The Legend of Chesaw

[Bill_Anderson]

Many years ago while I was deer hunting in the Okanogan Highlands of north-central Washington, a member of our hunting party told me the legend of Chesaw, a small community in the Okanogan Highlands. A Chinese miner thought the place was so bad that he named it "Chee Saw", the Chinese word for "toilet" or "outhouse".

I speak Mandarin, so I knew that "Chee Saw" was not a Mandarin word. Later I asked a guy I knew from Hong Kong to tell me the Cantonese word for "toilet." He replied, "chee saw."

On Sunday 8/29, on our way home from a three day group ride to Colville; Randy, Jim, and I broke away from the main "seizure" group to form our own three -man "leisure" subgroup to take a relaxing ride through the Okanogan Highlands. I insisted we ride to Chesaw to see if we could make some sense of the legend.

Photo #1: On the Road to Chesaw (with apologies to Bob Hope and Bing Crosby).

Photo #2: We made it. Our arrival was not without excitement as two deer ran across the road in front of us near the local cemetary on the edge of town.

Photo #3: Jim (left) and Randy (right) stand beside the sign board.

Photo #4: The offical version of the origins of Chesaw.

Photo #5: Downtown Chesaw.

Photo #6: The Chesaw Store is still open. The Chesaw Merchantile at the end of the street is closed.

Photo #7: Rodeo grounds for the big Fourth of July rodeo.

Our brief ride through the Okanogan Highlands was great. I want to return to spend more time riding and photographing the area. I also want to conduct further research to see which version of Chesaw I should believe: the legend or the official history.

[Charlie950]

While you were "east-ing" many, and I mean ... MANY, were "west-ing" at the annual Isle of Vashon, a vintage-emphasis 2-wheel extravaganza that always brings out some exquisite pieces of machine from yesteryear. Puget Sound based VME puts on the event and for a day the lazy isle of Vashon is turned into a motorcycle mecca that attracts riders from afar. Skiers out there may recognize the name Vashon as it is/was home of the infamous K2 brand of snow skis

For those unfamiliar with our great state of Washington, it is separated into 2 distinct areas, eh ... maybe 3 if you include "central", by the Cascade Mountain range. The west, were most the population lives, is the ever-rainy side but east of the mountains it is rain-shadowed and quite arid. Population is comparatively sparse and the riding ... GREAT!

Back to your easting ... Over Hwy 20 I presume? How far east did go? And … nice post.

[Bill_Anderson]

Originally Posted by Charlie950

Back to your easting ... Over Hwy 20 I presume? How far east did go? And … nice post.

We rode to Colville on Friday (8/27) and did a day ride on Saturday. We got as far east as the west side of Sullivan Lake, which is just east of Metaline Falls. We rode Hwy. 20 Sunday on the way back home.

[JimC]

Looks like a cool old town!

Whats that bike in #5 an old Voyager?

[Bill_Anderson]

Originally Posted by JimC

Looks like a cool old town!

Whats that bike in #5 an old Voyager?

It is a Kawasaki Voyager. I don't know the year. Jim and I attended Washington State University at the same time, although we didn't know each other back then. I told him it was nice that he bought a motorcycle painted in the school colors.

[John]

Reading the Che Saw board i saw that the Chinese founder married an Indian lady. Stupid joke, but that amounts to UG LY

[Bill_Anderson]

Originally Posted by John

Reading the Che Saw board i saw that the Chinese founder married an Indian lady. Stupid joke, but that amounts to UG LY

Back then it may have been illegal for Asians to marry whites. The next time I go there, I want to visit the local cemetary and see if I can find their tombstones.

[Thojoewen86]

nice read