FINDERS KEEPERS

Here we are – still in town. It’s been great town time.

This afternoon Mike decided to go on a combo geocaching / bird scouting foray past Heller Bar to the Rogersburg area. He thought I might want to stay and sew, but since I had never been that far up the Snake, I decided to go. Besides, I knew it would count as exercise.

Our first stop was Big Eddy where we found the cache and looked at the petroglyphs. Our next stop was at a boat launch just a ways up the road where we found the cache and also carried out some beer cans.

The next cache was on the Grand Ronde near the Rogersburg Road. It entailed climbing a steep hillside to the top. I was behind Mike but choosing my own route, and that’s when I saw the hunting knife on the ground.

Now, some years ago I set policy for myself: “Don’t pick up something that isn’t yours. Maybe someone will return to get it.” But it was obvious the little hunting knife had been there quite some time. It was rusty and bleached out on one side. “Finders keepers,” I thought and handed it up to Mike. We reached the top where the view was spectacular, located the cache, and Mike traded out a three-pack of purse tissues in order to leave a travel bug.

Going back down the hillside in loose dirt and rock was tedious, and halfway down I broke into an uncharacteristic sweat. I know – women “glow,” but this was sweat rolling off my brow and over my face. I was so glad we had taken the tissues; I needed them! Mike said it did seem rather humid, but I think he was just being nice. However, as we approached home territory we couldn’t see the Lewiston Hill for the rain.

Well, Mike has already cleaned the rust off the little knife and sharpened the blade. It’s a Western (brand). I know nothing about knives really, but Mike says that’s a good brand. We’ll take it to the farm.

[Photos from the top: 1) Petroglyph at Big Eddy; 2) from the hilltop (note Nellie -- white with brown spot -- and Dakota at bottom); 3/4) view of Grand Ronde from hilltop; 5) Mike examines Western hunting knife with river below.]