The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1924-11-20

town, being the gateway to Crater
Lake National Park and the famous
Oregon caves, and having lots of tour
ist travel, had formerly practiced
courtesy as an advertising medium,
but time had diffused it into the
blood until now it was almost hab-
itual. Regardless of cause am go
ing to underscore Grants Pass, in the
list of towns visited, as being the
most hospitable of them all.
And then old Morpheus sent the
sand man out to close our eyes to the
worries and hardships around us and
allow a much needed rest.
AS we were only short istance
from the California line at this time
our enthusiasm knew no bounds, for
California, as we all know, is the one
great Oasis for adventurous souls. The
Ford was accordingly forced to the
extreme and responded as though it
knew, like human, that it was near
ing the land of peace and plenty.
Spurred by this thaugbt the faithful
little car took the Sissiques jim jump,
and although snow was encountered
at the summit, faltered not until the
sunny slopes of the land of the Ma
tive Son greeted us. 1t seemed like
we were modern Aladdins and the
magic of our presence caused such
radical change in the weather. Wheth-
or promoted by real estate agents OF
merely coincidence it is fact that
as soon as we rounded the last hill,
which brought us abruptly into Cal
ifornia, Old Sol peeked coaxingly
from behind an Oregon cloud and
beckoned us to come.
We went and absorbed and appre-
ciated until--when the last frozen
fragments had melted away-we fl
nally discovered that this greatly ad-
vertised country was not immortal
and by the will of the Gods it could
be as cold and miserable there as any
where. Because it did rain on us in
California and it became miserably
cold.
Again Lady Luck dealt us a losing
hand and forced us TO pass unseeingly
by Mount Shasta, California IS highest
peak. We climbed up around its base
to an elevation of 5000 feet, all UNI
conscious, of it's presence until one OF
the natives put us wise. A heavy
cloud, which hung over the mountain,
completely hid the snow-coyered peak,
and agin the utilization of our i'm
agination became necessary.
We climbed down off the mountain
into the headwaters Of the Sacramento
valley, another of nature Is scenic won
der spots. Up here we encountered
deep, rugged canyon through which
the Sacramento river, only a small
mountain stream at this place,
plunged furiously over the huge gran
tie boulders and tumbled amidst thun-
derous roars over the many cliffs and
All the way own this can
yon-except a few detours-a paved
equal to any of Caesars mas
terpieces was cleft from walls OF rock
and bridged across the torrent. A
veritable monument to man s achieve
ment this road stands in the wilder
ness; a forerunner of progress and
civilization.
Soon the walls moved further back
and we came out into broad valley,
rich in orchards and grain fields and
dotted here and there with prosperous
towns, all bearing business-iike as
pect and showing that here, in the ag-
ricultural districts, was the backbone
of California 3 success. The sun
reached forth with its unfeeling ten
tacles and took all into its grasp, I'M
til soon Dwight and / began to shed
coats and come out Of the shell to
expand more freely in this blessing
from above. After days of rain and
cold we had become ready to accept |
anything as an alternative, SO 1T was
with no little enthusiasm that we
greeted this favorable change.
Across the valley from Redding,
rearing it's silvery peak far above sur
mountains, Mount Lassen,
the country's only active volcano,
presented striking picture. Although
she WASH t spouting lot of fire and
fury and the upper portions were com
pletely covered by a heavy coat of
snow, we took it for granted that it
was a volcano and figured that if this
was typical of the species we weren 7
We learned later, how
ever, when this peaceful looking
was changed into veritable
and became quite a dis
turbing element to the surrounding
towns.
We easily made Chico that night
and tucked the bug cozily away in the
local hangar and sauntered out to see
The town. Nothing more exciting
than a La Toilette Wheeler campaign
=. -. kHo c<-oo4e xx,a 1o1 10 /