An awful lot of people showed up for this hike, at least 23, including two members of the News Review paper.  In Roseburg at 8 a.m. it was cold and foggy and that condition prevailed until the group arrived at the Bradley Trailhead off the Medicine Creek road.  After visiting the bush bathrooms and gathering for a group picture, the group set out for the 7.5 or 8 mile hike, the distance unverified as two pedometer’s results differed.

The weather steadily got better with the sun coming into view through the tree shadows as the group trudged along the hillsides on the upwards climb to Pine Bench.  Gary Waugaman graciously volunteered to be the sweep for the hike.  The News Review people got as far as the view of Soda Springs right before the final climb up to Pine Bench before they turned back.    At Pine Bench, ice crystals remained from the skiff of snow or frost which came down in the night.  No one seemed to want to continue along the bench to the spring except one person, new to the club who remained out of contact for most of the remainder of the hike to the consternation of the coordinator. Linda Jensen good scout that she is, stayed behind at the trail intersection at the Pine Bench intersection to guide later hikers.
After reaching the Boulder Creek Bridge, many of the group were fortunate enough to see really big salmon spawning in the creek below the bridge.

Lunch was among the huge rocks along the trail.  The group had sunshine for their lunch with shirt sleeve temperatures, an unexpected joy in winter.  At this point, the worried coordinator canvassed the group for any information about their missing hiker.  No one remembered seeing him after Pine Bench.

Hikers admired the Eagle Creek Bridge, which the club had helped sponsor.  It is a marvelous bridge, high enough over Eagle Creek that it shouldn’t be swept away in any of the winter floods.  It will ensure a safe crossing for hikers in the winter months.  Members were startled that the plaque on the bridge is dedicated to a member of the Motley Crew (no doubt a worth person to be commemorated )  rather than Richard Sommers whose bequest provided money to buy some of the necessary materials for it.

The missing hiker turned up about ½ a mile from the trail head where the shuttle car was parked to the coordinator’s relief. The group agreed that it had been a good hike, with the sunshine making all the difference.