Many an interesting character has passed through Lassen County over the years. In early 1927, was World War I veteran Frank Heath. He was on a mission to ride horseback through every state of the Union on a single horse. He left Washington, D.C. on April 1, 1925 on his horse he named the Gypsy Queen. In all he would travel 11,523 miles and on November 14, 1927 arrived back in Washington, D.C.

Heath kept a journal of his trip, which was published in 1941, entitled, “Forty Million Hoofbeats.” His original intention was to enter California from Oregon and traverse the east side of the Cascades and travel through the Sacramento Valley. That plan was scrapped and he traveled through Northeastern California.

On January 3, 1927 he entered Lassen County via the Madeline Plains which he described as bleak. Heath wrote, “I see deserted places on every hand. Also dry irrigation ditches.” The next day he arrived at Ravendale and wrote, “Bought nine pounds of rolled oats (the kind we eat for breakfast for 75 cents. Tried to slip me two bum sacks. Lady says, All inhabitants went to war and didn’t come back. At Spanish Spring, first habitation since yesterday. Saw only three in distance that seemed to show life. The proprietor August Penning and neighbor Roussell, all insist on my staying over while the road dries up. Says dobie is hell. I am availing myself to their hospitality, had my intent to make McKissick Ranch.”

Tomorrow more on Heath’s journey.