During our first year of operations we had an large turn-out of volunteers and contributors from our extended network of friends, local people around Black Butte, Dunsmuir, Mt. Shasta, and Weed, and some folks who just sort of came out of the bushes (literally)… and ended up helping out for a while. Thanks to everyone for making it happen!
Over the course of the year we rebuilt the main fence and cleaned up the site — going a long ways toward turning what was a local eyesore into a positive addition to the area:
We built track:
moved the caboose:
…and started its rehabilitation process including completely replacing the roof:
We built a large outdoor kitchen for feeding visitors and volunteers:
We completed rehabilitation of the yard shack:
…fixed up the barn and added a tool shop, got our stable of loaner bicycles going, did a lot of basic infrastructure work:
…adding plumbing, electrical connections and environmentally friendly recycling and greywater systems:
We acquired the semaphore and other historic items. We did restoration work on our pond and Black Butte Creek and did major trash pick-ups in the area. We removed invasive non-native vegetation from our site and planted some new trees. We drank buckets of beer, swapped tons of stories, played music, hosted lots of visitors, and had a great time!
Even trying to put together a list of everyone who contributed something or helped out in 2007 is daunting, but, in no particular order, here it goes:
Thanks to Gonzo (our caretaker and spiritual advisor), Jimmy (our caretaker’s caretaker), North Bank Fred (jack of all trades and webmaster), Jacquelyn, Hobo Lee, Wrong Way Dre; Coffey, Henry from Portland (hey we didn’t get your contact info, get in touch!), Cricket from Portland; Broke Toe Rezo and Toby “Flange Squeal” (wouldn’t have a new roof on the caboose w/o you guys!); Photo Bill; Emilyn, Quentin, and the Bike Church in Santa Cruz (the bike project and bike tools among other things!); Emrys, the Black Butte Dump; Rattlesnake Avery, Glenn Shoe, Railhed, Jason and The Curse is Cast band, Angela from Santa Cruz; Claryss; Larkin; Niko, Roseville Melissa, Crazy Angel, Silver Miner Larry, Bert, Jeff from the trailer park, Rick (for the drumming… yeah man!); Tigger; Joe; Josh; Rabbit, Ed from San Jose (t&g for the caboose!), Carlton Crane, Jim and Marty Nile; Rabbie; Free Tacos Melissa; Peggy Baltar (the semaphore!); local crew from the Central Oregon and Pacific Railway; Matt Shuman and the Shasta-Cascade Rail Historical Society; Michael “Train on Fire”; Okra P. Dingle; Tall Paul the Bike Pirate; Moss; Brian Bubbles; Forest Ranger Deb; Holly (caboose sketch/tattoo inspiration!); Train Doc; Bruce Petty (Black Butte historical info and photo); Joe, Josh and Ron from the other side of the tracks; McCloud Railway Co.; Luke; Joey Alone; Jason the 12 oz. Prophet; Julianne; Western Pacific Railway Museum over in Portola; Cody the Hub City Kid; Croatian Mike (bad jokes and good plaster work); Points West and Gerri (east side jungle clean-up!); Jenna; Dritz; Jet Set; Baltimore Red; Ryan; Feral; Brakeshoe, Sarah (Slaughterhouse Sal); Sin, Yarik, Keeeth; Auberry Steve & Linda; “Uncle Pete”; Widerstand; Chaos Krista; Banjo Fred; David E (who never made it there but we watched “Long Gone” at least a dozen times); the Grinch; Z Wooden Spike; Nicolas and Laura from the beer city; Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery; Rob Menzies; Griffin; Ray’s Market; Bob Morris (historical photos on website); Larry Tuttle (semaphore advice) and ???? Let us know who we’ve forgotten to include!