2017 People of Big River 02

KAMIAK BUTTE 7/21/2017 LANDEN CHARLO WE AS A POD ( THE PEOPLE OF THE BIG RIVER TROOP) VISITED TWO SITES WITH LANDEN WHO IS ORIGINALLY FROM ARLEE MONTANA. LANDEN IS VERY INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL.... IN DR. JESSICA BLACKS WORDS " HE IS A SUPERSTAR"! ....ASIDE FROM THE INTRODUCTIONS, DISCUSSIONS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PILEATED WOODPECKER, WE VISTED TWO VERY DIFFERENT TYPES OF WILDLIFE SITES ON THE SLOPE OF KAMIAK BUTTE AND AT THE PEAK (3000 FT)   I TOOK PART IN A SHORT CASE STUDY EVALUATION FORM PROVIDED BY LANDEN WHERE WE AS A GROUP LEARNED DATA RECORDING WHICH INCLUDED: ELEVATION, ASPECT SLOPE% (CLINOMETER), POSITION ON SLOPE (LOWER, MIDDLE, UPPER USING 1/3'S)  UPPER 1/3 FOR EXAMPLE, EXPOSURE (TO THE ELEMENTS), SOIL PROPERTIES (DEPTH, TEXTURE AND COLOR) SITE ONE FOR EXAMPLE----HIGH ORGANIC MATTER; FERTILE---- WE TOOK WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKE AIR TEMPERATURE, RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND WIND VEOLOCIY,,, AVERAGE OVERSTORY COMPLETED THE SITE CONDITIONS;;; MICRO-SITES AS LANDEN HAD M

Day 14, People of the Big River 2017 ; COEUR D' ALENE IDAHO: LARSEN CAMPSITE ---LAKE COEUR D'ALENE DAY BEFORE LAST DAY. THERE WAS QUITE THE RUTKUS AMONGST THE CAMP CREW---A CRAZY DEER STORY,,,APPARENTLY A DEER JUMPED AROUND AND TRAMPLED A COUPLE OF THE LADIES TENTS!! I SLEPT THROUGH IT FOR SOME CRAZY REASON,,, BUT THAT WAS THURSDAY IN THE EARLY MORNING,,,,I REALLY CAN NOT SLEEP IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WITH THE SUN RISING AND THE MORNING AIR OF THE COEUR D' ALENE LAKE. I GET THAT WAY IN THE MOUNTAINS,, REGARDLESS OF WHAT NUMBER OF HOURS OF SLEEP I GET,, IF IT IS THE  EARLY MORNING DAWN,, I GET RESTLESS AND HAVE TO SKY UP.   ANYWAYS.....   I SIT HERE AT THE WELLNESS CENTER WISHING I COULD JUST RUN AND JUMP AND HIKE AND SWIM AND MOVE AND SWEAT...... I RAN THIS MORNING FROM COEUR D' ALENE LAKE WHERE WE ARE CAMPED AND AS I TOOK A DRINK OF MY STRAWBERRY LEMONADE I GOT FROM THE JULYAMSH POWWOW THIS MORNING I KNEW I WANTED TO RUN,,,,SO I TOOK MY TENT DOWN EARLY, AND GO

7/21/2017 THE PEOPLE OF THE BIG RIVER CLASS HAD AN INTERESTING NIGHT LAST NIGHT!!!! ALTHOUGH THIS MAY BE MY FIRST AND ONLY BIG RIVER EXPERIENCE I SURE WILL NEVER FORGET TO TAKE COMPLETE, CONCISE, LEGIBLE, INTERESTING AND COMPLETE NOTES... NOTE TO SELF... I SURE WILL NEVER FORGET MANY A PERSONAL AND INSIDE STORIES BETWEEN OUR GROUP.. THE CAMPING EXPERIENCE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED... LAUGH... I GAINED A WHOLE MESS OF INFORMATION AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WOODPECKERS.... I SHALL CONTINUE THIS WITH MY NOTES ,,,, I NEVER FAIL TO ASK GOOD QUESTIONS WHEN THERE IS AN EXPERT THAT IS SPEAKING ON A FOCUS SUBJECT,,, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS MASTERS WORK... WE ARE NOW AT THE WELLNESS CENTER WHICH MAKES ME FEEL SO REFRESHED ,, ,SO THANKFUL FOR THE COEUR D' ALENE WELL NESS CENTER.....BOOM ...REFERSHED..... LOVE IT

COEU D'ALENE INDIAN RESERVATION JULY 20TH 2017 HOWDY FROM THE WELLNESS CENTER TODAYS ACTIVITIES WERE VERY COOL WITH A PRAYER TO SEND OFF THE NEW CANOERS MYSELF, CRISTY AND MONET PARTICIPATED WITH THE NEW PADDLERS EARLY THIS MORNING WITH A SONG GIVEN FROM THE COASTAL PEOPLE (LUMMI I BELIEVE) A BRAND NEW SONG GIVEN BY THE COMBINED LUMMI, COEUR D' ALENE PEOPLE. WAS SANG IN A GOOD WAY.. WE WAR HOOPED AND SET THEM AFLOAT IN A GOOD WAY YII YII.... PEACE BE THE JOURNEY.

11 POBR 2017 …. ( TRAVEL AND ARRIVAL AT COEUR D' ALENE INDIAN RESERVATION) NOT A WHOLE LOT OF TRAFFIC,,, SEEN A FEW VANS GO BY … THE TRAVELING FROM WELLPINIT WAS OK, NOT FAR WHATSOEVER IN COMPARISON TO PREVIOUS DRIVES. THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR LAST STOP ON OUR INFAMOUS TRIP ACROSS PACIFIC NORTHWEST INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES; MY LORD IT MAKES ME HAPPY AND SAD TO COME TO OUR LAST DESTINATION, BUT I FEEL PROUD TO HAVE LANDED SAFELY ONCE AGAIN,,,,THE PEOPLE INVITED THE CREW OF THE POBR CLASS OF 2017 TO A TRADITIONAL FEAST IN HONOR OF THEIR DEPARTURE FROM ONE OF THREE TRADITIONAL LANDINGS OF THE COEUR D' ALENE BANDS OF LONG AGO WHICH WILL COMMENCE AT 930-10AM TOMORROW ( THURSDAY) FROM OUR CAMPSITE.. THE BROTHER CAJ , THAT'S HOW I WOULD SPELL IT....LOL... A GOOD MAN, VERY WELCOMING AND DELIGHTFUL TO TALK TO FOR SURE; HAD A FEW GOOD WORDS FOR MYSELF AND MY PARTNER CRISTY FIANDER,,, IT SEEMS CRISTY AND I CLICK VERY WELL TO THE LOCALS FROM EVERY REZ..... WE GOT T

Day 10 People of the Big River The Spokane Tribal Hatchery is very unique in it was a thought and an action in it origins; the people: Tim Peone and family, along with a few selected elders decided to create a Salmon Recovery and aquatic biota restoration hatchery on their homelands where they fished and ran and played as children. Vision became reality.         Actions towards Salmon Recovery is very heartfelt among the Spokane. In my experience here at the Spokane Reservation in the past and in the present, I have more or less acknowledged and accepted the fact that the salmon have no longer ran the Spokane River. It was only after I listened to my new friend Warren Seyler that I have a brand new prayer lined up for all the people of the Spokane Reservation and Warrens Mission as an advocate for the passing of sacred History of the Spokane Elders. I am on a similar path and it gives me comfort to know that there are people like Warren that I can reference

Day 9 Monday July 17 th 2017 ( Tshimikain Creek : Electro Fishing for Rainbow trout. The Tshimikain was a small with various non-native and native species. The counts of Rainbow were high according to Program Manager Casey Flannigan.d Casey was a part of my crew and we had fun netting Rainbows, Brown Trout, Sculpin, suckers and pike minnow. Crew leader Nick (BUB) had us in waders as we trekked through between ¼ and ¾ of a meandering, up to 4 ½ feet deep running water. The rainbows were analyzed for weight, length, genetics, and were PIT Tagged above 60 Millimeters. Casey was very insightful I got a chance to talk with her a bunch. Casey was working on her masters degree through Eastern Washington University and her research was on Redband Trout physiology; a nightmare of a thesis that required hours upon hours upon hours of monotonous lab work. Sheesh, basically it was an experiment that analyzed differences in size and change in size under certain

Day 8 People Of the Big River2017 Class Sunday July 16 th 2017 Arrival at the Wellpinit reservation powwow and stick game sheds was great; By absolute coincidence I met the local and famous artist Rick Sherwood, Rick had run out of gas and was curious about who Us Natives camping; It turns out he had done the colorful artwork placed sporatically around the grounds above the doorways and such. I got a good feeling from his welcome. It was good medicine to introduce myself to this area in a good way. I would like to highlight a few things that are cool and essential to my health and academic career while here at Wellpinit. First, I think it was great that the Compass treasure hunt (Geocaching 202) was hosted by Pedro; I think use of the compass should be practiced a lot more and Pedro was good about explaining the many different uses of the compass and kept it simple and interesting.

Day 5 July 14 th Yesterdays Mid-morning presentation at the First stop along the Umatilla River was a basic reminder of stream health and restoration modifications. Trial and error of re-vegetation projects seemed to be the most beneficial in the long-run. Wenix described how miscalculations had lead to loss of native species transplanting efforts along the river banks. I believe that is ok though, continuing to learn what works and what does not work is a very important in restoration; in most cases making mistakes can be more beneficial to a tribal program. The things that were discussed along our cruise with Wenix went everywhere from 49 singing, family relationships, failed relationships, tribal programs, school, grant writing, Networking in Higher Education, Pow Wow politics, Bigfoot, succeeding as a college student and applying knowledge from internships. Wenix is very knowledgeable and was not afraid to share any and everthing from her personal experience.

Thursday July 13 th 2017 Day 4: Woke up in Niix ya way (Pendleton area and Umatilla Indian Country) So in my excitement and early rising I faced the Eastern Sunrise from the lawn of our hostess' The very well known Wenix Redelk and sister Acosia and said a prayer for our safe arrival. I also felt a restless leg syndrome from traveling all day Wednesday and passing out with the famous chili mac the night before. To say the least I was feeling groggy and glad that the new day had more exciting things planned besides traveling and taking in the scenery of the River which was good regardless. I got good pictures. So after introducing myself to the land I did a mildly intense jog around the Longhouse which was right across the street. I went up the hill and got the heart rate cruising at the speed I enjoy. Breakfast was good and I coffeed up and went on to the first scheduled presentation at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Governance

Wednesday July 12 th 2017 The Big River Crew awoke once again next to the Crashing and delightful sounds of a stream; The powerful Deschutes. As I listened to the gentle whispering winds as they breezed through the tall Ponderosa Pines scattered all around me I felt very calm and content in splashing my face and hands with the cool waters of the Deschutes for the last time on the Big River 2017 trip. It was very bitter sweet, seeing how this is my favorite ritual wherever I go, it does not matter what reservation, what forest, day camping trip or even cruise through a pass to a new destination, I keep it real in my love for all running water sources. I feel alive and awake when I do so and it is food for my soul. My soul awakens, my spirit is renewed. It was my parents and grandparents who made it clear that the wild and running cold water will always take care of me, center me and lead me home if I ever feel lost. This was my first Deschutes camping experience

                                                                                                            Mike Buck July 11 th , 2017 Day three: People of the Big River Field Class             This morning was started with the sound of a beating drum. It was decided the day before we left Heritage University that a drum would be brought along. It made sense in all aspects. Cristy Fiander is a fellow student and close friend; the drum as discussed today while cruising the Deschutes National forest backroads was made by her hand at a small conference in Toppenish Washington. Cristy was fond of her work and enjoyed telling the members of our vanload (S’Mores van, over the radio) that the drum came about as her daughter was born (cool story).   Breakfast was announced with the beat of that   drum at 625am by myself. We had been rushing around the morning of departure from HU and in a quick morning text had questioned “What to Bring”? I mentioned bringing her drum, thi

July 10 2017 ;   Mike Buck             Day two; was waking up a little earlier than the projected 630. It was after a pretty hardy breakfast of Fried Taters, sausage and scrambled that we as a crew The People of the Big River Field Class were put on the spot to work together to make it to the first scheduled stop two hours ahead of preliminary estimated time of arrival; so dishes and cleanup had to be done expeditiously. Upon arrival to the Lava Butte Cinder Cone located on the Deschutes National Forest Main Office and Park headquarters we were introduced to a host of great speakers and generally environmentally friendly people. The cohort of individuals spoke of many things and the main focus was The “Collaborative Governance” that takes place each and every day to maintain the various foresting and land management issues faced by the park lands. I found it most interesting that among the speakers I learned of the “Children’s Forest of Central Oregon program. The speaker Kat

It has been a hot and early Morning (July 9th, 2017---Day 1) The day was supposed to begin at 8 am but the majority of people really began to move around and draw together around 9am. I feel like a brand newbie to be honest. I have been a little iffy on the whole idea, Not because I don't believe it will be a blast but because it is smack dab in the middle of the summer and has caused a lot of scheduling issues (2 weeks seems to be a long time; but I am sure it will fly by)  In the summer of 2015 I will always remember that by pure accident or coincidence I happened to meet Dr. Jessica Black and the whole crew from the People of the Big River Class at a longhouse in Coeur D Alene. The short meeting was cool and I thought it was a cool concept, it was only later that I realized that Dr. Black would eventually pull me into the Field Class as an Environmental Science major and she would eventually become my advisor.