Treichel Ridge

Curiosity...

That was one of the reasons for my specific route through eastern Oregon. Several years ago when I was doing my infrequent genealogical searches, a Google hit returned "Treichel Ridge". Once I figured out where that was, it became a destination -- perhaps a mono minded obsession to see "Treichel Ridge".

A map of Oregon and the approximate location of the ridge found the nearest location on my journey was John Day, Oregon. (Stayed at the Grant County RV park at the Fairgrounds in John Day. Quiet and $20 a night for full hookups and walking distance to downtown.)

With the coordinates, I was able to tag it on the 2008 Topo maps from Garmin RoadTrip software.

Plugged the coordinates in the Garmin 255W and the Garmin Legend HGs and headed out on a long drive. The location was about 70 miles from John Day. An overcast and cold day with occasional rain showers was a good day to be indoors -- the cab of Silver Slug. The road was through National Forest and cattle country with little other road traffic. The human population was a ranch -- perhaps every five miles. Coming across a couple of cowboys moving cattle was a high light of this journey.

Hills, ridges, sage brush, grass, rock outcroppings was the scenery along most of the distance I traveled. When I arrived at the road where I could get close to the coordinates, that road was under construction. I would have to wait for the pilot car. How long would that be. It could be another half hour. Not sure I cared enough to wait to get a close look at Treichel Ridge. When I went to a nearby village of Paulina (a post office general store), I inquired about a cemetery in the neighborhood. It was down that same under construction road.

Some days the curiosity goes unanswered and the questions remain. Why was a geological feature named Treichel Ridge. Who was that Treichel. Perhaps the answer may have been found at Oregon's Crook County seat. That was another 50 miles away to the west in Prineville. No guarantee that I would find anything. Perhaps another time I will try to resolve my curiosity.