The BulleTin • Tuesday, June 1, 2021 A7
TENNIS | FRENCH OPEN
DEAR ABBY
LE GRAND RETOUR
Federer wins return
to Paris, Slam action
BY JOHN LEICESTER AND
SAMUEL PETREQUIN
AP Sports Writers
PARIS — They feted Roger
Federer with as loud as ap-
plause gets from a crowd
capped at 1,000 people in
Court Philippe Chatrier —
when he walked out with a
wave, when he hit one of his
48 winners, even when he at-
tempted a back-to-the-net
‘tweener and hit the ball out.
This match bathed in sun-
shine Monday meant Federer
finally was back at the French
Open and back in Grand Slam
action and he gave the excited
fans what they wanted perhaps
as much as he did: a victory.
Federer’s first compeition at
any major tournament in 16
months ended with him on
the right side of a 6-2, 6-4, 6-3
score against qualifier Denis
Istomin at the French Open as
fans chanted “Ro-ger! Ro-ger!”
It was a case of many happy
returns — and serves, fore-
hands, backhands, volleys and
drop shots, too.
“What a pleasure to be back,”
Federer said.
Showing no signs of rust,
really, or trouble with the
right knee that needed two
operations last year, Federer
produced more than twice as
many winners as his 20 un-
forced errors and never faced a
break point while improving to
8-0 against Istomin over their
careers.
“Always great to be on
court with this legend. To play
against him is always a big
(deal),” Istomin said. “I was
expecting all the spectators to
cheer for him.”
They sure did, with one
voice from the stands shouting,
“A delight, Roger! A delight!”
as Federer went up 4-2 in the
third set.
Federer, whose 40th birth-
day is Aug. 8, hadn’t appeared
on the Grand Slam stage since
Jan. 30, 2020, when he lost to
Novak Djokovic in the Austra-
lian Open semifinals.
This was just Federer’s sec-
ond trip to the French Open
since 2015. In addition to last
year’s absence because of the
knee issues, he withdrew in
2016 citing a bad back, then sat
out the clay-court circuit each
of the next two years to focus
on the grass-court portion of
the season.
He acknowledged recently
he has zero chance of claiming
the trophy this time around in
Paris; instead, he is hoping to
Lewis
Continued from A5
He explained: the angler
keeps the line high to lift the
flies when they began to drag,
sometimes skittering the flies
upstream like caddis laying
eggs. Trout are teased, enticed
by a second look, by the action
of the flies.
I heard him, understood
him, but it was a bit of time be-
fore I “refloated” the two-fly
cast properly.
It didn’t matter. The trout
were not looking up anyway.
A low pressure system was
blowing through and the tem-
perature had dropped. If fish
were bitin’, they were bitin’ each
other.
The first part of the float
down from Silver Creek to the
Leaburg take-out is decep-
tively calm with easy riffles and
a small assortment of sharp
boulders to negotiate around.
Helfrich pushed through
quickly. There was afternoon
rain to beat and better water to
fish downstream.
On both sides of the river
were reminders, fire-blackened
trees and small crews salvaging
timber. We heard chainsaws
and nail guns — a few build-
ings already being rebuilt.
Late on the night of Septem-
ber 7, 2020, extreme east-west
winds blew up a smaller fire
that had started a few weeks
prior and was burning be-
tween McKenzie Bridge and
Vida. A month later, the fire
had burned 173,000 acres and
destroyed over 400 homes and
businesses.
Randy Dersham’s property
at Nimrod was a total loss —
Gary Lewis/For The Bulletin
Ken Helfrich rows his driftboat down the McKenzie River during a recent
9-mile fishing trip.
boats, cars, homes, garages and
everything inside them.
Helfrich handed me a
nymphing rod with an indica-
tor and two beadheads, includ-
ing a No. 10 Prince Nymph.
River left, Helfrich slipped the
boat over a shoal and back-fer-
ried in an eddy while I shook
out line and made the first cast.
“Shorten up and cast again,”
Helfrich whispered. This time
the indicator plunged and I
set the hook. The fish somer-
saulted then plunged, fight-
ing along the underwater cliff
then streaking out toward the
open river. With the long rod
and the drag of the line, I was
able to turn it and about five
minutes later we were able to
slide the net under 17 inches
of hatchery holdover rainbow
trout.
We passed the mouth of
Bear Creek and floated Horse-
tail Rapids. At the tailout of
a riffle, we saw a mink pull a
trout out of the river. Fierce, it
glared our way then dragged
its prize up the bank.
Into Marten Rapids Helfrich
pointed the boat at a boulder
then pulled away, now rid-
ing the fence of the eddy, now
pulling to slow our momen-
tum, now pushing, now swing-
ing to pull off a rock, catch-
ing an eddy again. Wooden
boats with flat bottoms and
squared-off edges were built
to negotiate these rapids and
the style of boat came to be
known as the McKenzie River
drift boat. With subtle moves
of his wrists, dipping the oars,
pulling back, now powering
ahead, Helfrich demonstrated
why a wooden driftboat with
its superior turning ability is
the best choice for a river rock
garden.
A salvage logging operation
was underway in Ben and Kay
Dorris State Park. A helicopter
rose above the blackened trees.
Denali
Continued from A5
Experts recommend taking
17 to 21 days to climb Denali.
That includes rest days and
extra days to wait out extreme
weather. Many expeditions get
“desperation, impatience and
summit fever” when they are
running out of days and take
risks, rangers said.
Officials at Denali also are
seeing people leave their orig-
inal climbing groups after
reaching the final base camp
at 14,000 feet when the groups
are reluctant to go for the sum-
mit. Instead, the climbers join
other groups or individuals
they just met.
Sometimes those people get
too sick to keep going and are
crammed into tents with other
more prepared climbers, using
their water and fuel. “A num-
Becky Bohrer/AP file
Sightseeing buses and tourists are seen at a popular pullout, in 2016,
with views of North America’s tallest peak, Denali, in Alaska.
ber of climbing teams have had
their own summit bids dis-
rupted or ruined by the need
to care for these climbers,” the
statement said.
The statement also re-
minded climbers that the Na-
tional Park Service rescues
people only when their lives,
limbs or eyesight are at risk.
tune up his game to be ready to
challenge for a championship
at Wimbledon, where play be-
gins in late June.
“In a way I like this situa-
tion — that I don’t know what’s
next, how my next match will
be. I don’t even know who I
play, to be honest,” said Fed-
erer, whose second-round op-
ponent will be 2014 U.S. Open
champion Marin Cilic. “I take
it round by round, match by
match.”
After rhythmic clapping ac-
companied Federer’s trot to the
baseline for the match’s open-
ing point, he got off to the per-
fect start against Istomin, who
is ranked 204th and now is the
owner of a seven-match Grand
Slam losing streak.
Just 1 1/2 hours later, it was
over for Federer, who won the
2009 French Open for one of
his 20 Grand Slam titles.
Where the river split around
a small island Helfrich pointed
the squared-off end of the boat
into a back channel. Using the
nymphing rod, I set the hook
into a 16-inch wild McKen-
zie River redband that took us
down through the rapids.
With two great trout and
several smaller ones to our
credit, I switched to the dry fly
rod. We saw yellow mayflies,
gray drakes and green caddis. I
practiced the McKenzie River
refloat and caught half a dozen
trout in spite of myself.
Bruised and sullen clouds
loomed over Leaburg and we
knew the storm was going to
hit us. Still we fished.
“Re-cast, closer to the boat,”
Helfrich whispered. “Let the
flies ride that slick.”
He didn’t have to tell me
when to refloat. I lifted the
rod, picked up the two-fly cast,
dropped it back in. Behind me,
Helfrich rolled his left oar one
way and the right paddle the
other. I felt the boat move, saw
the flies pick up again and a
trout picked the green caddis
dropper off the top of the slick.
It was a beautiful thing, oars-
man and fly-rodder in perfect
sync. And it only took a 9-mile
float.
In June sometimes the trout
are so competitive, the fish
looking up, the trout will clear
the water for a fly 6 or 8 inches
above the surface. Float and re-
float the McKenzie this sum-
mer and see it like you have
never seen it before.
e
Gary Lewis is the host of “Frontier
Unlimited TV” and author of “Fishing
Central Oregon,” “Fishing Mount Hood
Country” and other titles. Contact Gary
at www.garylewisoutdoors.com
“Anything that we deem
falls outside these categories,
we will leave you to figure out
on your own, and this year we
have already turned down res-
cue requests that don’t meet
these criteria,” they said.
The Park Service limits the
number of people who can
climb Denali to less than 1,500
per year. In 2019, 726 people
made the summit, according to
the agency.
The busiest time for climb-
ing Denali is May and June.
The cold weather is a prob-
lem in the spring, and storms
become more frequent in the
summer.
The forecast for the sum-
mit Sunday called for a 40%
chance of snow with tempera-
tures from minus 10 to 0 Fahr-
enheit and winds up to 35
mph, according to the National
Weather Service.
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: I went to lunch
with “Anita,” who proceeded
to question me about how
I know my friend “Gail.” It
seems like an innocent ques-
tion, but Gail and I met in Al-
coholics Anonymous. I didn’t
tell Anita we met in AA be-
cause it would’ve destroyed
Gail’s anonymity, so I said we
met through mutual friends.
I didn’t mind one question,
but Anita kept probing about
“mutual friends.” I wound up
fibbing and saying, “folks at
my church.” It managed to
change the direction of the
conversation, but I wish peo-
ple wouldn’t pry like that.
This also happens when I’m
at a party and someone asks
me why I’m not drinking. It’s
easy to respond to one ques-
tion with a general answer,
but a lot of times I encounter
folks who keep pushing.
I would like to encourage
your readers to be sensitive to
these kinds of situations and
to allow people their privacy.
Thanks, Abby.
— Anonymous and
Sober in the South
Dear Anonymous: So
would I, and you’re welcome.
There is no shortage of nosy
questions that people don’t
hesitate to ask these days, as
anyone who has read this col-
umn is aware. However, to
many people, membership
in AA is a badge of honor.
When “pushed” to answer
why they are not drinking al-
cohol they are upfront about
the fact they are in AA. Of
course, one does not have to
have a drinking problem to
avoid alcohol. Some people
refrain because they don’t feel
well when they drink; others
do it because they are taking
antibiotics or want to live a
healthier lifestyle. The bot-
tom line is, you do not have
to answer every question
that’s asked of you.
Dear Abby: When my hus-
band of 19 years died sud-
denly 15 months ago (we
had no children), my finan-
cial situation changed con-
siderably. I have had trouble
paying bills, and my water
was turned off this morning.
When I told my siblings and
their families, their answers
ranged from “I can’t help
you,” to “Gee, that sucks!”
to “Come have meatloaf for
dinner.”
My niece, who is finan-
cially well-off, commented
that it sucked. I told them all
that I HAVE NO WATER.
I do have a five-day-a-week
job. I just don’t have a lot of
money because of so many
things that have happened.
I’ll have the money in a week
or so, but I can’t live without
water for that long.
Is it wrong to want them
to offer to help me? Am I ex-
pecting too much? If the situ-
ation were reversed, I would
offer help immediately.
— In a Tough Spot in Kentucky
Dear Tough Spot: Please
accept my deepest sympathy
for the loss of your husband.
No, it’s not wrong to want
your relatives to offer to help
you out with a bridge loan un-
til the money you’re expect-
ing arrives. However, because
they didn’t offer, ASK them
for one, and be willing to sign
a note if they wish. Then cross
your fingers that one of them
agrees. If none of them do, ap-
proach your employer and ask
for an advance on your salary,
or contact the water company
and ask if you can strike a
deal. I wish you luck.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Georgia Nicols
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT
MOON ALERT: After 2:30 a.m. EDT there are no restrictions to shopping
or important decisions. The Moon is in Pisces.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2021: You are
creative, witty and easygoing. You are also restless, which is why you hesitate
before committing to anything. You like the freedom to be spontaneous.
This year you need to determine what you want that will promote your hap-
piness. You also might be more in the spotlight. This is also an excellent year
for relationships — personal, professional and romantic.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Because Mercury retrograde is creating transportation delays, give
yourself extra time for travel or attending appointments. Be proactive about
car repairs or anything that looks like it might cause you trouble. Be patient
with goofy errors. Tonight: Enjoy some solitude.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
You are in the throes of Mercury retrograde, which is why checks in
the mail are late along with other payments. Many financial issues will be
stalled in the water. However, you might find something you lost. It’s an ex-
cellent time to finish old business. Tonight: Socialize with friends.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Mercury is your ruler, and this particular Mercury retrograde is taking
place in Gemini! This is why you will encounter ex-partners and friends
from the past. It’s also why you might miss appointments, misplace items
and suffer from confused communications. Courage! Tonight: Make a good
impression.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Generally, Mercury retrograde creates delays, confusion and errors.
However, each Mercury retrograde is different because it occurs in a different
sign. This particular Mercury retrograde will help you do research and study
the past. Tonight: Learn something new.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Mercury retrograde will put you in touch with friends from the past at
this time. You also might hear from members of groups, clubs and organi-
zations from the distant past. This could cause some of you to rethink some
goals that you previously made. Tonight: Organize paperwork.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Because Mercury retrograde is at the top of your chart, you will likely
hear from bosses, parents and people in authority you have not been in
touch with for a while. (This could be a good thing — or not.) It’s a good time
to pitch an old idea. Tonight: Cozy conversation with someone close.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You can use this current Mercury retrograde to finish important
papers or manuscripts, plus study history or do research into the past. You
also might be in touch with people in other countries or from other cultures
whom you have not seen in a while. It’s an interesting time! Tonight: Improve
your health and tidy up.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Although the current Mercury retrograde will create errors and de-
lays for you, it also will help you wrap up old business related to shared prop-
erty, inheritances, taxes, debt and anything that you own jointly with others.
If you want to finish something, this will be easy to do. Tonight: Socialize!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
This current Mercury retrograde is opposite your sign, which is
almost a guarantee that you will be thinking about, dreaming about or
encountering ex-partners and old friends from your past. Somehow, these
people are back in your world or your mind stream. Tonight: Relax at home.
Blazers
Continued from A5
While the Nuggets have
produced remarkable come-
backs in the playoffs, Malone
is clearly not comfortable with
the team constantly testing fate.
“As great as last year was,
being down 3-1 twice — you
don’t want to constantly put
yourself in that position if you
don’t have to,” Malone said. “I
think it’s a dangerous proposi-
tion to think that we will always
handle adversity, face adversity
and find a way to succeed.”
An irritated Malone called
out his starters and said the
Nuggets “played soft” in Game
4. He said the team must win
the “intangible battle” to in-
crease their chance of success
in Game 5.
The intangibles begin with
the Nuggets playing far bet-
ter defense than they did in
Game 4. The Blazers pushed
the Nuggets around and made
50 percent of their shots over-
all. Portland star guard Damian
Lillard scored just 10 points,
but Norman Powell’s 29 points
led five Blazers scoring in dou-
ble figures.
Another intangible is the
Nuggets’ seemed to shrink
from the Blazers bullying them
on defense.
The Nuggets shot a se-
ries-low 34.9 percent overall
in Game 4. Center Nikola Jo-
kic, pushed around by Blazers’
center Jusuf Nurkic, was held
to 16 points after averaging 36
points a game through the first
three games. Forward Michael
Porter Jr. didn’t respond at all to
the Blazers’ aggressiveness and
disappeared, taking just three
shots in the game.
“We came out soft. We’ve got
to come out strong. It’s gonna
be a dogfight,” forward JaMy-
chal Green said. “We know we
gotta finish. This is a team that
you can’t play around with.
They make a lot of big shots,
a lot of tough shots. This is a
team that you gotta put away.”
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Your efficiency will suffer with this current Mercury retrograde, which
will last until June 22. Please note: The shadow period will last until July 8. So
if you’re buying ground transportation, computers or cellphones, be smart
and wait until after July 8. Tonight: Share your ideas.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Many of you are encountering old flames or talking about them,
dreaming about them or remembering them. (It’s weird how some old
flames are forgettable and some so memorable.) This Mercury retrograde
will help you deal with old issues related to your kids. Tonight: Increasing
your wealth?
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Mercury retrograde will attract relatives to your doorstep. (Stock the
fridge.) However, it will also give you a wonderful chance to tackle home re-
pairs that you’ve been avoiding, as well as have family discussions to address
certain issues, possibly about a parent. Tonight: Warm conversations.