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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2001)
Page 2 The INDEPENDENT, August 1, 2001 Th, /l/O W INDEPENDENT Q „ • • IA Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published twice monthly, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064, as a free newspaper. Edi tors and Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen. Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410, e-mail: noni@vernonia.com o ODYsser Jamboree is time to remember friends After 45 years, it’s fair to say that the Vernonia Friendship Jamboree has become a tradition, and the name of this community celebration is a great re minder of its purpose. It’s not just The Jamboree, or even the Vernonia Jamboree, no, it’s the Vernonia Friendship Jamboree, an important distinction. Many community celebrations are designed primar ily to bring more business to town. The Friendship Jamboree started for entirely different reasons— it was designed as an excuse for old friends to get together, as reunion time, and it works. During Jamboree, it’s common to see many people who have left the area, but who take advantage of the celebration as a good time to visit. Traditional aspects of the Friendship Jamboree may also be seen in some of the events: The logging show actually predates the Jamboree but, fairly early on, it adjusted its schedule so the events were combined. The parade has been a Jamboree element since the beginning and the softball tournament is in its 26th year, or thereabouts. One place many people will want to visit is the His torical Society Museum and they won’t be disappoint ed, because it will be open this weekend. Friday and Sunday hours will be 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Satur day, the museum won’t open until 1:00 p.m. so every body can watch the parade before opening time. Friends will also be stopping by the Vernonia Senior Center for a visit, throughout the weekend. Newcomers needn’t be shy, either. It’s a great time to meet present and former residents and learn from them what the town used to be like. It’s a time when conversation with strangers is commonplace because no one feels like a stranger. Many of the events that have developed during the Friendship Jamboree, have been developed by friends for friends. The horse gaming is a friendly, fam ily-oriented competition. Every year, the fast draw brings friends from Canada, allowing an international competition in this small town. Most of the musicians at the Alternative Stage are friends. Friends organize the cruise-in for others with similar interests. Anyone who has attended the logging show knows that, in spite of tough competition, laughter is the common de nominator for both spectators and participants, as long-time friends rib each other publicly. It’s hard to imagine a better reason for a communi ty celebration than friendship— let’s hope that reason never disappears for, in the words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge [1772-1834]: Friendship is a sheltering tree. \Ne invite you to join us in enjoyment of the Vernon ia Friendship Jamboree. & 2 4MI % * 2/ e o o A -X * * * * * IAg gajg... self-imposed minimum of 1300 cfs. Don’t be scared off from booking a trip yet this year, though. The upstream dams are supposed to Summer ‘tis the season for family vacations! I boost the flow up to 1800 cfs in August. I have just got back from a nine-day trip all across Ore been on this trip before and no matter what any gon. I didn’t go hunting or fishing. This was a body says, three screaming 460 Ford engines family vacation and a tour of some of Oregon’s combined to pump out almost 1000 horsepower treasures. is a kick in the pants any day. The day was For those of you who haven’t heard, my bach beautiful and warm as we reached the white wa elor days are numbered. I have fallen for a local ter portion of the river. I started wishing that I lady who picks up trash in her spare time. Yes, if was in my kayak running these rapids -SLAP- you guessed Donna Gehrke, you are right. We “Sorry again, sweetheart!” The Jet boat pilot was thought the ultimate test of my devotion would very skillful as we dodged rocks and stream be to go on a family vacation with her two markers. He also showed constraint about get daughters, Erin and Jessie. See the end of the ting us wet - until we were getting hot. Then, story to see if we’re still engaged! look out! The girls liked the getting wet part. Our first stop was in Eugene and a motel with There is talk about curtailing these commercial a pool. We didn’t get started till after noon and rides in the lower Rogue River. I think this would we just wanted to cut our next days trip to Brook be a travesty, since it would prevent thousands ings down to size. The girls and I enjoyed the of people each year from experiencing the pool, while Donna was content with the Jacuzzi. rugged beauty of this region. The next day, we went through Wildlife Safari Day four was spent traveling down Highway at Winston, then headed over to the coast to 101 into California, then back up Highway 199 Harris Beach State Park. When we arrived, into Oregon. The redwoods on the first part of there was a long line at the check-in booth. Don 199 were magnificent. I haven’t seen trees this na had made reservations and we were allowed large since I was a kid. The highway parallels to have express check-in. Not having been to a the famous Smith River, a kayaker’s paradise - State Park in eons, I just pulled in behind every backhand- “Sorry darling, I was looking at the body else. Donna hopped out of the car and hawk in the tree above that class V drop” -jab to headed to the booth. Soon, she started waving the ribs-. Soon, we were at Cave Junction and her hands for me to pull out of line and around the crooked drive up to Oregon Caves National everybody else. I started to pass the line on the Monument. I thoroughly enjoyed the caves. I left, but the guy in front of me thought Donna thought the girls might be afraid, but they was a Park Ranger and cut me off. He sure had showed NO FEAR. If you haven’t been to the a funny look on his face as I passed him on the Oregon Caves, it is a must. It is a trip deep into left while he sat at the left side of the check-in the bowels of a mountainside, along the path of booth with the sign that said “this lane for ex an ever eroding stream. Claustrophobic people press check-in only,” and the imagined Park should not attempt this adventure, though. A Ranger hopped into my passenger seat and we person also needs to be in good shape, since drove off. Express check-in is the only way to there is a lot of descending and climbing on the go! .6 mile journey back in time. Oh, did I mention Harris Beach is a very beautiful park, espe the stream that carved the Oregon Caves is the cially the beach. The girls did a good job of get magnificent Illinois River, another kayaker’s des ting wet, trying to outrun the incoming waves. I tination, -eye gouge-, “Sorry sweetheart!” We kept wanting my kayak, -slap-, “Sorry, honey, my traveled to Gold Hill next and the incredible mind wandered for just a second!" The camping House of Mystery. The girls loved the vortex’s ef is typical of state parks, a small paved pad, a fire fects, especially when it made them taller and ring and a picnic table. We pitched two back me smaller. This place is surely a mind teaser. packing tents and called it home. We spent the night camping next to the upper On our third day, we traveled back up the Rogue River in a private campground near coast to Gold Beach and the famous Rogue Riv Shady Cove. er. We had reservations with Jerry’s Rogue Jets Day five dawned clear and warm as we for an action-packed 104-mile jet boat ride. We scrambled to pack the back of the car with our had to settle for an 80-mile round trip instead, overabundance of gear. Soon, we entered because of the low river level. The Rogue River Crater Lake National Park, where Donna and I was flowing at about 1100 cfs, and Jerry’s has a Please see page 2 By Dale Webb, member Nehalem Valley Chapter Izaak Walton League
