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This intersection, at 7th St. in Grants Pass, Oregon, is where Cliff Rilek first appeared in town. This, in fact, was his first impression of Grants Pass - a town he had never heard of before his arrival.
After his arrival in Grants Pass, Oregon, Cliff Rilek entered the town. Still dazed and hurting from a gunshot wound and a near-drowing, he did not possess enough sense to read - and heed - this sign.
As Cliff Rilek explored Grants Pass, he discovered that he was in the heart of Josephine County - and this is where he first became aware of that. Due to the recent trauma in his life, it would be some time before he would remember that his mother's first name was Josephine.
After some time, Grants Pass was too much for Cliff Rilek. He did not fit in and he lived in fear each time he saw a police or a sheriff's car. He wandered north, up I-5, and spent a few days underneath this picturesque bridge over Grave Creek. From there, Rilek continued up to Wolf Creek.
After a few brutal days in the forests along I-5, Rilek stumbled into the town of Wolf Creek. The name of the town seemed of particular significance, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. At this point, Rilek was barely clinging to life - not so much due to injuries sustained on Roosevelt Lake in Arizona, but from exposure and malnutrition.
After arriving in Wolf Creek, Cliff Rilek walked up a small dirt road to the cemetery.
The cemetery, an old, overgrown and somewhat spooky place, provided good cover for as long as Rilek stayed there. He lived in the brush outside the cemetery for a short time, until hired by a local to help clear land on a family plot.
Rilek worked as a laborer on a family plot for two years. He passed this house often on his trips into town, but never met the owners. At his job, he removed tree stumps and dug boulders from the rocky soil. He was fed, sheltered and clothed, but never paid a living wage for his work.
Rilek's life changed for the worse after he discovered the body of his boss out in the corner of a field, half devoured by animals. In all likelihood, the man had suffered a heart attack and had not been discovered for several days. After his terrible discovery, Rilek headed up into the Rogue River wilderness, following the historic Loop to Galice.
Life in the wild was not easy. Rilek discovered several places along the Rogue River where he could rummage for food and steal from vacationers. It was here, in Almeda Park, where Cal Blunstone camped with his wife.
Here is a view north along the Rogue River from Almeda Campground.
Cliff Rilek passed this sign on numerous occasions as he prowled The Rogue. This sign marks the site of a historic mining camp and scene of the Battle of Rogue River Indian War.
While touring the Rogue River Loop to research his upcoming book, author Jim W. Coleman drove up to this town and muttered: "Well, this must be Galice." A sharp eye can pick out a sign in front of the store that reads: THIS IS GALICE.
Just past Galice, one will find the turnoff to Ennis Riffle, a long flat wash of river rock where all sorts of humanity come to frolic. And that is why this particular area held such a fascination to Cliff Rilek.
As stated in the previous slide, Ennis Riffle is "a long flat wash of river rock where all sorts of humanity come to frolic." Here is but one of many examples author Jim W. Coleman photographed on his recent tour of the Rogue River Loop.
Much of the novel "Omens II: The Rogue" takes place in the Siskiyou National Forest, a place author Jim W. Coleman found quite fascinating. His favorite National Forest, the Tonto (Arizona), holds a unique attraction, but the Siskiyou was breathtaking all the same.
Author Jim W. Coleman parks his mobile bookmobile at a lookout point along the wild Rogue River while researching his novel "Omens II: The Rogue." It was spooky to hang once again in Cliff Rilek's domain. The fog just made it all the more interesting.
This map clearly shows where Cliff Rilek lived in the Rogue River area, in and along Taylor Creek. When reading the novel "Omens II: The Rogue," you can follow much of the search by coordinating with the sectors on this map.
Have you ever camped out along a riverbank similar to this - the Mighty Rogue? It's beautiful, it's tranquil. But it also can be dangerous. Cliff Rilek could be in those trees.
This is a photo of the turnoff that Daryl Collins and other law enforcement personnel took in the hunt for Cliff Rilek.
Little Johnny wandered off from the family campsite, and found this lovely stretch of Taylor Creek. Unfortunately, tragedy awaited in the brush.
This is the last part of Taylor Creek that little Johnny saw as he tried to make his way back to the campsite. There were rustlings in the brush, and he couldn't rid his mind of the scary Bigfoot stories his Dad had told around the campsite the previous night.
A view up the forest service road that leads to Rilek's forest haunt. The turnoff to the Burned Timber area is less than a half mile from the spot that Johnny fell prey to Cliff Rilek. It is interesting, in a historical perspective, how the search went far beyond this area - only to return again.
Here is the area where Daryl Collins and law enforcement personnel attempted to flank Cliff Rilek in their search for the evil that stalked the Rogue River, and preyed on its recreationalists.
When law enforcement and news media personnel began using this area as a lookout and media point, Cliff Rilek headed south along the Rogue.
It's amazing, actually. When author Jim W. Coleman toured the Rogue River, it baffled him how anything bad could have ever happened there. But happen it did - and Coleman had goosebumps throughout the entire research project.
This park was closely monitored while the search for Rilek was underway. Indeed, this was one of Josephine County's most watched points as the drama unfolded.
In this men's room, Daryl Collins had a powerful vision of Cliff Rilek. This is the restroom facility at Indian Mary Park along the Rogue River Historic Loop.
Daryl Collins could not shake Irma Davenport from his mind while in this restroom, and was certain that Rilek was close. In this men's room, he let Sheriff Stapleton in on his "omens."
Author Jim W. Coleman thanks "Frank" for his help with Rogue River history and attractions. While on a book research tour of the Rogue River Historic Loop, Coleman met Frank along the banks of the Rogue - and was lucky enough to hold a quarter-ounce of pure Rogue Gold in his hand, gold that Frank had spent a day or two prospecting from the river. The character in the book, Hurley Waldrip, was inspired by Frank.
This is the Josephine County Courthouse, located in Grants Pass, Oregon. The Sheriff's office and Library are both located behind the courthouse.
One would follow this sign up the walkway into the Sheriff's station, where Graham County Sheriff Melvin Bounds argued with Daryl Collins. To know that Cliff Rilek had once peed on this very sign should give one a real case of the willies.
This is where the County Police and Sheriff's vehicles are parked behind the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. A horrific evil passed through here not long before author Jim W. Coleman arrived to document the activities of Clifford Rilek in the Grants Pass, Oregon area.
The novels about Cliff Rilek, "Omens" and "Omens II: The Rogue" will be available in the Grants Pass, Oregon Josephine County Library in 2010.
Following a 2005 book research tour of The Rogue River basin near Grants Pass, Oregon, author Jim W. Coleman gets goosebumps just looking at this sign. After reading "Omens II: The Rogue," you will too.
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