TRASK

boomer · 10-10-2003, 02:08 PM

Seeing the Trask river being mentioned reminded me of a book I read a while ago, "TRASK" by Don Berry I think. It's story of the guy the river is named for. It describes his exploration of the area. It was fun to try and figure out the places he was during his travels, etc. Berry also wrote a book about the building of the ship the "morning (or is it evening)star"-a reproduction of it is in front of the tillamook cheese factory. both were kind of fun reads as I recall. Has anyone else read these?? How about you Jen?

Straydog · 10-10-2003, 02:13 PM

I read this and a couple of others by Don Berry while in college.

Real interesting to me. He is a good NW author and like you I found it interesting to try to figure out landmarks and other things concerning the areas he wrote about.

I think "To Build a Ship" is the other one you are refering to.....

fortywinks · 10-10-2003, 06:57 PM

I have read both "Trask" and "Moontrap" by Don Berry. They are both fictional novels but based on historical events, locations and characters and are excellent reading for anyone interested in the discovery and settlement of the northwest. Don Berry also wrote "A Majority of Scoundrels" an informal history of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, a well documented story of the northwest fur trade and the frontier trappers from 1822 to 1834.

These books are all out of print now, but can be found at your local library, Powell's Bookstore, and sometimes at used bookstores. They are considered somewhat collector's items for western frontier affecionados.

Gus Orviston · 10-10-2003, 09:10 PM

I have the book "Trask" and yes I enjoyed the read. I too have tried to imagine where the landmarks are that were written about. If you like the coast range it is a fun read.

gus

Dipnet · 10-11-2003, 10:20 PM

Haven't read the books, but they do sound interesting. We live in Yamhill, so it is just a little drive up to the Trask. What is really cool is to be miles from nowhere and find old railroad spikes and junk from years ago when they brought the logs out on the train. We used to ride our dirtbikes all the way over to just outside of Tillamook!

Dipnet :grin:

Team Get Bent

Fishfeet · 10-20-2003, 10:03 AM

FortyWinks, Boomer, Great author. Yeh that book "A majority of scoundrels" was eccellent! Old Jed Smith was quite a boy! They say that only one other person at the time had explored the west as much as he had, and that was Kit Carson. Unfortunately he got two of his trapping brigades wiped out in the process. Great reading! Have also read Moontrap, Trask, and the Ship builder one.(cant remember the exact name). Try "The tracker" by Tom Brown! Also by him "The search". Dipnet, I`ve got a chunk of rail from those old logging rxr`s from up on the Flora mainline here in the county it`s sitting here in our office for the public to see. Great conversation starter. Fishft. :tongue: