We are in the process of inputting our journal entries from last summer. This page will read in consecutive order beginning with the earliest date.

Monday, June 20, 2011
Sutherlin, Oregon

Larry: We are headed out for the long summer. We have to leave with camping gear and whatever we'll need for two months away. There is barely any room for my partner! Where will the trails lead us? What surprises await? It's vital to stay in the present. Today is the only real venue for our adventures. Yesterday is past and tomorrow isn't available. What does today hold? What treasure is waiting to be uncovered? This is where faith comes in. Fear always lurks in the shadows just looking for a chance to leap out and grab you. Faith is my shield because it trumps fear every time. Well, let's "head em up and move em out". Our first stop is Bullard's Beach in Bandon, Oregon. We are headed back to the "goldfields" of California by way of the Oregon coast. I want to try my Fisher Gold Bug Pro detector on the beach. That will be a whole new experience for me.



Thursday, June 23, 2011
Sixes River Camp Oregon

Larry: It's overcast with peeks of sun but cold and breezy. Overall, a very nice dry camp right on the river. I'll crawl the creek today to check for the promise of gold. It was VERY noisy around here this morning so we slept in after all the racket subsided. Coffee mugs cupped in our hands  for warmth. We are chasing the sun with our chairs. The sun feels great on my back. We are settling into the notion of down time. It feels good to sit and read or do crosswords with no agenda. We're camped at the old townsite of Summerville. No sign of any structures but a scattering of rose bushes, fruit trees and flowers. It's humbling to see how rapidly signs of human habitation can disappear. That gibes with my essay on the transitory nature of your human "being".

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My essay on the transitory nature of your human "being"

I was thinking of this just a few weeks ago as I was writing in my morning journal.......
The Brevity of Life.... my life span of 70+ years and counting are complete in my memory with the exceptions of the first couple of years and a few fragments since then. So looking back I can see the long trail that tells my story. On the other hand, my children didn't know me until they were born so there's a 22 year chunk of my life missing in their awareness, not to mention the 30+ years since they left home and began their own lives. So in their memories, my life spans about 20 years and even those years are incomplete because of my working hours and sleep.

Now I realize that is all normal but what struck me last night when we were reminiscing about Sherry's life (Sherry is Charlotte's younger sister that just passed on) was how little we are able to claim of her time on earth, how much of her story was missing for us. Then I backed it up a generation or two and realized that over time, our time on earth disappears. So that begs the question, what is left? "What's it all about, Alphie?" I believe we are incarnated to learn and create. Our interactions with others is part of that learning process; we learn from each other, they learn from us. The lessons are what lasts - the impact we have on each other, both "good or bad". So.... I'm comforted by the knowledge that our time is well spent and valuable, even when outward appearances don't seem to indicate that.
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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Sixes River Oregon

Charlotte: It sure would be nice to have some sun and less wind. I see a little blue sky every now and then. Good morning God! Good morning angels! Good morning Sherry! I miss you so much. Larry says that he is going to put on his wet suit and and snipe his way up river......brrrrrrr. I think I'll just chase the sun. We keep moving trying to catch a little sun when it's not behind the clouds. We have a nice little camp here. The first thing we did when we arrived was make our little nest. There are a couple of other campers here but they are off prospecting, too. We haven't really talked to anyone.

Saturday, June 25, 2011
Harris Beach State Park, Brookings Oregon

 Larry: I should say SUNNY Harris Beach! This is a very full, very busy campground.  It is quite a change from the Sixes. Our Sixes trek left us with wanting to return sometime. I made it quite a distance up the creek looking for bedrock. I actually found some gold in one crevice. I want to come back and explore a lot further up river. There were several people working into the bank and bucketing their gravel to river sluices. We never really talked to anyone.

We BBQed steak over coals last evening - baked a potato and had a salad. It was a nice evening of sitting around the fire.

I want to learn more about the gold in Oregon. I don't really know much about it but I know they found some big nuggets in southwest Oregon in the rush. We'll head up the Chetco River out of Brookings to do some exploring today.  Then we are headed back to California to see if we can find our riches.

Sunday, June 26, 2011
Harris Beach, Brookings, Oregon
High Fog

Larry: Our trip up the Chetco River was a bust - blocked road, no bedrock and sooooo we came back and went to the harbor - Farmer's Market, beach time and a nice nap. There were some prospectors up the river though.... working piles of gravel. I want to do more research about the gold prospecting history of this area. Think I'll go do some beach detecting and see what I can find. It restores the soul to be near the ocean; rythmic waves, birds, smells and sweet downtime. We were awakened this morning by a raucous, cacaphony of crows! My heart is turning toward California and the gold country.

Charlotte: This is a very crowded campground! We drove up the Chetco to where the road was closed - lots of gravel and very little bedrock but we hear there is lots of bedrock beyond where the road was closed. It sure looks like a nice river to float. We have fallen in love with Brookings. Went to a local hang out for breakfast and visited with several people. Went to the boardwalk at the harbor after we got back from the Chetco. Visited with Martin and Niki who were selling BBQ sauce that he makes at the Farmer's Market. Heard from several folks about the great fishing in this area........ ling cod, salmon and rock fish. Visited with a little veterans group at the market and then we went to the beach by the lighthouse and sat for hours. Drove back to the picnic area at Harris Beach and spent another couple of hours just watching the waves, the people and a fishing boat with divers. We are having a leisurely morning after all of yesterday's activities.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Chicago Park, California
Tofte Ranch Front Porch

Larry: It is very pleasant on the front porch this morning. We had a very long day of driving yesterday - 470+ miles! It was too far for 1 day. We are back to help Arlene with garden and ranch chores. The gold this summer will determine if we return. We really want to spend our summers prospecting. There's plenty to do around the ranch so I'll be busy here for awhile. It seems a long time since we left Sutherlin - more than a week. This last week has been good for us though. Serious down time and serious beach time makes all seem well. Actually, everything is well.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Toften Ranch
Foggy and cool
Larry: Had a real rain storm yesterday! It's leftovers are cooling us this AM. However, it's supposed to be up in the 90's by this weekend. I planted 4 rows of sweet corn, a long row of cukes, peppers, asparagus and onions yesterday. It felt good digging in the dirt. I feel a bit lost here at Arlene's. No specific reason other than uncertainty about our summer - gold or no? how long we'll be here? where will we go and when? But that's the future and I need to stay out of it! "Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made."

Thursday, June 30, 2011
Grass Valley, McD's
Sunny

Larry: Meeting someone to sell some plates we brought south, then a little shopping and back to the ranch. I planted beans, melons and lots of beets yesterday. A cool day literally. Got two raised beds prepared for planting. Took Arlene to the airport last evening.

Friday, July 1, 2011
Tofte Ranch
Sunny

Larry: I dripped the raised beds and the far garden, planted chard, beets and carrots in the raised beds, and golden hubbard squash in the far garden yesterday. And repaired garden drip lines. I think I'm all caught up! We got $20 for the plates, did some shopping and had lunch at Round Table. All in all, a busy day. Oh, I planted pickling cukes, too - two rows. I'm anxious to hit the river below Shirttail. Then a one day'er below Windy Point to see how our bodies hold up and perform. If either locale produces gold we can always return. Then a one day'er down into the wild and scenic either Pickering Bar or Mumford Bar.

Friday, July 2, 2011
Tofte Ranch
Sunny

Larry:  Another glorious day on the farm. Hot sun, rich soil, plenty of water. With a small increase in my retirement income things are looking up but we are still short by a few hundred $$$ so come on gold. An ounce a day is all I ask. Actually, I'd be happy with 2 - 3 pwt a day - I'd be ecstatic at 10 pwt, I'd be ballistic at 1 oz. Then there is Hickory Farms this fall - what with me managing, we should be about to generate a bit more income.

Charlotte: My mind is going everywhere this morning..... Texas, prospecting, southern California, back to Oregon.

Sunday, July 3, 2011
Tofte Ranch
Sunny

Larry: Another beautiful day! Wow! All these days of sun are amazing! We are totally alone here this morning. The tenant stayed somewhere else last night. We reserved our train passage to Texas yesterday! August 21 to August 31, round trip from Irvine to Longview. Then we'll boot scoot back to Oregon in time for our 30th reservation in Brookings. Whew!

Charlotte: All alone this morning. I had a long night. I kept waking up thinking of Texas and Sherry and I was so sad. I thought of Larry and MJ and how time slips away without us hardly noticing. We just mark out time - day to day by staying busy. We made our train reservations yesterday. We leave for Texas August 21st - casting our fate to the Universe. I cleaned up the patio yesterday and weeded in the garden. We have been having some hot days.

Monday, July 4, 2011
Tofte Ranch
Sunny

Larry: Happy B Day America! We are enjoying another day being totally alone. We are enjoying our blessed solitude. We are such hermits at heart. I set sprinklers in the yard and planted radishes yesterday.

Charlotte: OK, when are we going to go prospecting? Discussed possible outings this morning. North Fork of the Middle Fork - Rainbow Bridge - Pennyweight  Trail - Windy Point - Robinson Flat so we can hike into the canyon. Trying to figure out our plan for the summer.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011
 Tofte Ranch
Sunny and HOT already

Larry: What a concept? Wake up to sunshine every day! Last day alone - we pick up Arlene this evening. I'm a bit blue these days. The gardening work is satisfying but there just seems to be something missing this year. My heart is not in it for some reason. I'm grateful for our room and board for sure and for my physical ability to perform the chores around here. I enjoy hard labor.

Charlotte: We have put in some long days around here. We want Arlene to be really surprised with the progress. We have made good progress outside and inside. Welcome home Arlene! We are planning our first expedition.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Sunny Tofte Ranch

Larry: Got Arlene home. Just a bit over a month left here. My California gold rush will be abbreviated at best. I'm intimidated by the stark shift/reality between planning/dreaming about a gold outing and actually pulling it off. When I'm sitting in cool Sutherlin planning a hike down into the wild and scenic North Fork for instance, I'm sitting on the sofa, not climbing up and down cliffs in 100 degree temperatures with 50# on my back.

Charlotte: My mind is busy with prospecting videos this morning - ideas for our website - dreams of gold - narrating our old stories. The ideas are coming so when are we going to follow through.


Thursday, July 7, 2011
Sunny Colfax, McD's

Larry: Headed for the river today. Check out the mouth of Shirttail and the bend below the bridge. Finished my garden gates and installed them. They look great. My hard work is paying off around the farm and my body. I'm tolerating the heat better and my waist line is shrinking. I had a vision of terracing into the bedrock just above where Bob and Hubert stuck it rich - we'll see!

Charlotte: It was really hot yesterday. It is good to be headed to the river. It feels like visiting an old friend.

Friday, July 8, 2011
Sunny Grass Valley, McD's

Larry: Our river trip was a bust, gold wise, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway. Charlotte insisted on making some videos early in the day. I was deeply fatigued and it caught up with me after a dozen buckets or so of gravel hauling to the river box. Saw many rafters come through - the river is very high for this time of year. It was good to sit on coffee rock once more. I was a bit dismayed at my lack of stamina yesterday but then I'm not as fit as I should be for such physical exertion. You can see a video of our river adventure below. In retrospect I wish we had made a film at the end of the day to show our small take for all of our labor but we had lost our enthusiasm. It was good to get in the river and work for awhile but one always has high hopes.

Charlotte: I am percolating but in the doldrum. We went down to the Yankee Jim Bridge yesterday and worked several buckets of gravel but only a little color. I had our new little flip camera and I was alread to film the great gold discovery but didn't even seem worth the effort after all of that work. I am beginning to wonder if we are "snake bit". We were pretty much worn out by lunch. Sat up on our landing for several hours and visited with folks; rafters, prospectors and people just driving through the back country.



Saturday, July 9, 2011
Tofte Ranch, Sunny

Larry: Preperation day for our next scootcher. Off to the gold country wherever we wind up. I am trying to combine my dream trips with reality. It's so easy to be bop down into the wild and scenic while I'm lounging on the sofa in Oregon. It's quite another to accomplish it in real time!

Charlotte: Clear and cooler. We are off on another scootcher tomorrow. I am almost resistant to thinking about anything in depth. I am even having trouble wrapping my mind around what we need for these trips. Am I still in mourning for Sherry? Maybe it's a good thing - maybe it's healthy. Our computer won't turn work - it won't turn on. That was upsetting to me yesterday because of our first movie project. Is it all a state of mind?

Sunday, July 10, 2011
Auburn McD's

Charlotte: Headed out on a gold mining expedition. It feels good to be headed to the woods. We have put in some long days at the ranch. We are both tired. We have accomplished a  lot inside and outside. I am in an unusual place mentally. I am just here - I don't feel much about anything. I was feeling lost yesterday because of my limited access to a computer. I just don't feel very much enthusiasm for anything. Does this mean I am depressed? I can't wait to get to the woods and just sit there.

We have an exciting itinerary: Headed to Foresthill and then we'll take Mosquito Ridge Rd. down into the canyon. We are going to take a short detour to check out a creek on the back road to Michigan Bluff - we did pretty good there years ago. Then we'll head to Rainbow Bridge and hike into the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American. Our plan is to camp at Talbot campground which is 5 miles beyond French Meadows. It it is full we may go back to one of the campgrounds on the lake. Our plan is to prospect there on Monday and then move up to Robinson Flat on Tuesday and Wednesday. Well, Larry is so anxious to get somewhere that he isn't even going to write this morning. Head em' up, move em' out!

Monday, July 11, 2011
Tofte Ranch, Sunny

Larry: Well, a 203 mile scootcher to no avail other than we got to explore new country and see and beautiful cinnamon bear. Drove up the back way to Michigan Bluff and couldn't find my gully. We were going to check out a gully where we found some pretty good gold back in the '80's. Things had grown over and didn't match our memory.

Then, the North Fork of the Middle Fork was crowded. It was really warm down at the Rainbow Bridge and so lots of folks were at the river. We could barely find a  place to park - some folks looked like they were camped along the road. So, we drove on up to French Meadows and Talbot CG. We found a pretty good stash of firewood there so we loaded up but the river didn't have any bedrock showing and there were only camp spots right next to the river in dense trees. After seeing a large bear on the way in we decided that we would like to camp where we could hear and we wouldn't have been able to hear anything above the roar of the river. We have noticed that all of the metal bear boxes are very impressive in all of the campgrounds except this one. This campground doesn't have any bear boxes!

Charlotte had a great map so we decided to take the back way over the mountain to Robinson Flat since that was the shortest route. We drove and drove and then suddenly rounded a bend and we were stopped by a large snow drift in the road. Turned around and headed back down the mountain and back the way we came to French Meadows. Made it all the way back to the Robinson Flat turnoff on Mosquito Ridge Rd. and headed up over the mountain by that route. Again we drove and drove and just as we were about to top out..... you guessed it..... another big snow drift. We reluctantly began to get the message.... Robinson Flat was off the radar!? We finally tucked our tail and headed back to the barn. Stopped off in Foresthill to check on the road up the divide and they said it was impassable because of deep snow. We were greatly disappointed. Today, we are headed up to the Yuba country - Ram's Horn? Once more reality trumped our dreams.

I'm more rested today so that's good. The bear sighting was fun. A very healthy black (cinnamon) bear ran across the road right in front of us and then meandered into the woods. We stopped and frantically searched for the camera but only got glimpses through the heavy forest.

Charlotte: We never managed to get to Robinson Flat - July 10th and the road is still blocked by snow! We drove all day. We saw a lot of beautiful country though and a beautiful, fat cinnamon bear. They told us in Foresthill that there is still 3 ft. of snow at Sailor Flat.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Yuba River
Sunny Union Flat CG

Larry: A great night of rest snuggled in our nest. C didn't sleep as well but I sure did. Coffee while watching the sun rise. Simple pleasures over time add up to a lfie time of joy and happiness. We'll scout out the North Fork of the Yuba today. If we find potential we'll stay til Thursday - otherwise we'll probably fold our tent and go back tomorrow.

Had fresh asparagus and beef stroganoff for dinner last evening - quite a feast! My over-riding challenge this summer is my residual fatigue. I suppose I could blame it on my age? or my lack of fitness? or?? I just wear out most quickly than usual. Charlotte keeps reminding me that I have just put in some pretty hard days around the ranch. Maybe I need a break for rest?

Charlotte: We are here in this campground because this appears to be the only area on the rive that is not claimed up. This area is open for panning and sluicing. The river here is really rolling so it's quite loud. We sat like zombies after we first arrived - dozed in the warm afternoon shade after a lunch of sandwiches, chips and beer. It was several hours before we even got up to put up our tent. We took a short hike up the river but didn't see much potential. Had an early dinner and then sat around the fire..... ahhhhhhh, sitting around the fire is always really nice. We were in our tent before dark. Didn't sleep very well - achy arms and hot flashes. Our bed is really comfortable though and it smells really good in the forest.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sunny Convict Lake on the Yuba

Larry: Stopped by Convict Lake on our way back to the ranch. Stopped and looked at Rams Horn - old deja vu memories of when me and some buddies spent a weekend gold prospecting there and found some good gold. What is the verdict? The North Fork of the Yuba is pretty much claimed up.

Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tofte Ranch


Larry: Back to the farm for a few days - regroup and try again. It's very peaceful here on the front porch in the early morning - a little mist on the pond, bird activity, singing red-winged blackbirds. Had a full moon last night and a pack of coyotes came right past the house yipping away. Where's the gold? I am truly blessed to have my health, my companion, my life. Thank You!

Charlotte: No real prospects on the Yuba so we came back to the ranch. We have 27 more days in northern California if you count today. We are going to work around here for a few days - mostly weeding. I am just here. Maybe that's a good thing since I have no apparent agenda. I must remind myself that gratitude raises our vibration. I am grateful for my companion. I am grateful for a really good night of sleep. I am grateful for this morning. I am grateful for the peace and quiet we have here in the country - most of the time - except for yipping coyotes.

Friday, July 15, 2011
Tofte Ranch

Larry: Woke up to the familiar bellow of a new calf. Weeded the raised beds yesterday. I'll do more weeding today and build a gate for the far garden. Feels like we're just marking time here. It feels like it might be our last season here. And our last season in Sutherlin? I know that begs the question about where we'll be next summer but wait! that's a whole year away. Today is sufficient. Today I'm here, healthy and alive. I am grateful for my many blessings.

Charlotte: A morning alone on the ranch. The grass is really greening up with all of Larry's watering. We worked in the flower beds yesterday and got quite a bit of weeding done.

Monday, July 18, 2011
Colfax, McD's

Larry: Not much to report for the last few days... just ranch work every day.... same old, same old. A beautiful day to prospect down at Yankee Jim's - it's cool and sunny - a good day to be alive - a good day to find some gold. Breath in, breath out, life is good. May the gold flow.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tofte Ranch

Larry: Well, another frustrating day on the river - at least gold wise. We must always remember that these outings, like life, aren't about the gold. With that perception in mind, we had a wonderful day. We creviced downstream from the bridge and found some fines. Then after lunch I suited up and crawled a section of Shirttail. I couldn't  believe how VERY aerobic that is. I got as far at the house rock before I just gave out. I really expected to find some decent gold, too. We met a very interesting fellow at the bridge. He was camped out there with his grandson. Mark detects old tailing piles and had some great stories. He also had some very impressive gold to show for it.

Charlotte: We spent an enjoyable day on the river - a few specks of gold. We met some nice folks from Iowa Hill. They were rafting to Clementine. Good morning Sherry. We had a little ceremony for you at Shirttail yesterday - Shirttail was the first place we were ever all 3 together. If you are here I hope you were pleased. I miss you so.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Colfax McD's

Larry: Go forth and find a slug of gold at the mouth of Shirttail! I have to admit to a certain level of discouragement. I'm not even wanting to write about this or think about it much any more. What will be, will be. What am I supposed to be learning from all of this?

Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tofte Ranch


Larry: I hard day of feeding the river box at the mouth of Shirttail with very little to show for our efforts. I truly feel snake bit. I never really appreciated all of the gold we found down here in the early 80's. We just thought it was a common thing. I mean we would go days with very little gold but then we'd have a good day to make up for it. Nothing like this long dry spell. I can see the distinct possibility that we will never return to the Yankee Jim again - that yesterday was our swan song. I'm feeling more and more drawn to Oregon.

Charlotte: We worked hard yesterday and all we found were a few fines. Unbelievable! We were certainly blessed back in the day to find all of that gold! We cannot imagine how much dredging has gone on down at the bridge during the last 20 years?! I am really looking forward to our time alone on the train with nothing to do.

Sunday, July 24, 2011
Auburn McD's 


Charlotte: Spent most of yesterday at the Empire Mine baby sitting Jay and Mary Ann's little dog Ernie. It was really hot. We kept chasing the shade. Larry has a cold but we are headed to the mountains again tomorrow. He says he'd rather be camping and resting while he has a cold. It will be a good place to rest and be in nature.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011
 Robinson Flat


Charlotte: We arrived on Sunday to a campground full of search and rescue people. they pulled out in the early afternoon and we have had this whole campground to ourselves ever since. Larry has been resting in the tent and sitting a lot ever since we got here. I have been doing the chores and taking care of him. I was awake for several hours during the night with my night fears and thinking of Sherry. I finally went to sleep after the moon came up. We had a delicious dinner of potatoes and onions with salad and Hebrew National franks. I have taken several hikes up through the woods. There are still lots of big snow drifts here and there under the trees. I hiked up to the top of the ridge and could see down into the canyon to French Meadows. The wildflowers are beautiful. I have absolutely no projects or planned projects for maybe the first time in years. This morning I am just holding.