Patos Island, Washington

Blog entry June 1, 2009

Our winter was spent in Benson, with no exciting adventures to relate.  Now, hot weather has come to the desert, so we are making plans for a summer getaway trip.  Most of our time will be spent in one of our favorite places….Mobridge, S.D. relaxing in a lovely campground and hopefully doing some serious walleye fishing!   You may read about Mobridge in my 2008 summer travel blog post .

Before we leave, I’d like to refer back to another favorite place, which I wrote about in the fifth book of the Maverick Series.…The Strait Years.   I am referring to Patos Island and its historic lighthouse.   Located in Georgia Strait, Patos is the most northern of Washington State’s San Juan Islands.

At the time of our visits to Patos Island, we were living in Port Angeles, WA and owned a 30-foot  cabin cruiser named “Maverick.”  In the book I wrote about many of the lovely places to visit on the Olympic Peninsula, and of the many adventures we experienced on our cruises among the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands.

In 1792, explorers Galliano and Valdez discovered and named this island “Patos”…meaning: “Island of Ducks.”  The island is 210 acres in size, and its shoreline caves were popular hideouts for smugglers.

On the western tip of this one mile long island, known as Alden Point, stands the beautiful Patos Island Lighthouse, which became operational in 1893.  Other structures once present included two dwellings, cisterns and a boat ramp.  In 1908 a 38 foot tower was added to the one remaining building.  In 2007 a non profit Keepers of the Patos Light was formed.  Along with the US Bureau of Land Management, and the Orcas Fire Department, their purpose is to preserve the beauty of the lighthouse.  In 2008 vast renovations took place on both the inside and outside of this historic structure.  Patos Island is now a Washington State Marine Park.

One of the best known light keepers on Patos Island was Edward Durgan, who, with his wife and large family, lived at the island lighthouse from 1905 to 1913.  One of the most delightful books I have ever read…Light on the Island…was written by Helene Glidden, one of the Durgan children.  It is based on her childhood adventures while living on the island during these years.

The following are quotes from my book  The Strait Years:

“As we approached the island, a spectacular lighthouse came into view on the very point (Alden Point) of the island.  We cruised into Active Cove, which lies between Patos and Little Patos Island.  There were only two mooring buoys in the cove, but fortunately both were empty so we moored to one.”

“After getting settled, we launched the dinghy and rowed to the sandy beach at the end of the cove, where there is a primitive campground.  From here we hiked a trail through some lovely woods to the lighthouse.  Nearing the lighthouse, we spotted several eagles high up in the fir trees, and some soaring overhead.  Two trees had nests with baby eagles in them!  Arriving at the lighthouse, the sweeping view looking over Boundary Passage and the Canadian Gulf Islands was awesome! Then we followed another path above the water, until we found a spot where we could scramble down to the rocky shoreline.  The tide was out, so we meandered along the sandstone ledges, examining the unusual shapes of the rocks and strange little caves created by wind and water over the years.

I couldn’t help but think what a magical fairyland it must have been for the Durgen children when they lived here!  Returning to the beach where we had left the dinghy, I found a large shell, and using that, I dug a mess of butter clams, which were the whitest butter clams we have ever found!”

“After lunch we went out in the dinghy again.  Rodger dropped me off on the sandy beach and I walked the trail to the lighthouse.  I enjoyed exploring the opposite shoreline below the lighthouse consisting of large rocks and huge driftwood, and also the wildflowers in bloom on the grassy hillsides, snapping photos as I walked.  Meanwhile, Rodger had rowed to the opening of the cove to fish. When he came to pick me from the rocky shore which we had explored earlier, he had caught five dandy rock cod!  That evening we had a great seafood meal of clams and fish!”

Evenings were always a lovely time.  We would sit in the cockpit of the Maverick, facing the opening of the cove.  The sunsets were gorgeous, turning the water to lovely hues of orange and yellow…and now and then big ships would pass by.  All was quiet except the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore, an occasional bird song, and small animals moving about on shore.  How fortunate we were!

On another visit to Patos Island:  “The wind picked up in the night, so Rodger lengthened our mooring lines so we wouldn’t be banging against the buoy all night.  In the middle of the night we heard sharp horn blasts from an old metal boat that had been anchored behind us.  His anchor had come loose  and the boat had drifted up on the rocks.  The wind was too strong to do anything at the time, but in the morning when the tide came in, Rodger went over and towed him off the rocks with the Maverick.  The boat owner said he didn’t have any money, but offered us half a can of coffee for our assistance! Of course we refused, and then he left, heading toward Point Roberts, six miles away…his engine ‘put-putting’ away, like the “Little Engine that Could!”

We visited Patos Island several times.  Since its location is so far from the other San Juan Islands, it seemed like few people stopped here, and we were always able to find an open mooring buoy.  One visit included a hike around the island which almost turned into a disaster, a story too long  to tell here, but we did enjoy many hikes on the island, and always caught fish and found clams!  All in all…each visit to Patos Island was a beautiful and exciting adventure!

Keep watching my BLOG for other adventures on land and while cruising!

Meanwhile…we’re heading for Mobridge….computer along…and any comments or questions are always welcome!

A fond farewell to my mountain bike

January 9, 2009

Well here it is, 2009, and my last post was way back in September, 2008, when we returned to Benson after our summer trip.  Only one noteworthy event occurred in October…to me, at least.  Our Park held an autumn yard sale during which I sold my mountain bike!  Realizing various health problems have made riding bike rather hazardous for me, it was still a difficult decision to make.  In private, I shed a few tears…as it was like losing a dear friend!  More than that, it was giving up an era in our lives, and an activity Rodger and I enjoyed immensely for many years.

During our travels, our bikes traveled with us on a rack on the back of our travel trailer, and everywhere we went, we found new and interesting places to ride:  Ranch roads and old cattle trails in British Columbia, side roads in Death Valley, many miles of sandy trails in Borrego Springs National Park, California, and along the banks of canals near Niland, California.

Along the Arizona/Mexican border we camped in the Buenos Aires Wildlife refuge near Sasabe, AZ.  Here, we rode virtually every road in the refuge.  We have also ridden our bikes extensively around the desert in Yuma, and Quartzsite, AZ.  We biked along old railroad grade trails and logging roads in Minnesota, and in various recreational areas throughout the Midwest.

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In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, we rode endless miles of roadway along irrigation canals.  Our bikes also  traveled with us to Mexico where we rode to quaint old villages, and also to a remote beach where “Catch 22’ was filmed.

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In my fifth and final book, The Strait Years, I wrote about riding our bikes on the Olympic Peninsula, where we lived at the time, and taking our bikes with us on boat trips, then going for rides along country lanes in the San Juan Islands, and to quaint seaside harbor towns.

The third book of the Maverick Series, Southwest Adventures, includes more stories about our mountain biking adventures.  Our favorite excursions were around Quartzsite, Arizona.  Quartzsite is a small desert town, surrounded by mountains, with many miles of rocky old tracks and trails in the area.  These rugged trails meandered up, down, and around, through the ever changing and beautiful mountainous desert countryside.

Some of the “sites and sights” we came across on our desert bike outings in the southwest included:  Ancient Indian camps with deep mortars in the surrounding rocks, where seeds were ground into flour, hidden springs,  petroglyph and pictograph sites, and ancient intaglios created on the desert floor.  We also located several strange rock alignments, and odd old structures that seemed to have no explanations, which I referred to simply as “mysteries of the desert“.

From days when prospectors roamed the hills looking for gold or silver, we came across crumbling rock house ruins, old campsites with makeshift fireplaces still intact, abandoned mine sites, ghost towns and cemeteries.  From still more recent times, we discovered old training campsites from WWII.  Rock outlines designated where the camp sites had been, and tracks of huge tanks are still visible, wandering across the desert floor.

We frequently walked our bikes across or through huge deep washes, around washed out trails, and over rugged, rocky areas.  Often we would stop, park our bikes and hike.  This allowed us to discover remote sites we never could have reached with any other mode of transportation, including 4-wheel drive vehicles.

We often saw wildlife: Deer, mountain sheep, coyotes, kit fox, jackrabbits, and once, a badger.  Smaller critters included horned toads, lizards of all sizes, and iguana.  On one ride we encountered a rattlesnake!  Wide varieties of birds were also seen and heard. And, it was a joy when we could identify yet another new species.

Every bike ride also took us through gorgeous desert scenery.  Surrounded by high mountains, we were in awe of the many unusual rock formations, and hiked through awesome, deep sided canyons. We enjoyed the various species of cacti (especially lovely when in bloom) and other interesting desert trees and plants in this beautiful “living desert”.  Now, although our mountain biking and hiking days appear to be at an end, we can still go back and relive those days through my books, and the hundreds of photographs we took!

If you enjoy mountain biking, historical sites, the outdoors, or traveling off the beaten path in general, I’m certain you would enjoy Southwest Adventures, and ALL of the other books in the Maverick Series!

My Web site www.ElaineSeavey.com features each of my books individually.  To see more photos of the various places we have visited, check on the “photo gallery” link for each book.  My ongoing BLOG is also filled with photos of more current travels and events.

For more information or questions, you can contact me via e-mail:
ElaineSeavey@escapees.com
To order personally autographed books, shipped free, write to me at:
Elaine Seavey, 600 East Saguaro Drive – #132, Benson, AZ   85602

Hope to hear from you!
Elaine Seavey

(click on pictures to enlarge)

SUMMER TRAVELS – 2008: KANSAS

SEPTEMBER in KANSAS

Leaving Omaha, we drove west on I-80, turning south at exit #257 onto State Highway #183, which continues into Kansas.  At Greenburg, we turned onto Highway #54 to Liberal, Kansas, and then on into Oklahoma.  Driving through Kansas brought back a lot of memories of former trips throughout this interesting state:

POST ROCK COUNTRY:

A few years ago, we followed some of these same roads. North central Kansas countryside consists of rolling hills, frequently broken by ledges of limestone, and, miles and miles of unique, picturesque stone fence posts!    Now, on our present trip, as we neared the city of Hays, we once again drove through an area where this type of limestone had been used extensively in fence posts and buildings.

In a region of few trees, early settlers solved their fencing and building material problems by quarrying the local limestone.  The stone used was quarried from a rock layer found near the surface.  This limestone is rather uniform in thickness, 8 to 9 inches.  When first quarried, it is soft enough to be sawed, drilled, or shaped with hand tools.  However, after prolonged exposure to air, it hardens and becomes very weather resistant and durable. Stone posts are usually from 5 to 6 feet in length and weigh between 350 and 400 pounds each

This fascinating  “post rock” area in north central Kansas runs roughly between Junction City and Hays, Kansas, approximately 30 miles north and 30 miles south of  I-70.  The width of the area is about 100 miles.  A “Barbed Wire and Post Rock Museum” is located 25 miles south of Hayes, on Highway #183 on the far southern edge of the town of La Crosse, Kansas.

As well as fence posts, many interesting old buildings built from this stone can still be seen throughout this area…schoolhouses, churches, barns, and homes.

JUNCTION CITY:

On that earlier trip to Kansas, we spent several weeks near Junction City, waiting for a new travel trailer to be built.  Junction City is located on I-70 in northeastern Kansas between Topeka and Abilene.  In 1859 Junction City was incorporated as a city, and in 1861 Kansas entered the Union as a free state.

There were many interesting old buildings in this historic town, and most of them were built out of “post rock” limestone-such as this old stone school house.

LAKE MILFORD:

Situated just northwest of Junction City, on K-57, this is Kansas’ largest lake, and is known as the Fishing Capitol of Kansas.  While in the area, we stayed in campgrounds on Lake Milford.  First, in a Corp of Engineer operated park called Farnum Creek.  Later, we moved to Milford State Park, where there were four individual campgrounds on 1,084 acres. It is a lovely area, with many roads to hike.  Being September, the weather was gorgeous, and I virtually walked every road and trail in the park!  Scenery was lovely, with lots of trees, in autumn colors, birds, deer, and wild turkeys.

ABILENE, KANSAS:

While here, we visited the town of Abilene, which was founded as a stagecoach stop with a population of about 300 in 1857.   As the railroad pushed westward, Abilene was discovered by cattle men during the days of the large cattle drives. Almost overnight it grew into a cattle boom town with a population of 3,000.

From 1867-82, nearly three million head of cattle were driven up the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Abilene.  From here they were shipped via railroad to eastern markets.

Driving through the town, once again we admired  many lovely old limestone buildings! (This historic stone building, built in 1882 as the First Presbyterian Church, is now an art center.)

“OLD ABILENE TOWN”:

Of course we had to visit “Old Abilene”. Most of the buildings are replicas, although several of them, including all of the log structures and the school house are originals.  Built in the late 1800’s, not far from here, they were all moved and rebuilt on their present site.

One of the latest additions is a Western Museum.  Formerly the old Rock Island depot built in 1887; the depot was moved from its original site just across the tracks.  There was also a souvenir and gift shop, newspaper office, photo shop and restaurant.  It was a lovely autumn day, so browsing around was enjoyable

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER LIBRARY:

We also visited this huge Complex.  Included in the Complex are the library, museum, family home, visitors’ center, and “Place of Meditation”.

The library houses historical documents relating to General Eisenhower’s careers as a soldier, educator, and 34th President of the United States. Across from the library is the museum, with exhibits related to the life of General Eisenhower and events of his times.   The home was occupied by the Eisenhower family from 1898 until 1946.  And, the Place of Meditation is the final resting place of Dwight David Eisenhower, his wife, Mamie Doud Eisenhower, and their first-born son, David.

FORT RILEY, KANSAS:

Located a few miles northeast of Junction City, Fort Riley was another stop on that trip through Kansas.  Both Rodger and I were interested in visiting this former fort, now an army training camp, as we each had a brother who completed their army training at Fort Riley.

As the frontier advanced westward in the early 1850’s, a fort to protect travelers was needed.  Camp Center, (now called Fort Riley) was established in 1853, and was first under the leadership of Lt. George Custer.  During the next three decades, soldiers used Fort Riley as a staging area to protect the expanding frontier.

In 1892 Fort Riley became the center for cavalry tactics and training.  The U.S. Calvary Museum at Fort Riley relates the history of the mounted soldier from the Revolutionary War to World War II.  Fort Riley has also served as a training center during all of the major wars of the 20th century. Today Fort Riley is home to the Army’s Ist Infantry Division, and the Ist Armored Division.

Driving around the grounds we enjoyed seeing the many historic buildings, (most which were built of post rock) including Lt George Custer’s home, one of the original buildings.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN:

Our new 5th wheel travel trailer was finally finished, so after “moving in” we hit the road.  And, as on that trip, now once again we approached southern Kansas, flatter farm land and the fields of milo.

On our first trip through Kansas I was not familiar with this strange crop!  The leaves are similar to corn, but the plant is shorter, like sorghum.  And, they have a large colorful “head” of seeds.  I soon learned, that milo comes in a variety of colors, from pale yellow to deep rust.  It is a feed grain and is also used in the production of ethanol!

BENSON, ARIZONA:

Leaving Kansas and our memories behind, there were no more stops, and we arrived at our home base in Benson on September 8th.  The summer monsoons poured a lot of rain over the area, and it was amazing to see the desert so green!   I will be busy “catching up” for some time, so my next post may not appear for awhile.   Let me hear from you!

(click pictures to enlarge)