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I make the drive up 101 from the Bay Area to Eureka/Arcata and beyond periodically. Along that stretch, particularly north of Willits, there is an abundance of the necessary raw material for redwood chainsaw carvings, which is one of the prevalent artistic media of the Northwest. Hundreds, if not thousands, of roadside shops feature redwood burl and other wooden renditions of your favorite forest creatures and other beloved characters. If you feel that an 8-foot bear carved with a chainsaw from a gigantic wood block is just the conversation piece your front yard needs to ensure your spot on the neighborhood planning committee, just get in your pick up and drive into the woods. You'll also find more modest-sized offerings, and a variety of gnomes, raccoons, weathered sea captains, birds, fish, etc... Of course, a few artists have added Bigfoot carvings to their collections. How could they resist? With so much Bigfoot lore available in the same area where they get their wood, I'm surprised that I haven't found more of these. As you can see in the examples below, artists are free to ascribe any personality they wish to the subject. Most folks do not think of Bigfoot as an animal - it lives in our imaginations as a character who takes on whatever sort of mood we project onto it (think "Harry and the Hendersons"). People tend to anthropomorphize things, even pets and inanimate objects. If something intimidates us, we want to stop being intimidated as quickly as possible, and one way to do that is to put our face on it. Consider statues and paintings depicting God as a bearded, European-looking man - isn't that us humans trying to make Him more like us? I don't know if any of the artists responsible for these works have had any personal encounters with any Bigfoot-type creatures, but for now I'll assume they haven't, judging by the cute caricatures they've included. At this time, the only wooden carving I'm aware of that was created to reflect what people have really reported seeing is the Jim McLarin statue in Willow Creek, CA. The statues I've included here are the ones that can be seen from the road along 101 - the ones I typically see on my way to visit Humboldt County. There may be more I haven't seen, possibly tucked away toward the back of someone's roadside shop. I actually found a couple on my last trip I don't recall seeing before.
(Click images for larger view)
Jesus Bigfoot Well, okay, maybe this title is influenced by its being located right by a Christian bookstore/do-dad shop called "Just Jesus" somewhere around Leggett. I call him "Jesusfoot" for short. If this had been located outside a Nordic bookstore/do-dad shop I'd just as likely call him "Vikingfoot" (needs the hat, though...), but for now the Jesus thing works for me. I mean, you've got to wonder a little if that wasn't the intention...
The Legend of Bigfoot This is the main statue I've been seeing for a long time. I don't know how long it's been there - a few decades at least. There's a photo of Bigfoot researcher Danny Perez with this carving from 1985, and I kind of remember it from further back than that. The Legend of Bigfoot shop sells all of the typical stuff you get in gift shops - key chains, little spoons, lollipops, figurines, elegant wooden stash - er...jewelry boxes, etc... One thing that makes this tourist spot a bit different is that they also sell some of the Bigfoot literature, such as Perez's "Bigfoot at Bluff Creek", works by Green, Krantz, and others. The other thing this shop has is the award-winning work of chainsaw master D. Colp (the actual awards can be seen at his workplace, which is accessible to the public up the hill to the side of the sundry shop). If you're there at the right time you can watch him work. The most expressive characteristic of this wooden Sasquatch is the face. To me, he looks like he really has to pee. Perhaps he will come up behind some unsuspecting camper and inquire as to the location of the facilities. The look might also be explained by having wandered into someone's marijuana patch, and indulging a bit too much. I don't know - you decide. I just know he doesn't look completely comfortable.
Also at the Legend of Bigfoot display Isn't he cute? Now this is more like it. You could easily imagine this little feller greeting your guests at your black tie holiday event. His size is quite a bit more modest than his taller cousin - he seems to be six foot something, as opposed to around nine feet for Big LOB. This one will peacefully coexist with your lawn gnomes without scaring the bejeepers out of them.
Buddha Bigfoot in Orick, CA This peaceful fellow has caught my eye for a few years. He has a sort of Zen-like composure, residing in Orick, well away from the hustle and bustle of Arcata or Crescent City. He looks like he probably has sage advice to dispense. I think he could be rigged with some kind of coin-operated talk box that actually does dispense sage advice - what a great money making idea! I myself am trying to adopt a more centered way of looking at things, as you can see in this photo. I find this an interesting contrast to the Jesus Bigfoot, located further south. Perhaps there will be a day when all of the World's major religions will be represented along this highway by wooden Bigfoot carvings. We are the World...
"Mountain Man" Bigfoot in Orick, As my friend and I were about to leave Orick after photographing the Buddha Bigfoot I saw another on display at a different shop that had escaped my notice before. He seems to have a sort of "Grizzly Adams"-type appearance, which should be appropriate for the area. I'm trying to figure out the look on his face - he seems like he's a bit embarrassed of his friend the beaver (I'm assuming that's what that is by the big teeth), who seems to be wielding a a big stick, and is apparently ready to kick some ass. I don't know why the Beav needs to put on such a show - he's rolling with Bigfoot! In any case, I thought it prudent not to mess with the beaver. I also thought it was a good idea not to pester his creator, who was not far behind the Mountain Man BF with his chainsaw running. I figure that guy might be pretty tired of tourists like me pulling over to look at his stuff, then not buying anything. Before we left, though, my friend remarked that she thought the Mountain Man was pretty well-built, so for you ladies... Photos from April 2006 I had taken another trip up 101 in April of 2006. Part of my objective was to visit the area where Scott Herriott and Daryl Owen had their encounter many years ago. Scott had generously spent some time on the phone with me and provided directions, using Google Earth to try to pinpoint the location. I succeeded in visiting the area within several square miles of what I think is the location, but that's another story. Anyway, I took a different way out of town than usual on that trip, traveling north to Crescent City, then northeast on 199 to Grant's Pass - a very nice drive. On my way through Crescent City I had another "sighting"...this one on the east side of 101 (no doubt trying to stay away from the impending tsunami...), and I was fortunate enough to get a couple of photos.
Squatsquatch This Squatch bears some resemblance to both the Mountain Man Bigfoot, and a little to the Jesus Bigfoot. The characteristic that stands out about this one is the curious squatting pose he seems to have struck, so I have dubbed him Squatsquatch. You can see the squatting better in this side photograph; note the small bear holding his nuts off to the side. I'm not certain what to make of this, so I will leave it up to your interpretation.
Of course, no Bigfoot sighting would be complete without the characteristic tell-tale tracks. I was fortunate that this particular Grizzly Adams-ish Squatch had decided to trudge right down the highway, eerily close to my car, after stepping with both feet in a tray of white paint.
More Photos - February of 2007
Drive-Thru Squatch This grim-looking fellow stands a bit off the beaten path...that is, he can't be seen from 101, but he's close enough to it that he should be on this list. To find him, exit at Meyer's Flat (close to Humboldt Redwoods State Park) and follow the signs to the Drive-Thru Tree, which is part of the beautiful Avenue of the Giants auto tour. To be perfectly candid, I didn't drive "thru" the tree...I prefer to go around them, thank you. Anyway, this squatch stands as a stern sentinel against...hmm...I don't know. People who refuse to go into the Drive-Thru Tree gift shop, perhaps? He's a nice piece of carving, but I wouldn't want to get on his bad side.
Shadow Squatch Driving up again through Orick again I saw a new carving. It was at the same location where Mountain Man was - I didn't see MM this time. Is it possible that someone actually bought a squatch statue? Is the Mountain Man living in someone's front yard now, scaring kids on Halloween? I didn't see his homey the Brawlin' Beaver either...I can only hope they went as a set. Anyway, I saw this guy by the road. He's definitely of the human face-type, but very tall, and quite imposing. It was early in the morning when I saw him first, and there was not enough light to photograph him well. I decided that I would swing by again on my way back. Well, at high noon he still was really shadowy and it was difficult to get a decent shot. Since Bigfoot is supposed to be a mysterious creature of the shadows anyway, I thought it was sort-of appropriate; how would you like to be walking through the woods and suddenly turn around to see this?
Gift Shop Squatch This just goes to show you - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Tired of wandering the woods, pursued by hunters and hounded by...er, hounds...this fellow has taken a gig at the Trees of Mystery gift shop in Klamath, ironically guarding the t-shirts which bear his name from would-be shoplifters and kids holding their popsicles too close to the merchandise. It's a sad commentary on something-or-other. Caveat to this - aside from the gigantic Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (stars of a recent truck commercial), the Skytrail gondola ride, and of course the wonderful gift shop (there's a machine that'll create a stuffed animal for you!), the Native American Museum was truly impressive. I didn't expect it to be nearly as extensive as it turned out to be, and I'd recommend stopping by just to check it out. Of course, on your way out you could pick up a bigfoot t-shirt or a redwood tree shot glass, just to make the gift shop folks happy... I'll continue to keep my eyes peeled along the 101 for any other Bigfoot chainsaw carvings. If you happen to know of any along that stretch that I haven't mentioned let me know. |
