great bunch of folks arrested and she is looking forward to the court arraignment, July tenth so she can see them all again. Sort of like a family reunion.

Margaret Feltz is home from the hospital and taking it easy. She is still quite sore and bruised but making progress.

The curve by the Elk Cove Inn snatched some more tourists, this time an elderly couple from over around Lake Arrowhead.

They flew off the road and about two hundred feet down the slope into the poison oak. The car was totaled but they got off with only a broken arm and a stiff neck. Bob Matson said it took about and hour to get them stabilized and up the slope to the ambulance.

It seems that late afternoon is the worst time for that curve. People heading North come around that curve which aims them right into the afternoon sun and they can't tell where the road goes next.

One last cryptic message. "Hi Mom and Dad."

My parents, who live in Kent, Washington, are subscribers to the Mendocino Beacon now. This will help me save on postage.

July 1st.

Summer is here and so is the fog.

It is such a surprise to drive a half mile up Greenwood Road and find cloudless sky and hot sunshine. My daughter had been riding horses up at Sandy Robinson's and I went to get her after work. Robinson's road is deep in dust and the dogs are panting in the shade. Everyone is hot and sweaty and moving around slow except for Sandy. She is hot and sweaty and moving around fast, getting ready for another crafts fair where she sells her silk screened T-shirts.

After "thanks and good bye", Sarah hops in the car and we drive back down into town. At the last curve in the road, just when I think the fog has finally left, we submerge back into the cool damp gray. Roll up the windows, pull on a coat. We are back on the coast.

There have been a few changes made in town. Last week the old parking lot across from the Elk Store has been changed into the new parking lot. Two hundred tons of gravel has been dumped and smoothed out, making it more level and nicer appearing. It would have been great if it had been blacktopped so the local kids could skateboard. Also three hundred tons of top soil was dumped on the buried millsite and spread out. All these improvements are being made by the State Parks system.

July 2nd, 7 PM., at the Elk Cove Inn, there will be a meeting for all people concerned about L.P.'s logging practices around here. This is an opportunity to speak your mind and get some answers.

Del Wilcox is asking for anyone interested in helping during the Great Day/Great Night to give him a call at 877-3204. This is a chance to help without getting involved in a lot of meetings. It is just an appeal for warm bodies.

A committee has been formed for the Post Office Centennial Fireman's Barbecue, August 22nd. They too are looking for help. Call Bob Matson at 877-3206.

EMT refresher course at the Community Center, first Thursday in July. Call Bob Matson or David Marks 877-3443.

The Elk Fire Truck will take part in Mendocino's 100 year Anniversary, 4th of July parade. The Fighting Abalone, Vince Carleton's great creation will also be in the parade as part of the Ocean Protection Coalition.

Frank Barter will lead a baseball camp for boys and girls, 8 to 18, at the Mendocino's High School field, July 27 - 30th. Frank is Mendocino's High School Baseball Coach. Frank and Lisa are nice folks who live in Billy Matson's house, just North of town but are so busy most folks around here haven't got to meet them. Give Frank a call at 877-3213.

Mike Raymond was injured during a baseball game in Mendocino. A collision between players resulted in a ruptured spleen. It looks like he will be in the Fort Bragg Hospital for a week or so.

You know, I always look forward to summer, but once it gets here I can't wait for winter when things slow back down to a pace I can handle. All these events coming on and I haven't even mentioned the approaching wedding of the "Mayor of Elk". What a summer!!

July 8th.

It finally happened. The disk drive in my word processor went on the frits and I had to sent it to the computer hospital.

I stayed up too late last night.

My woman friend is in town.

My daughter is still visiting.

I have a truck to begin painting today and a party to go to tonight.

Somewhere in the midst of all of this I have my column to write.

Can I do it?

We shall see.

I was able to wake up at 7:30. Step one. I got some coffee at the Roadhouse Cafe. Step two. I borrowed the Huckaby computer. Step three. Now there isn't any reason this column can't happen. All I have to do is sort through my thoughts and I have a bunch of those, but they are all mixed up. I know what I want to say but I will have to watch how I say it. Who knows who might read this column.

I attended two events this past week. Both of them concerned property; the use of the property, and the rules concerning the use of the property.

The first event was the town meeting at the Community Center about the logging going on within our watershed and along Cameron Road. About thirty people showed up, including three folks from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. We were told about the rules and regulations the logging companies has to adhere to. That, yes, there have been some violations but that overall everything is being done according to Hoyle. In fact, we were lucky because L.P. could have clear-cut along Cameron Road if they had so chosen. As far as spraying herbicide in the Greenwood Watershed, well, that isn't part of CDF's jurisdiction. You have to talk to the Department of Fish and Game. As far as cumulative effect to the environment, well, there haven't been enough studies done to prove anything one way or the other. That got a laugh and heated response.

We were told that overall the forests are in much better shape than they were years ago when the logging was a cut and burn and drag out any way you can operation. The only reason we are horrified is because we notice the sudden change and there are more people living here that notice these changes.

Bottom line. The more people that squawk, the better chance of getting changes made. In the "good ol' days", there were fewer people around to bear witness. The next meeting concerning logging is July 16th at the Community Center.

The other event I attended was the Forth of July gathering on our beach. Again there was a lot of concern about rules and regulations. This time about beach fires and fireworks, which we have enjoyed in the past, and, here's the rub as I see it.

On the one hand we want the rules and regulations enforced, i.e.; logging.

On the other hand we want to ignore the rules, i.e.; beach fires and fireworks.

But I think there is a difference. L.P. owns the property they want to log but don't live here. They don't have to look at or live with their mess. The State Park System owns the beach but we live here and enjoy it every day. We had our beach fire and fireworks and we cleaned up afterwards, putting out the fire, policing our mess, hauling out our trash. We didn't hit and run. We live here and we love it.

Independence means being able to care for yourself and your environment. Happy Independence day.

July 15th.

Lydia R. Young passed away last week, at home and in the arms of her son, Paul. She was 84 years old.

Lydia had lived a long and active life and only recently was found to have cancer of the pancreas and a tumor, both inoperable.

She was born in one of the logging camps, close to Elk. Dog Town or possibly Skunk Town. Her parents were the Sandkullas; Swedish immigrants from Finland. During her childhood the Sandkullas bought and operated the Union Hotel and in time developed their ranch up Greenwood Road. During most of her adult life Lydia lived in Berkeley and returned to Elk seven years ago. Paul told me about the times they would visit the ranch from Berkeley when he was a kid.

It was a long hard drive and his mom and dad would always stop at the creek down by the Fashaur ranch to let the kids go throw up and the car cool off! He remembers the large breakfasts his grandmother would make and then his grandfather taking the hand scythe and cutting the first round of hay, always counter clockwise and then hooking up the team and finishing the job with the sickle bar cutter.

That cutter was eventually sold to Dick Mitchell to cut thistle and now sits under a tree above town.

The Union Hotel burned down in 1926. The fire started in a building where the Huckaby's now live. Some said a still blew up and started the fire (lots of people bootlegged), but others say the guy who lived there was fixing his roof and was heating tar on the kitchen stove. Either way, soon the place was ablaze.

The fire was almost under control when the steam powered water pump, down at the mill pond failed, for some reason, and the town lost water pressure. The fire blazed back up and took the Elk Garage, all the cars parked behind in a covered parking area for the mill workers, the pulp mill behind that, the Union Hotel, the ice cream parlor, the barber shop, then jumped the street to the West and took several more buildings.

It was all over in an hour and a half. The Elk Store was built on the site of the former Union Hotel in 1927 and now is owned and operated by Lydia Young's granddaughter, Cherry Young and her great granddaughter Reeby.

Lydia R. Young was buried July 11th in the Cemetery, North of town.

Steve Hale is finally back in town after spending fifty four days flat on his back in the Fort Bragg Hospital. He injured his back in a truck wreck, coming home from work. He had only been back to work for two weeks after recovering from a slipped disk, not only that but his truck was brand new. What a run of bad luck. Anyway, he is now able to go for a walk twice a day and says he will be good as new in another month or so. He said the Fort Bragg Hospital is the best and staffed by great people. Steve lives in the house Tony Keen lived in. Stop by and say hi. Steve is tired of VCR movies.

Some folks from Kentucky had their vacation end when a CDF fire truck lost its brakes coming down Greenwood grade and hit them from behind, then went up the embankment and roll over onto their truck camper. One fireman riding on the truck was seriously injured.

The second meeting about local logging will be at the Community Center, July 16th, 7:30 P.M. L.P. representatives have promised to attend. I hope you can too.

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