Seid Valley

August 2: Seiad Valley was another one of those tiny little towns in Northern California without a whole heck of a lot to it. It consisted of one building that contained a cafe, general store, and post office. Next door, was a small campground/RV park where you could camp for the night for $15, or hang out and use the facilities for the day for $10. And that was the town of Seaid Valley.

Seiad Valley is located right smack in the middle of our 51st state: the state of Jefferson. What? You've never heard of the state of Jefferson? Well, let me tell you all about it. It seems that many counties in Northern California and Southern Oregon, feeling under-represented in their own states, have been attempting to secede from Oregon and California and found their own independent state, where they would be more accurately represented. The vast majority of the counties in the proposed state of Jefferson are rural, the industries of farming, logging, fishing, and seasonal tourism prevailing. I suspect that the few hundred thru-hikers who pass through Seiad Valley each year make up for a large portion of the town's income. 

I certainly applaud any attempt at individual expression and autonomy, I'm not sure this whole State of Jefferson idea has been completely thought through. (Even though I perused multiple pamphlets on the subject) Firstly, the general store, cafe, and campground; combined with the two ranchers and handful of unemployed loggers are not generating enough income to get those roads plowed every year. (And yes, high up in the mountains, these people experience snow like our own down-east-yankees) Secondly, despite what talk radio says, forming an independent  state will not make it exempt from federal environmental provisions. Plus, building logging roads willy-nilly and clear cutting at will would create mudslides that would pretty much bury the town of Seiad Valley. Which would be a shame. Because it's a lovely, pleasant little town. So we need to make sure it stays part of California and gets subsidized by Hollywood and Silicon Valley tax revenue so it can keep on existing to rage against the powers that be. Rock on!

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Unlike Old Station, which seemed annoyed that hikers existed at all, Seiad Valley was friendly and welcoming. The PCT goes right through town, past the post office. That was not always the case. The PCT used to pass within a mile of downtown SV, until one big winter when the river overflowed and destroyed the footbridge.  Since then, the trail has been rerouted from a campground down a street, across the motor-bridge, and into town. And despite the 7 miles of road walking (where I saw my life flash before my eyes countless times as pickup trucks with gun-racks roared by going 70 on a one lane road), I rather liked being able to walk right into this town. So keep up your bureaucratic non-sense, California and take years to approve
the bridge subsidies!

Nick and I, along with about 10 other hikers, spent the day consuming delicious milk shakes at the cafe, resupplying at the general store, and laying in the shade at the campground. (did I mention that Seiad Valley was hot? So very, very hot! I was encountering what was becoming my arch nemesis- waiting for packages to arrive. I had my summer weight sleeping bag sent out, since I highly disagreed with the advice from the Yogi guide that I'd need a winter weight bag for the entire trip. Though the mornings were sometimes cold, I was roasting in my bag at night and it seemed ridiculous to carry it when I could ship it ahead to Washington. So I waited in Seiad Valley for my bag to arrive. And ate pancakes the size of my head. And drank milkshakes. And picked blackberries by the side of the road. And did some reading up on the State of Jefferson. And best of all, talked to the people in this little town of 350. They're a really nice bunch. 

Peace, love, and trail magic!