Project in Time
Six Rivers National Forest
Copyright©1999 Manja Argue - All rights reserved
Altaville California
Wednesday, June 24, 1999
Today I drove up 101 North to Smith River then along Rowdy Creek Road eastward, a road that is gravel, narrow and uphill all the way. There were rocks from winter slides on the edges of the road and in places caused the road to narrow. The fog was heavy and I stayed in 1st or 2nd gear all the way. Almost at each turn in the road Azalea bushes in full bloom emerged softly from the mist.
As I turned on my windshield wipers my enthusiasm did not wane. I had read about the project in the Eureka Times Standard. Altaville was a mining town from the 1860’s. During the Civil War there was a great need for copper and there is surely is plenty of copper here in addition to nickel and chromium. There is also plenty of serpentine as is evidenced by the red soil. At its peak, Altaville boasted a population of around 1,500 people, with two hotels and several whiskey bars. After the Civil War ended, the price of copper dropped, and the town quickly died. Over the years there has been some mining activity but the town did not survive. Today there are only foundations left. Historians believe that the inhabitants dismantled most of the buildings and took them by wagon to Crescent City. For the next six days the PIT (Passport in Time) volunteers will be excavating around the foundations of the Tack Hotel under the direction of a professional archeologist.
I arrived at the site around one thirty in the afternoon and signed in at the main tent. The staff from the forest service and PAR had already set up canopies for the lab and central cooking area. I found a likely camp site about 2 minutes walk from the main area. It was to the north end of what had been the town square. Glad that I was able to find a spot near trees, I set up my tent, unloaded my tables and cooking equipment and hung my solar shower stall from a tree branch. I then discovered that only part of my cook stove was in the box. Back at the main area I tracked down Ken Wilson, the coordinator from the forest service. I arranged to go back into Crescent City with him later in the day so I could purchase a new stove at Wal-Mart.
That done I began to wander around. I met a woman named Julie who kindly made a cup of hot chocolate for me. I joined a few volunteers and staff people who were standing around the communal campfire talking and getting acquainted. The mist was hugging the ground and whisking around in the breeze. Someone told me that in Ireland this would be called a ‘soft day.' I checked out the lab tent and saw some of the artifacts brought in before the rain had stopped activity. Met Pam and Pam. One is the lab boss and the other is a historian.
I rode into town with Ken to buy supplies and a cook stove. Mary, another staff person from the forest service, came with us. After Wall Mart we went to Ray’s where I purchased some fried chicken and potato salad for my dinner. On our way back up the hill we came upon the Simpson family. They were having trouble pulling their 30 foot travel trailer up that mighty hill. Mike, the leader of the clan had jettisoned the water from the tanks plus his wife, Bev, the two dogs and their four sons. It seems they were having transmission problems. They told us that they had already had the 'trannie' rebuilt before they left Georgia and once during the trip. We all stood around in the rain and looked at the trailer while putting in out two cents worth as to what to do. My suggestion was to call a tow truck just to get the trailer up the hill and worry about the rest later. No one took to the idea so I got back into the van and begin eating my dinner. After a while it was decided that Ken would drive up to the camp to drop me and the supplies he had bought and then he would come back. About a half hour later the Simpson trailer arrived so all seems to have worked out okay.
I went back to my camp to finish setting up. That was when I discovered that the little plastic package, that was supposed to hold two mantels for my lantern, was empty. One man loaned a mantel to me but it was for the type of lantern that uses fuel. Mine is a propane lantern which I had just purchased a few days ago at Kmart. The propane bottles seemed a lot easier to deal with that a can of fuel. A woman in another tent gave me two mantels that she had and insisted that I consider it a gift. She explained that she had forgotten her lantern so didn’t need them. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only person that forgets things. Made tea and walked up to the group campfire. The mist was still around me as the daylight dimmed. Sitting around the fire with the other early arrivals I felt content and happy to be here. The group was quiet this first night with everyone just introducing themselves and sharing there experiences.
A beautiful and daring day
A soft day -- -- the mist
gentle and cool
sparkles every tree, flower and rock
covering them all
in an opaque mantel.
New friends, waiting to be known
Open smiles, shining eyes
Oh joy to be here.
Time for bed, I feel safe lying here listening to Correli and waiting to see if the rain will stop and the stars come out.
Friday June 25, 1999
I awoke early to see the sun bathing the inside of my tent in golden beams. An early riser, I was up before anyone else. I quickly dressed and went out into the dawn to enjoy the cleanest moments of the day. After breakfast (cereal and coffee) I attended the daily safety meeting. Then I spent the morning clearing brush, roots and dross from around a long pile of rocks which constituted the foundation of the Tack hotel. Found an old tin can and a piece of chrome that looked like a part of a car rear view mirror, but then it was on the top of the ground. In the afternoon I worked in the lab cleaning artifacts. I cleaned square nails with a tooth brush, lots and lots of square nails. Lunch was a turkey and cheese sandwich, a glass of milk and some chips. Then I hurried back to the lab for more washing and brushing. Pam, the lab boss conducted a learning session in which she explained how the artifacts were to be cleaned and cataloged.
All of the shards of glass and ceramic get washed and set out to dry. All metal is dry cleaned with a tooth brush and must not be gotten wet. Everything that comes out of a bag goes back into the bag and then goes to the people who are cataloging it. Lots of fun in the lab. Our chant of, 1-2-3, Lab Rocks, rang out at regular intervals. We referred to the diggers in the field as gophers.
Not very hungry at dinner time so I only had a salad and a glass of Chardonnay before going to the campfire for the evening’s gathering. Someone had a guitar and we all sang along, mostly old 60’s pop songs about young love and heart break. Pam Conners, the historian, is great at getting us all singing these, ‘oldies but goodies,’ most of which no one knew all the words to. The teenagers looked on with no expression on their faces. These songs were all new to them. At one point they asked why we always sang about teenagers and not older people. Perhaps someday they’ll understand. We older folks sang and clapped and kept time on our thighs with our hands. Comrades--Strangers come together--Instant friends--open, sharing.
Back to my tent and listened to more Correli on my tape player. The moon is soon going to be full and it is very bright so star gazing is not at its best. However Venus and Mars were out in full glory. It was a good decision to leave grandkids behind and come alone. I can just be myself for a change.
Saturday June 26
At this point I have to tell about Tobin, the Wal-Mart Dog of 1999. His picture is going to be on the Wal-Mart Dog Food bag. He won this position as a therapy dog who visits sick children in hospitals. His best bud, Quinn, is also a therapy dog. They are beautiful golden retrievers. Tobin began each day pacing around with at least three Frisbee’s in his mouth, sometimes four. By mid morning some of the kids at the project would be out throwing the Frisbees. Tobin would catch each Frisbee and place them in a pile. Then picking them all up at once he would return them to the kids. One day, as I was watching, Tobin had been playing with the kids for hours and I could see his weariness. Suddenly, instead of piling up the Frisbees, he began putting them under a bush. After hiding all of the Frisbees there, Tobin dove into the bushes and came out the other side with no Frisbees in his mouth. Another time he came into the lab where we were working and hid them behind a box. He never let the frisees out of his sight though, as he considered them his personal property. Representatives came up from the Crescent City Wal-Mart to take his picture and they brought his three new Frisbees.
This morning I went on a nature walk with Vivi, a botanist, and Julie, an ethno/botanist from the Yurok Tribe. They showed us many plants and explained what the local Indians had used them for. The Azaleas were everywhere. In addition we saw Picture Plants (Darling Tonia, a carnivorous plant that eats insects), rain orchids, wild irises, wild onions, and a little yellow flower called Naked Broom Rape. I wandered away from the group and spotted the remains of foundations and what appeared to be a round hearth. I learned later that this was in the area where the Chinese residents of Altaville lived.
I picked up rock samples while on the walk, copper, nickel, chromium, serpentine and what looks to be jade. I’ll have to ask Vivian when I get home.
In the afternoon I worked in the lab as an artifact cleaner. There were lots of nails, bits of glass and pottery, wood stove parts, and a beautiful black glass button.
Another problem. Tonight, when I left the campfire to return to my tent, I pushed on the button of my flashlight and it just pushed all the way in. Upon opening it I discovered that the switch mechanism was broken off. Back to Wal-Mart tomorrow.
Sunday June 27
The moon was so bright all night that I would have not needed a flash light had it not been for the many small rocks on the ground that I was afraid of tripping on. Up at dawn as usual for my cup of hot coffee and breakfast. A few wispy clouds high in the sky but otherwise warm and sunny. I took my own chair with lumbar cushion to the lab today, as the metal folding chairs provided were really hurting my back. When I settled down to relax and listen to music I discovered my tape player stuck on rewind. I tried to release the button but it wouldn't budge. There was nothing to do except remove the batteries to preserve them. I tried to fix it but no luck. This was the tape player that sat on my desk back at Pacific Bell before I retired. It’s surprising that it lasted so long. With sadness I threw it in the dumpster. There will be no more Correli or Bocherini to soothe my spirits. Oh well, I’ll listen to the birds.
I worked in the lab all day washing glass and brushing nails. My camp chair is beginning to fall apart. It’ll go into the dumpster at the end of the week. Tomorrow I’ll be working with Robert digging a section in the old hotel. He has experience so I’ll be able to learn how to do it. Like me, he retired from his career and has returned to the university in Reno, Nevada. This time around he wants to earn a master’s degree in archeology/anthropology. His statement that he had earned his first degree (accounting) for his family but that this degree was for himself, resonated with me.
Someone going to town offered to pick up a flash light for me. I decided not to replace the tape player.
Fun around the camp fire tonight. The oldest son of the family from Georgia is leaving tomorrow for the Air Force Academy so we all ate cake and a lot of good wishes were passed his way. Another family entertained us. Father on guitar, Mother on stand-up base, and two daughters who sang like angels.
Monday June 28
Channel 3 News came up from Eureka to do a report on the project. I worked with Robert all day digging. We completed levels 3 & 4 of a section that someone else had started. I didn’t find much except a nail and another metal piece for which we couldn’t figure out its use.
Learned to make straight walls and 90 degree corners.
Don’t pull out rocks but clean around and under lower edges.
Make a drawing of the position of the rocks and have official photographer take picture. Record everything on paper and put in bag with artifacts.
Then start next level.
Each section is 3 ft x 3 ft.
Each level is 4 inches.
I began using the communal shower stalls. Mine is too small and the breeze whips it around while I’m in it. I’ll have to modify it for the next trip, perhaps but weights on the bottom edge. It’s really great to get a hot shower every day. My solar shower is 2 1/2 gallons, which is just right for me and not so heavy that I can’t lift it onto the hook. I usually only use half of it. Finally found a use for that little fold up camping chair. Works great in the shower and when I sit on it I can rinse my hair from above. After shower and dinner we all meet at the main camp fire. Tell stories, sing songs, drink beer. One 'story in the round' started with the tale of the blacksmiths daughter who came back as a vampire, and joined a rock band. This last bit was added by the teenagers when the vampire story came around to them.
Tuesday June 29
Next to the last day. I was back in the lab cleaning artifacts. Pam, lab boss, wants to have everything cleaned before we shut down. There are at least four people cataloging and sometimes five. We sing a lot (a riotous version of ‘Ol McDonald’,) and have fun trying to figure out the uses of all the different artifacts.
The Eureka Times Standard visited us today and I explained about the cleaning and showed them some of the artifacts found by the diggers in the field. One of the objects was an agate about the size of garbanzo bean and flawless. In the 1860’s someone picked it up on the beach and carried it here then lost it. Also found today, at level three, was the mummified remains of a tick.
Not many people left in camp now. Over the week-end there were close to 150 volunteers. Now we are down to less than fifty.
Pot luck dinner tonight. Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka sent up fresh halibut and beer. Yummy Yummy. Tonight was a time of good-byes. Pam Conners passed out copies of her book about the Six Rivers National Forest.
Wednesday June 30
Robert and I met at the main camp area and cooked breakfast there, bacon and eggs with toast. He has a neat device for making toast. I’ll have to get one. Left unused eggs and bacon for whoever wanted them. I got my camp broke down and packed up to leave. Finally I went to the lab to say good-bye and hug the two Pams. Time to go.
At home I clipped out the three articles from the Times-Standard. There is a quotation of my gibberish. Not the intelligent, learned things I had to say but my cute funny asides. I’ll have to learn to be more careful around reporters.