historic photo from the Fort Jones Museum
The Scott Valley sits in western Siskiyou County where agriculture defines the lay of the land. It a great place for a Sunday drive or a bike ride where you can cruise down roads that carry you past fields of alfalfa, cattle pastures and the sense of calm that pervades farm country. One of the towns in the Scott Valley will be celebrating 150 years this weekend, Sept 3rd-5th. Fort Jones, which sits on the beginning of the Scott River Road, has plenty fun planned for its Sesquicentennial Celebration.
The folks of Fort Jones are happy to celebrate the history of their town, which in its early years carried the various names of Scottsburg, Scottsville, Ottitiewa, and Wheellock before finally being voted on in 1860 to officially name it Fort Jones, after the U.S. Army fort that once stood nearby. While you’re into town, look for the Sesquicentennial pamphlet to read more about the fort and the town’s history. You should also visit the Fort Jones Museum, where you can see displays that tell stories of the Native American tribes indegineous to the Valley along with stories of the white settlers.
The celebration event kicks off Friday with the Scott Valley Bank Summer Concert Series at the Fort Jones baseball park on Highway 3, beginning at 6:30pm, with Americana/Country band, One Horse Shy. Saturday kicks off with a pancake breakfast at 7am, followed by the start of a 15-mile footrace at 8am (see the Museum website for an entry form). Then its off to check out the mule pack demonstration at Scott Valley Physical Therapy at 9am. At 10 am the vendor and craft booths open, kids activities begin and the Mountain Men’s Camp opens at the ballpark. Head back into town for the parade on Main Street at noon. The afternoon includes a horseshoe competition, a blacksmith demo on Main Street, old time fiddlers and a jam session and the all day car show that will include antique and modern vehicles along with horse drawn carriages. The evening wraps up with dinner at 6pm provided by the Catholic Church Ladies and a street dance from 8-11pm.
Sunday offers more of the same, starting with another breakfast at 7am. An organized mountain bike ride begins at 8am, so bring your bike along. The street vendors open at 10am again and 1.5 fun walk/run starts at 10am as well. The Homecoming Luncheon begins at 11:30, and the Horn Street stage will host fiddlers at noon followed by a gospel jam session at 1pm.
If you’re planning on visiting, you can learn more at the event at the Museum’s website, or call the Museum at 530.468.5568. You can find lodging information on the VisitSiskiyou.org website: you’ll find more options in Etna than in Fort Jones, ranging from B&Bs to RV camping. When it comes to where to dine, you can always ask a local, but you probably won’t want to miss the Etna Brewery Pub in Etna and an ice cream sundae at Scott Valley Drug, also in Etna.
Stunt rider Pete Brandt will be a highlight at Rollin' Weed
Check out Weed this weekend for the Rollin’ Weed Show and Shine, which promises more cars, motorcycles, and trucks than ever before. While shiny vehicles will certainly get attention, another highlight will be the three shows by world champion BMX flatland freestyle stunt rider Pete Brandt. He’ll perform at 9:30, 11:30 and 1:30 as the street fair and other activities take place. If you find yourself in or around Weed the morning of the event and happen to have a car, truck or bike you want to show off, last minute registration will be open from 7-9am at Centennial Plaza (enter from Alamo Avenue from Highway 97).
Once things get underway you can stroll Main Street downtown to check out the Show n’ Shine, street fair and local businesses. Some businesses are offering Rollin’ Weed specials, like the 2 free games deal at Cedar Lanes bowling alley. To beat the heat, kids can play in the water slide at the Tri Counties Bank parking lot (make sure they have a bathing suit). Kids can also find activities at the Weed Mercantile, which will also be hosting a quilt show and fruit and veggies exchange on the front porch. Rollin’ Weed will have a food court at the U.S. Bank parking lot as well as a barbecue, starting at 11am in Centennial Plaza, to raise money for the Weed Main Street Pride downtown revitalization organization.
There will be live music throughout the day, featuring local bands, like the Hop Creek Boys who got their start playing at Brew Grass night at the Weed Brewery. While the Brewery isn’t located downtown, you’ll definitely want to go get a beer from the little brewery that fought the feds and won. The Show n’ Shine awards are at 3pm and are based on audience votes. So stick around until the awards are over, then head to College Avenue to check out the Brewery.
While you’re in Weed, take the time to check out the nooks and crannies, where things get tucked away. You can check out the Weed Chamber’s activities page to get an idea of the what you can see and do while you’re visiting this little town.
McCloud Heritage Days is a long standing event that celebrates the history of this town that was once completely owned by the lumber mill, known as Mother McCloud. The event kicks off Friday with the New York steak dinner at St. Joseph’s Church and an invitation to tour the museum.
Saturday the town is full of the old time crafters mall, a street faire, demonstrations, the antique tractor show, the Girl Scout’s lemonade sale and a quilt show. The big event that you’ll want to make sure you see is the Edelweiss Singers and Dancers performing at 11am on Saturday on the porch at Heart of the Earth. There is a long list of things to do at Heritage Days, including an axe throwing competition for rookies at the Main Street Park. Head on over to McCloud on Saturday morning for events that wrap up at 3:30 with the last performance of the Old West Reenactors: Law Dawgs and Pistelleros at the south end of Main Street. The Street Fair and demonstrations will continue into Sunday, but Saturday is certainly the big day, so get over there.
While you’re in McCloud and thinking about the town’s history, you’ll want to look at the buildings downtown where everything was designed and built by the Mill. The McCloud Mercantile is a wonderfully restored building with shops downstairs and an inn upstairs. You can wander the shops and the large hallways down stairs, and if you ask around, you might be able to go into any of the unoccupied rooms upstairs. Main Street is home to several businesses that are also housed in old mill buildings, so pay attention to the architecture as you’re visiting and enjoying the celebration.
To read more about McCloud and all it has to offer, visit the McCloud Chamber website and be sure to talk with locals while you’re there visiting.
Pee Wee Showmanship at the Siskiyou Golden Fair
Well folks, we’ve got 2 days left of the annual Siskiyou Golden Fair in Yreka, and if you haven’t been then you’d better go. Yes, it will be hot, but it’s pretty comfortable sitting under the many shade trees and we found yesterday that the photography building had, far and away, the best air conditioning. Saturday’s big event is the California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association (CCPRA) Rodeo, which draws cowboys and cowgirls from around the West to compete in this professional rodeo. The rodeo starts at 7pm and you’ll need to buy tickets. The Siskiyou County Mutton Busting Championship (that’ where little kids ride sheep) will kick off the event. Local teams will also compete for the Siskiyou Saddle Cow title, so before the pros come out you can watch the locals do their best in saddle cow.
There is plenty more entertainment throughout the day, including one of the favorites: Peewee Showmanship in the Sedg Nelson Judging Arena at 5pm. Come see these little guys show their animals that often tower over them. The carnival will run from noon to midnight, so you and the kids will have plenty of time to ride the rides (my favorite was always bumper cars and the zipper). The exhibit buildings will be open late, where you can see photos, paintings and floral arrangements by local folks. In the Ag/Hort building you can see locally grown produce, canned foods and the Siskiyou Harvest Food Center cooking demonstrations. Saturday’s big cooking demo will be the barbecue demo at 4pm (samples will be given out) featuring meats grilled with a variety of rubs and wood chips. One of Sunday’s demos will be on making healthy snacks for kids: the banana, sweet potato, marshmellow dip is just too yummy (I can say from experience).
Throughout the fairgrounds there are informational demonstrations, performances on the mall stage, lots and lots of food vendors and shady places to sit. You can walk over to the Collier Pavilion to watch the horse show or wander down to the other end of the fair to watch livestock judging. While you’re down there try to catch the Sea Lion performance – if you’re there at the right time you might even get a kiss from the sea lion. Humphrey’s Barnyard of Fun, the Great American Petting Zoo and the Great American Pony rides will be open all day to give the kids something to do.
Saturday evening’s events include a performance by cowboy poet Tony Argento, square dancing by the Circle and Square club and an encore performance by Summer Schappell on the mall stage.
Sunday the Fair continues with more livestock judging, the carnival and exhibit buildings. Humphrey’s Barnyard will have a magic show at 1pm for the kids and the diaper derby takes off at 2pm on the mall stage. Sunday’s main attraction is the Destruction Derby, starting at 4pm in the grandstand. Live music continues into the evening until the Fair closes at 8pm.
So, it you haven’t gone, get there soon.
State of Jefferson flag
You may see the XX flag, or hear mention of the State of Jefferson. While you’re visiting far Northern California you may notice that the public radio station is Jefferson Public Radio. Why is Jefferson so popular, you may wonder. Well, it’s not homage to a past president, but to an idea and movement that lives on today in the hearts and minds of her residents: in 1941 a handful of counties in far Northern California and Southern Oregon attempted to become the 51st state – Jefferson. While the secession movement died with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the identity of the region as Jefferson has lived on. While you’re visiting Siskiyou County you are in the heart of Jefferson, where the county seat (Yreka) was designated as the state capitol during the secession movement.
Mt. Shasta and the Shasta Valley
Today you can experience the (now mythical) State of Jefferson by touring its vast geographic area and talking with its people. You will see bumper stickers proclaiming residency of the State of Jefferson, the occasional flag and t-shirts for sale in gift shops. Yreka, Fort Jones and Montague are likely spots for finding your own t-shirt or bumper sticker. The State of Jefferson Scenic Byway winds through the region, from Yreka to the coast. Visit Siskiyou’s scenic drive page provides some info about the Byway and other shorter drives in the area. You can read about it in the new magazine Jefferson Backroads, which shares history, coming events and advertisements from local businesses.
Mostly, the State of Jefferson is something to be searched for as you explore the rugged land and small towns that make up the region, a sense to be discovered as you stretch your own independence and self reliance. It’s a mythology you can build on as you create your own experiences here, whether you drive down backroads or head for the hills.
The first climb of the day on the Siskiyou Century 100-mile ride
The Summit Century out of Mt. Shasta had another wonderful year (see the post below), and now it’s time to think about fall bike rides. The Siskiyou Century, headquartered in Yreka, offers a different kind of ride: plenty of valley views along hay fields and pastures on routes that don’t provide nearly as much climbing as the Summit Century. Don’t get me wrong, the 100-mile century is still a challenging ride, but you’ll be looking at different settings on this ride. For folks who just don’t want to pedal that far, the metric 1/2 century (37 miles) and the metric century (64 miles) head out to the beautiful Little Shasta Valley, where you will have to push up some small hills, but mostly you’ll be cruising the flats and enjoying the scenery.
The Sept 11th ride tours both the Shasta Valley and the Scott Valley (for the 100-mile ride). Here you’ll get to see the heart of Siskiyou County’s agricultural production in valleys where farming families have been here for generations. The two shorter rides leave Yreka for Montague, a quiet town that used to be a bustling hub for cattle and goods moving on the railroad. From there the routes go out the Little Shasta Valley where the quaint church is the subject of many a photo. This valley ride is just beautiful, with green pastures along side the roads and Mt. Shasta towering over the scene.
The 100-mile leaves Yreka to climb Forest Mountain to the west, where you get to enjoy a long downhill into the Scott Valley. At Greenview riders make a right hand turn that sends them out to the tiny hamlet of Mugginsville and the beauty of the Quartz Valley. You’ll return to Fort Jones, then head down Eastside Road, my favorite part of the ride (until you hit the rollers at the end of the road when it’s usually really hot). Lunch in the cool shade at the fire station in Callahan gives you a rest before you tackle the 14-mile climb up to the Gazelle Mountain summit. They’ve promised to have beer at the top (but that was probably a joke) and the ice pops are always welcome. Coming down Gazelle Mountain is a downhiller’s favorite before the last flat 20 miles back to Yreka.
This is a wonderful fall ride that explores gorgeous, quiet roads of Northern California. Come check it out!
Events | Visit Siskiyou August 30, 2010 | 
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