Friday, March 4, 2016

10 Years of Oregon Volks Camps - 2007

2007
for an introduction please see

 Wetwesties Unsuperbowl Camp Nehalem Bay
Stephan Mark and Jasan, new old friends brave the clammy damp Feb 2007 Nehalem Bay
Gypsie and former Riviera Vanagon Feb 2007

Shiny and novel in it's newness, the IAC brought a lot of Portland Volks together those first few years.
The power of the internet really began to affect our lives in a practical sense.  Wilderness camps could be planned far in advance, with maps and directions and photos helping along.
Soon we began to meet for multi day wilderness camps, all arriving one-by-one to the middle of nowhere.  It's a fun game wondering who will show up and when as we sit like mice in the middle of a maze, the cheesey prize.

The first annual Badger Creek Camp
 Lisa and Jasan Bonney Crossing Camp March 2007

 Bob and Mama Bus Bonney Crossing 2007
  Mark at Bonney March 2007

Bonds began to form, music and fresh mountain air after a day of hard work on the trail, and a smooth ale or 2 to welcome in the night.
In my first few years in Oregon, I was lonesome.  I explored and studied history, really began to fall in love with the Clackamas, but mainly alone.  Then came Eva, a bouncing delight and full of energy.  As she began to grow, so did my world.  

Eva and Lily Summer 2007 taking a ride in the Gyspie Wagon

For the first time I was able to take more frequent and longer trips, to organize further forays past the mess of logging and roads, deeper into true Oregon and what is left.
Who knew these trips would continue on for 10 years?  

Lookout Springs Forest Camp
 Jasan is very proud of his sign May 2007 and 1/2 of Wayne
 former Lookout Springs Forest Camp (now trenched and abandoned)

 Jasan and Bob at Lookout Springs May 2007, summer yet to arrive in the Cascades

One thing I quickly discovered in the Clackamas: it is a real pig-sty.  
Generations have left their trash strewn about, down gulleys and littering old camps like ugly confetti.  Broken bottles should be the state mineral, exploded plastic shells the flower.  It really is a mess, and so especially disgusting in especially sacred places.  But we clean it up the best we can, bringing home bags from every camp, sometimes old tires or shattered plastic chairs.  
How can we get people to pack out their crap?  In the old days, it was recommended you either burned our buried it, can you imagine?  But then, they saw a wilderness far more vast, unbroken from valley to desert.  They couldn't possibly imagine what was to come.

Wayne and a stoic Godfather Gypsie and bag of the Clackamas
Fomer Lookout Springs Camp May 2007

Lookout Springs was a trouble spot, too close to town and the ravages of centuries of logging camps, steam railroads.  Instead of improvements, the road was backhoed and the camp demolished, just a few months after these pictures.  RIP Lookout Springs Forest Camp.
Every generation has it's own priorities.

8-12-1934 Oregonian, CCC Men Improve [Lookout Springs] Camp

While not a camp, Barb and Anthony stop in Portland on their way to the Arctic Circle,
 by VW Bus no less!  You just never know where life will take you.
For Barb, it was a long journey, passing through from California and points far north.
Barb I still have your mosquito tent, thank you it still gets a lot of use.  

 Elwood Bus in Portland June 2007 while the other 2 nap in the driveway

DJ Anthony and Friend June 2007

And wouldn't you know it?  Barb made it there and back, Anthony made it as far as Alaska.
But she wouldn't let me take her photo, camera shy.  So there you have it.

First annual Hambone Sp. Forest Camp
Rattling down the worst possible road in the Mt. Hood Forest
 Eva getting big! Excited to be camping with Papa July 2007 man what a handful in those days...

 "Bob This Way" Hambone July 2007

 a dazed Eva while Terian eats a square July 2007

Erin and Stephan July 2007 Linney Spring.

Gypsie Terian Lori Erin Eva and Jasan with Tosa in the lead, music along the Abbot Road
 July 2007

Twin Springs Camp
Also trenched and abandoned by the Forest Service
Bob and Hal pick up many bags of trash in the delightful summer light, Twin Springs August 2007

Collawash Camp
Mike clears the road Oct 2007

 dueling breakfast along the Collawash River, Oct 2007 Mike and John, steaming coffeepot

 Stephan sharpens his saw much to John's delight Oct 2007 Collawash

 John Stephan and Mike roam the Bull of the Woods Oct 2007

down the road and into the ages Oct 2007

1st annual Winter Camp
Hunting the snow or the Solstice, we almost always get out right before Christmas...unless a horrible storm is brewing, when we say, "screw it" and stay home.
.Mark in Portland heading for the snow Dec 2007


Mark and some damned fancy signs Dec 2007

 Anthony John DJ Eep and friend
 in camp along the Breitenbush River buried in the deep snow of early winter

And another year fades away, into time and gone again.
What will 2008 bring?







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