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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1983)
Wanted: A University journalism professor is bullish on Oregon. And if a recent media stampede is any indica tion, "The Best of Outdoor Oregon" will be an in teresting book even if its author, Ken Metzler, is a Boring man. That’s Boring as in Boring, Ore. And yes, he's used to puns about his hometown. In fact, his sense of humor helped prompt him to begin writing the book, tentatively due out next fall. During a trip to New York, he was the butt of some standard jokes about Oregon. He willingly played along. “I told them I hadn’t seen the sun shine in 37 years," says Metzler. But other misconceptions are floating around about the Beaver state, and the book will help dispel some myths and confirm others held by non Oregonians. “Oregon has a mystique in the eyes of many Easterners that’s second only to Alaska (among the states)," says Metzler. "They think of it as a wood sy, conservative kind of funky little state in a way.” Even though Metzler’s latest effort is a depar ture from the subject matter of his previous books, the pre-publication media attention is surpassing the response to any of his other projects. Metzler’s previous books have mainly been oriented toward journalism topics. His search for the state’s "lonesomest” town “seems to have run away with people’s imagina tion. I’m astonished that people would be so in trigued by this," he says of the hundreds of nomina tions inspired by recent media reports. He does put a restriction on the entries, however. “At least one person has to live there,” Metzler says, therefore ruling out the ghost towns of Eastern Oregon. “Some people have said, ‘Well, it has to be in Eastern Oregon,’ ’’ says Metzler. “But there’s also some rugged country along the Oregon coast, some pretty inaccessible spots." Metzler is seeking nominations for the hottest, coldest, windiest, wettest and driest spots in This rock building in Danner typifies the "lonesomest” kind of town in Oregon that journalism professor Ken Metzler is researching for his new book, "The Best of Outdoor Oregon. ” Danner, a ghost town located in southeastern Oregon, won't qualify, however. It has less than one resident. Oregon. For Willamette Valley residents, he’ll include a list of “50 things to do on a rainy day." While he has quipped that he “only has 47 more to go,” the ideas are actually rolling in a little faster, including playing mud football, fishing, scrunching under an umbrella with a friend, building a campfire under tarps and storm watching on the Oregon Coast. Despite the book’s unusual aspects, Metzler plans to concentrate on a more serious appraisal of Oregon scenery, giving scores to areas much like some books rate hotels and restaurants. Another section will name “what I call the seven natural wonders of Oregon,” including Crater Lake. Metzler's credentials as a commentator on Oregon scenery go back to the late 1950s, when he wrote “about 50" travel articles for Sunset Magazine. He plans to outline Oregon’s good honeymoon beaches, the best city parks, hot fishing spots, bicycle routes, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hiking trails and “out-of-the-way kinds of places,” Metzler says. Not an expert on all those subjects, Metzler is sending out hundreds of questionnaires to birdwat chers, rangeland managers, fishermen, authors and various other people who have “been in Oregon a while," he says. The book, now about four chapters old, may take new directions by the time it’s finished. “I’m having a lot of fun doing this, but I have to admit I don’t know what the hell it’s going to turn out to be,” says Metzler. "It keeps you going as a writer.” By Sean Meyers Mercury records and tapes DEF LEPPARD' PYROMANIA Warner Bros records and tapes JOURNEY FRONTIERS ELIMINATOR sate *7 93 sate Reg *7 95 Earth River Records and Tapes with over 5,000 cassette titles in stock! 61 W. Broadway 'offer ends June 12 Winner of Hawk award gives department trophy ‘ Richard Hanlin, a senior in rhetoric and communication and the first recipient of the University’s Ray Hawk Award, plans to donate the trophy to his major department for the >$ear. "I just wanted to do something to show my appreciation to the department," says Hanlin, who will graduate Sunday. “I hope to start a tradition.” Kanlin says the two-foot high trophy probably will be hous ed in the rhetoric and communication department trophy case in Villard Hall .The award will be given each year to the outstanding Univer sity senior in honor of Hawk, former vice president for ad ministration and finance. tafd <yuat tcouAtA too It all starts here with fresh ingredients; as fresh as can be! Then we add our own (; fj] special touch to create \ & W/iri a homemade taste | I*, that's the next best thing to Mom's. Weekly Special Order our a 2 Breakfast Biscuits & Gravy Get 2nd Order FREE We're on campus A little hard to find, but worth the effort 7:00 am to 4:M) pm • 484-2956 We serve breakfast all day long
