Remembering

Out 'N The Woods Again

Cutt'n timber all over the country you get to see and hear some things that you'll never forget.

On that burn over at the North Fork of the Blackfoot where me and Elden Rammell were sentenced to cut, a sorta comical comment from a dude sticks in my mind.

I was falling along an old road and here comes an outfitter out for a day ride with a bunch of dudes. Not wanting to scare the ponies, I sat on a stump to let them pass. I guess I was a sorry look'n sight, black from one end to the other. The last feller in the string whoa'ed up and sez, "Do you really do this for a living?"

I assured him I did. Shaking his head, off he rode.

On another burn over near Unity, Oregon, we had some big yellow pine. After falling one, the first cut was over 50 inches. To satisfy my curiosity I sat on the stump and started to count the rings. When I got to where I couldn't count no more cause they were too close together, I had counted over 600 years.

That there tree was there before Columbus. Almost makes ya feel kinda insignificant in this short life on earth. And a little sad to see it lay'n there.

And I remember a couple of young lads near Prairie, Idaho where we logg'd on a big burn. The local rancher let us hook up our camper near his outfit. His two boys had a couple of miles to get to school, like seven and nine years old. They drove a jeep-like rig. They couldn't reach the brake pedal and gas so one steered and the other sat on the floor. The lad on the seat would yell "brak'er" or "GAS'er" whenever the need arose. Life is different out in ranch country.

Last but just as interesting, one time me and Butch was cutt'n out of Potlatchs' big logg'n camp in Headquarters, Idaho, not far from Pierce.

Anyway, it was the worse summer for hornets I ever knew. The woods was a constant hum-m-m.

Ol' Butch got stung on the eyelid on Friday. Saturday he wanted me to go to logger days in Pierce. Not a chance sez me. Saturday at that thing was one big party and could get out of hand. Sure enough Butch got into a fist-a-cuff and lo and behold Monday morning his other eye was black as a cow bird. Just as I figured. But Butch was the kind of guy to just laugh it off.

Funny how you remember all these things.

 

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