3 Rangers and 3 Commanders went for a drift on Oregons longest un-tamed waterway, the John Day River from the bridge at Twickenham down to Clarno. This 45 mile trip was thru 50 million year ole fossil encrusted rim-rock mixed with columnar basalt and flood deposited composite.. The river bed was a Geologic story board, of time travel... and we carelessly drifted on Wallowah-Blue Mt. snow melt in 2 craft, a 16' McKinzie driftboat and a inflatable whitewaterraft with frame. The ranch country passed as we entered a area of stratified soil, makeing the hills alive with vibrant color's of reds like the planet Mars! The sun was out in force, and the river ran green, with sage- juniper trees and skattered pines along the banks... *Eagles-*Hawks of all kinds were abundent, and we saw mule deer and wild horses on the hillsides. The first camp sight was at the end of an Island of sand, and beside a large rock that guarded the beach we choose to camp on.. We stopped early to fish the small mouth bass, with dark nymps and spinning rigs of jigs.. To swim and "play"... and cooked a excellent dinner in the Dutch Oven of "cheesy lasana- green salad and sourdough bread" washed down with apple juice. *After a eve of watching the sun set and the stars come out we retired to the tents... I was woke from sleep with the sound of a Rap beat- and trucks driveing up to the plateu just above camp.. *Snoop doggie-dog started to pupmp demonds from hell into the dark night, and the truck un-loaded the most foul mouthed drunken teen age mix of cowboy's and small town girls with equal mouths of trash! A 3am party built, and more jeeps arrived, apparently at the end of some deserted road! We began to pray.. as our situation was that we had no wepons or way to see our way clear to leave, and drift into a black canyon in the dark.. I got up, told the kids to prepare to leave, as the "party" turned sour and edged tword a fight... I was sitting in a chair at 3:30 with my 3 cell "maglight" when 4 drunk cowboys decided to hunt up some "firewood" and stumbled down into the camp... "Hey! ther's sum tents here!" I stood and Cdr.John Thomas and myself fired the flashlights in the faces of the intruders... *They were dusty, and wearing long dark overcoats and felt Cowboys hats in a style that was authintic *small town wild and wooly western Oregon... "Howdy.. could you call back yur dog from wizz'n on my cooler son" I bravely said out loud as my knees knocked<G> "Er- ah yea.. ah we are look'n fer firewood..." (they reeked of booze and were stumbledown drunk) *SUDDENLY -CCCRACK!! a Gun went off! All of us jumped.. and the biggest Cowboy kid went into a rage! he turned back from my light and wandered back curseing everyone and everything, in the most evil foulmouthed way that I have ever heard.. My guts went to jelly... Cdr.John spoke: "Well I guess you have guns huh..." (more to come) -=*Jes'Shake off the dirt and take a step up! ...The MULE *=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ----****X****---- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [EMAIL PROTECTED] - "Royal Rangers... A Lifetime Adventure." NWOP207 For the BOYS! * For Mitch Silvers! FcF July '66 :: Duane -=A=- Wheeler * Portland,Oregon * Jesus is Lord :: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -----****X****---- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- DUTY is the sublimest word in our language..Do your duty in all things. *You cannot do more- and you should never wish to do less. Gen. LEE =============== Yah gort tah Serve Sum-Buddy! ====================== _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks!" RTKB&G4JC! Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rangernet.org
