Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, September 21, 2005
My father was not much of a camper, and I’m not
either, but I’m working on it. Although sometimes it
can get downright discouraging.
But first, I must recollect when I was in maybe
the fifth-grade and discovered that my dad was so
not into camping that on his inaugural camping
weekend with Uncle Ed and Aunt Bert he wanted to
know where he could go to change into his paja-
mas. As we were at a primitive camp site, this
merited a glower and a growl from veteran out-
doorsman Uncle Ed.
Then it poured on us like a Hollywood storm that
night. It was not the most pleasant experience in my
young life, and it ended camping for dear ol’ dad.
We left early the next morning, despite Uncle Ed’s
complaining that we had 30 minutes of low-gear
driving ahead of us. I never did find out if dad got to
wear his PJs though.
A couple years later, as a Tenderfoot charter
member of Boy Scout Troop 899 in National City,
Calif., I went on another overnight camping trip. This
was much more extravagant than sleeping in our
backyard and coming in before dawn because it was
too cold or hot, or I was hungry for a doughnut or a
gallon-bowl of cold cereal.
No, this was the real deal. I had a sleeping bag, a
pack, a canteen, cooking utensils. I was set, and en-
visioned myself as a cross between Sgt. Preston of
the Yukon and Daniel Boone. It was quite cold when
we arrived at the camp in the Cuyamaca Mountains
of San Diego County that night.
In fact, it was so cold that when we awoke the
next morning, we discovered a lovely frozen frosting
atop everything, including our sleeping bags. There
had been a sneak snow, and we, being Boy Scouts,
were prepared, of course. The worst part of break-
fast, besides the pancakes sticking and shredding,
was the frozen syrup. But we managed. Then we
left, as the adult leaders said it was too cold for us.
Not too long ago, we were camping in Salem
near I-5, and I was having trouble going to sleep be-
cause of the freeway noise. Then Jan suggested
that I consider the noise of each passing vehicle as
an ocean wave. And you know what? It worked. It
was a matter of mind-bending, and it worked.
Most recently, we decided to spend a night at
Jed Smith Campground in Hiouchi, Calif. down Hwy.
199 from Illinois Valley. We had driven in the week
before, and I was taken aback a bit when the atten-
dant told us that we could check out the park with-
out paying, but that if we were in for longer than 15
minutes, it would cost $6.50. We made the deadline,
and decided to return the next week.
The telephone reservation cost 20 bucks plus
something like a $7.50 service fee. After our experi-
ence at Jed Smith, although it’s lovely, we likely will
not return. In fact, Jan came up with Three Rules for
Camping: *Just because you pay more than double
what you last paid for camping doesn’t mean the
place is going to be better or that hot showers are
included. *Always bring a flame-thrower. And, *Don’t
forget your pillows!
We discovered too late that the showers are
coin-operated. This was not explained previously
either by voice or in the brochure. As for the flame-
thrower: I’ve started a lot of fires in my time, but I
failed on this trip. The large wood at our site would
not ignite. I gave up after burning every piece of pa-
per I could find in our van, plus a bunch of kindling.
Forgetting our pillows was our fault, of course.
Taken all together, including the attack mosqui-
toes, we left after a few hours and came home.
That’s where our pillows were. And we didn't need
quarters to take a hot shower.
Pain - Stress - Injuries
Deep massage - CranioSacral Therapy
Monday - Friday by appointment
Senior Discounts - Gift Certificates
Illinois Valley News
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by Robert R. (Bob) and
Jan Rodriguez - Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as Official Newspaper for
Josephine County and Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published at 321
S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net
Volume 68, No. 27
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Typed, double-spaced let-
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* * *
Fire heroes
From Don & Jorene
Bierbower
Selma
We sincerely appreciate
all in the valley who worked
to extinguish the Deer Creek
Fire: the many volunteers
who acted quickly to con-
tain the fire, the many that
plowed fire breaks, and
those who worked, in many
ways, to protect homes and
property.
Neighbors watched over
property so that no theft of
property took place during
the fire. They are all heroes
to those of us who live in the
immediate area.
Many helped in so
many other ways. The fire
started and moved so rap-
idly, that is difficult for us to
know all the ways that
friends and neighbors in the
valley helped, yet they
touched each of our lives in
many ways.
We appreciate those
who put some of us up in
their homes during that
time, plus those who cared
for our animals, from cats to
horses, and those who
watched over our homes and
property when we were not
able to do so ourselves.
Our appreciation ex-
tends to utility people, who,
when able to come into the
affected area, worked to re-
store our communication
with the outside world.
The prayers and offers
of help came from many
people who live in our val-
ley, as well as many from
Grants Pass and elsewhere.
Their concern and open
hearts have meant so much
to those of us in close prox-
imity to the fire.
Liberal results
From Gregory D.
Anderson
Cave Junction
It is unfortunate that we
have been given the oppor-
tunity to see the result of
Democratic Liberal Great
Society Rule in a city and
state as a result of the
“Katrina” hurricane disaster.
New Orleans Mayor
Ray Nagin didn’t have the
time to send the hundreds of
idle city buses around the
city to evacuate the poor, the
handicapped and the elderly
prior to “Katrina’s” arrival.
He was unable to ensure
the health or safety of pa-
tients in hospitals. He ne-
glected to have food, water
and security in the emer-
gency evacuation centers to
which his citizens were di-
rected for help.
He did find time to seek
personal safety and comfort
at a Hyatt hotel. He did
squeeze in time to phone
radio talk shows to com-
plain that George and the
federal government were at
fault. He was able to buy a
home in Dallas, Texas so he
and his family could be
comfortable while his citi-
zens of New Orleans were
dying and fighting for sur-
vival.
He has been available to
fly back to his city for photo
ops. And now he is telling
us that he must be in charge
of the rebuilding of this his-
toric city.
Of course, the race-
baiting Black leaders like
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharp-
ton ignored the blatant in-
competence of this Black
mayor and agreed that it was
George’s fault. Then De-
mocratic Gov. Blanco re-
fused to listen to the presi-
dent when he called before
“Katrina” hit, to let him fed-
eralize her National Guard
to prepare for the worst.
She then did precious
little to help her citizens.
She was quick to announce
that it was all George’s
fault.
While thousands of hun-
gry, thirsty, tired and hope-
less were trapped in the Su-
perdome in squalid condi-
tions, the Louisiana Home-
land Security refused to let
the Red Cross and other res-
cuers provide them with life-
saving needs. They said it
would encourage other survi-
vors to go there. This too,
was George’s fault.
The most preposterous
charge of all was made by
the nephew of one of our
finest presidents and son of
a truly great man, Robert
Kennedy Jr. His bizarre rea-
soning was that the hurri-
cane was so strong because
George didn’t buy into the
socialist-inspired, job-killing
Kyoto Protocol.
He apparently believes
that mankind can actually
control cyclic global warm-
ing, when in fact it is just
another wealth redistribution
effort by the extremist left.
A Fox newscaster inter-
viewed a well-built male in
his mid-20s or so on live TV
in Houston. He had been
transported, fed, clothed,
and provided free medical
help as needed, and a clean,
dry bed. He was asked about
the apparent mix-up on how
much money evacuees were
to be given. His angry retort
was: “I want what the f*** I
deserve!”
My liberal friends need
to realize that this epito-
mizes the mentality of social
liberal policies forced on a
population for more than a
half-century in New Or-
leans. Unfortunately, this
liberal frame of mind -- that
the nanny government owes
them -- calls today’s De-
mocratic Party home.
Self-reliance, not gov-
ernment dependence, pro-
vides the best opportunity
for us and our family’s fu-
ture. Private agencies, busi-
nesses, churches and indi-
vidual volunteers give the
best and fastest aid in emer-
gencies, not government.
We would be well
served and save billions, if
our government hired Red
Cross, the Salvation Army,
Wal*Mart, Home Depot,
and many others to do the
job; not another incompe-
tent, inefficient, uncaring
gargantuan bureaucracy
more dedicated to protecting
their jobs and power than to
the people who pay their
salaries.
Old-growth protection
From Shannon Wilson
Eugene (former resident of
Selma)
When the Deer Creek
Fire was less than two miles
from my parents’ home near
the headwaters of Draper
Creek, where I grew up, I
told my mom that the fire
would lose considerable
momentum once it topped
the ridge and reached the
few hundred acres of big,
old fire-resistant trees on the
downhill side.
Those trees and big, old
downed logs that make up
older forest stands are the
best insurance against wild-
fires. Illinois Valley is at a
crucial point, perhaps it’s
already surpassed an opti-
mum, but I.V. residents
should do everything in their
power to protect these old-
growth stands and all bigger
old trees throughout the Illi-
nois River Watershed.
I believe that everyone
living in the valley needs to
demand that the U.S. Forest
Service, Medford BLM and
Josephine County stop log-
ging those big, old tree
stands surrounding their
communities and instead
strive to protect them.
At this moment the
Siskiyou National Forest is
planning an old-growth sale
(Home Page Project) in the
area of Page Mountain/
Althouse Creek/West Fork
Illinois River Watershed.
There may be a lot more
timber sales in the works.
Josephine County has
considerable land holdings
in the valley which I say it is
continuing to degrade by
removing the biggest trees.
Sure, thin old planta-
tions and remove the fuel
ladders, especially to protect
communities and remaining
old tree stands. Those old
clear-cuts are the most haz-
ardous when it comes to
spreading wildfires.
It is up to us. Continue
to allow what I call incom-
petent and corrupt agencies
to degrade the valley or take
control to protect our homes
and families from future
forest fires.
Scientifically amusing
From Ellyn Coley
Cave Junction
Isn’t it amazing-
amusing that John Bazen
(“Is God laughing” letter,
“I.V. News,” Sept. 14) uses
scientific discoveries as his
anti-science argument?
Does he believe that the
atomic resonance micro-
scope was designed by the
College of Cardinals? Or by
dedicated scientists?
Did a bishop describe
the complexity of the cell, or
a biologist? The church al-
ways has set itself firmly
against science, and has al-
ways been proven wrong.
The Earth does go
around the sun. A surgeon
washing his hands does pre-
vent infection. And humans
have walked on the moon.
As for a single mortal
life being meaningless:
(Continued on page 3)
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