Late Nights and Lunch Breaks by John R. Greenwood

Chapter Three 

"The Kaydeross Creek"

“The Hole”

What do country boys do on hot muggy July days when they are bored and cranky? They jump on old rusty bicycles and pedal down rocky dirt roads to their favorite swimming hole. Our destination was appropriately named; “The Hole.” The creek that hosted, “The Hole” was the Kaydeross. Steeped in Indian folklore the Kaydeross ran through the town of Greenfield and eventually emptied into Saratoga Lake. The Kaydeross ran a little light in the summer months. The Hole got it’s name from the rock dam that created a ten foot deep by twenty foot wide pool of summer heaven. There were two steel railroad ties that bridged the two banks of our private paradise. A rope swing provided ample entertainment. A creekside tree with a thick heavy branch enabled brave stunt-boys a platform from which to launch out in to the air above the water. They would hit the water heavy and hard. It was important to curve your body upward immediately or you might find the rocky bottom with your fearless and crewcut covered skull. It wasn’t uncommon to see a spring stocked trout at the bottom. They would disappear quickly to the safety of deep crevices under the overhanging bank. An old stump worn smooth and slippery created another creek side thrill ride from which to jump into The Hole. We had no towels or swimsuits, only cutoff Levi’s and the summer sun to dry us off. It was a bit of an adventure to get to our cooling off spot. Riding several miles on a dirt road fighting off chasing dogs and horseflies gave the whole experience a safari feel. The ride home ended happily with a trip to the Greenfield General Store for a cold Hires Root Beer, Hershey Bar and a bag of salty potato chips. Chaffed thighs from riding bicycles for miles in wet jean shorts were only slightly less painful than the sunburned backs and foreheads we brought home.