AUGUST 27, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A21
A perilous ﬁ rst trip
The Great
OUTDOORS
BY JIM TAYLOR
For the Keizertimes
We often look back on our own
youth and wonder how we survived all
the things that would be unthinkable
in todays societies. The three day July
4th holiday, the summer before my high
school senior year was one of those
occasions.
My best friend John and I had
gotten our parents permission to go
on a camping and ﬁ shing trip to the
Metolius River by ourselves. We got
oﬀ work about midnight and headed
on our way in John’s '56 Ford. It was an
interesting vehicle held together with
prayers. The taillights and muﬄ er were
secured with wire clothes hangers.
Our ﬁ rst unfortunate incident was
in Mill City when John got a speed-
ing ticket for going 45 in a 35 mile per
hour zone. An auspicious start to our
trip. After traveling past Idahna, on a
dark moonless night, the headlights
suddenly went out on a curvy sec-
tion of road along the Santiam River.
Somehow John got the car stopped
without plunging into the river.
After wiggling wires we ﬁ nally got
the lights working and continued on
our way for about 10 miles when they
went out again. More wire jiggling
and we made it to Santiam Junction
where they went out for good. We
waited until it started to get light out
to proceed on our way.
Upon arriving at our camp spot
along the Metolius, John parked the
car and turned the steering wheel to
straighten the tires and it came oﬀ .
He had driven 100 miles and now
sat there with a detached steering
wheel. He handed it to me and said
“Here, you drive.”
We ﬁ nally found someone who
helped in reattaching the steering
wheel, not an easy ﬁ x. We ﬂ y ﬁ shed
the rest of the day and caught lots of
rainbow trout. During our ﬁ shing
we happened to meet two sisters
about our age. Two blond beauties
that even caused us to stop our ﬁ sh-
ing for a short time. Being handsome
young men we managed to wrangle
an invitation to join them and their
families for 4th of July ﬁ reworks at
their cabin across the river.
We were going to have to drive to
get the cabin and it would be dark
but we had no headlights. I decided
to sit on the hood with a ﬂ ashlight
and lead the way.
It was diﬃ cult to ﬁ nd our way
through the pine forrest with only
the ﬂ ashlight but I ﬁ nally told John
to stop the car because it was getting
rocky where we were driving. We
continued to the cabin on foot and
joined the girls and their family for
an enjoyable evening.
Upon ﬁ nding our way back to the
truck we saw people and lights sur-
rounding it. One of those people was
the Sheriﬀ . I had inadvertently led
John to park in some ladies rock gar-
den. She was not happy. After apol-
ogizing over and over and begging
the Sheriﬀ to be lenient with us he
kindly led us back to our camp after
a stern lecture.
The next day we ﬁ shed until the
early afternoon as we had to get
home before dark. We had no prob-
lems on the trip home but later dis-
covered a few missing coat hangers.
Probably in the Rock Garden.
Maya Alston (21) will be a key contributor to this Celtics team after receiving an honorable
mention nod last season as a freshman. FILE PHOTO, Keizertimes
GSOC,
Continued from page A15
play a key role in the Celtics success this
season — Alston received an honorable
mention nod for her play as a freshman last
season.
“She is showing leadership already. She
is not scared to tell upperclassmen if they
are not in the right spot. I am really excited
to have her back,” Brouse said.
The back line will be a big question
mark for the Celtics this year. Along with
losing multiple defenders to graduation,
McNary gave up two or more goals in 10 of
their 12 games last season. Senior Isabelle
Gatchet and freshman Kaelynn King will
hold the two main spots on the back line
this season, and Brouse believes that both
players are up to the challenge.
“We are going to miss those seniors,
don't get me wrong, but I think we will be
okay back there,” Brouse said.
Without a set goaltender in the back
of the net last season, the Celtics cycled
through a litany of keepers in the spring.
While Brouse will probably mix it up at the
goalkeeper position this year, sophomore
Hannah Ferguson will receive the majority
of the reps in the net.
“She is going to probably get more time
in the net than anyone else, but there will
probably be a little shuﬄ ing,” Brouse said.
With the experience they have and the
improvement they have shown over the
last six months, anything short of a play-
oﬀ appearance will be a disappointment
to this McNary team, according to Brouse
— McNary's last playoﬀ appearance was in
2017.
“This team has more technical talent
and sees the ﬁ eld well. If we don't make
the playoﬀ s, it won't feel like a successful
season. I think we have the depth this year
with 18 players on varsity. A lot of these
girls play club, so I feel like if we aren't in
the running for a playoﬀ spot we will be
upset with the season,” Brouse said.
McNary travels to Westview for their
season opener on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7
p.m.
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