Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Page A-9
Winding Trails: by Al Hobart
Thursday, March 16, 1967
Illinois Valley News
Cascades skiing
again
Last Sunday for the first time in
my short but checkered career as a
ski enthusiast, circumstances placed
me on a moderate, uncrowded ski
slope under a bright sunny sky and
with snow conditions perfect for some
downhill practice on the light touring
skis.
And, also for the first time I
found myself able to zigzag down the
slope in a series of curves of varying
degree and capable of coming to a
stop in an upright position, instead of
sliding half way across the country
or terminating the uncontrolled glide
in a snowbank, up against a tree, or
coming to a disgraceful halt with my
skis wrapped around my neck, my
glasses somewhere on the scarred
slope 50 yards back and my lowers
crosswise in my snow-filled mouth.
On a private ski tour (not a part
of our ski club program) the old gang,
members of the Pruitt, Latusick, Doty,
and Vannice families, and myself, a
dozen of us in all, congregated in one
of our favorite winter playgrounds
– up on the Crater Lake Rim.
ROGUE VALLEY
From where we left the cars at
the end of the plowed-out road, some
distance north of the lodge, a short
tour on our skis took us to the ideal
slope I’ve mentioned. When we first
arrived there was not a track on the
snow; when we left, several hours
later, the slope looked like the Alpine
troops had spent a week of maneuvers
there.
Practicing downhill maneuvers
on cross-country skis isn’t quite like
performing on their regular downhill
counterparts; because, whereas the
entire boot is securely fastened to
the downhill ski to permit easy and
fast lifting of the tails of the skis in
making sharp turns, in cross-country
skiing the heel of the boot is left free
to enable the skier to walk freely
where the going is on the level or
uphill.
Walking any great distance with
boot heels fastened to the skis is a
blister-producing, tendon-torturing
experience – as I learned to my painful
discomfiture a winter or two ago. But
for the ride-up, slide down type of
skiing, where intricate maneuvering
and ski-wrenching stunts are common
place heel anchoring is essential.
However, with touring skis
equipped with suitable bindings – like
the semi-rigid cable type that our gang
all use – cutting downhill didoes can
be accomplished most satisfactorily,
OF GOVERNMENTS
Food & Friends Menu
FRIDAY – MAR 17
CORNED BEEF
MONDAY – MAR 20
BEEF MUSHROOM PATTY
WEDNESDAY - MAR 22
MEATLOAF W/ GRAVY
If you need meals
delivered or want to
volunteer please call
541-955-8839.
(Courtesy photo for the Illinois Valley News)
Al Hobart at Crazy Ridge in 1965.
i.V. Wellness resources
Social isolation and loneliness.
Social isolation is a state of complete or near-complete
lack of contact between an individual and society. Loneliness
reflects a temporary lack of contact with other humans and can
accelerate cognitive decline in older adults. Isolated individu-
als are twice as likely to die prematurely than those with more
robust social interactions. The loneliness of older adults often
results from family members moving away and close friends
passing away. As one senior put it, “Your world dies before you
do.” Since the 1980s, the percentage of American adults who
say they’re lonely has doubled from 20 percent to 40 percent.
About one-third of Americans older than 65 now live alone and
half of those over 85 do. People in poorer health — especially
those with mood disorders like anxiety and depression — are
more likely to feel lonely. Individuals with less social connec-
tion have disrupted sleep patterns, altered immune systems,
more inflammation and higher levels of stress hormones. One
recent study found that isolation increases the risk of heart
disease by 29 percent and stroke by 32 percent. Social isolation
is typically considered unhealthy when people spend exces-
sive time alone, particularly when they no longer benefit from
time spent alone. Socially isolating oneself can mean staying
home for days, not talking with friends or acquaintances, and
generally avoiding contact with other people. Isolation itself is
not a diagnosis, but it can be a symptom of depression, social
anxiety, or agoraphobia.
HOME SAFETY
EVALUATAIONS
If you are in need of a home
safety evaluation with a reg-
istered nurse please call I.V.
Wellness Resources for an
appointment. We have flex-
ible hours to meet your needs.
Call 541-592-9781.
Emotional isolation- when a person lacks a close confidant
or intimate partner- can occur as a result of social isolation.
Even though relationships are necessary for our wellbeing,
they can trigger negative feelings and thoughts, and emotional
isolation can act as a defense mechanism to protect a person
from emotional distress. When people are emotionally isolated,
they keep their feelings completely to themselves, are unable
to receive emotional support from others, feel “shut down”
or numb, and are reluctant or unwilling to communicate with
others, except perhaps for the most superficial matters. Ideally,
experts say, neighborhoods and communities should keep an
eye out for such older people and take steps to reduce social
isolation.
This is the reason that Illinois Valley Wellness Resources
is initiating a “Friendly Caller Program.” It will allow our
seniors and disabled folks to make or receive a call on a regular
basis. The calls allow you to know that someone out there cares
and that they know you are alright. It gives you an opportunity
to maintain a social connection. Human connection lies at the
heart of human wellbeing. It’s up to all of us - neighbors and
community- to maintain bonds where they’re fading, and create
ones where they haven’t existed.
You can contact I.V. Wellness Resources at www.ivwell-
nessresources@gmail.com. Please like our Facebook page by
searching for ivwellnessresources.
Senior BULLeTin
DEPRESSION &
FREE ADS
AARP TAx-AIDE
If you are a senior and want ANxIETY RECOV-
PROGRAM
Providing free tax assistance
to place a FREE AD for a
ERY PROGRAM
living or health care need
Call Kathy at 541-291- for middle & low incomes.
call Laura Mancuso at
7016 for information, Tax counselors are IRS-cer-
541-592-2541 or email
next class is Monday, tified. Call 541-592-6139 for
a Wednesday appointment in
laura@illinois-valley-news.
March 20 at 6 p.m.
com.
IRVAC Presents: A Beatles Celebration —
Can’t Buy
Me Love
Dinner, Dancing and Auctions
Saturday, March 25 • 5:30pm – 9pm
Selma Community Center, 18255 Redwood Hwy., Selma
Enjoy British Food and Live Music by
The Love Band in our Swinging London Club
Silent and Live
Auctions
Local Beer and Wine
Cash Bar
Kimberly and J.D. Smith
have led Bay Area’s Plastic
Onion Band for over 10 years.
J.D., member of Moby Grape,
has opened for Van Morrison
and Brian Wilson.
Johnny Trujillo , member of
Oregon Little Big Band, The
Toyes & Colonel Mustard, has
opened for Robin Trower and
John Mayall. Beatles music is
his favorite genre.
like myself, has been jeopardizing
his chances of skiing in the sky when
our earthly slopes no longer beckon,
because of the seemingly endless
frustration at getting on to those pesky
turns, was as elated as I was at finding
that he too is beginning to get the hang
of the thing.
That whole sunny, pleasure-
packed day was one grand picnic. And
for me the time can’t move along too
fast to the day when I’ll be doing it
again–at the same or as satisfactory a
place, and with the same old gang.
Senior SPoTLiGHT
Sponsored by
COUNCIL
providing you don’t try crowding your
luck beyond your unskilled limits.
As a matter of fact, expert skiers can
mingle with the flying crowd on the
resort slopes without being suspected
of going through the drill on heel-free
cross-country skis.
Two or three of our last-Sunday’s
group are pretty hot slat artists, and
some are beginning hopefuls. Others
(including me) are ski-cavorting
question-marks: eager beavers of the
twilight zone just getting the hang of
things, and chomping impatiently at
the bit between ski sessions.
On our private ski slope Sunday,
after hitting the bottom of the first
short steep pitch (at 90 mph it seemed)
I cautiously angled the heel of my
right ski outward and put most of my
weight on that ski, keeping a slight
outward pressure on the heel. Darned
if it didn’t bring me circling around
gently to the left. Then I reversed
the process, and swung around to
the right–and down the 200-yard-
long slope I went, maintaining the
thisaway-thataway pattern to near the
bottom, where I made a shorter turn
into the slope and came to a halt, still
standing up on my hind legs.
I repeated that performance over
and over, making that day of ski-play
one of my most satisfying and thrilling
ever. And others of the party felt the
same way. Charles, for instance, who,
Tickets Are
Limited!
Don’t Miss Out!
Tickets-
Advance: $27/pp
On Sale Now at
C.J. Umpqua Bank
At door: $30/pp
A Benefit for Illinois River Valley Arts Council (IRVAC) “Learning Through Arts.” www.irvac.com
Co-Sponsors: Caves Chevron, Illinois Valley News, Taylor’s Sausage, Umpqua Bank, Wild River Brewing & Pizza
Cave Junction.
WAnTeD
ILLINOIS VALLEY
WELLNESS
RESOURCES
SEEKING SERVICES
Valley seniors are
looking for transportation,
caregivers, firewood,
handymen, computer
skills, housekeepers and
yard work.
If you would like to
provide one of these
services and will complete
a background check and
have references, please
contact Laura Mancuso at
541-592-9781.
CAREGIVERS
AVAILABLE
If you are a senior or
disabled resident and are
looking for a caregiver
please call Illinois Valley
Wellness Resources at
541-592-9781.