One of my dad's favorite destinations for a weekend trip when we happened to be in the northern part of Oregon was Spirit Lake, an hour north of Portland. We'd drive up, rent a cabin owned by the lodge, a boat and spend the weekend fishing for planted trout. My favorite part of the weekend was getting to drive the boat from the stern, using the 5 hp outboard. My dad's favorite part was spending time with Harry Truman, the caretaker (later the owner) of the lodge. Dad had known Harry for several years, perhaps they bonded because of their age and fondness for bourbon and coke. They'd spend the evenings on the porch, trying to out-tell each others stories, I'd sit and listen, learning new words for a 10 year old.
Spirit Lake was fairy tale beautiful, with St Helens rising from the northwest end of the lake.
The cabins were scattered in the woods behind the lodge.
Harry was a genuine character, a fixture at the lodge for years, seldom without a bourbon and coke. In the mornings he'd disguise it by pouring out half a bottle of RC cola, and filling it back up with amber liquid.
Fast forward to 1980.....We were in Portland, I was up at OHSU medical center, my then-only-daughter was in kindergarten. St Helens had been rumbling for several weeks, small seismic events and a growing bulge in the side of the mountain facing Spirit Lake and the lodge. People had been warned, many had moved out of the area. Not Harry. He refused to leave his beloved lake.
The third weekend of May Kate (then Anne) and I went backpacking in Eastern Oregon, out on the high desert. On Sunday we arose early and started the drive back to Portland. At around 9am we rounded the southern flank of Mt Hood, and could see to the west. Kate was probably asleep, I don't remember, but here's what greeted my eyes.
My first thought was "Why did they nuke Portland??". A radio station told us that St Helens had blown. The mountain lost 2,000 ft. elevation, and millions of tons of soil and rocks. Many people were killed, including Harry, now buried under hundreds of feet of flow and debris.
My dad had been dead for 6 years, but I'm sure he'd of thought that Harry made a good choice.
I do remember that eruption, very scary and wasn't Portland covered in ash? Amazing how fast everything grew back. I also remember reading about some residents that just refused to leave. Such a beautiful area I can understand why.
ReplyDeleteI remember steering a dink from the stern with a 1 1/2 hp Evenrude when I was 5.
Do you remember how to put the boat in reverse. You just spun the outboard backwards. One day with my oldest brother at the bow and going full speed (maybe 8 knots) my brother waved to a friend on the dock as we passed. To show off my steering ability I decided to put the boat in "Reverse" and spun the engine around...not a good idea at 8 knots. We flipped, swamped, the engine was never the same and it took years for my brothers to forgive me.
Heh, no, never did that sort of thing to a relative's craft, but can imagine it. I got enough experience with floating that I worked as a guide on the Rogue River in Oregon in '62 and '63, taking anglers down the Rogue to Agness.
DeleteMy mother's grandchildren (she had six of them) wanted to see Mt. St. Helens (post eruption), so we threw them and a couple more in my brother's ten passenger van and headed west from Ohio. I remember stopping by a roadside so they could fill little jars with ash that they stashed in their souvenir shoe boxes. I think the little jars of Pacific Ocean spoiled some of the ash.
ReplyDeleteThere was an article in the Oregonion recently about the commercial use of the ash, collected mostly along the banks of the Toutle River.
DeleteI remember hearing stories about Harry. I didn't go out to that area for several years after the eruption, but the enormous affected area shocked me.
ReplyDeleteIt was apparently similar to detonating a Hiroshima size bomb over the mountain.
DeleteBy time we arrived in Portland in 1993 the Mt. St. Helen's eruption was still talked about and I well remember people describing just how beautiful the sacred Spirit Lake used to be before the disaster. Despite the geologists warnings nobody could have expected the sheer power of that blast. The single account that described it best was written by one of the best real adventure authors I've ever had the pleasure of reading - Tim Cahill in his book 'Jaguars Ripped My Flesh'.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures and memories of an older time are wonderful. I do feel bad for Harry, though.
I think Harry would not have wanted to move from his beloved lake to live a few years longer.
DeleteI remember the stories of Harry Truman from the time of the eruption. He wouldn't leave and he didn't. I hope he went under with a bourbon and coke in his hand.
ReplyDeleteI imagine he did.
DeleteRemarkable memory & photos. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHave a good Memorial Day weekend, TB.
DeleteClearly I've been with you for a while, because I actually remember this post!
ReplyDeleteYou were around from near the beginning as I remember. We had a few snarky comments back then......
Delete