Indian Drums

We originally agreed that we would not look for campsites in the dark.  Sometimes you can't do much about it, and this is what happens. 

For the most part, we've been camping at what are known as 'dispersed camp sites' in national forest land.  These are small camp sites that are usually 10 to 15 feet off of the road with a small fire ring and that is just about it.  It is free to camp in these spots and they are maintained by the national forest service. 

We arrived in the Willamette National forest around 9:30 after leaving Smith Rock. It was just getting dark and we started pulling off onto some of the smaller national forest roads.  In Oregon there are a lot of trees.  

The camp sites are usually off of much smaller national forest roads, and usually they are dirt roads.  The sites are not usually marked on a map, so usually you have to go driving around to find them. 

Usually our method is to look at the national forest on the GPS, and check out the roads there first.  We usually select, at random, a windy and small national forest road as our destination. We usually find something on the way to the way-point or we keep driving around nearby until we find a place. 

Fast forward to Willamette - we were driving on some of these small forest roads in the dark.  In this forest, we could see only two tire treads thinly illuminated by our headlights as we cut through thick underbrush.  Dense pine branches loomed over the van.  At some points we were screeching past thick bushes scraping the sides of the van. 

The view from the van while searching for sites at night.

We were not having too much luck locating any camp spots.  I was shining my head lamp out of the window avoiding branches as I was trying to see if there was a turn out on the road. 

We drove by a truck parked on the side of the road.  Whoa - first person we've seen dispersed camping.  

Eventually we get frustrated, and cannot find a spot.  We pull out into a turn off and turn off the van.  Instantly the van fills up with 10 billion tiny flies.   Joey and I sit in the front seats and use the various maps and pamphlets that are handy and swat flies karate kid style for about half an hour.  My best shot I got two flies at once.  It was pretty amusing. 

Finally we collapse into bed.  And we hear a thump.  I think it is coming from the van. Is something leaking? 

We look around, and wait. Another thump.  No, it must not be coming from the van.  What is it?  Joey thinks it is a drum.   Another boom.  We were spooked. 

Were the drum beats getting louder?  Was the guy at the other campground beating a drum?  It was kind of late... 

I remembered there was a resort nearby - maybe they were having a pow-wow?

The indian drums beat into the night.  Eventually the drums subsided and we went to sleep. 

The next evening, we found a campsite during the day.  We jump out of the van, and I start pulling out the cookware to make dinner. 

Thump.  

The noise is coming from the van water tank.  "Hey Joey, can you hear the Indian drums?"

We both laugh.