16th Annual Scott Valley Bank

Friday, July 1st, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Gimme Shelter • Classic Rock from Local Favorites
• Darrin W. Mercier, Attorney at Law • Sears, Yreka • Yreka Paint & Decorating

Friday, July 8th, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Groove for Thought • R&B, Jazz & Infectious Grooves (As seen on NBC’s The Sing-Off)
• Black’s Home Furnishings • G & G Ace Hardware  • Gold Nugget Printing

Friday, July 22nd, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Chicago Tribute Authority • Horns, Energy & Reminiscing
• Bruce Riger, MD • The Yreka Subways • John D. Durney, DDS – a Family Dentist
Attention all Kids! THIS CONCERT ONLY!
Fun & Crafts at the Siskiyou County Arts Bus

Friday, July 29th, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Broadway Phil & The Shouters • Rhythm, Blues & Smokin’ Harmonica
• ABY Petro, Inc. / Yreka Valero • Siskiyou Telephone • Surroundings

Sunday, Sept. 4th • Mt. Shasta City Park • Noon til 6 pm
Blackberry Music Festival
Three Bands! Berry Pies!  Plus Food & Games
Presented by the Mt. Shasta Rotary Club
Leslie Tift & Tom Scott – Folk/Americana
Bill Churchill & Friends with Victor Martin – Rock/Blues
Yogoman Burning Band – Dance Groove

Special thanks to all of our 2011 season sponsors! Please show your appreciation by shopping locally!
Lawn seating.  Pack a Picnic!

Check out the Humbug Hurrp-Up Facebook page for updates on course conditions and a link to register online. The race starts at 10am, and at 9am kids can ride in a short race.

Shasta Valley Wildlife Area

In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, the Klamath National Forest will be sponsoring a bird watching field trip on Saturday, May 7th at the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area, located approximately 3 miles East of Montague, at 1724 Ball Mountain Road. This event is open to everyone and will be a day of bird watching led by local biologists and bird experts. For more information contact Sam Cuenca at 530-468-5351.

The Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion is noted for having a diversity of geology and vegetation. It is an area of overlap of the Cascade, Sierra Nevada, and coast ranges and has plant communities representing each of these zones. This contributes to the wide range of bird species that occur here. Any season of the year is good for bird watching in our valleys and mountains. We are now approaching spring and early summer when many long distant migrant species are showing up from points south to breed in Siskiyou County. This is the time of year when warblers, osprey and turkey vultures make their long journeys to spend the summer months in the various habitats of the Klamath Mountains.

There are many bird watching opportunities on the National Forest, wildlife areas, local parks and even backyards. This is a very enjoyable and inexpensive activity for curious people of all ages. Birdwatching skills could be developed with a simple walk along a creek or trail. All that is needed is a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book (which are available locally), and a sense of wonder. For more information please contact your local Forest Service office.

(From a Klamath National Forest press release)

Hundreds of native plants will be on display, including flowers, shrubs, trees, mosses, ferns, lichens, grasses and weeds, many of which are found only in the Klamath region. The variation in local weather conditions provides a different collection of plants from Siskiyou County each year, which is why this region has developed an international reputation for its diverse and unique blend of plants.

This is a fantastic display and a special place to take Moms (and it’s free!).

From Siskiyou Daily News

If you’re in Yreka on this first Saturday of October, then it’s a great time to explore Yreka’s historic downtown. Saturday afternoon from 1-6pm the Taste of Siskiyou will bring local food vendors to Miner and Broadway, where you can buy a ticket to sample foods and beverages from around Siskiyou County. This is the dream of one local woman to showcase the efforts of local bakers, store owners, chefs and brewers, so stop by and see what Siskiyou has to offer. You can read more about the live entertainment, plein aire artists and food selection on a previous post.

While you’re in downtown Yreka, take a stroll to have a look around. Liberty Arts Gallery currently has a show titled “Hear the Music, See the Color”, an exploration of a style of art called synaesthesia. The photo to the right can give you some idea of what you’ll see: paintings that evoke a deep sensory response. Liberty Arts showcases local and regional artists and has brought a vibrancy to Miner Street, so it’s definitely worth a stop.

While you’re on that end of Miner Street, stop in at the Chamber of Commerce which shares space with the Tasty-Q (ice cream, anyone?) The Tasty-Q carries State of Jefferson gear, so if you’re feeling the rebel spirit, this is the place for you.

As you visit Yreka’s downtown and savor local foods Saturday afternoon, if you find yourself getting overheated in this last blast of warmth, head on up the street to Miner Street Park, where you can rest in the shade of the big trees and enjoy the lawns. It’s a great place to let the kids run and play and for adults to enjoy the calm setting. You can recharge, then head back down to Miner and Broadway streets to make sure you haven’t missed anything.

Shoppe Serendipity

Get your tickets for the Taste of Siskiyou, set for the afternoon of Oct 2nd in Yreka. Shoppe Serendipity and a number of local businesses are sponsoring this event that celebrates food and beverages crafted by local businesses. Saturday, October 2nd from 1-6 pm, stroll Yreka’s historic downtown along Miner and Broadway to sample from businesses and crafters from around the county. Right now you can get a two for one deal: $45 gets you two tickets, 2 wine glasses and 2 bracelets that enable you to sample from all the vendors.

Shoppe Serendipity, located on Broadway Street in Yreka, is a shop that boasts locally made fine arts and high end crafts and owner Kris Taylor is working to organize the Taste of Siskiyou as “a celebration for your senses”. Vendors will be sharing their foods, beer and wine, and local musicians will play and artists will paint plein aire. Vendors include the Weed Bakery, Mt. Shasta Pastry, Dunsmuir Brewery, Shasta View Vineyards, the Wayside Grill, Bianca’s Gourmet, Alpen Cellars, Mountain Star Cafe, and more. Live music will be performed by Allison & Victor, Tom Scott and Leslie Tift, Gordon Rowland, the Marl Bell Trio, Paul Lewis Janke and Rob Gebhardt.

Get your tickets at Shoppe Serendipity at 213 S. Broadway or by calling the Yreka Chamber of Commerce at 530.842.1993 or by email at tasteofsiskiyou@gmail.com There will also be a ticket booth at the event for purchases that day.

Now, you may not want to go off trail, or hike through ground torn up by log skidders, but you can stretch your sense of adventure in so many ways. For some people, hiking a trail to a mountain lake is a whole new experience. Some folks are new to swimming in lakes or rivers. Whatever may feel like adventure to you, you should go for it! This time of year is Siskiyou County is the time for flexing your sense of adventure: the weather is great, there isn’t any snow in the mountains yet, and the sense of getting your fill before winter comes is very motivating. So think about what might stretch your limits just a bit and pick something new.

Here you can find lists of recreation and adventures to choose from:

Mt. Shasta Chamber’s recreation list

McCloud Chamber of Commerce

Dunsmuir’s Outdoor Adventures

Weed Chamber of Commerce

Yreka Chamber of Commerce

Butte Valley Chamber of Commerce (eastern Siskiyou County)

Scott Valley Chamber of Commerce (western Siskiyou County)

Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce (Klamath River region)

Pluto's Cave in Klamath National Forest

Pluto’s Cave was one of the spots I went as a kid: school trips, church groups, friends – we all loved to go. I remember getting to a part of this cave once where we were crawling on our bellies in fine volcanic dust. That may not be your preference, but the larger chambers at the openings are fun to explore. Now this is recognized by the Klamath National Forest, and there are some picnic tables near the parking area and signs to help you find the cave. Despite the signs, you’ll still have to hunt around to find the right opening (there are a few collapses near the parking lot) that will provide access to the long reaches of the lava tube. If you’re there in the summer or fall, keep an eye out for rattlesnakes while you’re above ground.

In reading about Pluto’s Cave, I learned that it is larger than many of the lava caves in the Hawaiian Islands. It certainly feels big as you are creeping through the dark and coolness of the underground world. If you go, be sure to bring extra batteries for your flashlight or headlamp. I can tell you from experience that it adds an unexpected layer of adventure to be in a cave in the dark and have to find your way out. There is a trail through much of this cave, so you can pick your way down an established route through the crumpled, rocky floor of the cave. It’s fun thing to do and an interesting way to experience the volcanic history of the area. You can see various layers of lava flows in the walls and get a sense for the massive forces that shaped this area.

The Klamath National Forest website does provide information about how to find the caves, but it’s an easy turn to miss, so you might want to call the KNF (530-842-6131) before heading out, just to get some idea of what to look for along the road and what to look for to find the right entrance to the cave.

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.