Cannibals, Indians and a Grave

The Logging Road Cyclist had wanted to ride up Cannibal Mountain since the first time he saw it on the map, just because he liked the name. He had also long wanted to drop down from the 58 Road ridge along the headwaters of Indian Cr. This loop would fill in some of the northern section of the 58 road (that backbone of the Siuslaw!) and some more of the western side of the Indian Cr. drainage. Imagine, then, TLRC’s excitement when he discovered that not  only is the summit of Cannibal comprised of nepheline syenite (cf. Table Mtn), but there is also a dike of that rare rock in upper Indian Cr. The presence (on the old, old, Siuslaw Forest map) of the 2106 Rd, a shortcut from Indian Cr. back into Five Rivers, meant the deal was sealed, and  a ride was born (gpx).

TLRC started at the bottom of the 3210 Rd, where it intersects Five RIvers Rd. A bit of a grind along a very narrow forested ridge leads to the summit road for Cannibal.  At the top is some government-certified nepheline syenite:

Retreat from the peaceful summit, and drop down to the old, reliable 58, marked by a variety of calibers:

To the southeast, looking over a tributary of Fiver Rivers a surprise view of Prairie Mtn heaves into sight.

Shortly thereafter, on a slow uphill, an albino snail passed through TLRC’s narrowed field of view.

Monandinia Fidelis Johnny Winterii

After passing through thick wet gravel stirred by  heavy logging traffic, 58 swings around the west side of Kilickitat Mountain and gets into some sun. TLRC took a brief side trip to the quarry on the east side to get a look at the Yachats Basalts there. These were once part of a field of seamounts offshore of ancient Oregon. For those interested in more recent events, there is a good view of present-day Oregon’s infinite gravel-riding potential off to the southeast.

At the southeast corner of Klickitat, the 37 road, another major Siuslaw arterial, intersects the 58. Here is a monument to a sad story:

This sign marks the grave (just behind) of Lyman Maderis. According to old newspaper reports, the young (early 20’s) Maderis left his home in Tenmile Cr. on January 15, 1916, with the goal of crossing to Indian Cr. en route to the Willamette Valley where he hoped to find work. There was deep snow in the range at the time and he may have lost his way or just succumbed to exhaustion and cold. His body was found three months later and buried.

A couple of intersections down the way is the turnoff into Indian Cr. This is a beautiful road, and even though the nepheline syenite dike proved elusive, TLRC thoroughly enjoyed this forested canyon. Near the bottom, things open up, and on a summer-like day, there are few places in Oregon’s Spectacular Coast Range that can rival Indian Cr.

Looking NW up upper Indian Cr.

Indian Cr. Valley upstream of Gibson Cr.

Indian Cr. from the bridge near Gibson Cr.

Oh. About that shortcut. The standard route from Indian Cr. over to Five Rivers is up the Gibson Cr. Rd. (3278). On his old map, the 2106 looked like a reasonable, shorter, and, most importantly new, route that would cut off about 5 miles. TLRC eyed what must have been this road. It had no Forest designation, a sign saying it was closed, and some serious-looking No Trespassing signs. Having spent a lot of time around here, TLRC has seen these signs:

and passed a pleasant 45 minutes or so chatting with one of the locals who was getting bunkered up for the Mayan Apocalypse (TLRC does not make this stuff up), so he tends to take the No Trespassing stuff seriously (as in “like a heart attack”). Thus, he found himself rolling down to Gibson Cr., up the steep steep steep but paved first mile or so, and then the rolling climb along the 32,

Kilickitat Mountain to the NW from the 32 Rd.

which ends in the swoop into Five Rivers.

Just as he knows the militia in Indian Cr. TLRC knows the dogs along Five Rivers.  There are the wolf hybrids, that really sent poor TLRC into a tizzy the first time he came around a corner and saw them loping around before their mom came into view (there aren’t supposed to be any of them within hundreds of miles, right?).

Wolf hybrid on upper Fiver Rivers.

Pair of wolf hybrids, upper Fiver Rivers.

There are the two Big White Dogs from Prindel Farm, who saunter out with big barks and will hang out with you just out of petting range for as long as you want. Sometimes they follow and won’t go home.

Big White Dogs at Prindle Farm.

And then there is Porkchop.

TLRC has a long history with Porkchop. He is, on one’s first acquaintance, one of those nightmare dogs for a cyclist. One idles along, enjoying the scenery, and only becomes aware that Porkchop is in pursuit when one hears his (Porkchop’s) nails on the pavement. One of those dogs that doesn’t bark because he means business, and that business is you. TLRC had a number of nerve-wracking rides past Porkchop’s house, just managing to outrun him, a bare possibility for poor TLRC, who, as  many  can attest, is no speed demon, out of the gate or otherwise. Finally, TLRC DROVE all the way out there to talk to Porkchop’s owner about this, and to see how mean Porkchop really was. Turns out Porkchop is a big baby, and once he and his pack (that guy had a lot of dogs) settled down, Porkchop wanted to lick TLRC’s face and jump on him and generally be a big puppy. Mr. Porkchop advised just getting off the bike and yelling at Porkchop when passing through, AND he even apologized for Porkkchop’s poor behavior.

So that is what TLRC does now. Sometimes Porkchop still acts pretty ferocious, but today he just tuned tail and headed for home once TLRC dismounted.

 

Porkchop heads for home.

And finally, many readers have asked: “TLRC, we notice that you sprinkle your writing with odds and ends of French. Don’t take this amiss, because we think that it adds a certain, Je ne sais quois to the site. We do wonder, though. Are you actually familiar with French, or is this mere supercilious pretension?”  Well, not only has TLRC been many times to Lebanon, that center of ancien regime Gaullicism, but he has also been many times to Paris.