Dear Friends,
Spring is finally here… I hope you all survived what seemed like a long winter. We had a ton of snowy days in Modoc but we still managed to make some progress on the project. Little by little, I think I can finally say that we’re getting close to being done. Joel and I sure are looking forward to hitting that milestone. A lot of people have asked about the design, which is hard to visualize based just on our description, so I took a pano photo… the bath house is on the right, guest house on the left and the foundation for the covered patio is at the far side. All three together form an octagon with a courtyard in the middle. I’m taking the picture from the main entrance.
And here’s another shot from the opposite side… I was standing near the creek under the locust trees. Bath house is on the left and guest house on the right – you have to imagine the covered patio completing the octagon since we only have the foundation done and it’s covered with snow. Thank you to everyone who has come out to help get us this far and especially to Joel’s daughters Shelby and Rainey, who have each taken some sabbatical time at the property in the past year and helped with the final year push for completion.
The place I was standing when I took this picture seems perfect for a small RV or trailer and we plan to make this into an inviting pull-through camping site for tent campers or small vehicle campers. Nice and shady under these trees in summer!
I’ve had some people asking about the annular eclipse coming up in October. Our little corner of California is along the path of totality. Will we be having an eclipse party? Yes, we will… please let me know if you’d like to come out that weekend! There’s a lot happening in Modoc before then, though, so read on below for info about other opportunities to visit as well.
Here’s a link to info about the eclipse:
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/
The Sort of Semi Annual Rocktion is back! Join us June 10 afternoon for a Bay Area opportunity to say hello in person and, if you are so inspired, to participate in a friendly bidding competition over some unique Modoc rocks. You can use them for landscaping, jewelry, or just because you like cool rocks. Some people use quartz crystal rocks as part of a spiritual practice or to help them feel more grounded. Regardless how you use them, we will have an assortment of rocks, quartz crystals and petrified wood for rock lovers to peruse. All are welcome to come socialize, though, whether or not you are interested in rocks.
I’m working on the Owl Creek Calendar for 2023-24… this year we’ll be featuring people at the property or enjoying the Surprise Valley area. Let me know if you’d like a calendar!
Speaking of doing things, there is actually a lot going on this summer in our sleepy Surprise Valley. We hope you come out for a visit if any of these looks like fun...
Memorial Day Weekend: May 26-29. The snow will be gone (probably) and we will be dividing our time between working on the project and finding relaxing places to cool off. I already know of a few people who are planning to come that weekend and we have plenty of room for more in the campground area. This would be a great time to come visit!
First Fridays: June 2, August 4, October 6. First Fridays were a huge local hit in Cedarville last year. We’ll be in town for the ones in June, August and October and you’re welcome to join us for any of them.
Fly-In Breakfast at Cedarville Airport: July 16. For my pilot friends, get some mountain flying experience in a new set of mountains by flying out for the weekend and going to this annual small-town fly-in breakfast. I’ll pick you up in either Alturas (which has instrument approaches and fuel) or Cedarville (which has neither of those things). We have plenty of camping gear you can borrow so no need to load your plane up with tents and sleeping bags. Let me know if you want to plane-pool with another pilot or if you want me to hook you up with a CFI.
Eagleville BBQ, July 29. This is an annual fundraiser for the Eagleville Fire Department. The Eagleville BBQ has become something of a Surprise Valley reunion, drawing hundreds of people who once lived here back to Surprise Valley each year. Lots of tradition around the deep pit BBQ – where to find the right groves of mountain mahogany, who tends the overnight fire, whether the bags of beef are really thrown into the river and floated under the bridge before they go onto the coals…
The Perseids Meteor Shower peaks August 12 this year, close enough to the new moon that people who know say it should be a great year to hang out in a zero-gravity chair with a glass of pinot and watch the show.
Cedarville Dark Sky Festival: August 18-19. This has been gaining some traction as an annual event put on by the Friends of the Nevada Wilderness, BLM and other local organizations. It includes a dark sky painting class, an introduction to night photography lesson, and learning about astronomy from local scientists. https://www.nevadawilderness.
Modoc County Fair in Cedarville: August 24-27. This is Cedarville’s biggest annual event, a super traditional small town fair. You really know you’re in a ranching community when you see how many events there are for working dogs and how amazing these talented dogs are at working with their humans to herd.
Valley-Wide Yard Sale: September 30. If you like antique shopping, you might enjoy this day-long annual event… you get a map and addresses of people up and down Surprise Valley who are selling, then you drive from Fort Bidwell to Eagleville and everywhere in between to check out their offerings, stopping for lunch or a picnic somewhere scenic along the way. Time moves slowly in Surprise Valley so this is one place where you can actually find antiques and vintage items that have just been hanging out in someone’s house since they were new.
Annular Eclipse: October 14. See link above. Come for the weekend… the eclipse itself is conveniently on Saturday night.
Holiday Tractor Parade, December 2. It’s a little colder in December, but if you are into some small-town Christmas festivities, this would be a great weekend for it… there’s a Christmas tree lighting Friday night, and an annual tractor parade on Saturday. I’m thinking Joel and I have to enter one of his many tractor-like vehicles this year. Come hang out on it with us and wave to the passers-by, but remember… it’s Modoc. There will probably be more participants than passers-by. It’ll still be fun.
Other things to do in Modoc County that guests have asked about at some point…
Fly Ranch Geyser Tours. The Burning Man organization recently purchased a historic property called Fly Ranch that is home to a nearly 200°F geyser. Fly Ranch Geyser was featured in National Geographic some years ago but has mostly been inaccessible to the public because it was on private land. Now you can book walking tours out to see it. This would make a good day-trip from Owl Creek. Joel and I haven’t done this ourselves yet so we’re hoping some friends come out this summer and we’ll all go together. Here’s more info about the geyser and how to book tickets for a walking tour. https://flyranch.burningman.
Wild Horse Adoption Events. Modoc is home to a large number of wild horses and they are regularly rounded up and sold. You can also just visit the Devil’s Garden area of the Modoc National Forest and look for them in the wild. This is another thing Joel and I have not yet done and would love to do with some visiting friends at some point.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/
Lava Beds National Monument… caves, lava tubes, bat watching… yet another thing I would like to do with some visiting friends. Would be great to go in summer.
