Image provided by: Friends of the Sandy Public Library; Sandy, OR
About Sandy post. (Sandy, Oregon) 1938-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1975)
8 — SANDY (Or«.) POST Thur«.. Aug 21, ,975 (Sec. 1) GEORGE M IL L E R proudly displays his award from the International Association of Auxiliary Police for two years of distinguished service on the Sandy Auxiliary Police force in the early 1960's. MR M IL L E R even has personalised plates ECO l.tHiV IS N ’T a fad for this Sandy resident. George Miller leaves his house on a typical morning this week to collect roadside waste. For him. the highway pick-up Isa year round profession. Sandy b ik e r ÍW . G eorge M iller picks up streets CARROLL FUNERAL HOME 257 S. ROBERTS AVE. GRESHAM, OREGON^ PHONE 665 1117 Story/Photos by Paul Keller Staff Writer / have bought golden opinions The mileage count on his pike’s one year-old speedometer reads 3,692 miles It's a one speed two wheeler and he is a 60-year-old gen tleman with Santa Claus eyes. George A. M iller has been depending on bicycles for transp o rtatio n the last 20 years. He pedaled up these last 3.000 odd miles tracing the roads in and around the Sandy area looking for loot. Mr. M ille r capitalizes on our throw -a-w ay society’s bad from all sorts o f people. —Shakespeare. SERVICE NOT «t • N t & O iO £ * U H Buy 4 Gallons, G e t 7 Free Buy 4 g a llo n s o f e ith e r O lym p ic stain o r o ve rco a t and w e ll give you 1 of fne sam e product DLympic habit of litte rin g roadside ditches “ I pick up brass and copper and other stuff to make some extra money,” he explains in shy tones. Once e very two months or so he boards a bus into Portland with his stash of discarded valuables to trade for cash. “ You don’t find stuff every day on the highway,” reports the long time Sandyite But, he's out nearly every morning anyway in baggy pants and cap, peddling with one eye turned to the ditch When George was 49 years- old he rode his bike home to Sandy from his m other's funeral in Marshall. Tex., near the Louisiana border The 2.000 mile-plus journey took over three months. Newspapers in towns he passed through assigned reporters to intervied the interesting high way voyager. George still shows the clip pings and press photos he’s saved with pride to those who visit his humble cottage two miles north of Sandy. Would he want to take a trip like that again? “ Nope. I wouldn't want to do it again for anything,” assures the little man. “ I get tired out easily now—I'm pretty near 61 years old you know, I ’m getting up there ” The man has had two heart attacks. “ The doctors told me to take it easy,” he says. But his bike's mileage count is a giveaway. George gets more physical exercise than do most kids When he was young he never had a bike "We didn't have any bicycles then, my fam ily was too poor.” recalls the white-haired man Born in South B u tle r, N. Y ., on M arch 13, 1915, George moved with his fam ily to Ashland when he was one year old The Millers lived there 16 years before moving to Portland Eventually. George settled in Sandy. “ I've got a sister, but nobody seems to know where she's at,” claims George Two dogs, two cats and two pet mice keep him com pany in his cozy abode where a wood burner warms the second hand store-like atmosphere “ I used to have a monkey, but he was too hard to take care of,” George admits with a grin Even though he says he loves little children, he has never married. "Women just want a man with lots of money But you can't take money with you when you leave this world," he remarks, warming wrinkled hands over the wood heater George claims that he if he had his life to lead over again he wouldn’t change a thing “ I ’d love to have it all again." In 1962 he served two years on the Sandy Auxiliary Police Force A plaque on his kitchen wall from the International Association of Auxiliary Police acknowledges his distinguished service. “ I'd like to have a job now,” says Miller, who isn't content to r r r r n r n m n g m nrrT n i T T rr rm i si, back and live off a govern ment disability check each month (H e has a vertabrae ailm en t in his back which prevented him from joining the armed services earlier in his life.) "1 repair my own shoes and can fix any kind of rubber heels and soles,” he acknowledges. This week George was wearing his lace-up rubber boots, old wool coa, and stocking cap “ When it's muddy and wet on the highway it gels too dangerous I don’t like to go out.” Besides road combing, he also chops wood up by Marmot when the weather permits. How does the verterán cyclist feel about the new fangled ten speeds’ "There all right I guess, if you’re no, gathering stuff up. They're only made for racing and trying to see how fast you can go.” George takes things a little easier on his one speed He also makes sure he's abiding by the law. "All bike riders should obey the laws of the road jus, lik e . automobiles and ride just the way cars ride," he points out. Has he ever had a had ex perience while riding his bike on the public roadways? “Once in a great while people get smart—bu, I don’t pay any attention to them.” Two weathered badminton rackets hang from his bedroom door Does the avid cyclist also play badminton? “ I'd play if I had someone to pluy with, he responds A couple of years ago George said he made- out a will "1,'s m TTn i n u m im m r Grand Opening *** wood or Rt-o° Friday Aug. 22, 1975 <&onria,'s (Sale ends S ep tem b e r 1) V 16106 S.E. Division Portland Come & help us c e le b ra te l CARPETS Free draw ings Burlington House Carpets now on sale. Reg. $11.95 sq. yd, N O W thru Aug. 31 Open 9:30 - 5:30 MSet. Free C offee GEO RG E M IL L E R and his two wheel vehicle are a fam iliar sight («handy area motorists. Sign up fo r th e G rand Prize «•1 Need Not Be Present To Win 1975 OREGON STATE FAIR SpeeiS P n e « Run thru T u « . Only Aug. 23 thru Sept. I/Salem SPECTACULAR GRANDSTAND REVUES! Nantuck Denim Tern *1** B O B B Y G O LDSBO RO Reg « 1 8 8 Set , Aug 23-7 30 « 9 30pm 7fce Fina«! in Crearti, fmbroidery, Naarf/a^aiat, JO HNNYC ASH Sun , Aug 24 7 30 » 9 30pm Knitting Yarns, Meeked Kags S tI Sandy Decor Center 3 8 7 5 0 SE Proctor Blvd. Sandy, O regon 668 -5 1 6 0 FEATURING: Brunswick Buscilla Columbia Minerva OMC Paragon Reynolds Spinnerin LAAA A AA AJ A I S « a «.StAAA S 9J X A A S H I JIJ I S i $ fixed for the fire department to burn up everything I got- —unless I can find a friend ” m., J B.J. THOMAS Aug 30-7 3 0 » g 30pm FAIR HOURS lOam-IOpmMon -Thura lO a m llp m Fri . Sal * Sun “ - A T»o shuttle buss.« daily Irom Portland For lurthar Information call 227-1429 World Championship RCA RODEO ALL AMERICA Sunset Designs Unger Elsa Williams i , , H XAXA.«.AJLtXAXA-AJLAj D R U M CO RPS W EST C H A M P IO N S H IP F IN A L S Sun , Aug 31-7 30pm SEALSACROFTS Mon , S « l 1-7 30pm GATE ADMISSION Adults ,. »2 00 Students (13-1 7) «1 25 ------------ S -r Children ( (9-12) 5« HORSE SHOW laalurlna jerry O lson and his Roman Riding Ac I A u g 23 27 and M ONTH MONTANA. SR World's Foremost Trick Rider and Roper Aug 29 31 LONE OAK HORSE 6 RACING DAILY 10 days dally during the Fair Aug 23 • Sept 1 Resuming Sept 1 2 -O c t 29
