DAY 53 - FORTUNA - RIO DELL - SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA

KOREA (CLICK CLICK)...WHAT IS THIS DOING ON MY WALK THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA?? THIS PLAQUE IS IN THE CENTER OF A MOST UNIQUE TOWN, SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA...ONE PLAQUE OF MANY HONORING ALL USA FOREIGN WARS FROM WORLD WAR I THROUGH IRAQ.

THIS PLAQUE HONORING KOREA VETERANS BROUGHT MEMORIES FLOODING BACK FROM MY SERVICE DURING THE FINAL YEAR OF THE WAR... 1953.

PLEASE LOOK CLOSELY AT THE F-86 SABRE JET AT THE TOP. THAT AIRCRAFT IS FROM THE 8TH FIGHTER BOMBER WING BASED AT SUWON.KOREA...A.K.A.: K-16.

ACROSS THE FIELD FROM THE 8TH WAS THE 51ST FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR WING, FLYING THE EXACT SAME AIRCRAFT, BUT PROVIDED "TOP" COVER FOR THE 8TH F-86'S DROPPING THE ACTUAL BOMBS.

IT WAS THE 51ST THAT SHOT DOWN ALL THOSE MIG-15 (FINAL TALLY WAS SOMETHING LIKE 1 F-86 SHOT DOWN TO 15 MIG-15 SHOT DOWN.

EVERY TIME A RETURNING FLIGHT CAME HOME, SUCCESSFUL 51ST PILOTS WITH A VICTORY DID A PASS DOWN THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT 50 FEET...BARREL ROLLING END TO END AND COMPLETING HIS CELEBRATION WITH A VERTICAL BARREL ROLL STRAIGHT UP...A DISPLAY THAT HAPPENED MANY TIMES EACH DAY DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE BATTLE OVER "MIG ALLEY".

I WAS AT K-16 AT THAT TIME, ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS, 8TH FIGHT BOMBER WING AS PERSONAL SECRETARY TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL. I WAS 16 YEARS OLD - HAVING LIED TO GET INTO THE U.S. AIR FORCE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IN HIGH SCHOOL, I SPECIALIZED IN TYPING AND SHORTHAND - THE HARD WAY, NOT USING A STENOTYPE AND WAS ASSIGNED UPON ENLISTMENT DIRECTLY TO WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS AIR FORCE BASE AS A COURT REPORTEDR OF COURTS MARTIAL...AN IRONIC ASSIGNMENT WHICH I MAY SHARE LATER.

6 MONTHS LATER, I WAS DODGING BOMBS AT K-16 AND LATER AT PANMUNJOM, KOREA PEACE TALKS WHERE I WAS A STENOGRAPHER AT THE PEACE TALKS.

IT WAS THERE AT THAT TIME THAT I MET AND CHATTED WITH PREMIER NEHRU OF INDIA...A HIGHLIGHT OF MY YOUNG LIFE.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH....SPIA, SAM AND ME SPENT THE NIGHT AT THE "RIVERWALK" RV PARK IN FORTUNA, CALIFORNIA. BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONFUSION ABOUT WALKING ON US 101 FREEWAY / HIGHWAY, MELINDA HOLDING DOWN THE DESK AT THE RV PARK, TOLD ME I COULD WALK ALL THE WAY TO SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA - 9 MILES SOUTH - ON THE "RIVERWALK" ALONG THE EEL RIVER.

THE PHOTO ABOVE IS THE RIVERWALK. IT WAS A DISASTER. IT DID NOT GO TO SCOTIA...IN FACT, NO WHERE NEAR SCOTIA. IT ENDED ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH.

I FOUND, HOWEVER, THE US 101 HAD BECOME A REGULAR "HIGHWAY" AND NOT A "FREEWAY" WHICH PROHIBITED PEDESTRIANS. SO, I SHIFTED FROM THE RIVERWALK PATH OVER TO US 101 AND COMPLETED MY WALK TO RIO DELL, CALIFORNIA...WHICH IS A SISTER-TOWN WITH SCOTIA.

I THEN WALKED BACK TO SPIA...ROUND TRIP TOOK 5 HOURS, COVERING ABOUT 22 MILES...MUCH OF IT OVER STONY OBSTACLES STREWN THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RIVER DIKE WHICH TWISTED MY FEET NUMEROUS TIMES AND LEFT ME SOAKED BECAUSE OF THE HIGH WEEDS I HAD TO WALK THRU...WITH CONSTANT RAIN.


THIS IS THE "RIVERWALK" IN THE FIRST 100 METERS OR SO...LOOKED OK HERE...BUT JUST YOU WAIT ANOTHER 1,000 METERS...WOW, WHAT A MESS.

A FARM ALONG THE RIVERWALK.

IMPOSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE THE RIVERWALK WITHOUT GETTING SOAKED AND PLENTY MUDDY.

WHEN SHIFTING OVER TO US 101 - WHICH WAS AT THIS POINT NOT A FREEWAY, THE DISTANT SMOKING HILLS CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

EASTERN TENNESSEE LOOKS A LOT LIKE THIS. MY SISTER, MILLIE LIVES IN TENNESSEE NEAR THE "SMOKIE MOUNTAINS"...THIS PIC COULD JUST AS WELL BE OF THE KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE AREA.

LIKE MOST RAILROADS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH AMERICA, THIS BRIDGE SPANS A RIVER CARRYING TRAINS OF THE DISTANT PAST...A RELIC FROM THIS RAILROAD IS PHOTOGRAPHED BELOW IN MY "SCOTIA" SEGMENT.

A RANCH ALONG US 101, SOUTH OF FORTUNA & NORTH OF RIO DELL, CALIFORNIA

US 101 BRIDGE CROSSING ONE OF THE MANY RIVERS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA...BELIEVE THIS TO BE A TRIBUTARY OF THE EEL RIVER WHICH FLOWS THROUGH FORTUNA AND IS WHERE THE "RIVERWALK" IS LOCATE.D

I STOPPED ON US 101 AND CHATTED WITH THIS BIG GUY FOR AT LEAST 3 MINUTES. AT FIRST HE WAS CURIOUS, BUT LOST INTEREST WITH I PULLED OUT MY CAMERA...HE PROBABLY BIN THERE...DONE THAT B 4.

OLD US 101 IN THE CENTER OF RIO DELL - I LAST SAW "LISA" ON THE SIDEWALK TO THE LEFT...

SCOTIA INN. THIS SMALL TOWN IS A MUSEUM IN-SITU.

OF ALL TOWNS I HAVE WALKED, SCOTIA IS A REAL LIVE CONTINUANCE OF LIFE AS IT WAS 130 YEARS AGO.

SITUATED ONLY 6 MILES NORTH OF THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, SCOTIA IS A "MUST" FOR ALL TRAVELLERS.

HOBYS MARKET AND DELI IN HISTORIC SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA.

WENT INSIDE TO PICK UP A BOTTLE OF CHARDONNAY. AT THE CHECKOUT, MET ANOTHER CUSTOMER, LISA. LISA AND I HIT IT OFF RIGHT AWAY. BEING A WALKER, SHE HAD A LOT OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE.

WE CHATTED, BLOCKING OTHER CUSTOMERS FROM CHECKING OUT, FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES...THEN WALKED OUT TOGETHER.

LISA...I AM KICKING MYSELF OVER YOU. OF MY ENTIRE DAY, I EXPECTED TO MEET YOU...NOT SPECIFICALLY "YOU", BUT A BEAUTIFUL LADY SUCH AS YOU WHO WOULD HELP ME ON MY WAY.

I FOUND YOU, CHATTED WITH YOU, AND DID THE CARDINAL "SIN". I DID NOT ASK FOR OR TAKE YOUR PHOTOGRAPH...WHICH SHOULD BE POSTED RIGHT HERE !!!

I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE.

HOPE YOU WILL FIND MY BLOG AND FIND THIS APOLOGY.

MAYBE NEXT TIME AROUND.

SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA CITY HALL

HARDWARE STORE "TRUE VALUE"

WISH TO POINT OUT HERE THAT ALL BUSINESS ARE HOUSED IN HONEST TO GOODNESS REDWOOD CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS. DO NOT KNOW THE AGE OF THESE BUILDINGS, BUT THEY COULD BE FROM 1888 VINTAGE, IN THE HEY-DAY OF SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA.

AS I ALREADY SAID, SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA IS A COMPLETELY UNIQUE TOWN THAT HAS NOT ONLY RETAINED IT'S CHARACTER, BUT HAS ENHANCED IT OVER THE PAST 130 YEARS.

SCOTIA MUSUEM...ORIGINALLY THE TOWN BANK, WAS CONVERTED IN 1951 INTO THE TOWN MUSEUM...IT WAS CLOSED TODAY, MARCH 07, 2011.

THE BANK - TURNED MUSEUM.

IN PAST BLOGS, I HAVE MENTIONED "DONKEY ENGINES"..;

HERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A "STEAM DONKEY ENGINE"

AND FROM ANOTHER ANGLE. THIS STEAM DONKEY ENGINE HAD DRUM FOR A STEEL CABLE. IT WAS USED TO DRAG LARGE CUT-DOWN REDWOOD TREES OUT OF THE FOREST TO WHERE THEY COULD BE LIFTED AND TRANSPORTED DOWN - OR UP - THE MOUNTAINSIDE WHERE THE MULE TEAMS CARRIED THEM TO THE SAW MILLS.

AS A PRE-TEENAGER, I HELPED DAD RUN SUCH A DONKEY ENGINE WHEN WE LIVED ON OUR "STUMP RANCH".

ANOTHER FORM OF STEAM DONKEY ENGINE.

THIS MONSTER HAS THREE DRUMS FOR STEEL WIRE ROPES. IT WAS USED TO LIFT GREAT REDWOOD LOGS FROM THE FOREST HILLSIDES...HIGH INTO THE AIR USING A SYSTEM OF WIRE ROPES AND PULLIES, AND DEPOSIT THEM AT A SORTING/LOADING AREA.

MUCH OF THIS PARTICULAR MACHINE WAS BUILD BY "WASHINGTON IRON WORKS" IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

THIS LOCOMOTIVE WAS USED BY THE SCOTIA LUMBER COMANY BEFORE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY (BEFORE 1900) ON THE NOW DEFUNCT RAILROAD...SEE PIC OF THE RAILROAD BRIDGE.

LOCALS TELL ME THERE ARE PLANS TO CONVERT THE OLD RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAYS INTO A MODERN BIKE/WALKING TRAILS TO PARALLEL US 101 FREEWAY.

WHERE DO I SIGN UP AND DONATE !!!

RESIDENTIAL STREET OF 2011 SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA

ENTRANCE TO THE SCOTIA LUMBER MILL

SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA IS A LIVING REMINDER OF THE MANY "COMPANY TOWNS" FOUND THROUGHOUT 1850 AMERICA. TODAY, THE SCOTIA LUMBER MILL IS STILL THE LARGEST SINGLE EMPLOYER IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY...A LEGACY SPANNING NEARLY 150 YEARS.

MAY NOT BE MUCH BY "WORLD" STANDARDS, BUT NOTE-WORTHY BY USA STANDARDS

PLEASE SAY HELLO TO BRENDA.

BRENDA IS THE SECURITY GUARD AT THE MAIN GATE OF SCOTIA LUMBER COMPANY.

BRENDA AND I CHATTED FOR SOME TIME...SHE GAVE ME VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PARKING AND WALKING SOUTH AMONG THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS.

THANK YOU BRENDA...HOPE YOU LIKE THE PHOTOGRAPH...I CERTAINLY LIKE IT.

BRENDA'S OFFICE...AT THE ENTRANCE TO SCOTIA LUMBER MILL.

AT BRENDA'S SUGGESTION, PARKED SPIA ON "HER" ACCESS ROAD AND WALKED TO THE US 101 ROADWAY (NOT FREEWAY AT THIS SECTION) TO THE EXIT FOR THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS - AND RETURN TO SPIA FOR THE NIGHT

JUST AS SOON AS BRUCIE BABY SPENDS THE NEXT 4 - 6 HOURS CREATING THIS BLOG UPDATE.

CALIFORNIA DOES NOT HAVE A HAMMER HOLD ON LIQUOR...ONE CAN PURCHASE LIQUOR IN MANY PRIVATE OUTLETS...SUCH AS THIS "STORE" IN RIO DELL, CALIFORNIA.

SOMEHOW, A COUPLE PHOTOGRAPHS I UPLOADED HAVE DISAPPEARED...PARTICULARLY ONE OF MARTY ROBBINS.

MARTY...I WILL PUT YOUR PIC ON TOMORROW'S UPDATE...SORRY FOR MY GOOF...HAVE NOT YET FOUND OUT HOW TO INSERT PICS PROPERLY...

GOSH, IT'S NICE TO REALIZE I REALLY AM HUMAN.

DAILY REPORT: WALKED - ROUND TRIP - 29 MILES TODAY; COUNT 15 MILES

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: CREDIT 15 MILES AT $0.02 PER MILE = $0.30 FOR THE DAY.

SINCE I HAVE THIS EVENING, WALKED FROM SCOTIA, CALIFORNIA TO THE US 101 EXIT TO THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, WILL DRIVE BACK TO SCOTIA IN THE MORNING (LESS THAN A MILE - PERHAPS RUN INTO LISA), FILL UP SPIA FUEL TANK, AND DRIVE SOUTH TO THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS.

IF US 101 CAN BE WALKED, WILL TAKE AVANTAGE OF THAT. BE ASSURED, HOWEVER, THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 50 MILES OF THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, AND WE WILL VISIT AND WALK THE BETTER PART...