COUNTRY Continued from Page 1 gion's thousands «l square mill's are a silent testament t» their failed dreams And while the residents nl today have considerable-udvan (ages to those pioneers elei tricitv for wells, better and last er transportation life in Ore gon's Big Country is stillcloser to that pioneer experience than vs ha! most W estern Oregon'res idents are act tistomisi to And like those who pret rded them, the people living in Southeastern Oregon in lim.’ came here be< ause they wanted a better life The slower par ed lilestvle is tin' most commonly given hen elit of the region, as well as the small numbers of people and the resulting lack nl crowds, tralfii . pollution and < rime Mam Southeastern Oregon residents lived previously in larger towns or cities but tew have any regrets about leaving the hustle and hustle that goes along with an urban lifestyle "I don't miss any part of it," said Malena Konek. who owns the store in 1-renehglen. f>5 miles south of Burns Konek grew up in Albany and lived in Washington and on the Hast Ooast Indore mov ing to this tmv community, population 10. 10 years ago She remembers many facets of city living she would just .is soon forget "! don't miss all the people, the trullic. or the rain," Konek said Konek said without all those distractions, life is pared down to its elemental roots "I like living a more hash life, she said Mv life here re volves around the seasons, around nature I like the cli mate and the country Darrell Northrop, who runs the store and motel in Fields. 100 miles south ot Burns, gave similar reasons for enjoying life in Oregon's isolated corner "I like the remoteness," hi' said And the lifestyle When asked if he ever con siderod living in a more popu lated area. Northrop a Mar riev County native who has lived m fields, population ' about 20,' lor 25 years laughed and said simply, "too many people It's not surprising that resi dents of Oregon's Big Country would lie more happv without a lot of crowds Both Konek and Northrop said except for the tourist season roughly between April and October thev don't do business outside Light or Arnhcr $89 (Pony Keg $55) Special, Bomber or Srout $99 ($60 Pony Keg) Pleatc call 686-2739 to rctervr Additional charge for dtpotiti • ‘ *«*0 t'l ^ Trte ori0-room elementary school al Andrews (population three), about 100 miles south trom Burns, had two students in 19S/and has none now of Ihii loear residents kmirk said she sees no to.ur.Uts' in i tviH h^lon during tin- winter What is surprising; is rh.it age doesn't seem to In- .1 significant limiting f.n tor in peoples dei i sions to live in sui h an isolated region with its often inhospitu file weather “This is ideal lor us as far as I'm concerned,' said tifi year old William Warner, who owns the town of Wagontire and makes up its entire population together with his wife. (Jlgie The Warners, who moved to this !m\ cluster of buildings on a winds plateau along t' S Highway t')r> from lielio, Nov ftve and a half years ago, have no regrets about leaving city life for this outpost fit) miles southwest of Burns ami 7S miles north of Lakes lew You ( an t pH k up a paper over there in lingerie or Port land without something had having happened, William Warner said 'Dope, crime and all that We've never find alls problems like that here Hot h W i I Hum W arner and Northrop downplayed the weather in Southeastern Ore gon, which is much more ex treme than on the west side of the Cascade Mountains In fait troth seemed to thins the oil mate was just about rigid We’ve been to I tie coast alii! all it does is ram, rain, ruin." Warner said I w o or three days in a row all the time liiis winter it only got down to zero two or three days In the summer t! gets up to airout UK), but there s always a bree/.e \nd it's drv over here too /.iTodegrees In winter and luu irt summer may si‘i'111 [>ri"t Iv extreme In those lit us im'ii to the more moderate tempera I tires iti.il j>n• s .ill in Itn- WTl lumette Valley. bul Northrop linin'! think nun h of the si/ /ling fii'.i! and frigid culil tli.it also prevail around fields The climate is pretlv mild here. Northrop said with a straight face Despite their i hoh es to brave this wildest i iinter of Oregon, nonetheless its residents rei og ni/e there are also good reasons for living near towns and < (ties "When you get to a curtain age you have to think about moving i loser to medical f.u ill ties and things like that. Konek said And William Warner has pul Wugontire up for sale, saving it’s about time to think about retirement Still, neither the W arners nor konek plan to move without a good reason Willi a m Warner said h e plans to travel for a year il he sells the town but he and his wife want to come bai k and live m Wugontire and help with tile restaurant and motel, espe i i.i 11 v during the summer when traffic ori the highway is heavi est konek, too, expressed a de sire to remain a resident of Ore grin’s Big ( nuntrv, and perhaps she summed up best the feel ings of many of tfu.se like her "As long as I am aide I’d like to continue living out here, she said I don't want to be any w here else Biikcnsfock I Step into Birkenstock footwear and find a remarkable blend of comfort and style in colors that range ^ ^ from basic to brilliant. i We carry every available Birkenstock. Th*' Birkenitock S t o t r CorvaUft • 703 NW 11th • 757 0875 • Mon Sot 10 5 30 Eugene • 5th Stroet Public Market • 342 6107 • Daily 10 6 f POSTERS I CD'S ^CLOTHING 57 W Broadway and 95' Willamette Downtown Mall SHOES : CARDS J GIFTS J . —