BIG Rogue River Liar: Part II

This is the second "tall tale" from the book "Tall Tales from Rogue River" showcasing the yarns of Rogue River resident Hathaway Jones. If you missed our first tall tale, Hathaway was a legendary spinner of "embelished stories" who, for nearly four decades, traveled the rugged Rogue River Canyon as a mail carrier. The poor fella met his demise in 1937 when he fell from his horse, down the steep river canyon, while on his rural mail route. While alive, Hathaway was proud of the distinction of being the biggest liar in the country, and, on hearing once that the Portland Oregonian had bestowed the honor on someone else, threatened to institute suit against the paper!

The Flat World of Sampson Jones
Sampson Jones, during the early days, lived on the Rogue River at Battle Bar, just above Mule Creek. He said the world was flat, and he proved it. There was a big stump in front of his cabin upon which, after arguing upon the subject all afternoon with a prospector who claimed the world was not only round but that it turned around, he placed some rocks, holding that they would certainly fall off should the world turn upside down. The following morning the rocks were still upon the stump, and so far as Sampson Jone was concerned that settled the matter. "The world is flat," he said.

This excerpt, from the book, "Tall Tales from Rogue River," by Stephen Dow Beckham was published in 1974 by Oregon State University Press. 

Hathaway Jones was the biggest liar in the country--and proud of it!

Hathaway Jones was a legendary spinner of tall tales who, for nearly four decades, traveled the rugged Rogue River Canyon as a mail carrier, trekking the narrow mountain trails and bringing stories to the isolated people of the region. He met his untimely death in 1937--after falling from his horse along the mail trail.

We thought it would be fun to highlight a couple of his yarns from the book, "Tall Tales from Rogue River," by author Stephen Dow Beckham.

The Broken Leg
The time Hathaway Jones broke his leg, the job of setting it fell to his father, Sampson, aided by a younger brother. They were inexperienced in bonesetting because they always shot animals that had broken legs. They talked the matter over and agreed it might be best for all concerned if they shot Hathaway, but decided they would try patching him up.

Sampson, like most all mountain folk, had a "Doctor book," probably a copy of the same one mentioned by Mark Twain because no one could read it without acquiring doleful forebodings concerning the state of his own health. But the book told all about bonesetting, and they tried to follow directions.  The splits were easily made and bound into place after they had pulled the broken ends of the bones together.  The "Doctor book" said, however, that the leg should be put into a plaster cast, and they had no plaster.

Now folks who live several days' travel from the nearest doctor learn to solve many difficult problems. They had a sack of cement which they had packed in from Powers, tending to use it in curbing their spring. So, having no plaster, they mixed up a batch of cement out of which they contrived a very good cast for the broken leg.

A flea happened to be left under the cast, and even years afterward Hathaway would fly into a rage and pour out a stream of cuss words whenever any one mentioned that flea. When the time came for the removal of the cast from Hathaway's leg, Sampson used a single jack and drill, while Hathaway watched for the flea. He saw it and made a grab, but the flea hopped onto a hound dog that was standing by and mingling with the fleas that swarmed in the dog's hair, lost itself in the crowd.

This excerpt, from the book, "Tall Tales from Rogue River," by Stephen Dow Beckham was published in 1974 by Oregon State University Press.

Whitewater Warehouse: A New Look for 2010

Whitewater Warehouse's new website is now up and running. It's been a long process but we are finally ready to release our new "baby." We are excited that the site offers our guests and readers an up-to-date web experience. You can now view updated whitewater blog posts--right on the home page! Also, we will be adding new news items weekly so you can view what's fresh here at White Water Warehouse.

Additionally, it is simpler to get the information you want. You can view an updated mobile page for our on-the-go guests and even social media icons are listed on almost every page of the site--so you are just a click away from becoming our next Facebook Fan!

We encourage you to check out our new site and give us your feedback. We can make changes quickly, so if there is something on the site that you think needs to be changed or amended, give us a call 800.214.0579 or shoot us an email. We are always happy to hear from you and to make any improvements to our business operations.

A Great Rogue River Mystery....

We received the most interesting email last week...and so began the mystery of the Rogue River painting. The writer of the email, who prefers to remain anonymous, inherited a watercolor by artist Percy Gray (see below). His question is a simple one but one that we can't answer. Perhaps our readers can?!?  What portion of the Rogue River was this painting drawn?

 

A little about this fine artist. Percy Gray was an American painter born in 1869 who died in 1952. Gray's talent, which had been recognized and encouraged from childhood, had come to early fruition in the thorough, academic art instruction of his adolescent years.  As he developed his craft, he became best known for the idiosyncratic way he painted in watercolor, building it up in layers. This combination of line and color added up to a vision that was artistically unique and also captured the very essence of the landscapes that he portrayed. 

Known as the "Lyric Painter of California," Gray spent most of his most prolific years in the San Francisco Bay area, Marin County, and Sonoma County. A description of this timeless artist shows a man of modest character. "He [Gray] remains one of the most satisfying of the representational artist of the first half of the twentieth century, both for his exceptional facility, notably in watercolors, and for his intuitive understanding of California's seasons, climatic conditions, and changing moods. Far removed from the hurried pace of modern life, Gray's paintings offer viewers an opportunity to reflect on timeless, elemental themes of nature and the land."

According to an article in The San Francisco Examiner on November 7, 1926, Gray exhibited several paintings at the Gump Gallery in San Francisco. One of the most heralded was the painting above of the Rogue River which the article called, "One of his most striking themes is 'Rogue River, Oregon'--a mighty stream running through a narrow canyon, holding the spectator gripped by the force of the majesty of a wonder of natures." Readers, any ideas of the painting's location on the Rogue River?

Part II: More on Oregon's Pacific Crest Trail

Best time to hike it:  July - September:  430 miles 

Note: look back on our 2/9/10 blog for historic information on the Pacific Crest Trail.

This section of the Pacific Crest Trail, which starts near Siskiyou Summit (elev. 4,310’) in southernmost Oregon and moves up to the Washington border, is not only the shortest, but is also the easiest to hike. Oregon’s Cascade Range is a subdued volcanic landscape, having a gentle crest that is fairly constant in elevation. The highest point in Oregon is an unnamed saddle (elev. 7,560’) north of Mt. Thielson. This, and other ancient volcanoes-Diamond Peak, Mt. Washington, and Three Finger Jack, plus recently active Mt. McLoughlin, Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake), the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. Hood – punctuate the skyline and can be seen from miles away. However, these towering edifices don’t hinder progress since the PCT skirts along their slopes. The only major elevation change in Oregon is the 3,160’ drop into the Columbia River Scenic Gorge to cross Interstate 84 and the Columbia River on the Bridge of the Gods (elev. 180’).

Whereas the prominent volcanoes are visible magnets luring travelers onward, so too are the lakes. These are not randomly scattered, but occur mostly in clusters, some of which are found north of Highway 140 in the Sky Lakes Wilderness. The trail traverses Crater Lake National Park, where a spur trail leads to the rim for a spectacular view of this magnificent lake.

Part I: Oregon's Pacific Crest Trail

We host so many avid hikers on the beautiful Rogue River trail that we thought it would be a natural to talk about the portion of the famous Pacific Crest Trail that runs through southern Oregon and up into Washington state. First, a bit of history about the trail...

Harvard graduate, successful oilman, and avid Boy Scout, Clinton C. Clarke dedicated much of his life to preserving a slice of the American West for future generations. His vision, first articulated in the 1930s, was a border-to-border trail along mountain ranges in California, Oregon and Washington, "traversing the best scenic areas and maintaining an absolute wilderness character." It would take millions of dollars, 60 years, and thousands of hours of labor, but eventually Clarke's dream would be realized. 


Another interesting fact is that the Boy Scouts of America celebrated their 100 year anniversary yesterday--2/8/10! Quite a feat and would have made Clinton Clarke proud!


In 1932, Clarke founded the Pacific Crest Trail System Conference to lobby for and plan the trail. The founding members of the PCT Conference included the Boy Scouts, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) , and a young photographer named Ansel Adams. During the summers of 1935 though 1938 more than 40 YMCA groups, traveling in relays and carrying a logbook over 2,000 miles, hiked, explored, and evaluated a route for the trail from Mexico to Canada. One YMCA staffer in particular, Warren Rogers, was instrumental in exploring sections of trail after they had been mapped out - a feat all the more impressive because Rogers had been crippled by childhood polio.  You might be interested in reviewing some of the historic documents that Clarke wrote as he was working to get the trail recognized.

On October 2, 1968 President Lyndon Johnson signed the National Trail Systems Act, which named the Appalachian Trail and the PCTas the first national scenic trails. Click here for a version of the 1972 Oregon Pacific Crest Trail brochure that was never printed. Interesting to read...

Over the next 25 years, land management agencies, the Pacific Crest Trail Association and other trail organizations, and countless volunteers constructed nearly 1,000 miles of trail. Finally, in 1993, at a golden spike ceremony in Soledad Canyon, California, the PCT was declared officially complete.

Friday's 2/12/10 blog details what makes the southern Oregon portion of the Pacific Crest Trail so unique! So stay tuned for more on this world renowned hiking trail....

Oregon Family Reunions: On The Rogue, It's a Family Affair!

 

Families can be dorky, off-beat, and quirky....and that's exactly why family reunions are fun! A Rogue River family reunion lets family members be active, have a unique river experience, and brings everyone together--away from the rigors of day-to-day living. Something must be in the air because in 2010 we have booked more family group vacations than ever before. Besides the sun and fun, we think it is because booking a Rogue River family reunion trip is as easy as it gets. Your trip is all-inclusive, so there are no meals to worry about, no lodging bookings to worry about, no entertainment to worry about--it is all included in one price. Check out our 2010 Rogue River calendar. We still have some stellar dates left for charter groups. But, don't wait too long....summer is just around the corner.

Call White Water Warehouse at 1-800-214-0579 to book your most memorable family reunion EVER!

27 Years of Rogue River Rafting, Kayaking & Hiking

  

It doesn't seem possible that Bob Meister has owned Whitewater Warehouse for 27 years but it's true. And to honor that fact, our good friend and top-notch graphic designer, Karen Matheson, has designed this new 27-years-in-business icon. You will see the icon pop up on our Whitewater Warehouse Facebook page, on our Twitter page, and even in the signature line of emails that we send to the thousand or so folks we will correspond with this year about our fantastic Rogue River rafting, kayaking and hiking trips.

So, next time you are looking to book your vacation with a river company, make sure to ask how long the owner has actually OWNED the business. It's a rarity in this business for someone to own and operate the business for that length of time. And, better yet, owner Bob is on many of our rafting and kayaking trips as lead guide. Now that is really something to talk about...

We are also in the process of updating our website and are super excited about the design. Look for the new site to appear in mid- to late-February, 2010. If you want to book your 2010 Rogue River rafting trip, make sure to call our friendly staff today at 1-800-214-0579.