Stories From My Family Camp: Stories Inspired from Camping with my Children

Doon

Introduction

It had been sixteen years since Derrick and Heather McMann had been camping with Dave and Blair Costanza. The two couples had camped frequently when they all were attending San Jose State. That was over fifteen years ago; with each couple having two children, this was certainly going to be an entirely new experience. The couples had stayed close over the years, but outside of a trip to Disneyland, the families had not vacationed together.

The McManns had two children: Jason 10 and Margie 7. The Costanzas also had two children Mark 11 and Chelsea 8. The children certainly knew each other and had socialized on many occasions. Staying in a tent-cabin in Big Basin was certainly going to take their friendships to a different level.

It was 4:00 PM on June 28th and the two families had just finished setting up camp. The campsite was gorgeous. There was a 12’ X 14’ tent-cabin located under 1500 year old redwoods. They had a nice flat area to set up their 10’ X 12’ tent. Near the tent area was a large fire pit and a heavy wooden picnic bench. A wood cooking grill was anchored to a 4" round pipe and sat about 4’ off the ground. In addition to the tent, the families set up a table for their propane gas stove and cooking supplies.

The campsites were amply spaced. The giant redwoods left a carpet of needles and bark that surrounded the parameter of the site. Bracken Fern grew in large patches randomly throughout the ancient grove.

Since it was late afternoon, the families decided to take a brief hike and explore the surrounding area and check-out the Visitors Center. Derrick had been to the park many years ago and remembered a redwood amphitheater where Rangers would tell stories and talk about the surrounding nature. He also recalled the huge cross-section of a redwood tree that was sliced like a ten foot diameter disc. It was mounted on its edge exposing the hundreds of tree-rings which represented each year of the tree’s life. At certain points on the disc, historical events were identified by marking rings which corresponded the year of the tree’s life when the event occurred. There was a mark that showed the Magna Carta Signing and one for when Columbus discovered America. The tree dated back several years before the birth of Christ.

The families took off on their walk. The two couples led the way with the young girls close on their heels. The two boys hung back a bit, not wanting anyone to know that they were related to the group ahead of them; they would occasionally stop to pick up a rock and throw it at a trashcan. Most of the park was how Derrick remembered it. There were some improvements to the facilities but the ancient charm of the redwoods was exactly the same. The amphitheater had been upgraded a little and the raccoon-proof trashcans seemed to be a new generation of design.

It was about 5:30 when the families returned to their camp. Being on the eastside of the Santa Cruz Mountains and being shaded by thousand year old giants, the camp started to get dark early. The men got the propane stove and wood grill going while the women prepared food for cooking. Burgers, beans and salad was the menu for the evening. The girls were sitting at the table, working on a coloring book and the boys were exploring a trail that went out the back of the campsite. You boys don’t wander too far! yelled Blair.

Part of camping was the requirement that everyone had chores to do. The absence of home conveniences made it necessary for family teamwork. After dinner, the boys were sent to fetch a bucket of water for doing the dishes. The girls helped scrape plates and put away the condiments.

Derrick and Dave built a fire in the fire-pit as Heather and Blair set up the dish washing station. Wash, rinse, dry and put away were tasks assigned to the children. The sooner they got done, the sooner they would be able to make Smores at the fire-pit. The team did a good job on the first night; everything was put away and the rinse water was saved for extinguishing the fire later.

The sun had fully set and the families were all seated around the fire pit. The children had finished their Smores and were now sipping on hot chocolate.

A doe and a young fawn wandered into their campsite and appeared to be looking for a free handout. Don’t feed any wild animals, instructed Derrick. They can get sick and lazy eating human food.

Derrick, why don’t you tell everybody a story, said Heather. Don’t make it too scary.

Okay, said Derrick. Let me think of one.

Derrick paused and thought for a moment.

I know, said Derrick. "I had a startling experience as a little boy, while I was hiking forty miles south of here. When I got older, I heard that many children had experienced the same thing while hiking these coastal mountains. The best way for me to explain what happened, is to first tell you The Legend of the Big Sur Miner

."

The children got comfortable and focused their attention on Derrick.

The Legend of the Big Sur Miner

Ch 1

Many years ago, sometime close to the year 1840, there was a narrow coastal road that went from Monterey all the way south to Morro Bay. This road followed the same route that is now Highway 1. There wasn’t much traffic on the road. Horse, wagon and mule were the main forms of transportation; walking the road was not unusual either. The road was not paved, just dirt and rock. It was treacherous in many areas as it wound along the steep cliffs of the Pacific Coast.

At that time, there was a man named Hank Smith who drove a stage coach from Monterey to Lucia, south of Big Sur. Hank had a partner named Sven Jorgensen. The two men took passengers and supplies, between the two towns, once per week, as long as the weather was good. Over the course of several years, they had made the trip more than a hundred times.

It was a Saturday morning in mid-August when Hank and Sven were preparing to leave Monterey on a trip to Lucia. They had loaded up the back and top of the coach with food and supplies for customers down south. Most of the supplies came via ship from San Francisco; Hank and Sven would then deliver them to the remote places along the Central Coast.

Hank and Sven would also be transporting a family who arrived the night before from Portland, Oregon. The family was Stephen and Anne Grace along with their two children Kassie and Jimmy. Kassie was 10 years old and Jimmy was 9. The family was heading south to live with Stephen’s brother Walt, who had built a horse ranch just east of Harlan Rock. Stephen Grace had tried to make a living as a newspaper reporter in Portland but was unsuccessful. He decided to live with his brother’s family and learn how to be a rancher. Kassie and Jimmy were excited about living on a ranch; they were eager to learn how to ride ponies and horses. Before they left Portland, Anne Grace gave Kassie a book about horses and ranches; she gave Jimmy a child-size lasso to practice rope tricks with, along with a book on rope knot tying.

It was 9:00 AM when Hank snapped the reins and yelled Hee Yaaw! The team of four horses bolted away from the station and the stage coach headed south on its way to Lucia.

The further that the stage got from Monterey, the dustier the road became. There were patches of fog every few miles along the coast. Hank and Sven were cautious teamsters; they knew what it was like to lose a wheel and break an axle. The driver of a stage coach needed to be in control at all times and be prepared for when the unexpected happened.

Inside the stagecoach, there were two padded bench seats that faced each other; one was facing forward and the other faced toward the rear. Stephen and Anne sat on the right hand side of the coach so that the children would not have to look down the steep descents of the cliffs. Kassie and Jimmy sat on the left side, reading their books for the fourth or fifth time. The road had some traffic on it until the stage got about a mile south of Mission Carmelo. From that point south, the journey was dusty, noisy and boring.

The stagecoach travelled past Point Lobos and past Rocky Point. The Bixby Creek Bridge did not exist at that time. The road turned eastward prior to the creek, becoming a steep but manageable grade; a short distance up was a crude wooden bridge made from fallen redwood trees, which spanned a narrow spot of the creek. Hank Smith brought the stagecoach to a complete stop, had the passengers disembark and then slowly crossed the ominous bridge. The passengers followed the coach on foot.

Having crossed the bridge and with the passengers back onboard, the coach continued south. Hank Smith stopped the stagecoach near where now stands the Point Sur Lighthouse. Sven Jorgensen hopped down from his seat and opened the door to the coach.

We are going to wait here for a few more minutes, said Sven. We have some supplies for a local Miner. He knows what time we come through here. He should have been waiting for us. We’ll give him about fifteen more minutes. If he doesn’t show, he will have to get his stuff on our return trip.

Can I get out? asked Jimmy. I want to practice my lassoing while we wait. I’ll stay real close to the stagecoach.

Can I get out too? asked Kassie. I want to see if there are any whales out in the ocean.

Okay, said Anne Grace. But you two stay real close, we don’t want to have to leave you behind.

Anne gave her children a warm smile.

The children lowered themselves out of the coach and ran to the edge of the road which faced the water. Trees were obstructing their line of sight, so they moved 20 yards in front of the coach to get a better view. Kassie pointed out to the water where a pod of migrating whales were spouting water high into the air. Jimmy got tired of watching the whales and started practicing his roping on an old tree stump.

While Jimmy was roping the stump for the sixth time, Kassie let out a tremendous scream. The horses began to fidget and then start to buck. Kassie ran toward the coach screaming at the top of her lungs. She was followed by a large mountain lion that leaped up from below the bank of the road.

Before Kassie or Jimmy could get to the coach, the horses bolted and took off like a rocket. Hank Smith pulled back on the reins, Whoa! Whoa! The horses were frantic. Hank stood up and pulled back on the reins with all of his strength. He slammed his left foot down onto the brake lever, Whoa! Whoa! There was a loud crack as the right rear wheel hit a boulder and snapped into pieces. The stagecoach leaned heavily to the right and started to flip. Whoa! Whoa! The stage flipped over on its right side, pulling the horses down with it. In a matter of seconds, the coach, horses and passengers went spilling over the cliff and tumbled tragically 500 feet down to the rocks below.

Ch 2

Kassie and Jimmy were in a state of shock. They ran over to the roads edge and stared down at the debris that littered the cliff’s bank. They could barely see the grizzly image at the bottom of the cliff.

Kassie put her face in her hands and screamed, Mommy and Daddy are dead! Mommy and Daddy are dead!

Jimmy sat down in the dirt. Dust was still swirling around in the air. He leaned forward, with his head between his knees, he started to sob. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest.

After several minutes of crying, Kassie looked up and looked over at Jimmy. The mountain lion had vanished and the dust had settled. She walked over to Jimmy and put her arm around his neck. Jimmy did not look up, he just continued to sob.

Hey you young’ns! called a gruff old voice. What the heck are you two do’n out here on this road? Thar is dangerous animals and snakes and such out here. Where are your folks?

Kassie turned her head and saw an old man walking towards her and Jimmy; he was leading a burro. The man looked old. He had a long grey beard, a round sun-wrinkled face and atop his head of long hair was tattered sweat-stained hat. His pants were filthy and made of leather; they were held up with suspenders made of rope. His shirt was heavy, plaid, tattered and filthy. His boots seemed to be fairly new; they had laces that went half way up his shin with his pant legs tucked tightly inside; a 10" knife-in-sheath was strapped to the right boot. The old man had a rifle slung over his right shoulder and a ratted red scarf tied around his neck.

What the hell happened here? asked the old man. Looks like all hell broke loose.

He came within 6 feet of the children.

Where are your folks little girl?

Kassie looked at him with fear in her eyes. She hesitated, sniffled to hold back her tears and then blurted out, They’re both dead! The stagecoach went over the cliff!

Holy Shoot!! cried the old man. He dropped the burro lead and ran to the edge of the cliff. He stared down at the wreckage below.

He took off his hat and bowed his head. I’m afraid that you are right little girl. There is no way that anybody could survive that fall. There is no way.

The old man walked slowly back to the children.

My name is Austin Murray. I am a miner who works up in them hills. I had some supplies com’n my way from that stagecoach. Now they must be at the bottom of that cliff.

The old man stared for a moment at the children, What are your names?

Kassie sniffled, I am Kassie Grace and this is my brother Jimmy Grace.

Kassie, said the old man, Are you folks of Christian belief?

Yes, I think so.

Well Kassie, we need to give your folks a Christian burial. You two get yourselves up on my burro. We are goin’ to work our way down that cliff and take care of your mommy and daddy in a proper Christian fash’n.

*

Austin Murray found a deer trail that zigzagged its way down the face of the cliff. The children held on tight as he led the burrow carefully down to the bottom. The trail hit bottom about 100 yards from the wreckage site and about 75 yards from the break of the surf. Austin led the burro until he was 30 yards from the wreckage. The surf pounded on the beach to his left and the wind swirled along the face of the bluff.

You kids stay here with old Charlie. Children’s eyes aren’t meant to see gruesome things like this. I’m goin’ to go take a look at things and set these folks to rest. I’ll give you a call when I’m done.

Austin took a short-handled shovel from the burro’s pack; he walked directly over to the main assemblage of the accident. He checked the pulse on all four bodies; all were dead and all were badly mangled. He moved away from the rocky cliff to where the sand and soil made for easier digging. He dug four graves.

The old miner buried Hank, Sven, Stephen and Anne in shallow graves; he filled the holes with dirt and sand and packed it with the back of his shovel. He stood over the graves of the two parents, You two rest peacefully. I promise that your two kids will be take’n good care of. I swear it with all my heart.

You kids come over here now! yelled Austin over the noise of the wind. I need you to help me haul some rocks ov’r here and put’em on these graves.

Kassie and Jimmy walked toward Austin. They could see buzzards and sea gulls pecking at the flesh of the mutilated horses. The place smelled of foul death.

It took 30 minutes to cover the graves with large rocks. Austin made four wood crosses out of sticks and placed one at the head of each plot. The three stood by the graves and stared.

Austin took off his hat and held it over his heart. I’m goin’ to say a few words.

God, I don’t know whuther Hank or Sven were Christian people, but I dues know that they was good men. They always treated thar passengers fair and they took good care of thar horses. I reckon that’s as good as a man can get. So God, take care of Hank and Sven and don’t send ‘em to hell.

Amen. Austin looked at Kassie and Jimmy and nodded.

Amen, said the children in unison.

Austin turned towards the graves of Stephen and