OPINION
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
A5
The dying art of conversation
MAIN STREET
Rich Wandschneider
A brief
history of
tourism
A
s COVID fears decrease, tourism
flourishes. In some ways and places,
tourism continued right through
the worst of times, as second-homeown-
ers retreated to their second homes to wait it
out, or as RVers hit the road with their school-
age kids, teaching geography and history as
they telecommuted with classrooms. RV sales
soared, and getting and patching up a used RV
became near impossible. Makes sense: Buy
your groceries at Door-dash or shop the super-
market Sunday morning early, stock the RV
larder and hit the road.
That works for retirees, and for some —
students and workers — who can telecom-
mute from anywhere. It didn’t help hotels,
motels and restaurants accustomed to relying
on tourist dollars. And it didn’t help essential
workers who couldn’t get the time off — or
didn’t have RVs. But things have eased some
for the many grocery workers, nurses, box
store employees and others who count them-
selves “middle class.”
We’ve watched it all go by on Main Street
in Joseph, wintertime heavy with Idaho and
Washington license plates; and now the longer
reach, measured by Nevada, Texas, Wiscon-
sin, Carolina, New York and California plates.
This is not all new. There were adventur-
ers who set out for foreign lands in Greek and
Roman times — they left graffiti on buildings
and monuments, as did the poet Lord Byron; I
found his name scratched into an ancient tem-
ple in Greece when I “adventured” there in
1966.
One of my favorite book titles is “A Short
Walk in the Hindu Kush.” Short and steep;
Eric Newby set out to climb the mountains of
Afghanistan. He and a traveling companion
“trained” by climbing hills and visiting pubs
in Wales. Newby found a new career, and it
wasn’t mountain climbing, but travel writing.
Which reminds me that Tom Brosna-
han, a Peace Corps volunteer with me in Tur-
key, tired of teaching English, talked the tour-
ism ministry into his writing “Turkey on $5 a
Day” (this was in 1969; the last, 1993 edition,
was “Turkey on $40 a Day”). Tom has made
a career of it, with over 40 travel books and
work as a travel planner for people headed to
Turkey or France or other foreign lands.
Back at home, Americans have been
addicted to travel since the first Europeans
who called themselves Americans set out to
conquer a continent. Daniel Boone and John
Chapman — “Johnny Appleseed” — were
never satisfied with the settled, always looking
for new places and adventures. French voya-
geurs — “travelers” — paddled and carried
the fur trade in their canoes. Thomas Wolfe
wrote “You Can’t Go Home Again,” and in
describing a train trip from New York to North
Carolina, says that Americans are only “at
home” when they are on the move.
Closer yet to home, T. T. Geer, who would
become governor of Oregon in 1899, came
with friends on a camping trip to Wallowa
Lake in 1875, and wrote about it in “Fifty
Years in Oregon: Experiences, Observations
and Commentaries Upon Men, Measures and
Customs in Pioneer Days and Later Times.”
He took what might be the first photo of the
lake and as local history guru David Weaver
notes, described a happy trip with La Grande
friends — without once mentioning the tur-
moil going on between settlers and the Indians
just two years before Chief Joseph’s band of
Nez Perce were forced out.
Gov. Geer and Nez Perce eviction were fol-
lowed by settlement — and tourism. The tour
boat Lavina once carried visitors, who came to
Joseph by train and the foot of the lake by car-
riage to the head of the lake. There were box-
ing matches and a hotel restaurant with cloth
napkins there before the Wallowa Lake Lodge
was built in 1923. From bookstore days 40
years ago, I remember customers who came
every summer to spend the same three weeks
at Wallowa Lake, and others from Portland
and Tri-Cities who came to summer cabins.
The big change might be the democrati-
zation of tourism — once the rite and right
of the rich and famous, most Americans now
find time and money to be tourists, if only for
a rare week or weekend. Our local restaurants
are once again full, and the lines at Safeway
on Sunday were July 4 and Chief Joseph Days
long.
The Nez Perce, who were great travel-
ers themselves, canoeing to Celilo and hunt-
ing buffalo on the Plains, are different only in
that they are still attached to an original place
— which includes these Wallowas. One can
imagine the elders thinking: first Lewis and
Clark, then the fur traders who misnamed us,
followed by missionaries who thought we
should all be Presbyterians and settlers and
treaty-makers and military who displaced us.
Now the Nez Perce return from Lapwai
and Colville and Umatilla to dig roots on the
Zumwalt Prairie and sing and drum in the
Longhouse in Wallowa, tourists in their own
land.
———
Rich Wandschneider is the director of
the Josephy Library of Western History and
Culture.
OTHER VIEWS
Tom Purcell
T
exting is replacing talking as the
preferred form of communication?
According to a recent survey
by OpenMarket, 75% of millennials
chose texting over talking when given
the choice between being able only
to text versus call on their mobile
phone.
To be sure, the powerful digi-
tal devices almost everyone is carry-
ing around these days have changed
the art of human conversation and the
way we relate to each other — and
not for the better.
When I was in high school many
years ago, my mother encouraged me
to take a typewriting course, think-
ing it would benefit me in my work-
ing life — and, boy, did it benefit me
as a writer.
I don’t know how many words I
can type per minute, but I’m able to
put my thoughts onto the screen rap-
idly by using almost all my fingers on
the keyboard.
The arrangement of the keys on a
computer keypad is a legacy of the type-
writer, which was invented in the 1870s.
The typewriter eventually replaced
messy quill pens and paper pads and
greatly improved the efficiency of the
businesspeople and writers who learned
how to use it.
Now we are abandoning an 1870s
invention to revert to text messages that
we awkwardly compose with opposable
thumbs.
Mark Twain used his typewriter to
create long, eloquent sentences in his
memoir “Life on the Mississippi,” but
now humans use texting to b*****dize
the human language with abbrevi-
ated statements that would embarrass a
Neanderthal.
“Thag no like text. LOL. :)”
Psychologists say texting can cause
“infomania,” which Dictionary.com
defines as “an obsessive need to con-
stantly check emails, social media,
online news, etc.”
“WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP, THE
TELEPHONE THAT
HUNG ON OUR
KITCHEN WALL
WAS THE SOURCE
OF MANY LONG
CONVERSATIONS.”
Because it causes individuals to “lose
concentration as their minds remain
fixed in an almost permanent state of
readiness to react to technology,” info-
mania can actually cause you to tempo-
rarily lose twice as many IQ points as
smoking marijuana.
When I was growing up, the tele-
phone that hung on our kitchen wall was
the source of many long conversations.
When it rang everyone in the house
was excited to pick it up to chat with
whomever was calling.
Now, many people prefer to not
answer their mobile phones because
they don’t want to be burdened by con-
versing with another human being.
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco talks
about how excited his family used to get
20 years ago when the doorbell rang,
and how different our reaction is now.
Like Maniscalco’s family, my sib-
lings and I loved the sound of the door-
bell ringing as friends and neighbors
dropped in.
Our mom would break out the coffee
cake she saved for visitors. Our home
took on a festive spirit as storytelling
and laughter broke out.
Now what happens if someone has
the gall to ring your doorbell, asks
Maniscalco?
People turn off the lights, pull down
the blinds and pretend they’re not home.
Before email and texting became the
default modes of communicating, there
were multiple opportunities to greet and
converse with our fellow human beings
face-to-face.
We’d cheerfully talk about the
weather or sports or just “shoot the
bull.” We’d use facial expressions and
hand gestures to emphasize our points.
The act of chatting in person was
enriching.
Now the art of conversation is dying
out because we’ve reduced it to a form
of two-dimensional communication that
only requires you to tap a dozen letters
on your smartphone.
That’s a regrettable trend — or, if you
prefer, nothing to “ROTFL” about.
For the text-averse, ROTFL means
“roll on the floor laughing.”
———
Tom Purcell is an author and humor
columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Re-
view. Email him at Tom@TomPurcell.com.
Get some physical activity this summer
IT’S ABOUT
HEALTH AND
WELLNESS
Ann Bloom
I
t’s getting warmer outside, and the
grass is greener. We are starting to feel
like we need a little fresh air and physi-
cal activity to carry us forward through the
summer months. What to do?
We are extremely fortunate to live in one
of the most beautiful places on earth. We
are surrounded by mountains, trees, open
grassy fields and an abundance of streams.
And, of course, the crown jewel — Wal-
lowa Lake. With such beauty all around us,
and the fresh air that comes with it, walk-
ing seems like a natural for enjoying all that
Wallowa County has to offer while getting
in that 60 minutes of physical activity that
is suggested for most adults every day. And,
if you have a dog (or two), everyone will
benefit.
There is an etiquette to walking with a
dog. Just like people, dogs are all different.
Don’t assume that just because you love
your dog, that other people will feel the
same way about him or her.
Carol Vencill, president of the Wallowa
County Humane Society and obedience
training instructor, offers some tips on how
to have an enjoyable and safe walking expe-
rience with your canine companion.
“No. 1 — the dog needs to be properly
leashed trained. You have to have control
of the dog,” she said. She added that some
dogs are well-trained enough that they are
totally controlled by voice alone. She said
if people want their dog to have more free-
dom then they can use a long line of 15-20
feet.
“The leash is for safety reasons.” she
said, “On a trail, you don’t know what
you’ll encounter. In our county we have
cougar and bear. People need to be mindful
of other people and other animals.”
She said these include other dogs, horses
and even the occasional llama. She said that
if you are in an area where there is no one
around then you can let your dog off the
leash to run around and have a good time.
Also, don’t assume that all dogs like
each other. If you are walking toward
another person with their dog, on a path,
for safety’s sake, stop several feet away
and ask the person if their dog likes other
dogs. If the person says yes, then you can
slowly approach with your dog. If tails are
raised and there is a lot of nose sniffing and
tail wagging, it is probably safe to say the
dogs like each other or at least are willing to
accept one another. This is called the “meet
and greet.”
Vencill reminds people to, “always get
permission and keep it cheerful,” when
doing the meet and greet.
But what if the meet and greet doesn’t
go well?
“If one growls, don’t pull back,” she
said. This lifts the dog’s front legs off the
ground and makes it look bigger to the
other dog. She said the proper way is to
give a short corrective snap on the leash
and pull the dog’s head back toward you
which gets the focus away from the other
dog and back on you. Then move back
away from the other dog. As always, offer
lots of praise for coming back around to
you and, “try not to make a huge deal out
of it,” she said.
Other mannerly reminders while walk-
ing with your four-legged best friend:
carry away any droppings. No one likes to
clean up after your dog. It is part of being a
responsible pet owner.
Another assumption not to make: just
because you love your dog and believe
it is friendly doesn’t mean other people
will, too. People you may encounter may
not know that about your dog, and could
become frightened if they see a dog, even
though friendly, running toward them. This
is why a leash is important and needs to
have the dog at the other end of it.
When hiking with your pet, make sure
they have a collar on with proper identi-
fication. A microchip is also a good idea.
Microchips can be scanned at both veteri-
nary offices in Wallowa County, Enterprise
Animal Hospital and Double Arrow. If
you and your pet become separated, notify
the Wallowa County Humane Society and
the Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office. If
it’s during the week, call the veterinarian
offices and check with them to see if some-
one has found an injured dog and taken it
to the vet.
Wallowa County has some excellent
venues for walking. A popular route is past
Les Schwab, down the path behind the hos-
pital, around the assisted living facility
and on the sidewalk in front of the hospi-
tal and back to Schwab. This walk can be
extended by turning right at the entrance to
the assisted living facility and heading west
to the stop sign at Golf Course Road, turn-
ing right and walking to the golf course.
Round trip from Les Schwab, this route is
approximately two miles.
Another popular route is starting from
the parking lot at the Iwetemlaykin Her-
itage Park and exploring the paths in the
park. Although not paved, and single file,
they offer a good workout and spectacu-
lar views. There are also a few paths at the
state park at the south end of the lake.
In the lower valley, try the three-mile
route called the Diamond Prairie Loop.
Despite a lack of sidewalks in many
neighborhoods, walking around town is
still doable. It is also a good way to meet
your neighbors. And who knows? You
might find a new walking buddy. Or two.
———
Ann Bloom lives in Enterprise and has
worked for the OSU Extension Service for
15 years as a nutrition educator. She stud-
ied journalism and education at Washing-
ton State University.
Be sure to always have your clubs with you
TEE TIME
Rochelle Danielson
G
olfers: Are you packing up to go on
a long vacation or a short weekend
getaway? If so, be sure and throw
in your clubs.
“But,” you say, “why should I make
room for my clubs? Out-of-town golf
courses look daunting, and I may have to
pair up with strangers. As much as I enjoy
golf, I’m not that good, and I’d make a
fool of myself.”
Legitimate excuses, but if you wait
until you’ve perfected the game, you’ll
miss out on the challenges and the beauty
other courses present — like Buffalo
Peak’s unique link-style fairways, or the
Elkhorn Mountain view at Baker City’s
Quail Ridge.
Sure, there’s comfort in having your
own foursome, or your own golfing part-
ner, but if you want to play, and you’re a
single, the clubhouse personnel will set
you up with like-minded golfers.
“You can’t let other golfers intimidate
you,” says Jeff Larson, Enterprise class of
‘79, who took lessons from the late Dick
Quinn, but who seldom played once he
moved to Barrow, Alaska.
Since retirement two years ago, Jeff
claims he has played some amazing golf
courses, and also met some interesting
people.
Several weeks ago, Larson played with
three members of the Dove Valley club in
Cave Creek, Arizona.
“I sensed them to be good golfers
before they swung. They exuded con-
fidence. I’m shooting in the 90s, a duf-
fer by golf standards, but it didn’t bother
me, I was just happy to be out there in
the morning air. With these dudes watch-
ing, I went to hit my drive that lay off the
beaten path. About then, one of them said,
‘You’re going to damage your club if you
hit out of the dirt.’ I looked at him, and
said, ‘I’m not too worried. I have an axe
at home that looks better than this club.’
Never heard another peep out of him.”
The moral of this story: Don’t leave
your clubs at home. You never know
when an out-of-town course will strike
your fancy.
On the home front, it’s tournament
time at Alpine Meadows. Enter to play in
the Triple Six Tourney Saturday, June 26.
Call clubhouse for more information.
Thank you, too, to Gene Hatch for tak-
ing time to weed and edge around the No.
1 Back Tee. Looks good.
———
Rochelle Danielson of Enterprise loves
the game of golf and has golfed for many
years at Alpine Meadows.