Hop Aboard with Thebeerchaser – Part III – Sydney

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

After leaving Charlottetown on our cruise from Montreal to Boston, the fifth and sixth days saw us docking in two cities in Nova Scotia – first Sydney on Cape Breton Island and then Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia.

The map above shows Sydney on the northeast coast. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

So, for the first time we left the watery “confines,” if you will, of the St. Lawrence River and ventured forth into more expansive nautical territory including the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Cabot Strait (between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland) and then the Atlantic Ocean.

I should add that due to a bit of inclement weather during much of the first part of the cruise, I hadn’t been able to sit outside our stateroom and just take in the marine scenery.

To remedy that while we were sailing the Gulf of St. Lawrence, I bundled up in several layers and “capped” it off with a stocking cap and then my favorite Benedictine Brewery hat on top of that. (By the way, that’s coffee in my cup and not beer.) #2

It harkened back memories of days on both a Navy destroyer and destroyer escort, so I decided even though there were winds and swells, to look over the rail of the ship – for a better view.

To my chagrin and without warning, a big gust hit and my brewery cap, sailed off my head and disappeared over the starboard side of the Volendam – into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

My first inclination was to shout, “Monk overboard!” but I figured the captain was not going to issue the command, “Full speed astern,” to recover my headgear. (A new one is on my to-do list when I again visit the Mount Angel Abbey.) #3

“Monk Overboard!”

Nova Scotia – Fascinating History

I could devote several posts just to the history, culture and geography of Nova Scotia, but will summarize. It was first visited by outsiders when the French landed in the early 1600’s.

“In 1605, Acadia – France’s first New France colony—was founded with the creation of Acadia’s capital, Port Royal.” (Wikipedia)

Since that time Nova Scotia has been directly or peripherally involved in military conflicts with groups including the English, Scottish, Dutch, French, Americans and the original inhabitants – the Mi’kMaq.

The conflicts ranged from the American Revolution, the French and Indian War, the War of 1812 and the American Civil War.

“Nova Scotia is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada, with an estimated population of over 1 million as of 2024; it is also the second-most densely populated province in Canada, and second-smallest province by area.”

Cape Breton Island, a large island to the northeast of the Nova Scotia mainland, is also part of the province, as is Sable Island, a small island notorious for being the site of offshore shipwrecks. (I was thankful that our captain avoided Sable Island and didn’t try to use the navigation chart below.) #4

A_map_of_Sable_Island_showing_the_location_of_the_known_wrecks_upon_the_island_LCCN2003668269 (1)

Map showing location of shipwrecks along Sable Island

Port Royal was the first permanent European settlement in what would become Canada. The settlement was in the Mi’kmaw district of Kespukwitk and was the founding settlement of what would become Acadia.

The French and Acadians lived in Nova Scotia and during the early years, nine significant military clashes took place as the English and Scottish, Dutch French, and Mi’kmaq fought for possession of the area. (#5)

The treatment of the Arcadians by the British is a sad chapter in Western Civilization:

“The Expulsion of the Acadians was the forced removal of inhabitants of the North American region historically known as Acadia between 1755 and 1764 by Great Britain.

It included the modern Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, along with part of the US state of Maine.” (Wikipedia)

The history is complex, but the British finally and reluctantly acknowledged the grave error of their actions although it took until the 20th century for some of this to transpire.

“Some 233,000 people whose mother tongue is French—the great majority of whom are Acadians—represent one third of the province’s (New Brunswick) population.” (The Canadian Encylopedia)

The Arcadians have made great strides which led me when I saw the hat below to state that I was glad that they were taking a more assertive position until Janet chastised me for misinterpreting the acronym. (I quickly recanted.) (#6)

No, Don. That’s not Arcadians!

Sydney

But I digress…when we docked at Sydney – founded in 1785 by the British and incorporated as a city in 1904 – with a current population of just over 31,000, we were greeted by two interesting scenes on the pier:

Purportedly, the largest fiddle in the world, the instrument and bow reach a height of 60 feet – it’s made of solid steel and …“was dubbed the ‘Big Fiddle of the Ceilidh’. Ceilidh is a Gaelic word which translates into ‘visit’.” (Atlas Obscura.com)

I was a bit disappointed not to hear a soundtrack of Alabama’s hit – “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas, You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band.” (But perhaps not one that big…although given the Texas mentality, one never knows.)

Although having a rich history, Sydney was definitely not as impressive as Quebec City and Charlottetown in its presentation of that legacy, but our eight-hour bus tour that day along a major portion of The Cabot Trail made up for that. A large portion of the economy in Sydney depends on the cruise industry. (#7)

“This 298 km (186 mi) highway weaves through The Cape Breton Highlands National Park, rewarding travelers with spectacular valley and coastal views all along the way.” (www.novascotia.com)

It reminded me of the amazing Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park although the Cabot has breathtaking views of the sea as well as the rugged mountains.

In fact, Cape Breton Highlands National Park is described as:

“One of Nova Scotia’s most enchanting places, where the mountains meet the sea. Discover 950 square kilometres of rugged wilderness, travel along the world-famous Cabot Trail and marvel at lush, forested river canyons carved into an ancient plateau.” (https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ns/cbreton)

We had a great bus ride – other than a tour guide who thought she was a stand-up comedian performing at the front of the bus as we made our journey. (Unfortunately spurred on by repeated guffaws from a small minority of our fellow riders….).

It included a wonderful buffet lunch with the best clam chowder I’ve had in years at a small restaurant in the fishing village of Ingonish, halfway through the trip.

Not to be parochial, but giving a shout-out to our Oregon, we found that while the scenery – both along the Cabot Trail and on a tour through Acadia National Park at our final port – Bar Harbor – were outstanding, they certainly did not surpass what we sometimes take for granted along the beautiful Oregon Coast and the mountains in Central and Eastern Oregon – two to four hours respectively from our home.

And as seen below from our 2023 trip to Steens Mountain in Eastern Oregon, you probably won’t encounter cattle along your highway on the way.

Stay tuned for our next port – Halifax, Nova Scotia, which included a trip to an outstanding brewery.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (Cape Breton Island – Cape Breton Island – Wikipedia) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. Author: Klaus M. – 3 January 2007.

#2. Benedictine Brewery (Benedictine Brewery Black Cap – Mount Angel Abbey).

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Portrait_of_a_Monk_in_Prayer_MET_DP345572.jpg (2777×3882) (wikimedia.org) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CCO 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The work of art itself is in the public domain . George Craiguthor – 1893 painting, depicting an event in 1755.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (File:A map of Sable Island showing the location of the known wrecks upon the island LCCN2003668269.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image is available from the United States Library of Congress‘s Prints and Photographs division
under the digital ID cph.3c32776. Author: McCurdy, Arthur W. (Arthur Williams), 1856-, photographer – 1898.

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Deportation Grand-Pré – Expulsion of the Acadians – Wikipedia). This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain…..Author: George Craig – 1893 painting, depicting an event in 1755.

#6. Ebay (Donald Trump MAGA Hat Red Strapback OSFM | eBay).

#7. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabot_Trail#/media/File:Cabot_trail_2009k.JPG). By chensiyuan – chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license. 19 September 2009.

Hop on Board with Thebeerchaser – Part III Charlottetown

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Charlottetown

Since it was 682 nautical miles from Quebec City to Charlottetown, we spent the second day of the trip – a Monday – just cruising which I really enjoyed – and the weather was much better:

Photo May 06 2024, 7 11 34 PM

Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island – one of thirteen Canadian provinces or territories – the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated.

The city has a population of just 40,500 and was incorporated in 1855. Since it was pretty compact, we decided to just walk on our own and there was a nice boardwalk along the pier and harbor.

When we docked and left the ship, I expected to see a bevy of Canadian realtors waiting for appointments with those on the cruise who were hedging their bets based on the result of the forthcoming November US General Election. But I guess that’s another story…..

While it was filled with historic houses and buildings, the highlight was two wonderful churches. St. Dunstan’s Cathedral Basilica – built from 1897 to 1907 – it reminded us of the ornate trappings of similar structures in Europe.

Photo May 07 2024, 11 14 58 AM

And only several blocks away was the smaller, but still impressive St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral founded in 1869:

“St. Peter’s has superb choral music, beautiful liturgy, strong orthodox Christian teaching and preaching, a friendly congregation, and a tradition of service to the community.”

Remember, however, this is a blog primarily about bars and breweries…..

Now, we hadn’t been to a brewery since Montreal, so after viewing the cathedrals, we set out in search of suds. Gahan Brewing came to the rescue. And consistent with the heritage of other structures throughout town, The Gahan House embodied history:

“Gahan is a name unknown in Prince Edward Island today, but in the middle of the 19th century, John Gahan was a prominent merchant, an importer of teas, wines, and family groceries. His place of business was on the corner of Queen and Sydney Streets in Charlottetown; now known as The Gahan House.”

Photo May 07 2024, 10 31 37 AM

The brew pub was a very attractive mix of brick and dark wood and they had an excellent selection of beers. Gahan Brewing also has a good story and it was nice to see an independent brewery thriving:

“The Gahan Brewery (formerly Murphy’s Brewing Co.) was established in March 1997 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The beer quickly became a local favorite and the brewery relocated to its current location on the corner of Queen & Sydney Streets in Downtown Charlottetown, thus doubling its production capacity and giving it a permanent home in Old Charlottetown.”

“With a total of six locations across Atlantic Canada, The Gahan House has become an East Coast tradition dedicated to creating memorable experiences.”

And their Island Red Ale was one of the best I’ve drunk. I’m also sorry that I didn’t get to try the Big Don Coffee Belgian Blonde Ale before Gahan stopped brewing it. One reviewer on Untapped characterized it as follows:…”

“So deliciously weird, wouldn’t want to drink more than one, but that one is a great treat.”

This prompted Janet to remark, “That account might be similar to your personality, Don…..”

The pub also had a great menu and there was a thriving take-out business during the noon hour, but we had lunch back at the ship.

And since we still had twelve (of the fifteen “free” daily drinks) waiting for us at the ship that day, we didn’t partake at the Olde Dublin Pub – right across the street. It looked like a watering hole, however, that deserved additional research!

“….we’re Charlottetown’s original Irish pub! Here, since 1983, Islanders and visitors alike have been tipping back Guinness, enjoying Irish and East Coast dishes with an ODP twist, and raising a cheer for some of the best traditional and contemporary music to grace the province”

I guess that that will have to wait for our return trip!

Cheers and stay tuned for Sydney – our next port.

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vote_sign_democracy.jpg) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law.

Hop on Board with Thebeerchaser – Part II – Quebec City

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened.

In the last post, I told you about our recent Holland America cruise from Montreal to Boston with our good friends the Noppers. https://thebeerchaser.com/2024/05/29/hop-on-board-with-thebeerchaser-part-i/

We had a night and a morning in Montreal before we embarked on the Volendam (on Saturday May 4th – my birthday) so on Friday, we took a ninety-minute bus tour of the city and then walked around to see historic buildings and, of course, bars and breweries.

I might add that we stayed at the La Centre Sheraton – right downtown – which had a wonderful looking bar itself. The concierge recommended a couple of good places for beer.

Th Sheraton bar

Our first watering hole where we had some excellent beer was 3 Brasseurs. (That’s “brewers” in English). Evidently, it is a chain with establishments thoughout France and four locations in Canada – Montreal, Quebec, Toronto.

Photo May 03 2024, 4 29 45 PM

“Welcome to our brand with 30 years of experience in beer making, design and service of authentic and generous local dishes, for the greatest satisfaction of our customers.”

The bar had a great atmosphere inside with a long, attractive bar, but given the beautiful day, we sat outside on the expansive patio – right on the street which made it more interesting.

And we sat next to a young and very friendly couple – the first of many great people we met on our trip – who were visiting from the Western part of Canada. We only had beer and they even offered to share their food with us since the servings were so generous.

Photo May 03 2024, 4 08 04 PM (1)

We declined and ate that night in an Italian restaurant – a mistake – we should have ordered a burger and fries at 3 Brasseurs.

I left the others for five minutes while they were waiting for our beers, to check out the other recommendation from the concierge – Brutopia – kind of an interesting name and I was sorry we didn’t have time to check it out. It looked very interesting:

“Brutopia Brewpub is the premiere brewpub in downtown Montreal. Since we opened our doors early in 1997, our attentive, friendly staff has been serving full flavoured beers, freshly brewed on our premises.” (# – External photo attribution at end of post #1)

It looked like the brewpub had great food, but we still had places to see and instead ate that night in an Italian restaurant – a mistake – but I guess I already said that above.

The ship left the next day at about 5:00 PM and we had some beautiful views of Montreal – by the way, the city is actually on an island….And shortly after we left the pier, I saw another brewery I would have liked to hit – I guess when we return.

It brought back memories of two of Molson’s slogans from the past:

“We’ll drink to that.” (2005)

“Molson’s makes it golden..” (1986) (#2)

Molson and Coors merged in 2005 and at that time, Molson Coors was rated the third largest producer of beer in the United States, and the second largest brewer in the United Kingdom.

It has continued to expand and in 2016, “per the agreement with the regulators, SABMiller sold to Molson Coors full ownership of the Miller Brewing Company brand portfolio.” Wikipedia

Shipboard Life and Port Adventures

We quickly acclimated to life on the cruise. The only issue which disappointed me was that with the exception of the second day, we sailed from port to port in either the late afternoon or after sunset into the morning hours and I didn’t get to see that much of the beautiful countryside and towns along the St. Lawrence.

Every day, we could either sign up for tours (excursions) ranging from walking tours, to tours of museums, historic homes to long bus tours e.g. an eight-hour ride (including lunch) which we took on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia to see the beautiful coast and mountains.

Historic and beautiful Quebec City (#3)

We sailed Saturday evening from Montreal to historic Quebec City. Before debarking the ship for the tour, we had our typical breakfast at the Volendam’s Lido Market Place – a buffet that had an amazing assortment from pastries to traditional faire to lox.

The first morning, I had lox and onions with my scrambled eggs, even though some would scoff at this combination.

We then took a two-hour guided walking tour of the city of 549,459 settled originally in 1633. To get from the pier to the upper level and most of the attractions, we took the Old Quebec Funicular (1879).

At the top was a great view and an abundance of history.

The tour was very interesting, albeit wet, as a steady rain came down. It didn’t dampen the experience of seeing the:

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac (“An iconic historic hotel in Quebec City known for its castle-like architecture and stunning views of the St. Lawrence River.”) (1893) (#4)

Notre-Dame de-Quebec Basilica Cathedral (“An historic and iconic basilica-cathedral, known for its stunning architecture and religious significance.”). (1633 – original) (#5)

Since our excursion of Quebec City was over by lunch, we spent the rest of the day exploring the ship.

The activities were an eclectic bunch of pursuits – keeping in mind that given the median passenger age, there could probably be an animated discussion of the Nixon vs Kennedy debate.

There were team sports or competitions from bingo to trivia to soccer goal scoring to cornhole to poker to pickleball to bridge, but these were not for us as was the case with “Origami Folding – Paper-bomb” or “The Art of Flower Arranging” to “Coloring for Adults” (not hair…) or “Adventures with Water Colors – Jellyfish….” (#6 – #7))

However, there were no offerings such as “The Colorful History of Pabst Blue Ribbon,” or “Hop Gardening,” although I have to admit given the median age of the passengers, I was surprised to see one actually entitled “Pampering the Ladies…”

One that piqued my interest was “Make Your Own Mug” until I found it that it pertained to coffee rather than beer and I blanched about spending 90-minutes in a session – “Make Your Own Flower Vase.”

And these were just on the first two days so I thought with five more days left on the cruise, they might consider “Make Your Own Titanic” or “Make Your Own Submarine,” but Janet told me not to go anywhere near the Cruise Director with these suggestions.

We decided that we would enjoy walking the deck and then reading and viewing beautiful Quebec City from a higher deck – this while consuming one or two of our fifteen “free” drinks per day (unbelievably – part of the cruise package).

It made me think seriously about the assertion of Aloysius Archer, the protagonist in the Baldacci novel I was reading:

“If you’re going to drink all day, you have to start in the morning.”

While walking the deck, my mind was still at work wondering:

“Do they really need the warning message on the bulkhead shown in the following photo?”

Is that warning really necessary?

And while my initial “Make Your Own” suggestions were not viable, given the robust supply of cooking material on board, why not “Make Your Own Life Ring?” (#8)

On a more serious note, I thought Holland America missed a good opportunity by not mimicking Portland’s Breakside Brewery which recently advertised:

“Make Your Own IPA Ice Cream, 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 15: Join Malek and Breakside head brewer Ben Edmunds – churn your very own beer-infused ice cream.”

Photo May 10 2024, 8 37 34 PM

The selections in the dining room for the evening meal were splendid as was the presentation and quality. We typically had two meals each day (along with an occasional cookie or ice cream cone in the evening.)

Given the expansive and plentiful availability of both food and alcohol, it made me wonder if any medical research had been conducted on the correlation between heart attacks and post cruise living.

I decided to banish that morbid thought the next morning when I had my breakfast which included lox and a bagel. (#9)

Stay tuned for our next port, Charlottetown – 721 nautical miles from Quebec City – so we had one full day of just sailing, before we docked at this next city – another one with a rich and interesting history.

External Photo Attribution

#1. Brutopia Brew Pub Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=903734435093709&set=a.485131863620637.

#2. Molson Canadian Facebook Page by Samuel Hurd Photography (https://www.facebook.com/samuelhurdphotography/photos/t.100064389773443/373652893053044/?type=3).

#3. Wikimedia Commons (Château Frontenac city at night – Quebec City – Wikipedia) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Wilfredo Rafael Rodriguez Hernandez – 27 September 2018.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (2016-11 Château Frontenac 06 – Château Frontenac – Wikipedia) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: 0x010C – 8 November 2016.

#5. Wikimedia Commons (File:Basilique-cathédrale de Notre-Dame-de-Québec.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Sylvainbrousseau 16 September 2012.

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Adult Coloring program.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author:
Jenn Gaylor – 22 September 2015.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Jelly fish in watercolour.png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author: Midjourney AI prompted by Netha Hussain – 21 January 2023.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Onion Ring (48075744183).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Ryan Dickey – 16 June 20219.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Lox-and-bagel-02.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Kristina D.C. Hoeppner – 25 July 2012.

Hop on Board with Thebeerchaser – Part I

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Janet and I recently completed a seven-day Holland America cruise on the Volendam – from Montreal to Boston. We were accompanied by our long-time friends Jeff and Susan Nopper. (External photo attribution at end of the post #1 – 2.)

Our travel history included two prior HA cruises – the first from Anchorage, Alaska to Vancouver, BC in 2014. It included a side trip to Denali National Park before the cruise started and the journey by ship was wonderful way to see Glacier Bay; whales and wildlife; and the Alaska coastline that would be a challenge on another mode of transport.

In 2018, we took a second cruise – this one with the Noppers to the Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale, Florida – not a full transit – through the canal from east to west – but just through the locks. After a cruise around Lake Gatun we went back through the canal to the Atlantic Ocean and explored the Caribbean.

A massive cargo ship going through the canal

I’ll give more info in a future post, but on the first two cruises, both of our ships accommodated 2,700 passengers and 1,000 crew members. The vessel for the recent trip up the St. Lawrence Seaway and around Nova Scotia was about half that size – 1,432 passengers and 647 crew.

Although we enjoyed the first two cruises, we definitely preferred the smaller ship which still had great amenities – pool, great gym and workout facility, pickleball court, casino, theater and, of course, multiple bars and restaurants.

And I’ll have to state that my wife, Janet, is not the biggest fan of cruises – partly because of a tendency for motion sickness. She gave me this cruise for my birthday although it was much better than she expected and she did not get seasick.

Janet was prepared with patches and medication but did not have to use them – the biggest swells were about three feet around Halifax.

This was a good thing because our cruise package provided fifteen “free” drinks each day. Her pharmacist told her to avoid mixing pills or patches with alcohol….

I might add that if you plan a trip, take Susan Nopper with you. Janet is an excellent planner, but Susan is the epitome of a well-prepared and informed journeyer. She always knew when, where, how what, and why……

I bemoaned the fact that I did not have my college bota bag with me given the drink quota, but there was no way we could consume that much booze. Coffee drinks also counted and one day I had to work off a caffeine high by walking the deck several miles after having four espressos.

And I have to admit that I supplemented my typical martini or microbrew with some new cocktails including a “Smokey Boulevardier.”

It was indeed smokey and one of the ship’s officers jokingly came over to the bartender and asked if he needed to alert the ship about an on-board fire as smoke was wafting over the bar as he prepared my cocktail.

The ingredients in the Boulevardier – credited to Harry McElhone, the founder, and proprietor of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris – include:

1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Apéritif
Orange twist, for garnish

But I have to admit, my favorite drink on the ship was their beautiful Bloody Mary. I also coaxed Jeff Nopper into having his first martini – gin, up with olives.

The food was also superb with multiple eateries – formal and informal available at all times of the day. For example, take a look at the late night menu available at the Lido Cafe below.

It reminded me of my Navy destroyer when we had “Midrats from 8:00 PM to midnight:

“Midrats has been a Naval tradition dating back to 1902, when the Navy decide to make changes to Sailors’ diet by introducing a new meal to the fleet. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the 1902 Navy Ration Act that included a section for additional rations specifically for Sailors who worked the night shift.

Nowadays, Sailors can choose from breakfast items such as eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, and French toast; or dinner items like pork chops, ribs, mashed potatoes,
green beans, steak, and grilled chicken.”

The difference between the Navy and the HA cruise, was after the midnight snack, I didn’t have a watch on the bridge of the ship from midnight to 3:00 AM.

Not to get totally preoccupied with food, but the selection was amazing and and the quality very good from appetizers to desserts as you can see from the selection of cupcakes one evening and decorated cakes the next.

Fortunately, we were disciplined in our walks around the 1/3 of a mile deck just a step away from our stateroom. Surprisingly, we didn’t gain any weight.

Montreal – The City of Mary

We had a night and a morning in Montreal before the ship departed and it is a wonderful city in which one could spend days if not weeks touring this metropolis of 1.8 million people.

Since our time was limited, we took a 90-minute bus tour to see Mount Royal, the underground and the historic buildings:

“Some of the city’s earliest still-standing buildings date back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Although most are clustered around the Old Montreal area, such as the Sulpician Seminary adjacent to Notre Dame Basilica that dates back to 1687.” Wikipedia

Of course, even though we were limited to one evening in the city, we set out to find a watering hole or two to quench our thirsts – possibly to build up to the routine on the ship. I will fill you in on the next post, but have to leave you with this one unforgettable memory of Montreal.

We were walking in the late afternoon in the downtown area and came across a middle-aged guy with a baby carriage in which a live rabbit was contentedly riding. He offered to let the rabbit get out and run around.

Of course, I wanted to make a comment that this was not the kind of hops I was seeking for my the Beerchaser blog, but the others told me to hold my tongue and he rolled his cargo away when the light changed.

Not the kind of hops Thebeerchaser was seeking….

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1 – #2. Holland America Website (Cruises Search Award-Winning Cruises – Find Deals & Packages (hollandamerica.com).

May Musings

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

After doing recent posts on two wonderful Portland bars – the historic Huber’s and the iconic Sandy Jug, I’m going to skip around and cover a few miscellaneous topics after a farewell to a Portland landmark for years. (#1.)

Farewell to Quintessential Dive – The Jolly Roger

I visited this Portland eastside landmark in January, 2023 with my friend, Hillary Barbour, knowing that it would be both the first and last time I would raise a mug in this watering hole which has been a prominent feature on the block for about the last sixty years:

The Jolly Roger Will Become Affordable Housing

“After much speculation about what would become of Buckman dive bar the Jolly Roger, WW has confirmed it will become an affordable housing complex helmed by recovery and low-income housing nonprofit Central City Concern. The property was bulldozed this fall and is currently an empty lot.” (Willamette Week – 1/16/2024)

Although there was a smidgeon of hope for a reprieve in 2023, one year later, it was razed and the irreplaceable sign visible for blocks is now relegated to the scrap heap:

“Of the landmark sign—which WW once called ‘a majestic freestanding pylon sign shaped like a ship’s mast at a height no longer sanctioned’ ….it was trashed.

‘It was too large to be used in the building or anywhere else, she says…Efforts were made to see if any signage, restoration companies or collectors were interested in it, to no avail.'”

Farewell to a long and prosperous voyage!

An Informed Perspective

I had lunch recently with a friend of the conservative bent who was bemoaning the current US policy on climate change and energy. He had witnessed the 2017 total solar eclipse when he was at the Oregon coast and took in the same event again on April 8th this year.

Although Oregon was not in the path of totality. His comment:

“Don, this provides additional evidence of the lack of dependability of solar power as a future energy source….” (#2 – #3)

Another Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter Update

The last update was in February when I related the recent award of Portland environmental attorney, Jay Waldron (Rugger, Rafter and Rider and Lawyer).

Well, one of Jay’s Portland lawyerly colleagues – who is also in the esteemed ranks of Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter, Jim Westwood – was involved in another significant victory, although this wasn’t as one of the premier players in the Oregon Appellate Courts.

westwood bow tie 2

Jim, who has accompanied me on more Beerchasing events than either one of us would want to admit in the last thirteen years, is also a fellow Oregon City High School graduate (although several years ahead of me).

As I have stated previously as evidence of my longevity, his mother Catherine, was my Latin teacher for two years in the mid-sixties. The photo gallery below provides evidence of Jim’s affirmation of Beerchasing as a venture although it should be noted that both of us also have an affinity for single malt beverages.

Clockwise: The Tanker Bar – 2013, The Yard House – 2016, The Independent Sports Bar – 2017, The Standard – 2018, The Sandy Jug – 2024, Howell’s Tavern – 2022, Yur’s Bar – 2020, Rose City Book Pub – 2019, TC O”Leary’s Irish Pub – 2017 and Kelly’s Olympian 2015 and The Goose Hollow Inn – 2012.

(You will recognize his mug – so-to-speak – in each of the photos below:

Beerchasing at the Goose Hollow Inn in 2012 with the late Portland Mayor Bud Clark and John Terry of The Oregonian

Below is an excerpt from my 2013 post when I named him as a Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter. I mentioned his extensive civic activities including coaching high school Constitutional teams:

“Jim has volunteered for 11 years as a coach for ‘We the People’ high school Constitutional law teams for Grant High and De la Salle North Catholic High School.

Marilyn Cover, Executive Director of the Classroom Law Project (CLP), stated, ‘He’s a great teacher, a great coach and a great model citizen.’ He was honored last year as the 2012 Legal Citizen of the Year by the CLP.”

The historical figure he most admires is George Washington and when he received an annual award from the Multnomah Bar Association in 2013, they gave him the caricature shown in the photo below.

The Grant High team won the National Championship in the Washington DC competition in 2013 and then repeated in 2015. Westwood fulfilled his promise to get a tattoo if they achieved that victory.

The picture below shows the George Washington theme continued as 1783 was the year Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern and resigned as Commander-in-Chief.

They won in 2018 and his second tattoo followed although at time of publication I could not ascertain where it’s located or the content. He retired from being a full-time coach in 2019, but as Jim, with his characteristic modesty, stated this month:

“I intended to fade into nothingness, but as has happened with other retiring coaches, Grant Con team is the Hotel California. You can never leave. The best description of me is ‘involved volunteer.”‘

My involvement varies, in 2024 I was involved about twice as much as last year….This year, for the first time since retiring, I went to DC with the team and the coaches. although it was more of a vacation for me than it was for the others.”

He thus shared in the incredible accomplishment of 2024 Grant High’s Constitutional Team when they again won the National Championship in April. As reported by the Center for Civic Education on April 16th:

“Students from Grant High School of Portland, Oregon, placed first in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals, an annual competition that brings together high school students from across the nation to answer difficult questions about the U.S. Constitution...

More than 1,000 students participated….The competition results were announced at an awards ceremony Monday evening before an in-person and online audience of more than 3,400 people…A total of 48 high school teams from 28 states and the District of Columbia participated in this year’s events.”. (#4 – #5)

2015 Winners – Westwood in back row with bowtie

In a time where civics is almost a forgotten course offering in high schools across the United States, teacher advisor, David Lickey; coaches including Andrea Short, Tim Volpert, Shelley Larkins and Westwood (many of whom are lawyers) and the parental volunteers deserve accolades for their commitment to preserving democratic institutions.

When I asked about a third inking, he responded:

“I’ve been in contact with Ximena, my personal tattoo artist, about the tattoo for this year’s win. The ink will flow later this month.”

There’s speculation whether it will be a cherry tree, the words “Valley Forge” or “1791” – the year when the Bill of Rights was ratified which Washington called for in his first inaugural address. Stay tuned…..

There’s a Crisis, However.

Even back in 2021, an article in Harvard Magazine showed evidence of the Crisis in Civic Education:

“…..The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s survey on civic knowledge found that barely half of American adults can name all three branches of government, and 20 percent cannot name any rights protected by the First Amendment.

This state of affairs follows prolonged disinvestment in the fields of history and civics: today, a new report reveals, federal spending per pupil in these subjects averages $0.05, whereas STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) per pupil averages $50—a thousandfold difference in funding allocation.” (#6)

A document needing more attention

But Have Some Moderation…!

While efforts to enhance civic education are to be encouraged and applauded, one Oregon Circuit Court Judge in Clackamas County – just south of Portland – went a step too far when in a criminal trial for hit-and-run (State v. Varvara) last week:

“….(she) decided to give a hands-on civics lesson to a class of visiting second graders, inviting eight of them to serve as jurors in a hit-and-run trial, swearing them in, allowing them to sit in the jury box and giving them supplies to take notes.”

Now this was a bench trial – meaning the judge, not a jury – makes the final decision. The Presiding Judge, however, was evidently not impressed with the judgment of Circuit Judge Ulanda Watkins. He intervened and the second-graders were ushered out of the courtroom.

Judge Watkins was appointed to the bench in 2017. She is, at least up until this point, running unopposed in the 2024 Oregon Primary Election. (#7)

“In the end, Watkins delivered an acquittal without consulting the students — the 7- and 8-year-olds left before the trial concluded. But the judge’s off-the-cuff overture to the school children became the talk of the courthouse in downtown Oregon City.” (#8 – #9)

The Clackamas County Courthouse in Oregon City.

There have been no reports on whether the eight second graders selected for the jury have requested the $10 daily juror pay or whether the school district has submitted the 20 cents per mile reimbursement for the school bus.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Sandy Jug Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122100957092143158&set=pb.61554294744173.-2207520000&type=3).

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Christmas Eve Sun (31460091150).png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Paul Stewart from Timaru, New Zealand – 24 December 2016.

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, from Hot Springs, Arkansas.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license. Author: Kevin Payravi – 8 April 2024.

#4. Oregon Live (Grant High’s U.S. Constitution Team represents Oregon in national tournament – oregonlive.com).

#5. Center for Civic Education (Release: Portland’s Grant High School Places First in Center for Civic Education’s Nationwide Competition on the Constitution – civiced.org).

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:United States Constitution Bicentenial Commemorative Dollar Obverse.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. This image is a work of the United States Department of the Treasury, taken or made as part of an employee’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.Source: US Mint 19 May 2022.

#7. Oregon State Bar (Judge Ulanda Watkins (osbar.org).

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Scale of justice 2 new.jpeg – Wikimedia Commons). This work is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or any later version. Source: Scale_of_justice_2.svg: DTR – 28 July 2009.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Clackamas County Courthouse, Oregon City – DPLA – 13cd2d986b77594222b11d38c0491c08.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Oregon State Archives as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America, via its partner Northwest Digital Heritage. Source: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives – 6 August 2013.

Brawlers and Mockers – The Distinction

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

A Terminology Issue – Was it the Beer?

In a recent entry in my daily devotional, the author illustrated his point by quoting Proverbs 20:1:

“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”

Reading this led me on one of my typical internet research projects which my wife says occupy far too much of my free time, although it was prompted by a recent NBC.com article entitled:

” Morgan Wallen arrested after throwing chair from rooftop of Nashville bar, police say.” (#2)

Is an encounter with a chair, a brawl?

And while this incident was not a brawl per se’, it was not his first encounter with police because of scuffles with others:

“Wallen was arrested around 11 p.m. Sunday night outside Chief’s on Broadway, a Nashville honky-tonk bar that his fellow country musician Eric Church opened in March.

Per a police report, officers were standing outside the bar when a chair landed intact on the ground several feet from them. Staff members reportedly told the officers Wallen had thrown the chair from six stories above…” (emphasis added)

Since it involved a bar, I obviously was curious. Chief’s on Broadway, opened just in April, evidently celebrates the career of Eirc Church and has about 4,000 posters from his country-western singing career.

It may well be the tallest bar in the United States:

“Chief’s is a six-story bar, restaurant, event space, and live music venue designed to celebrate Eric Church’s ever-expanding musical legacy.

Located in historic downtown Nashville, Chief’s will feature a ticketed music venue, inspirational interiors, and a thoughtful focus on unique live performances, offering fans an unparalleled entertainment experience in Music City.” MusicCity.com (#3 – #4)

Given the short duration since opening, there are only three Yelp reviews so far, but it’s obvious, the rooftop incident will play for some time:

“Super nice bar and good drinks. Almost gave it 4 stars (rather than five) because the chairs are so light and tossable.” Yelp – April 8, 2024

Before leaving this thread, a few more comments on the distinction between beer and wine as illustrated by quotes:

“Beer is made by men, wine by God.” – Martin Luther

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” – Benjamin Franklin

And my favorite which is unattributed except I located it in an ad on the website of the Sherlock Holmes British Pub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

“Beer, because one doesn’t solve the world’s problems over white wine.”

Of course, we shouldn’t give short shrift to whiskey and Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw, no stranger to controversy, who opined: (#5)

“Whisky is liquid sunshine.”

Who better than an Irishman to know….

Not many dives I’ve been to have served wine. If it were available and could lead to “mocking” as the scripture asserts, it might result in a brawl with those consuming quantities of beer. (#6)

Here’s to Solving World Problems

I was also struck that an internet search reveals a number of athletic teams named “Brawlers.” I assume that their post-game libation is beer.

The Boston Brawlers – a football team based in Harvard Stadium – a charter member of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) – a professional football minor league that played just two seasons in 2014 and 2015.

The Bricktown Brawlers – a professional indoor football team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They were a member of the Lonestar Division of the Intense Conference in the Indoor Football League (IFL).

And one I don’t really understand:

The Philadelphia Brawlers a team that plays in Division III of Blitz: The League II – an American football video game. (#7)

In contrast, I didn’t find any athletic team named “Mockers” – only two bands – one a pop band from New Zealand that performed from 1979 to 1988 and Los Mockers – a 1960 rock band from Uruguay.

The latter, pictured below, do not look like they could hold their own in a brawl… (#8)

I won’t mention The Mocker – comic book character

Moving on to Another Legendary Country Singer

I have rather eclectic taste in the music I listen to – ranging from Big Band, Classical (especially with beautiful oboe solos, Christian instrumental, 1960’s rock-n-roll and last but not least, old-time country western.

This is not the contemporary western pop, but renowned vocalists like the four shown clockwise below:

George Jones, Alan Jackson, Hank Williams and Don Williams. (And no, I can’t sing a decent version of either Amanda or Tulsa Time.…) (#9- #12)

Well, one of these crooners recently passed away. The legendary Toby Keith died in February 2024 of stomach cancer. Although not an ardent fan of his songs, I was captivated by his songs, “Beer for My Horses” as well as the 2003 single “I Love This Bar” – it reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks.

Keith released nineteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums, totaling worldwide sales of over forty-million albums.

He charted sixty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including twenty number-one hits and twenty-two additional Top-Ten hits. (Wikipedia) (#13)

Country Music Hall of Fame

I love this bar
It’s my kind of place
Just walkin’ through the front door
Puts a big smile on my face
It ain’t too far
Come as you are
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

The song captures perfectly the sentiments I felt when I decided to start my Beerchasing hobby in 2011, as stated in an article entitled:

“The Meaning Behind The Song: I Love This Bar,” in the blog Oldtimemusic.com (#14)

“Just walking through the front door puts a big smile on my face.”

“The song is about finding a sense of belonging and comfort in a local bar. Keith sings about all the different types of people that frequent the bar, from bikers to college kids, and how they all come together to have a good time.

The chorus of the song proclaims Keith’s love for the bar, stating that it has everything he needs, from cold beer to good company. The lyrics paint a picture of a place where everyone can let loose and forget about their troubles.

I became more interested after I started a data base on bar articles. It caught my attention that Toby Keith’s bars were having some problems other than what might be caused by unruly patrons.

I kept seeing headlines such as those below:

Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar abruptly closes Bring Me The News – June 25, 2015

Rascal Flatts restaurants failed nationwide. Did a Mafia soldier pull the strings? The Republic March 13, 2029

Former crime boss, owner of defunct Toby Keith restaurant in Foxboro pleads guilty to fraud Arizona Sun Chronicle – August 13, 2021

Toby Keith’s Restaurant Chain Was Once Involved in a Wire Fraud Scheme by an Ex-Crime Boss Distractify – MSN 2024 (#15 – #16)

Fans of the late singer will be happy to know that Keith was not the owner. Rather his song was the inspiration for the bar and his name licensed by Boomtown Entertainment. Toby Keith evidently did make surprise visits to franchises, where he performed and socialized with fans. (Wikiepedia)

The ownership by Boomtown was under the control of one Frank Capri. (see below).

The story is too complex to convey here, but you might check out the links above and it can be summarized by stating that after his death and a series of closures and scads of lawsuits, only two locations of “I Love this Bar” remain open – both in Oklahoma and neither of which is now owned by Boomtown Entertainment.

“Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill offered mall owners a special recipe. Equal parts eatery, roadhouse and concert hall, it promised steady foot traffic during the day and an after-hours bonanza of drinking and dancing. It proved to be a recipe for financial disaster.

Combined, four Arizona developers won $13.1 million in judgments against Capri and his companies. Greenville joined a list of 19 other cities from coast to coast where Boomtown said it would build Toby Keith restaurants that never opened.

Those cities included Anaheim, Colorado Springs, Jacksonville, Boise, New Orleans, Lansing, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, San Antonio and Portland, Oregon.” Greenville News – 11/1/2027 (#17)

Toby_Keith's_in_Las_Vegas

“Capri’s Phoenix companies built 20 Toby Keith restaurants beginning in 2009 and announced plans to build 20 more that never opened. By 2015, all but one had closed. Allegations of fraud and theft followed.

In lawsuits, developers claimed he stiffed contractors, broke lease agreements and took millions of dollars meant to pay for construction.” (Arizona Republic – 3/13/2019)

As has happened many times when celebrities collaborate with entrepreneurs (and mobsters…) the result is not positive.

The story essentially ends as reported March 2022 in City Beat – a Cincinnati publication:

“Frank Capri, a former mobster turned government witness turned developer who scammed The Banks with a Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill-branded restaurant, was sentenced last week to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion.”

I guess as one of the verses in the song goes, a lot of investors and contractors came out on the short end:

We got winners
We got losers
Chain-smokers and boozers
We got yuppies
We got bikers
We got thirsty hitchhikers
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar (#18)

“We got losers….

Cheers

Internal Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Aaron Burden 2016-05-02 (Unsplash 1EbsMYrAu-s).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author: Aaron Burden aaronburden – 2 May 2016.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Morgan Wallen Concert November 13 landscape.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Paul to my Linda – 13 November 2021

#3. Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083809501460).

#4. Music City.com (Chief’s on Broadway | Visit Nashville TN (visitmusiccity.com).

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Bernard_Shaw_1936.jpg) This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired and its author is anonymous. Author: Anonymous – 1936.

#6. Image courtesy of Pam Williams

#7. Flickr’s Common (File:Brawl.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image was taken from Flickr‘s The Commons. The uploading organization may have various reasons for determining that no known copyright restrictions exist. Author: British Library 7 December 2013.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Los Mockers by Olga Masa, 1965 – Los Mockers – Wikipedia) This image is in the public domain because the copyright of this photograph, registered in Argentina, has expired. Author: Olga Masa – 1965.

#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:George Jones.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Secisek at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. Author: Secisek at English Wikipedia – June 2002.

#10. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Alan jackson at pentagon.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.

#11. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Hank Williams publicity.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: MGM Records – 1952

#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (By DJParker39 at English Wikipedia. – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14549573) DJParker39 at English Wikipedia – 5 November 2006.

#13. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Toby Keith in concert.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. Author: Lenny Francioni – 31 August 2005.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (File:Saloon San Francisco 2014 (15278844981).jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license). Author: Mobilus In Mobili – 14 May 2014.

#15. Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar – Bricktown Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TobyKeithsBar).

#16. Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar – Bricktown Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/LowerBricktown/photos/t.100064824877178/10156417149528039/?type=3).

#17. Wikimedia Commons (File:Toby Keith’s in Las Vegas.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: David Shane – 11 July 2018.

#18. Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan-exterior-toby.JPG) The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted. Author: ArizonaLincoln – 3 March 2010.

March Gladness

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Since I periodically swerve from this blog’s main focus – review of a particular bar or brewery – you might expect a few comments about both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four Basketball spectacle, but that’s not the case except for a minor observation or two below.

No, my title is because notwithstanding many regional, national and international concerns and challenges which are vexing and depressing, I’m going to end the month chiefly focusing on the positive.

A primary factor is that on March 29th, I celebrate our 44th anniversary with my wonderful spouse, Janet. From the time I first laid eyes on her at a 1979 meeting of the Oregon City Planning Commission. I chaired that body, she served as the City’s Neighborhood Involvement Coordinator, and ever since, I’ve been blessed by her companionship, patience and affection.

Busier than a Urologist in March

A slight alternation of the term for the annual March tournament was coined several years ago. “Vas Madness” refers to the demand for appointments for vasectomies right before the Final Four so the male patient can cite doctor’s orders that:

“During the (recovery period) patients are under strict medical orders to rest and avoid strenuous activity while periodically icing the groin area. With all that free time to lounge around, men are likely to want to have something planned.”

It’s explained very well in a USA Today article “Vasectomies and March Madness: How marketing led the ‘vas madness’ myth to become reality.” And it’s fascinating to do a Google search on “vas madness.” Numerous urological clinics cheerfully (and aggressively) advertise. Look at this one by the Central Indiana Urological Group:

“Ready for some exciting basketball? We’ve got your assist: Vas Madness”

And the Oregon Urology Institute, in my own state, helpfully offers:

“5 Reasons to Plan Your Vasectomy During March Madness”

The most gripping – “Score a free T-shirt” – with a slogan “Lower your seed…Snip City 2024” (#1 – #2)

Permanent birth control is a slam dunk…..

If you are a Bloody Mary fan, you might also want to stock up on ice as it becomes a “groin concern” and might be in limited supply.

And Just in Case

Those who might need it, but understandably are somewhat reluctant to have the procedure, could well take the admonition of this sign recently posted on the wonderful Facebook page of the group American Saloons, Bars & Taverns: (#3)

Reaffirming Optimism in Portland’s Old Town

In my last blog post entitled Optimism in Old Town, I enthusiastically set forth the positive steps that owner, Adam Milne has recently taken to demonstrate his commitment to a Portland recovery.

His “Believe in Portland” campaign has gained traction and there are more indications that Portland businesses and leaders are working to regain the City’s reputation as a wonderful place to both live and visit.

I was therefore glad (remember the theme of this post) to see a headline in yesterday’s local news: “$2 million to go to transforming Portland’s Old Town vacant buildings into fashion manufacturing facility.” KGW.com

“If approved by the governor, the money will go to the Old Town Community Association, part of a group that wants to bring manufacturing, housing, and office and retail space to the district on the northern edge of downtown.” Oregon Live (#4 – #6)

There are multiple issues for Portland to overcome, however, as an article just today, in the Oregonian reports:

“Portland’s central city had the highest office vacancy rate of the 50 largest downtown office markets in the country by the end of last year, according to a report by real estate firm Colliers.” (#7)

The Pacwest Center where I spent twenty-five years.

And the homeless quandary seems staggering although Portland voters and the various levels of government have approved substantial financial resources to address the problem.

Why Can’t We Just Get Along and Get Something Done??

The City of Portland, after a successful ballot measure, is restructuring its governing and management organization. It’s a massive transition that would be a challenge for any entity, but the efforts have not been smooth to date.

And notwithstanding the available funds, the homeless plight continues with improvements at what many consider to be a glacial pace.

We watch the City of Portland and the Multnomah County fighting over policy and jurisdiction with a multitude of non-profits gumming up the works and adding to the acrimony. (#8 – #9)

Voters have approved money and changes to restore Portland, but that sinking feeling of despair returns when reviewing the recent announcement of the Joint City of Portland – Multnomah Homeless Response Action Plan – chronicled as a major step forward.

An Astute Reaction

Jack Bogdanski, is a professor of tax law at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland. He graduated from Stanford Law School as a member of the distinguished Order of the Coif.

“He is a five-time winner of Lewis & Clark’s Leo Levenson Award for excellence in law teaching. He supervises the school’s tax moot court team, which has won national honors, and he founded and runs a volunteer clinic to assist international students with U.S. tax issues.” (#10)

Now taxation may sound rather boring, but the erstwhile academician is also an inveterate blogger and one of the most prolific and entertaining in the Northwest.

Check out the insightful excerpt from his post “It’s Hopeless,” below and you’ll understand why the announcement from the City/County group should be met with disdain.

“I see that the lame duck mayor of Portland and the queen of the Multnomah County commission held another one of their bizarre press conferences about the city’s street crisis yesterday. They’re very big on the media photo ops. They had an almost identical one in December.

At that point, they were bragging about a framework for a draft of a plan for some programs. Yesterday they had moved from the framework to the draft. So now we’ve made it all the way to the draft of the plan for some programs. It took only three months. You wonder how many junkies, and small businesses, died in that span of time.

And if you think the wait was bad, you probably don’t want to look at what we were waiting for. Forty-seven pages of bureaucratic word salad. The content is so bad, it’s almost a parody. Turn any page and you find stuff like: (#11)

“Word Salad” is too genteel to describe this BS….

‘The Homelessness Response Action Plan creates new governance and accountability structures to allow decision-makers to set goals, objectives and the budgets needed to achieve outcomes. It creates a co-governance model in the Steering and Oversight Committee to identify responsibilities, coordination and goals.

Under that committee, it calls for an Implementation Sub-Committee to track progress, identify challenges, collaborate and hold one another accountable to solutions.

And it assembles a robust Community Advisory Sub-Committee to elevate the issues of those across the spectrum of providers, partners and impacted stakeholders to offer their input on goals and solutions and other kinds of feedback…..”

Edwin Newman and Schu Would be Appalled.

The last two years of my seven-year tenure for Clackamas County, I was an Administrative Analyst for the three-member County Commission. My job was to write memos, press releases and various missives as well as financial analysis.

And the late Commissioner Robert Schumacher, as Chair of the Commission, was my primary boss. Schu, went out on a political limb to hire two young guys to help formulate budgets and perform a variety of organizational tasks for a county that was sorely lacking in best practices.

Mike Bateson and I promptly became known as “The Whiz Kids” – I like to think with a certain amount of bemused affection from our colleagues in County Counsel and various Departments.

Bob “Schu” Schumacher graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School and had a better grasp of the Oregon land-use system implemented in 1973 with passage of Senate Bill 100, than almost any elected official in Oregon. Having served several terms as Clackamas County Clerk, he was also an expert at Oregon Election Law.

Besides that, Schu had a remarkable and acerbic sense of humor that helped mitigate the stress of local government work. He was a superb and gifted elected official.

Although he was my boss, we became good friends and he served as an usher in our 1980 wedding. After several terms on the Commission, he left to work on the Oregon Governor’s staff. He passed away far too young.

Now before you think I’m straying too far afield, the preceding narrative is appropriate because consistent with the theme of this post, I will be forever glad that I spent two years working for this consummate elected official.

Schu was also a student of the language and we used to have shots of bourbon in his office after hours and laugh at the brilliant books of Edwin Newman, American newscaster, journalist, and author. He wrote both Strictly Speaking: Will America be the Death of English? and a Civil Tongue. (#12)

Journalist, author and newscaster

I still remember during budget hearings averting my gaze from Schu to avoid laughing when a Department Head would use a redundancy such as “free gratis” or state in a subdued tone, “Just between you and I,” use the term “hopefully” or end a sentence with a preposition.

And Newman would go nuts if he saw the quote from the Homeless Action Plan release above. As he once asked rhetorically:

“Is the design and implementation of pragmatic interfaces’ something we want to happen? I’m not sure.” Washington Post

(I should note that I’m leaving myself as a target, because I’m sure I’ve committed some linguistic or grammatical gaffes in this post. My friend, lawyer and legal consultant, R.W.(Hap) Ziegler, who scrutinizes (nitpicks?) each one for errors and will e-mail me within ten minutes after it is published. Since I don’t want to be a hypocrite, I also welcome his inspection.)

And Finally – Don’t Forget Dr. Harry Frankfurt

I have written several posts including “BS Revisited – If Only I had Known in 2012!” about the brilliant book On Bullshit by the late Harry Frankfurt, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University. (#13)

The good professor would use the “BS” label to describe both the written and the spoken word and this excerpt seems fitting to describe the author of the above press release:

“When we characterize talk as hot air, we mean that what comes out of the speaker’s mouth is only that. It is mere vapor. His speech is empty, without substance or content. His use of language accordingly does not contribute to the purpose it purports to serve.

No more information is communicated than if the speaker had merely exhaled. There are similarities between hot air and excrement, incidentally, which make hot air seem an especially suitable equivalent for bullshit.

Just as hot air is speech that has been emptied of all informative content, so excrement is matter from which everything nutritive has been removed.”

Enough said!

Farewell Malachy McCourt

I wrote about Malachy’s Bar in New York City in my February post “Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III”. I had also recently featured former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jay Waldron who after he saw the post commented:

“Was Malachy’s named after Malachy McCourt? He was a full-of-shit Irishman who played rugby and drank with me in NYC in the late 60’s and I also had a pint with his more famous author/brother Frank in McSorleys , my then favorite NYC bar. Jay”

The answer to Jay’s question was affirmative. McCourt was, indeed, a rugby player who owned Malachy’s Irish Pub on West 72nd Street. (#14 – #15)

Well, thirty-one days after I wrote about McCourt and Malachy’s Irish Pub, Jay sent me this link to the Washington Post obituaries:

“Malachy McCourt, raconteur of the Irish experience in America, dies at 92”

Cheers! (#16)

Pam 13

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Kansas Jayhawks Open Practice at the 2016 March Madness Opening Rounds (25817826036).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Phil Roeder from Des Moines, IA – 16 March 2016.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Rtu.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Ramonduran – 28 June 2001.

#3. Facebook Page of Amercian Saloon, Bars and Taverns (https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmericanSaloons).

$4 #5. Old Town Brewing Web Site (https://www.otbrewing.com/shop)

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon sign + Old Town tower, 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer – 8 January 2012.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons – PacWest Center (icensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Cacophony 18 June 2006.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Ted Speech.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Hcraddock – 5 December 2015.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Jessica Vega Pederson.png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: MetroEast Community Media – 30 October 2017.

#10. Lewis and Clark Law School Website (https://law.lclark.edu/live/profiles/295-john-bogdanski).

#11. City of Portland Website (Portland, Multnomah County announce Homelessness Response Action Plan | Portland.gov).

#12. Wikimedia Commons (File:Edwin Newman in 1975.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: NBC -12 December 1975.

#13. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Frankfurt_at_2017_ACLS_Annual_Meeting.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) 20 October 2018.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (Malachy_McCourt_3_by_David_Shankbone.jpg (2265×1913) (wikimedia.org) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: David Shankbone – 30 March 2007.

#15. Malachy Irish Pub Website Photo Gallery (https://www.malachysirishpub.com/gallery).

#16. Illustration courtesy of Pam Williams.

Did We Really Do That — Take a Hike?

Posted on December 26, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution # at the end of the post.)

Note: One of the primary topics of this blog is reviews of bars and breweries. Although I’ve frequently wondered from that during the pandemic and in the last few months with a residential move, I’ve got a number of great bars to catch up on at the first of the year – The Wildwood Saloon, Von Ebert Brewery, Old Town Pizza and Grand Fir Brewery. Stay tuned.

Sixty-three years ago on January 2nd. That’s when my dad – FDW as we affectionately called him – and I started an unexpected nine-hour wilderness trek at 5:10 in the afternoon in the snowy Mt. Hood National Forest.

The newspaper account by one Vera Luby Criteser in the Oregon City Enterprise Courier is shown below, but first a little background. (The paper stopped publishing in 1990.)

In previous posts, I’ve mentioned that both of my parents – FDW and Frannie our mom, were saints. They demonstrated love for their kids, patience and faith continually, as well as having the courage to take bold steps while we were growing up to improve our lives. – including a move across the country without FDW having a job in Oregon, our new home.

This couple, who met in 1942 while both were working for American Airlines in New York City, married the next year. They were role models for parenting (and living) for my siblings and me.

I’m named after my Dad’s best friend and SAE fraternity brother at George Washington University (Don Wilburn) – a US Army aviator, who was killed while piloting a military flight.

In, several blog posts I’ve chronicled FDW’s traits – focusing on his willingness to take risks and his affinity for the “Spirit of High Adventure” – especially after we moved to Oregon from Ohio in 1960. https://thebeerchaser.com/2021/10/21/fdw-beerchaser-of-the-quarter-part-i/

I’ve retyped the newspaper article dated 1/17/61 – about two weeks after we safely returned from the trip. The group below participated in the adventure (except for our dog, Candy and our cat, Buffy). We were fortunate, given the circumstances and the weather, and learned a few lessons that stood us in good stead for many future wilderness adventures.

Family Christmas about eight years after the trip up the Clackamas

It should be noted that along with the six of us on that trip was a new friend I had met in my seventh grade class. Ellwood Cushman joined us (I’m sure to his parents’ dismay when he failed to return home until the next morning).

Ellwood went on to become 1966 valedictorian at Oregon City High School, graduate from University of Oregon and have an outstanding career in law enforcement, becoming a police lieutenant for the City of Eugene before retiring. (#1 – #2)

From the Oregon City Enterprise Courier January 17, 1961

“What Would You Have Done?”

“The Duane Williams family, newcomers to Oregon City, had an experience the day after New Year’s they would not care to repeat but which has not affected their enthusiasm for a future trips to the mountains. If they had panicked, something tragic could have happened.

As you remember, the day was still and clear and a holiday, a wonderful opportunity to drive up to the snow country and frolic. Williams decided to take the Clackamas River Road above the city of Estacada and the Estacada Ranger Station and come to snow in the upper reaches.

He told his wife, Fran, to put in a change of clothes for the children so they wouldn’t have to ride back with wet feet and legs. (#3- #5)

The children are daughter, Lynne, 14; Donald, 12; Garry, 10, Ricky, 8 and a friend, Ellwood Cushman, Don’s new friend, who went along.

Williams, himself, since he was caught in a big blizzard and deep snow in New York City in 1948, always kept snow-boots, extra mittens and a sterno-stove in their car although he had never needed them since that time until this day.

They drove out before noon, planning to be home by 6 PM – 7 at the latest. The trip up the river was not new them because they had hiked into Bagby Hot Springs with the Harry Gehrings and Ed Millers. They were thrilled with the big trees, primitive nature and the mountain air with room to stretch their legs.

The road was good Monday, January 2 and the VW bus performed excellently.

They passed the Colowash River Road Junction and Austin Hot Springs and sped on through the light snowfall to find a deep covering where the children could play. (#6)

Olympic_National_Forest_-_November_2017_-_4

They decided to stay just until 4 PM and start home. Seventeen miles above Austin Hot Springs they stopped – a big tree lay across the road. (#7)

Fallen_tree_blocking_forest_road_on_Main_Rig_near_Mollin_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4058392

No snow in this photo, but you get the idea!

Someone ahead of them had also been stopped and turned and the track was plain so Williams swung the car around in tracks but somehow swung too wide and hit a soft shoulder. The car slipped and with each try to pull it out, it slipped farther. No amount of pushing and throwing rocks and limbs did any good.

They worked over an hour and finally gave up. The car was lodged at a 45 degree angle and seemingly safe from further slippage. By this time it was 5:10 and the map in the car showed the nearest assistance would be at Ripplebrook Ranger Station as they learned later, well over 20 miles away.

Williams and Donald left the others in the car, unheated because at the angle it was sitting, no gas could reach the carburetor to start the engine. He took one of the flashlights and began their hike for help. (#8)

Sterno Stove – Not much heat, but psychologically helpful…

The moon came up – full and brought out their diamond-studded path, almost as bright as day. The miles stretched longer and longer as they tramped back. Donald had hiked as a Scout and needed another 10-mile hike to earn his merit badge. He earned it well that night.

At first, when they became tired, they sat to rest, but when Williams began to get stiff, they leaned against trees for a few breaths.

Finally about 2:15 AM, they came to Colowash Junction and saw a piece of road equipment sitting by the way. Williams decided to risk using government equipment to save their lives. Hunting around the cab, they found the key although nothing was marked, so it took some time see where it fitted and some experimenting to which levers worked.

At last it roared like a plane and began to move. He maneuvered it around and headed back down the road.

Revisiting our “ride” for the last eight miles the next Spring

Eight miles farther on they saw the welcome Ripplebrook Station, which was closed, but they saw a light burning in the Ranger’s house about a half-mile above. So they took to their feet again.

A few pounds on the door brought out the Ranger and his wife followed. Donald was soon bedded down on a couch and Williams headed back with thermos bottles of coffee and cocoa and the rangers were speeding back to the car.

A welcome sight after hiking 21 miles and 8 miles in a Caterpillar

Frances in the meantime had her hands full with four cold, hungry children. If the hours went slowly on the long hike, time crawled in the stalled car.

They sang, played guessing games, the younger ones huddled together and napped – hard to do at such an angle. When they became too cold, she lighted the sterno-stove for the psychological effect of something burning.

Williams gives his wife most of the credit for the safety of the group. Two years ago, they drove to Oregon from Cincinnati, Ohio to look over the West with the idea of locating here and camped along the way.

The experience came in handy last summer when Frances, a New York City girl and the children moved to Oregon alone with a trailer on the back of their car – camping along the way.

Frannie – our wonderful Mom was the real hero

Duane had come to Oregon first and couldn’t return with them for the drive West. The family had experience with hazards the year before when they were caught in the great Yellowstone Park Earthquake of 1959.

Williams has one piece of advice to people who go up to the mountain – get maps from the rangers to show the country in detail – they can be vital.” (#9)

This gives an overview, but one needs Forest Service detailed maps.

A Few Observations After Years of Additional Perspective

As mentioned in the article, the real hero during this escapade was Frannie. This New York City gal – new to the West – wondering whether there were bears and wildlife outside the car when they had to go to the bathroom (There were!) and how long, and if, the two rescue hikers would make it back as well as keeping up the sprits of four young kids in a cold vehicle for almost eleven hours, showed incredible courage.

At first, I was thrilled with the excitement and being the oldest son – the one to hike out for help – but after six hours, the novelty wore off. We had walked about six hours and at an 11 PM rest with Dad starting to stiffen up (he was not in great shape for a 21-mile trek) he said to me:

“Don, if I can’t finish this hike to Ripplebrook, you are going to have to do it and I know that you can.”

Right after we resumed walking on that clear night, one of the brightest meteors I’ve ever seen, flew overhead. I don’t remember if I thought that this was a divine sign, but it re-energized me physically and mentally. (#10)

The Time in the Car

My brother, Garry, passed away in 1989, but in the last three days, I’ve talked to Lynne, Rick and Ellwood about their memories of the eleven hours in the car before rescue.

Ellwood said that he was not scared and alluded to Frannie’s confident spirit that all would be okay. He remembered it being cold and them ripping up the rather flimsy seat covers to provide warmth as a covering. (Since we remained friends, his parents evidently didn’t forbid him to see the kid who got him into the mess.)

Rick (age 8) reiterated not being scared:

“Because Mom said everything would be fine. She lit the Sterno-stove and said it would warm us up and even though now I know that it couldn’t, it seemed like it did.”

Lynne, at 12, as the oldest child left in the car, said that although she was not frightened, she became very concerned especially after the hours continued to drag and no one had come.

“I don’t know how Frannie did it. We sang songs including ’99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall’ many times, played guessing games and when we had to go out, she was right there with us, reassuring us.

When I saw the bright light from the Ranger’s truck through the thick ice that had formed on the back window of the VW, I thought it was the angels coming to get us because it was too late!”

Now whether Lynne assisting in managing the other kids that night, helped her when she became a very successful teacher and school principal or Garry to develop the patience and discipline he needed to graduate from West Point, we don’t know.

But I’m sure it helped them in some ways just like being confined in that cold-tight space helped Rick when he commanded a 20,000-foot record deep submergence vehicle dive in 1985 and surfaced up through the ice at the North Pole when he was the skipper of the nuclear submarine USS Spadefish (SSN 668). (https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/07/06/dirt-and-dust/)

The Army vs. Navy Rivalry during college years

The Advantage of Lessons Learned

FDW was a very smart guy and realized the trip could have ended tragically and he learned from those mistakes. From that day forward, he had survival supplies from clothes and energy snacks to flares to two sleeping bags and a GI shovel in the ample storage compartment of the FDW-VW.

He had an extensive sales territory in Eastern Oregon and it came in handy when I went with him in the summer after my senior year in high school and traveled over a Forest Service road in the Mount Emily Wilderness in Union County.

He had a sales call in John Day and we decided to take a roundabout way to get to Pendleton – part of which would be a gravel unimproved road that would take us by the summit of Mount Emily. We had a good Forest Service Map but late in the afternoon came to an unmarked junction and decided to take what looked like the more improved road.

After about a half-mile, we went down a steep grade and saw bulldozers and road construction equipment, but there was no room to turn around and the grade was too steep for the approximately 70 horsepower bus to back up.

So we put the seats down, had a snack, broke out two sleeping bags and slept soundly that night. I still remember being “rudely awakened” about 6:15 the next morning by a loud knocking on my window. I rolled over, looked up and saw a guy with a hardhat smoking a cigar who shouted, “How in the hell, did you guys get down here?” (#11 – #12)

He pulled us up the grade backward with his bulldozer and we were on our merry way to a good breakfast in Pendleton commenting about how nice it was nice not to have to walk out this time. It would have been a lot longer than 21 miles!

Well, the Clackamas River Trip was a definite bonding experience which we talked about at family gatherings for years to come.

family2

The original article in the Enterprise Courier

Cheers and Happy New Year

External Photo Attribution

#1. Pioneer Log – Junior High Yearbook – Thora B. Gardiner Jr. High.

#2. The Hesperian – 1966 Oregon City High School Yearbook.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clackamas_Wild_and_Scenic_River_(27727585360).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington – 14 October 2005. This image is a work of a Bureau of Land Management* employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.

#4. Estacada News (https://www.estacadanews.com/news/clackamas-river-ranger-district-office-will-move-from-estacada/article_ce8cf036-75a9-5485-a32c-3d958f9a0cd3.html

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clackamas_Wild_and_Scenic_River_(27905348422).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. This image is a work of a Bureau of Land Management* employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Olympic National Forest – November 2017 – 4.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image is a work of the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. Author: https://twitter.com/olympicforest/status/928396680512225281 – 8 November 2017

#7. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fallen_tree_blocking_forest_road_on_Main_Rig_near_Mollin_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4058392.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: https://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/27184 5 July 2014.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Kochstelle mit Gamelle.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide.
I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law. Author: TheBernFiles – 27 October 2005.

#9. (https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5192432.jpg)

#10. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonid_Meteor.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Navicore 17 November, 2009.

#11. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mt_emily_wilderness_4_reesman_odfw_(14997983254).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife – 27 September 2011.

#12. Image courtesy of Pam Williams.

Did We Really Do That – College Antics…..

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

In several of my recent posts – in a fit of nostalgia – I’ve looked back at some of the crazy antics in which my friends and I participated when I was younger:

The first was in the mid ’70’s, when on a golf outing to Tumwater, Washington, our foursome “crashed” an electrician union’s graduation ceremony. https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/10/26/did-we-really-do-that-part-i/

My crazy dentist and I receiving our motorwinder diplomas.

The second, somewhat “out-of-the-box” undertaking occurred in 1984 at the American Society of Association Executives Annual Conference in Chicago.

That’s when my fraternity brother and friend of now over 50 years, Jud Blakely and I co-presented at a session that took all those attending by surprise. https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/11/03/did-we-really-do-that-part-ii-the-tie-that-binds/

“Sloe” Down – You Move Too Fast…

Perhaps because of the rather tragic demise of the PAC-12 Athletic Conference, I felt compelled to share a college memory during the years of the OSU Giant Killers.

We lived in a sheltered environment for four years while trying to figure out what we were going to do when our draft deferments ended or we had to face reality in the working world.

It was a time filled with wonderful and unforgettable campus memories such as the one below which involved the Class of 1970 at the Oregon State SAE Fraternity. (#3)

Oregon Alpha Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon

One of the great memories from college days in the late 1960’s is the concerts – held in Gill Coliseum where the Beavers played basketball. The acoustics were not great, but we didn’t care. Most of the time, these were part of a campus celebration such as Homecoming or Moms’/Dads’ weekend and sold out. (#4)

Gill Coliseum the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis.

For example, during just my sophomore and junior year, we saw Harry Belafonte, The Association, Petula Clark, The Doors and The Righteous Brothers. (From left – clockwise below) (#5 – #9)

But the concert evoking the most vivid memory for me was in 1968 when three-time Grammy-winner, Lou Rawls, was the solo performer. Rawls’ jazz and blues albums were best sellers and his 1966 album “Live!” was certified gold, but the concert surprisingly did not sell out.

The event was held during “The Sophomore Cotillion” (That’s something you wouldn’t have in this era!) on a dreary winter weekend after a home football game. Perhaps it was the weather and the fact that most OSU students were not jazz aficionados, but his concert was not that well attended.

That said, all of us who experienced it were absolutely thrilled with his performance. (#10)

Our sophomore class from the SAE house rented a room at the Town House Motor Inn in “downtown” Corvallis for pre-functioning and post-functioning – we weren’t yet twenty-one and couldn’t go to a venue that served alcohol.

(The motel is now the Hotel Corvallis and you can still get a discounted standard room with a king-bed for $97 if not on a weekend with a home athletic contest.) And it gets pretty good reviews on Trip Advisor…..

Rick Gaffney, one of the SAEs from our class, was the Cotillion Manager and had responsibility for all of the events that weekend including the Rawls concert.

While chatting with Lou Rawls immediately after the concert, he invited the singer to our party at the motel, never thinking he’d actually come. (Rick in the present is shown below) (#11 – #12)

But to our great surprise, the singer was staying at the same motel and when he knocked on the door of our room, we invited him in and offered him a beer. He casually asked if we had any “hard stuff.”

The only bottles in our inventory were Olympia and Blitz Beers – both of which were big in the Northwest – especially on campus. (And in Oregon, Coors was not available, but that’s another story….. (#13.)

An historic Oly label

We reluctantly admitted, however, that we did have a bottle of Sloe Gin, which made Rawls guffaw. Yes, it was that “red liqueur” made with gin and drupes – a small fruit relative of the plum.

Sloe gin has a staggering alcohol content between 15 and 30 percent ABV! He opted for a beer. (#14 – #15)

The OSU Football team the year before was known as the “Giant Killers” and beat a No. 1 Ranked USC Trojan team led by running back O.J. Simpson by a score of 3 to 0 in Corvallis. The 1967 team also beat No. 2 ranked Purdue and tied No. 2 ranked UCLA.

OSU was a formidable opponent in 1968, as well, and ended with 7–3 record overall and 5–1 in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8). Their final ranking in the AP Poll was fifteenth. (#16)

The Giant Killers in 1967

And the legacy will live on long after the demise of the PAC 12.

The Giant Killers in 2017

The SAE’s had eleven players on those teams and two of the starters – both defensive backs – were in our class and attended the party with their dates. Larry Rich and Don Whitney did not drink that night but both had encounters with Lou Rawls.

The funniest was Don Whitney, as related by SAE, Keith “Sweeney” Swensen, a first-hand witness to the incident:

“I remember the look on Whit’ ’s face when he came out of the bathroom singing a Lou Rawls’ song only to walk right into Lou Rawls, himself. He turned bright red but then Lou complimented him on his singing.

After that, I don’t think Don said a word for the next 10 minutes. He just sat there with a shit-eatin’ grin on his face.” (#18 – #19)

Don, a Pendleton native, after a long and valiant battle with pancreatic cancer, passed away in 2012. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gazettetimes/name/donald-whitney-obituary?id=13558684

Larry Rich and his date, Mariellen were there (they celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary last year) and Larry remembers Rawls sporting a fabulous, large diamond-studded ring with the initials “LR.”

Rich said that he told the singer if he ever got tired of the ring, he would be glad to buy it “at the right price!” (#20)

Larry and Mariellen are both retired and live in Lincoln City, Oregon on the Central Oregon Coast. (A picture of Larry and Mariellen with Janet, my wife about three years ago is shown below.)

Janet Williams, Mariellen and Larry

The Next Chapter

Flash forward about ten years and Rick Gaffney, after completing his service in the US Navy, was working as the Beach Captain at Kona Village Resort in Kona.

One morning he was raking the sand and comedian Dom DeLuise walked up behind him kidding him about how his college degree had prepared him for his job. (#21)

Another morning, Lou Rawls walked up to Rick’s beach shack. He was visiting with actress Brenda Vaccaro. (#22)

Rick, somewhat sheepishly, reintroduced himself and reminded the singer of the Sophomore Cotillion concert he performed at Oregon State in 1968.

Rawls first replied, “Well, it’s all kind of a blur. I was on the road so many nights.” But then, he looked Gaffney right in the eye and said, “Wait a minute.! Sloe Gin — All you guys had was Sloe Gin.” They both had a good laugh.

Gaffney is now the President of Rick Gaffney & Associates on the Big Island of Hawaii. His firm specializes in ocean recreation business development and marketing as well as marine eco-tourism resort planning and management and boat and yacht outfitting plus Pacific voyage planning. (#23)

The music world was saddened by Lou Rawls’ death at the age of seventy-two in 2006. In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

None of us at that post-concert gathering will ever forget that interaction with the famed singer who was also a nice guy. Similarly, I would suggest that none of us ever drank Sloe Gin again…. (#24)

“All you guys had was Sloe Gin!”

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Memorial Union at Oregon State University.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: user:Owen May 2005.

#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Weatherford Hall Oregon State University Greg Keene.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Gregkeene – 17 January 2009.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Gill Coliseum entrance.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) The copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: M.O. Stevens May 2008.

#4. Oregon State SAE Website (Sigma Alpha Epsilon Oregon Alpha | Oregon State (saeoregonstate.com)

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Harry Belafonte 1970 (cropped).tif – Wikimedia Commons) Public domain / Arquivo Nacional Collection – Agosto de 1970.

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Petula clark 1965.jpg – Wikimedia Commons ) This work is in the public domain in the United States. Author: Tullio Piacentini / Federico Zanni – 1965.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:The Association 1966.png – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: KRLA Beat – 1966.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:The Doors 1968.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) – 1966.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:TheRighteousBrothersperformingKBF.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) No known copyright restrictions; “There are no known copyright restrictions on this image. Photo courtesy Orange County Archives. Author and date unknown.

#10. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:President Ronald Reagan meeting with Lou Rawls in the Oval Offiice (cropped).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties.. Series: Reagan White House Photographs, 1/20/1981 – 1/20/1989. 3 December 1984.

#11. (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g51817-Corvallis_Oregon-Hotels.html).

#12. Rick Gaffney Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/rick.gaffney.73).

#13. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_Brewing_Company#/media/File:Olympia_Beer_label_1914.jpg) This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1928, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. Author: Olympia Brewing Company.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (File:Hand Made Sloe Gin.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Smifff – 9 December 2022.

#15. Wikimedia Commons (File:Sloe berry.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Stephanie Watson – 13 September 2007.

#16. Corvallis Gazette Times (https://gazettetimes.com/albany/entertainment/movies/giant-killers-tells-the-story-of-the-1967-beavers-football-team/article_573b5c1e-523d-5669-888e-06d484aab93f.html)

#17. Oregon State University Athletic Department (https://osubeavers.com/news/2017/11/27/football-giant-killers-the-legend-50-years-later).

#18. – #20. Courtesy of Jud Blakely.

#21. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dom_Deluise_Allan_Warren.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Allan Warren – 1975.

#22. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lou_rawls_edit.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: MiliHell – 20 April 2014.

#23. Rick Gaffney Facebook Page ((6) https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159998291059698&set=ecnf.1477435070Facebook.

#24. Wikimedia Commons (File:Hand Made Sloe Gin.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Smifff – 9 December 2022.

Fall Fulminations

Posted on November 24, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

Ongoing conflicts around the globe – 2021

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post. #1)

“Fulmination” is defined as “a vehement objection or protest.“ Normally, autumn is my favorite time of year – football, beautiful weather and spirit of optimism and community before the winter rains in the Northwest.

Yet with the state of global events, US politics, earthquakes and climate disasters and it seems – every headline – one wants to scream in protest, especially for the terrible conditions faced by the citizens in Israel, Palestine and the Ukraine to name just a few.

So remembering that a blog about bars and breweries seems trite and maybe inappropriate in light of this turmoil, I offer my fervent prayers for all affected by these issues and will try distracting with some light-hearted topics.

Although fall is rapidly fading away and the holidays are imminent, here are a few issues I want to address – in some cases to gripe and others to offer thanks and share my appreciation.

But First…..

While this is a blog about bars and breweries and the meanderings of my cranium, it behooves me to offer this word of caution as we enter the holiday season.

So take the advice of a slogan in the front of one of my favorite dive bars – Lumpy’s Landing in Dundee, Oregon: (#2 – #3)

Lumpys2

An Apparent Incongruity?

After back fusion surgery in 2022, I underwent very good physical therapy at Advance Sports and Spine Therapy in Wilsonville, Oregon for several months. Everything was then fine until this September, when in preparation for our forthcoming move, I pulled some tires out of our crawl space and messed up something.

So I returned and my Physical Therapist, Jeff Cox, did his usual good job of getting me “back” to where I was before I got stupid! As I was waiting in the reception area before my final visit, I was glancing at a brochure entitled, “What You Can Do to Prevent Falls.”

It was a sunny, autumn day and I looked up and saw the following poster by the reception window and laughingly said to the wonderful receptionist, “Joselyn, do you really think that sign is appropriate for a Physical Therapy Clinic?”

Photo Nov 02 2023, 9 16 16 AM

Joselyn, shook her head and replied, “Don, you’re the first person who has ever asked that question.” Jeff overheard the dialogue as he came out to get me, smiled and said, “Well, maybe that is a good business development strategy!”

And Speaking of Falls……

Those following this blog since its inception in 2011 know that I’m an Oregon State University grad (Class of ’70) and love Beaver Athletics. It’s interesting – especially during football season since my wife, Janet, is a University of Oregon Duck and my older daughter, Lisa, and her husband are both of Husky ilk – he a third-generation University of Washington grad.

My Fall Fulminations are heightened as I am appalled and saddened with the “Fall” of the PAC 12 Athletic Conference. Known as the Conference of Champions, it has won more NCAA national championships in team sports than any other conference in history. (#4)

It’s moniker is now the PAC 2, since all the schools other than Oregon State and Washington State have abandoned it for other Power 5 Conferences. Fortunately, the two schools were granted a preliminary injunction in Washington State Superior Court.

The judge ruled that they were now the sole voting members of the Pac-12’s governing board and granted full control of the Conference’ assets and how its revenue for the 2023-24 school year will be divided. That decision is temporarily held in abeyance as the Washington Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of the preliminary injunction last week.

I’m not unduly bitter about the decision of the other schools, but disgusted that this demise could have been delayed or more likely never occurred if the PAC 12 Board of Governors (University Presidents) had instead, exerted reasonable control over former Commissioner Larry Scott who commenced his tenure in July, 2009.

But they sat placidly by and totally acquiesced until they fired him in 2020 as he overspent, including shifting the Pac-12 offices into a multi-story building in San Francisco that cost conference members a total of $92 million in rent over 11 years – a rate significantly higher than that of other Power 5 conference headquarters. The staffing organization he left behind was in a shambles.

Our boy Larry was new to college athletics except for being captain of the Harvard Tennis Team in 1986. Before coming to the Pac 12, he was the CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association.

His gamble to form the independent Pac-12 Network, which failed to gain distribution nationally and in assorted cable markets was his worst mistake. All this while they paid him an exorbitant salary. According to Awful Announcing.com:

“Scott’s compensation varied over time, starting at $1.9 million annually but reaching more than $4 million by his fifth year and more than $5 million by his ninth year…..” (#4 – #5)

His successor, George Kliavkoff, who like Scott, had no college sports experience, failed to remedy the problems and muffed TV negotiations which dealt the final blow. (#7)

But I Digress – Let’s Celebrate the Beaver History!

Oregon Historical Society Exhibit

My fondness for Beaver Teams was “kicked off” in my sophomore year when I watched what would become known as the fabled 1967 Oregon State Giant Killers knock off an OJ Simpson led USC Trojan Team – rated number one in the nation – on a dreary 1967 fall day in Corvallis.

I paid tribute to them in this post: https://thebeerchaser.com/2018/05/20/the-1967-osu-giant-killers-beerchasers-of-the-quarter-part-i/ (#8)

gkwebsitewelcomeheader

My OSU classmates will never forget that day and the inspirational Beaver record that year under iconic Coach Dee Andros (the Great Pumpkin) was historic.

I was fortunate to live in the Oregon State SAE fraternity with eleven members of that team. (Larry Rich, Don Whitney, Roger Cantlon, Duane Barton, Jess Lewis, Jim Blackford, Don Welch, Chris Wahle, Clyde Smith and Jim Scheele.)

And the Beav’s positive history with USC continued over the years (albeit a bit exaggerated in comparison to 1967) by The Oregonian when the banner headline on the September 26, 2008 Sports Page shouted “Giant Killers III.”

This was after the Beavers beat No. 1 rated USC 27 to 21 at Reser Stadium. The accompanying article also asserted that Giant Killers II was the October 28, 2006 game in Corvallis when OSU beat the third-rated Trojans 33 to 31.

I was at that game thirty-nine years after the Beavs toppled the No 1 Trojans the first time). (#9 – #10) https://www.oregonlive.com/behindbeaversbeat/2008/09/the_giant_killers_times_3.html

The Huskies

Unfortunately, my efforts to prove to my daughter and son-in-law, Jamie, that the Beavs are superior to the Huskies have been far less productive – both at Reser Stadium and Husky Stadium. (Note the score in the picture below when we attended at Reser.)

The gridiron facility was completely renovated from 2011-13, with Jamie’s Dad, Jon Magnusson and his team from the Magnusson Klemencic firm doing the structural engineering work. (They were also key players in the 2023 renovation of Reser.)

The Civil War

The “Civil War” – the 127th meeting of the Ducks and the Beavers played today, may be the last time this rivalry game is played. Next year is somewhat doubtful as the only potential date would involve a Duck buyout of Boise State.

As stated at the beginning of a wonderful book by the five-time winner of the Oregon Sportswriter of the Year Award, Kerry Eggers entitled, The Civil War Rivalry – Oregon vs Oregon State:

“Thirty-five years after Oregon reached statehood and fewer than 30 years after the end of the Great War between the Union and Confederate States, the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) met on the gridiron on a sawdust field in front of 500 curious observers….The Farmers beat the Lemon-Yellows 16 to 0…that cold, wet November day in 1894.”

This historic rivalry – one of college football’s oldest – has provided many hours of great banter in the family, at the law firm where I worked and with friends across the country. (#11 – #12)

And Finally

As I fulminate on the probable loss – or at least the diminution – of this great tradition, I’ll leave you with my favorite Civil War joke and hope the 16th-rated Beavs pull off the upset over the No. 6 Quackers later today. (#13)

Happy Holidays!

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Albert Einstein arrives at a party in Eugene and introduces himself to to the first person he sees and asks, “What is your IQ,” to which the man answers, “241.” “Wonderful,” says Albert, ” We will discuss the Grand Unification Theory and the mysteries of the universe.”

Next, he introduces himself to a woman and inquires, “What is your IQ,” to which the woman replies, ” 207.” “That’s great,” said the physicist, “We can discuss politics and the scientific implications of world affairs. We’ll have much to discuss.”

He approaches a third person and asks, “What is your IQ,” to which the guy holding a beer, answers, “51.” Einstein ponders this for a micro-second and says, “Go Ducks!” (#9)

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Ongoing conflicts around the world in 2021.svg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: wikimedia 9 July 2021.

#2. Lumpy’s Landing Facebook Page (Facebook).

#3. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thinkinag_woman.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Xuan Zheng – 11 October 2009.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Pac12logo.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Ryanishungry – 9 October 2022.

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tennis_racket_-_The_Noun_Project.svg) The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law. James Keuning – 18 December 2017.

#6. Linked In site for George KIiavkoff) (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kliavkoff/overlay/photo/).

#7. Oregon Historical Society.

#8 – #10. Jud Blakely (https://vimeo.com/1552809)

#11. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BennyBeaverPhoto.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Flickr user “VRC Jeremy” – 2 March 2008.

*12. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregon_Duck#/media/File:The_Oregon_Duck_.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Ray Terrill – 19 November 2011.

#13. (https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/11962755238966344/) Fernanda Gomes saved to Christmas – http://pbs.twimg.com)

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