Lost? (Brain-wise or Geographically)
On Friday the 19th my church youth group put on a Thanksgiving supper for a number of elderly people. The occasion was to start at 5 pm, so I pretty much made up my mind that I would be late. As it turned out, I was done with classes by 3 pm so I could theoretically have been on time or close to it. Somewhat unfortunately, I had planned to do something at school before leaving for the supper. It was 4 pm or close to it by the time I got to my car. We planned to have the supper at Willard Deardorff's cabin on the banks of Betty Jane Deardorff Reservoir (fed by Beaver Creek). I went there two years ago, but I didn't drive and therefore didn't have a clear idea of how to get there. I also knew that two of our youth sponsors had not been able to find the cabin the first time they looked for it. There are a lot of side roads in that vicinity. Therefore, directions were regarded as somewhat necessary. Upon looking for them in my car, I did not find them (I discovered them later at my week-day home). I trekked back into the vet school and used TopoZone and Mapquest to figure out some general directions for getting to the reservoir (one map had the reservoir marked on it but was not useful when it came to roads; the road map had the reservoir on it, but marked as "Lake" such that I needed the non-road map to figure out the roads I should take). I still didn't know where on the lake the cabin was (I had an idea of the side), but decided to take a chance. By then it was 4:40 - if I went I would be incredibly late. I was somewhat apprehensive, even a little scared (strange for me who usually enjoys trying to find places without all the directions). However, I was expected to go (people would have worried about me if I didn't show) and it would have been sadly depressing to not sing the girls' songs at the occasion. Hence, I (however foolishly) set out for the cabin.
I reached the general vicinity with relative ease. Following my intuition, I headed for the west side of the lake. All went well until I came to a Y. It seemed like left was right, so I headed that way even though there was a "No Trespassing" sign in evidence (I figured we had permission to be at the cabin - but of course I didn't really know if the cabin was down that road). Around that time I received a call from RS on my cell phone - it wasn't long before she cut out. After a while I came to a four-way intersection and my heart failed me - I should have just gone straight - little chance of getting lost that way - but instead I turned around. I reached the Y again, and noticed that it was illegal to go right due to fire danger. So I went left again. I was trekking down that road when I saw a white pick-up coming toward me. There was a young man inside. I thought maybe he would know how to get to the cabin, so slowed down and rolled down my window (in theory that was unwise). On closer scrutiny, I made out the faces of RB (a young man from church) and his girl cousin VB. They had been sent out to find me after my phone cut out. RS had asked if I was lost, and apparently the last thing she heard was "That is a possibility." RB was prepared to go searching down side roads to find me - maybe he was sort of disappointed when he found me actually on the right road to the cabin (if I had kept going at the four way intersection, I would probably have eventually seen the lights of the cabin and have found it - I am a bit chagrined that I did not find it on my own).
Numerous expressed their thankfulness that I finally arrived (it is nice to know that people care about one).
So I made a bunch of people worried, and was 1.5 hours late to boot. All that could have been remedied by leaving soon after classes ended and by remembering to take the directions with me. Uggh! I don't like making people go out of their way to benefit me. Will I ever learn to be completely mature and rational in my actions?
I got there in time to help (?) sing the two girls songs, so that element of potential depression was not realized. The rest of the evening was good - being with my church people can be revitalizing, refreshing.
I reached the general vicinity with relative ease. Following my intuition, I headed for the west side of the lake. All went well until I came to a Y. It seemed like left was right, so I headed that way even though there was a "No Trespassing" sign in evidence (I figured we had permission to be at the cabin - but of course I didn't really know if the cabin was down that road). Around that time I received a call from RS on my cell phone - it wasn't long before she cut out. After a while I came to a four-way intersection and my heart failed me - I should have just gone straight - little chance of getting lost that way - but instead I turned around. I reached the Y again, and noticed that it was illegal to go right due to fire danger. So I went left again. I was trekking down that road when I saw a white pick-up coming toward me. There was a young man inside. I thought maybe he would know how to get to the cabin, so slowed down and rolled down my window (in theory that was unwise). On closer scrutiny, I made out the faces of RB (a young man from church) and his girl cousin VB. They had been sent out to find me after my phone cut out. RS had asked if I was lost, and apparently the last thing she heard was "That is a possibility." RB was prepared to go searching down side roads to find me - maybe he was sort of disappointed when he found me actually on the right road to the cabin (if I had kept going at the four way intersection, I would probably have eventually seen the lights of the cabin and have found it - I am a bit chagrined that I did not find it on my own).
Numerous expressed their thankfulness that I finally arrived (it is nice to know that people care about one).
So I made a bunch of people worried, and was 1.5 hours late to boot. All that could have been remedied by leaving soon after classes ended and by remembering to take the directions with me. Uggh! I don't like making people go out of their way to benefit me. Will I ever learn to be completely mature and rational in my actions?
I got there in time to help (?) sing the two girls songs, so that element of potential depression was not realized. The rest of the evening was good - being with my church people can be revitalizing, refreshing.
posted by Claire at 15:30
6 Comments:
I was doing a google search on the deardorff reservoir near Scotts Mills, Oregon and your post showed up in the results of the search. You wrote: "We planned to have the supper at Willard Deardorff's cabin on the banks of Betty Jane Deardorff Reservoir (fed by Beaver Creek)." How did you find out about this reservoir and the names of the cabin? Is there history information somewhere? Do you know if the land around the reservoir is public or private? Is there fish in the reservoir?
Willard Deardorff and one or two of his sons have employed a couple men from my church -- hence the rather personal connection my church has to the reservoir owner(s). He and his sons have been very gracious to have our youth group camp there, gather wood, canoe, etc.
The reservoir was named after Willard's wife Betty Jane (both still living, to my knowledge) and is on private land (there are "No Trespassing" signs on the way to the cabin). Take a look at TopoZone and Mapquest for more information about the size of the reservoir. Willard +/- his sons formed it by damming the creek, I don't know when.
The cabin was built a few years ago (incidentally my brother Matthew helped with the construction, along with another man from my church who worked for Willard for many years) -- it is a unique structure. It has a large stone fireplace w/ a wooden mantle, a balcony lines two sides of the wall above the great room, and there is a loft over ~ half the building.
I'll see if I can find more history information.
Thanks for replying to my post. To give you some more background, I grew up around the Scotts Mills area which is close to Deardorff reservoir and had friends who lived down Butte Creek Rd. which the reservoir is off of. But all the while growing up I never knew of a lake the size of the reservoir to be anywhere nearby. I always enjoyed fishing and had to settle for a small mill pond next to Scotts Mills elementary school. So a couple months ago I got into Google Maps and exlpored the area I grew up in via the sattelite images and lo and behold there was this approximate 50 acre plus lake (Deardorff Reservoir). A couple weeks ago my brother and I went on a trip down Butte creek road to see if we could locate the paved or gravel road which may lead us to the lake but was not able to find it. I was wondering if you remember how you got there? I drove to the very end of the pavement of Butte Creek Rd. which was very muddy at the time and did not want to drive my two wheel drive sedan in. The road veered to the right or left. I am guessing the reservoir is toward the left but maybe there was a turn off before the pavement ended. Can you give me any help?
I am reticent to supply instructions for going to the reservoir since it is on private land -- I'll ask one of the guys from church to see what they think about public access.
The lake is not open to the public. It is on private land. A relative lives in a house on the lake and is quick to find trespassers. Just because you grew up in the area does not mean you can just hike onto someone else's property and do what you please. Stop your inquiry.
I have not checked this site in a long time but thought I might to see about any additional information on the lake. To my dismay, I checked the last post and was faced with the typical xenophopic, hard core property rights response. The lake simply sounds like a very nice setting, I hope those with the privelege enjoy it. I meant no harm whatsoever. So shame on you, whoever wrote that last post. Claire I am sorry to write this last post on your site. I will do as I will when it comes to exploring this God given land and not leave it in the hands of paranoid people to tell what I can and can't do.
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