March Gladness

Posted on March 27, 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. External photo attribution at the end of the post.

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!

10874_1037318829623529_4694361351467837585_n

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)

Migration Brewing – Music to Your Beers…..

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

Migration Backs it Up

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 so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External Photo Attribution at the end of the post #1)

I was intrigued recently when our friends David and Kate Dickson invited us to join them for a Saturday evening appearance by Porchello at the Migration Brewery Pub and Patio on Williams Avenue in North Portland.

Five years ago, my family and a number of friends had a wonderful experience at Migration’s original pub and brewery operation at their Northeast Glisan Pub at a “70-30 Party.” (I had turned 70 and my son-in-law, Ryan Keene, hit 30.)

The Glisan location is known as a great place to gather and for hosting events and we were thrilled with the result – beer, food and environment.

“The Migration journey all started here in 2010 and is still where we make small batch and experimental beers. With one of the best beer patios in town” (#2)

Migration_Logo-Tagline

I had followed Migration’s impressive growth and culture since then and was anxious to see the Williams Avenue Pub opened in 2021 which they advertise as:

“One of the best beer patios in town, award-winning beer and an elevated food program, it is a true Portland craft beer.” (#3 – #5)

Now since I had never heard of a group or individual named “Porchello” and David has an excellent, dry sense of humor, I made him confirm that he wasn’t talking about one of the “luminaries” below:

Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers baseball pitcher, Massimilian Porcello, famous retired German Italian soccer midfielder or possibly Sam Porcello, noted Nabisco food scientist who did pioneering work on the Oreo Cookie. (This included inventing the white cookie cream filling.) (#6)

All of these would have been interesting except that the Oreo guy died in 2012. And while the Oreo is known as “Milk’s favorite cookie,” David was, in fact, talking about a wonderful musical ensemble named Porchello in a Saturday evening performance entitled, “Cellos and Fresh Hop!”

Porchello – the Real Deal

I have to admit that I’ve not been to many breweries which feature music at their pubs or taprooms. Based on my research and experience, there aren’t that many that offer it and the ones I’ve experienced usually have amateur musicians entertain you – they often play just for tips and at a volume that drowns out conversation.

But Porchello, and its musicians individually, have outstanding backgrounds and musical skill and it was a wonderful evening. The four of us will definitely see another performance when we can. I have a lot more to tell you about the cellists below, but first some more on Migration Brewery. (#7)

Migration – “Every beer we make has the power to ignite a conversation!”

The last five years have been a nightmare for the hospitality industry and the list of brewery closures has loomed large. A number of the independents such as 10 Barrel, Widmer and Henry Weinhard’s and most recently, Ecliptic, have been absorbed by the giants such as Anheuser-Busch Inbev or Molson Coors.

Thus, it is refreshing to see how four entrepreneurs took a major risk in 2010 and have hit what appears to be a home run in the craft brewing industry. What makes the story more attractive can best be summed up by an excerpt from “Our Story” on the Migration website:

“On a sunny day in the Fall of 2008, we found ourselves sharing beers and engrossed in a conversation that began about starting a business but quickly delved into personal values and visions of the future.

The four of us quickly realized that we shared more than a passion for great beer; we shared a value set about life and the role that beer plays in it.” (#8)

about-page-team-image For seven years, Migration took the hard road of self-distribution, but in 2017 they partnered with a major distributor to take over distribution and opened a 20,000 square foot production brewery and pub in Gresham.

“Over the past three years, the company has become one of the fastest growing breweries in Oregon with distribution in Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Nevada, Thailand, and Japan.”

The expansive Gresham brewing operation and pub came to life with an incredibly rapid build-out which was accomplished with the cooperation of the City of Gresham. Migration owner’s have made it a goal to connect with the community. Co-founder, Colin Rath articulates this well in a website video. (#9 – #11)

Recent Developments

During a period when many breweries are consolidating their losses, Migration has shown remarkable innovation as evidenced by two recent openings and a Strategic Partnership with Bend’s Silver Moon Brewing.

Wells Fargo Center – As reported by Oregon Live’s Beer Columnist, Andre Meunier:

“Migration is the latest brewery to declare its love and belief in Portland and back it up with action.”

The Brewery put a tap room in the Wells Fargo Building – the tallest skyscraper in Oregon. (#12)

Motivate to return to the office downtown

On the first floor of the building, they established a taproom for office workers – seating forty and including a patio. Opened in August of 2023, the concept was so successful that the summer experiment was expanded beyond the original time period ending December 31st. Willamette Week reported that:

“Migration’s owners also plan to host everything from live DJs to special food pop-ups to holiday-themed events to bring in new clientele throughout the rest of the year…. There are10 taps for beer and wine as well as canned cocktails along with food by Addy’s Sandwich Bar. 3-8 pm Tuesday through Thursday.”

Rooftop Patio on the Canvas Building – Migration reopened its rooftop patio on the ninth floor of the Canvas Building across from Providence Park where the Portland Timbers and Thorns play. It’s a wonderful patio with spectacular views that opened in 2020 during the summer months until 2022. After a year hiatus, it reopened this July.

“We’re excited to get the Rooftop back in action,” says Migration CEO and Co-Founder McKean Banzer-Lausberg, in a June 11 Brew Public article: “As a company we really value local partnerships and have always enjoyed working with Urban Renaissance Group. This will be a truly unique craft beer experience.” (#13 – #14)

And That Gets Us Back to Porchello

Originally the Porchello concert was to be held at the Canvas Building patio, but the weather turned sour and it was relocated to Migration’s Williams Pub – also a wonderful venue for a musical event with a large, heated patio.

Now my perception of cello numbers was from esoteric and non-melodic classical scores such as 18th century famed cellist and composer Ridolfo Boccherini, but Porchello had its audience captivated the entire evening – first with upscale classical music, but then offering a diversified mix of classic rock, Big Band favorites, Beatle tunes and movie showpieces. (#15 – #16)

And the good news is that you also have the opportunity to see them even later this month as they will have a repeat performance at Migration on November 30th and then Christmas shows on the Willamette Shore Trolley on Dec 19th and 20th.

Who Are These Guys?

Since my Beerchasing journey began in 2011, I have been to over 400 bars and breweries throughout Oregon, in many regions of the US and even a few internationally. Although I haven’t heard a lot of music during these visits, the groups I’ve heard have usually been amateur musicians – garage band variety.

Well, Porchello pleasantly breaks the mold – the four musicians (three cellos and an upright bass) are all classically trained and collectively have almost a one-hundred years of performing experience. I’ll briefly describe them below, but first a bit about the group itself and the leader, Dieter Ratzlaf.

Photo Sep 29 2023, 7 27 17 PM

And I might add that Porcello and Migration Brewing have a lot in common. They are both involved and giving to their communities, creatively entrepreneurial evoking memories of reading “The Little Engine That Could” – a story of optimism and hard work. Migration was the first brewery in which Porchello performed.

Porchello was formed in May 2020. Dieter and his wife Erin, were freelance musicians, cello instructors and performing with the Vancouver Symphony (where they both met in 2006).

All of their scheduled performances were canceled so to give back to the community, they gave a spontaneous porch performance. (I didn’t ask Dieter if he and Erin or the attendees wore masks…)

This well-attended “concert” and the thanks of their neighbors for some joy during the darkest days of the pandemic, motivated them to do more and even live-stream. (#17 – #19)

Realizing that they could attract larger audiences, they recruited another cellist and a contrabass and formed Porchello. Rather than just offer classical pieces, their repertoire included pop, movie and rock numbers.

“We believe the cello and Porcello can bring great joy to many with its versatility, virtuosity, soulfulness and deep expression.”

Before I tell you about the others, let’s look at Dieter’s history and why I asked him how he got along with what had to be only three or four hours of sleep each night starting in high school. (#20)

He was an athlete at Portland’s Grant High School, not only playing basketball, tennis and golf, but concurrently a member in the prestigious Portland Youth Philharmonic – the oldest youth orchestra in the United States – conducted by the legendary Music Director Jacob Avshalomov. He went on tour with the PYP in 1989.

Dieter graduated in Economics and German at Willamette University on a music scholarship and where he once performed with Yo Yo Ma, which he described as “An amazing experience!” His education continued with a Master of Arts in Cello Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music – also on scholarship. (#21 – #22)

Dieter was appointed principal cello of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 2005 and the Hood River Philharmonic in 2012, positions he currently still holds. And to ensure that he does not sit idle, he also has a practice as a residential realtor for Prudential.

He has appeared with multiple arts organizations in the Pacific Northwest including the Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Portland Opera Orchestra (18 seasons) and the Oregon Ballet Theater Orchestra (10 seasons). (#23)

Performing with the Vancouver Symphony in 2013

Erin Ratzlaf, although a member of Porchello, did not play the night we were at Migration, but is also a professional musician playing in the Vancouver Symphony and instructing at the Ratzliff Cello Studio. She graduated from Northwestern University and received her MS in Counseling at Portland State.

In addition to her musical work, Erin is an outpatient crisis counselor and provides crisis counseling, urgent intake assessments, mental health evaluations, individual therapy and access and referral to adults. She also served on the Board of Portland Chamber Music. Erin and Dieter have three children. (#24)

And to complement the musical pedigree of the Ratzlafs, let’s look at the other two members of Porchello:

Clinton O’Brien – I really enjoyed how the solo bass complemented the three cellos at Migration. Clint is currently Principal Bass of the Portland Opera orchestra and the Portland Columbia Symphony orchestra and Assistant Principal Bassist with the Vancouver Symphony in Washington. He is also a member of the Rogue Valley Symphony and Hood River Sinfonietta.

I assume the auditions for these ensembles based on his training – he attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music – were not nerve racking. While studying at Oberlin he was appointed as 3^rd chair bass with the Canton Symphony (OH). He plays an Alessandro Gagliano double bass made in 1713, generously on loan from Mr. Bill Ofstad. (#25)

Jonah Thomas – He also performs with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and as a chamber musician for Portland Chamber Music. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in cello performance from the Juilliard School. Jonah is also a composer of chamber and solo piano works. (#26)

Just reviewing the abstracts of their careers, I was amazed at how close knit and connected the community of classical musicians is in the Northwest. Before the music began at Migration and seeing that he and his wife played with the Vancouver Symphony and his association with the Eugene Symphony and the Portland Ballet Orchestra, I asked him if he knew my oboe instructor, Kelly Gronli.

Kelly was one of my Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter and put up with my attempts to master this double-reed woodwind for over six years. I texted her a picture of Porcello getting ready to play and Kelly had a one-word response “Dieter!” (#27)

kgronli

To Finish!

Perhaps because of all the other background, I didn’t adequately cover Migration’s Williams Pub, but suffice to say, the food was great (wonderful hamburgers), the beer selection robust (try the Cannonball Northwest Red), the environment was family and pet-oriented and bright and the patio was a superb setting to listen to music for which there was no cover charge. (#28 – #30)

Now you also have a chance to see Porchello perform in both November and December with three dates scheduled currently and look for others during the Holiday Season. We will probably try the Willamette Shore Trolley trip – which is a great ride in December even without good music. (#31)

Migration Williams Pub on November 30

Several new pieces including Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, and others.

Witness some holiday film magic. Porchello will be debuting several new pieces including Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, and others. Migration is a family friendly venue, serving beer, wine, cider and food. Arrive early for best seating.

Willamette Shores Trolley on December 19 – 20 (Make your reservation now) (#32 – #33)

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Migration Brewery Website (Core Beers | Award-Winning Portland Brewing Company (migrationbrewing.com).

#2. Migration Brewing Website (migration brewing williams pub – Search (bing.com).

#3. – #4. Migration Brewing Website (migration brewing williams pub – Search (bing.com)

#5. Migration Brewing on Williams is now open — New School Beer + Cider (Patio picture).

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oreo-Two-Cookies.jpg) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: Evan-Amos: 16 February 2017.

#7. Porcello Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=737756578154613&set=pb.100057608312250.-2207520000&type=3).

#8. Migration Brewing Website (https://migrationbrewing.com/about/)

#9. – #11. Migration Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/MigrationGresham/photos/pb.100089827933506.-2207520000/561939337533490/?type=3).

#12.Wikimedia Commons: (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wells_Fargo_Center_from_6th_%26_Columbia_-_Portland,_Oregon_(2014).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported) license. Author: Steve Morgan – 6 July 2014.

#13. Migration Canvas Pub Facebook Page by Luis Peña (https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10227406652205788&set=).

#14. Migration Canvas Pub Facebook Page by Deanna Stanton (https://www.facebook.com/deanna.m.conn?__tn__=-UC*F).

#15. Wikimedia Commons (File:Cello front side.png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Georg Feitscher 11 February 2010.

#16. Wikimedia Commons (Music_cello_note.JPG (156×81) (wikimedia.org) 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: The original uploader was Ofeky at Hebrew Wikipedia. 12 June 2005.

#17. – #19) Porchello Facebook Pages (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=487005606563046&set=a.487005586563048)

#20. Vancouver Symphony Website (https://vancouversymphony.org/dieter-ratzlaf-principal-cello/).

#21. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yo-Yo_Ma_-_World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_Davos_2008.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: World Economic Forum – 25 January 2008.

#22. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_Francisco_Conservatory_of_Music_Building.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Carlin Ma – 3 March 2017.

#23. Vancouver Symphony Website (https://vancouversymphony.org/).

#24. Linked-in (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-winemiller-ratzlaf-8548a418/)

#25. Clint O’Brien Facebook Post (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227809609056515&set=pb.1558293456.-2207520000&type=3).

#26. Portland Chamber Music Website (https://www.pdxchambermusic.org/musicians).

#27. Portland State School of Music and Theater (https://www.pdx.edu/music-theater/profile/kelly-gronli).

#28. – #30. Migration Brewing Williams Pub Facebook Site (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090045843737).

#31. Image provided by Porchello.

#32. Willamette Shore Trolley Website (https://wst.oregontrolley.com/).

#33. Wikimedia Commons (Willamette Shore Trolley car 513 passing the Sellwood Bridge (2018) – Willamette Shore Trolley – Wikipedia) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license Author: Steve Morgan – 5 August 2018.

Did We Really Do That – Part II – The Tie That Binds…

Posted on November 3, 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 so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.) (External Photo Attribution at the end of the post #1)

In my last post – Part I of this series, I reflected on a past antic by some friends and me when I was in my mid-twenties. It caused me to both laugh and wonder what I (we) were thinking when we undertook it. (In that case it was crashing an Electrical Union Apprentices’ Graduation Ceremony at a high-end motel.)

The next incidents occurred over ten years later when I was married and my wife, Janet, exerted at least some influence to keep me from making a fool of myself. And during these, I was working in legal management, so I also was a bit more restrained.

The Tie That Binds

I left local government in 1979 to work as the Business Manager at the Oregon State Bar – starting three days after Janet and I got engaged at the Top-of-the-Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco.

The Bar was both a public corporation and an arm of the State Judicial Branch – responsible for the Bar Exam, admission and lawyer discipline and ethics for what was then about 7,000 Oregon lawyers. (It’s now over 12,000) (#2)

The Bar also serves as a professional association for attorneys and provides Continuing Legal Education (CLE), an excellent magazine as well as activities and events which are intended to mentor lawyers and improve their practice management.

To help us with the latter function, the Bar was a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) ASAE was founded in 1920, is headquartered in Washington DC and has about 42,000 individual members who work at 7,400 diverse organizations ranging from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations, to the American Health Care Association to the Louisville Tourism Bureau. (#3)

Each year, ASAE has an Annual Conference in a major US city:

“The ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition is where thousands of association professionals and industry partners gather to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies, solutions, and more.

Over three days of learning, growing and finding inspiration, attendees are equipped with a year’s worth of support in their daily responsibilities as leaders in the association industry.”

It was a big deal and proposals for presentations for the 50-minute breakout sessions were to be submitted and screened about nine months before the Conference. In 2024, the event is in Cleveland and in 2025 in LA.

At the Bar, we encouraged managers to get involved in civic and professional activities, so I thought I would propose a session at the Chicago conference in what I think was 1994.

Each of the break-out sessions has about 100 + attendees. I had not presented before that many people (other than a failed effort campaigning for Oregon City High School Student Body President in 1965…)

As a masterstroke, I decided to ask my Oregon State SAE Fraternity brother, Jud Blakely, who lived in Chicago to co-present with me. Jud graduated five years before I did at Oregon State and made his mark as ASOSU Student Body President in 1965. I was going to be somewhat nervous; however, Jud was an accomplished and charismatic speaker.

After graduation, Jud served heroically as a USMC Platoon Leader in Viet Nam for thirteen months and subsequently opened his own very successful consulting firm Jud Blakely, Ltd.

He wrote speeches and publications for CEOs and top corporate executives and coached them how to make presentations. His clients included Shell Oil, Sea First, Rainier Bank and Lonestar Gas.

Every association executive has to present an annual budget to his or her board to adopt, so I would propose a session on “How to Make a Boring Budget Proposal One that Your Board Will Both Enjoy and Approve.”

I called Jud and he agreed and we both acknowledged that we wouldn’t have time to rehearse prior to “launching.” I said I’d draft the outline and do the submission paperwork and Jud said:

“Don, you can do the fundamentals. I’ll be your wingman and periodically chime in with some words of wisdom on presentation tactics and strategy.”

Jud was a high-profile consultant and I knew that one of the reasons he was so successful was his creative and brash approach.

Evidence dated back to his senior year at OSU when Jud and three other OSU seniors went on what was to be a stealth mission and lit the traditional “Rook Bonfire,” the night before the planned lighting ceremony in 1964. (#4)

A Night Early?

In what became OSU historical lore known as “the bonfire incident,” Jud and two of the others got caught and arrested for “Maliciously and willfully starting a fire.”

Fortunately, the Municipal Judge, one Helmut Schreima, could not find that specific provision in the Corvallis Municipal Code and our boys were only charged with “burning without a permit” and fined $15 each (Jud’s beer money for the month but he also had to forfeit his student body office.)

Trial by Fire at OSU

A column from the OSU Daily Barometer (written by Editor, Rich Hansen) expressed sentiments about Jud’s leadership talent and his ability to arouse (?) students:

“….Seldom has the office of President been so alive in campus conversations or has the President’s name been so often repeated. I’m convinced that it has been a long time since OSU has had a president so well suited for the office as Jud Blakely.

Blakely is not only an intellectual and dynamic leader but retains those school-boy qualities that make him a human being – the zeal for school spirit and his subsequent bout with municipal authorities (bonfire incident) is a recent example. He drew enormous criticism and even more teasing for that stunt, but in the end it achieved its goal. It revived spirit and got students participating again.

Nevertheless, for the first time in my memory the student body is excited, or at least aroused, about what’s going on. From the hand-made sign that someone carried to the game reading, ‘Ban Blakely’ to the chants of ‘We want Blakely’……”

I wasn’t sure that our goal was to “arouse” attendees, but I would have an “intellectual and dynamic” wingman by my side to assuage my nerves during the ASAE presentation.

To reinforce that, I knew that even though we didn’t have time to prepare together, I could be confident that Jud would approach this mission with the same vigor and grit that he commanded his platoon in Viet Nam which resulted in two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with Combat V while serving with India Co, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines.

The Result

We had a full-house in the large conference room. Fortunately, it was not a late afternoon session, when many attendees, rather than listening to presentations on budget and management topics, would go out drinking at the nearby Chicago bars.

I gave about a fifteen minute introduction and then Jud came up to the stage and the dialogue went something like this.

“Don has given a good introduction on the foundations of a good budget presentation, but you should remember that revenues/expenses and balance sheets aren’t the most stimulating topics for any Board to hear.

As Don stated, you need to have a good strong underlying message or theme that your budget conveys, but for them to absorb and retain that theme you need to get their attention.” (#5)

300721818_5823248777719311_3432285377218039118_n

Now Jud was impeccably dressed in an impressive suit and a fancy silk tie that he had probably purchased at an exclusive shop on Michigan Avenue. He then walked down from the stage into the audience

and

To everyone’s astonishment – including mine – pulled a pair of scissors out of his pocket, cut his tie in half and give the lower part to one of the attendees stating:

“I’m confident that all of you will remember this session and the point I’m making about getting your audience’s attention.”

Well, he did get their attention and then I continued with my presentation with Jud periodically interjecting to emphasize a point or add some of his own thoughts for the remaining thirty minutes including a question and answer period. (One of these was from the woman to whom he gave the lower half of his tie, who asked him if she could keep it.)

Afterwards, we were having a drink(s) in the hotel bar and I said to Jud:

“I’ve always thought you resembled Coach Bobby Knight (see below), but I’m glad you didn’t throw a chair across the room to get their attention.” (#6)

A resemblance to the Coach – especially in later years

I wondered how the audience, which included people such as the CFOs for the American Welding Society or the American Polygraph Association, would react to this “demonstrative gesture” by my wingman.

I was therefore a bit concerned about the participant evaluations which always are collected at the end of each session and subsequently tabulated.

I figured that this was the last time that we would be asked to share our knowledge in this environment. To my surprise (although not Jud’s) we got excellent ratings both for the content and the delivery.

And I learned a few things from that session:

First – A Marine Corp infantry officer – even though he wasn’t a military aviator – could be a superb wingman.

Second – In future presentations, one key to getting your message across and retained is to be bold and innovative in your delivery strategy although it’s probably best to do that without using furniture to convey your point. (My next blog post will give you an example.)

In my 2013 blog post where I named Jud my Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, I described Jud’s character and routine as:

“He’s an amazing guy. Jud will take a twelve-mile run, break to read a 600-page non-fiction book such as John Maynard Keynes, “The Theory of Money,” then play full-court basketball for three hours before coming home to work.”

(I should have added that Jud was a three-sport athlete in high school, but I had a better elbow jumper….)

In Seaside, Oregon marathon before reading “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu

Jud hasn’t worn a coat and tie for fifteen years. I’m also pleased to report that Jud’s precious granddaughter, Nylah seen in the picture below, has had a profound and positive influence.

Now his daily routine consists of walking three miles (although at a rapid pace) and then coming home and reading Dr. Seuss books (although not One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish which is too political…..) and doing puzzles with Nyla. (#7 – #8)

As we celebrate Veterans’ Day next week, cheers to Jud and to all veterans – especially those who served in combat arenas.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Lol question mark.png – Wikimedia Commons) This is a smiley from the Lol collection of high quality PNG smileys licensed under the CCØ license! Feel free to use.

#2. Oregon State Bar Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=476709637799349&set=a.476709641132682).

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:ASAE logotipo.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain. 13 August 2015.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=large+bonfire&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Fir0002 – 8 September 2004.

#5. ASAE Annual Conference Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/asaeannual/photos/pb.100064402073724.-2207520000/5823248794385976/?type=3).

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Bob-Knight-Nov-21-07-1.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States. Author: Airman 1st Class Jonathan Steffen – 21 November 2007.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:One fish two fish.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Ethically Yours – 2 January 2014.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dr._Seuss_WikiWorld.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. Author: Greg Williams – 14 November 2006.

Did We Really Do That? – Part I

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

It seems that more often than I’d like to think, I say to Janet, my wife of forty-three years, “What were they thinking?” Many of these reflections involve political issues or coaching decisions during professional or college athletic events. (External photo attribution at the end of the post – #1).

My wife, however, reminds me that she is now making the same query about my actions more often!

And as I’ve gotten older, in moments of introspection, I think back on some of my younger escapades and based on what I hope is more maturity and better judgement, ask the same question.

This and the next post are descriptions of three such incidents that make me shake my head. That said, I also laugh while contemplating each one and cherish the memories.

The Graduation Celebration

After college and the Navy, I moved back to Oregon City in 1972 and lived with my parents initially. I had lettered in golf in high school, but had not played in six years.

That changed when I started golfing every weekend – sometimes on both Saturday and Sunday mornings with three other guys – a group that lasted for about ten years.

McGarvey, Gesley and Chester on the links

Unfortunately, none of these wonderful gents is still with us, but here’s the group:

Chief Bob Chester – The Oregon City Police Chief and the step-father of my best friend in high school, Gary Kestler, who was killed while serving in the US Marine Corps in Viet Nam in 1967. Bob was also the Best Man in our 1980 wedding and he and his family lived across the street.

Bob was admired and respected by fellow law enforcement professionals and was also a percussionist – often playing the drums on weekend gigs at various nightclubs.

Dr. Ed Gesley – An Oregon City dentist who lived with his wife and four kids, in the house behind ours and was my dentist from the time I was in seventh grade.

Eddie was one of the brightest, most humorous and cordial people I’ve ever known. He was also an excellent golfer who amazed us with how far he could hit his drives.

Best Man Bob, Eddie and Thebeerchaser at our 1980 wedding reception

Len McGarvey – a police equipment salesman who was a friend of the Chief’s – a cigar-smoking Irishman who loved whiskey and was also a good golfer.

I was obviously, the youngest of the group and when we started golfing, I kept score. Our home course was Arrowhead Golf Club – a picturesque rural public course along the Molalla River about fifteen miles south of Oregon City.

We’d usually tee off at around 8:00 AM, play eighteen and then have lunch and beers. (#2 – #3)

I had not interacted with these guys as an adult and at age twenty-four, still initially viewed them as authority figures. This was evident by our conversation after three holes the first time we golfed together:

Beerchaser: Mr. Chester, what did you have on that hole?

Chester: Williams, if you call me Mr. Chester, one more time, I’m going to throw your clubs in the river.

Gesley: Don, unless we are drinking beer, I would prefer that you address me as Dr. Gesley…

We didn’t take the golf too seriously and had wonderful comradery for many years. About twice each year, we’d take an overnight “field trip” to a golf resort and play two rounds with robust eating, drinking and card playing in between.

Over the years these included a number of outings to Sun River and Black Butte in Central Oregon.

But our most memorable was the trip to Tumwater Golf Course – a beautiful course, at that time owned by the Olympia Brewery and adjacent to the historic brewery building.

Olympia Beer’s motto was “It’s the Water,” because the source of its water was purportedly artesian wells. These same wells kept the fairways emerald green. (#4)

Although for weekend golf we always walked, on field trips we rented carts (both to save our energy and to accommodate the large jug of screw drivers Eddie fixed to quench our thirst along the way). (#5)

Aside from the good doctor nearly capsizing the golf cart (and spilling the contents of the jug) when he was trying to refill our drinks, we had a raucous and entertaining round – typical of all of our outings as you can see from the montage below:

After finishing our round in the early evening, we returned to the motel to first, find its bar and then, eat dinner in its excellent restaurant. The motel hosted events and we heard a clamor, of sorts, behind double-closed doors as we walked through the lobby.

Of course, the Chief barged in and we found ourselves standing at the back of a large banquet room with about 150 couples in casual business attire finishing what appeared to be a very nice banquet meal.

There was a stage in front with a podium and the guy who looked like he was in charge emerged and walked to the microphone. We asked a waiter about the occasion and he responded, “This is the graduation dinner for the apprentices in the Washington Electrician Union.”

At that point, the emcee welcomed everyone and said that diplomas were now going to be awarded. So he began calling the names individually in groups of ten and the graduates proceeded to the stage, standing in a semi-circle, for the first round of diplomas.

Eddie, or I should say, “Dr. Gesley,” noticed that during the first two rounds, about 1/3 of each of the first two groups, didn’t respond when their names were called (non-attendees) and the emcee paused before going on.

So as the four of us stood there, on the fourth name of third round, nobody initially walked up. Eddie, without hesitation, confidently strode from the back of the room and joined the partial semi-circle on the stage!

photo_20190802_OR0018019_0_20190802

I couldn’t believe it and was loose enough that when the eighth name of that group was called and Ronald Pearson, did not walk up, I found myself compelled to also head for the stage and stand in the semi-circle opposite Eddie Gesley waiting to receive my diploma. (Also trying not to look at Gesley, knowing both of us would crack up.)

I received Ron’s diploma as a Certified Motor Winder (“As a motor winder, your responsibilities entail taking steps to assemble, repair, and maintain electric motors.”)

At the end of the third round, we both walked back, only then realizing that if one other person in the banquet room knew Ronald Pearson or the Gesley stand-in, we might have not exited the ceremony unscathed.

But that didn’t happen and we then proceeded to mingle and congratulate the other graduates. The President of the Union with Chief Chester and yours truly is shown in the photo below.

I kept the diploma for a number of years, being too embarrassed to return it and feeling a bit sheepish about the entire episode, thankful that we didn’t get humiliated or beaten up.

Also rationalizing with myself that in no way were we trying to demean or diminish the accomplishments of the people in that group.

We were just having a semi-intoxicated spur-of-the-moment “adventure” which was followed after dinner when we accompanied the female vocal group “Thunder Mama” in the Tumwater Lodge Lounge – but that’s another story……

Fellow graduates with Williams and Gesley holding their diplomas.

Bob Chester passed away at the age of 93 in 2007, Eddie in 2019 at the age of 87 and Len in 2008 at the age of 90. I attended the memorial services of both the Chief and Dr. Gesley,

Although I didn’t share any golf stories, I chuckled when memories of these two wonderful friends were related. I lost track of Len after he retired.

Did We Really Do That? – Part II

When I look back, there are two more such incidents where I pose the same question. Fortunately “The Tie That Binds?” and “Weekend Update” occurred after I was married and had matured in addition to having a wife with very good judgement who I knew would admonish me if I went over the edge. Stay tuned.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_mark_on_a_green_background.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Hjvds – 14 April 2022.

#2. Arrowhead Golf Club Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=483849037080935&set=a.483849023747603)

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Molalla_River_Recreation_Area_(11327205466).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington – 6 February 2010.

#4. 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. Copyright 2014.

#5. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Screw_Driver_Cocktail.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Lillottama 10 May 2016.

Dual Tributes and Farewells

Posted on October 18, 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 at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution is at the end of the post.)

Claudia’s Sports Bar and Grill – We’ll never forget you!

I’ve filled you in previously on some noted bars and breweries that have closed – most pandemic related – but I’m heartsick since Claudia’s poured it’s last pint on October 9th.

Sarah, my server in 2012 with the former Beerchaser logo

As reported by noted NW journalist and author, Kerry Eggers in his 10/15/23 column:

“Claudia’s Sports Pub closed its doors after 65 years in business. Claudia’s, on Southeast Hawthorne Blvd., was the city’s original sports bar, established in 1958 by restaurateur Gene Spathas.

It remained a family-owned business, taken over by Gene’s youngest son, Marty, who ran the place for the last 35 years.”

I have been in many sports bars and pubs – not only in Portland – but across the country. None had the historical ambiance and interesting regulars one encountered at Claudia’s.

The bar was named after Gene Spathas’ first wife. As I stated in my 2012 blog post:

“According to Gene’s Washington High School classmate and SAE fraternity brother at OSU, Oregon City attorney, (and my family’s attorney since the 1960’s) Don Bowerman, ‘Gene was a gifted businessman and Claudia Mickelson was an intelligent, classy and beautiful lady.'”

Upon reflection, naming a bar after a wife named ‘Mildred’ or ‘Gertrude’ would not be a good thing regardless of her attributes. Claudia was different.

The Annual Willamette Week Bar Guide has always been a valuable resource for my Beerchasing research and this excerpt from 2011 was no exception:

“Claudia’s is the best sports bar in Portland…..Every year it seems like more new, hip sports bars open, but at the end of the day, there’s only one place I want to go when the game is really close.”

claudia-trophy-case

And the trophy case was unforgettable. Claudia’s’ was like a mini-Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. The gigantic trophy case, in what was the poker room, was stuffed with hardware from the victorious AAU Basketball and other sponsored teams which were a hallmark of the pub for decades.

You can also see basketballs signed by John Wooden and legendary announcer, Dick Vitale.

The Basketball Team

The sports bar was known for it legendary Claudia’s AAU basketball teams, which had numerous former college hoop stars and Portland Trailblazer alums including Greg Smith, Dale Schlueter, LaRue Martin, Leroy Ellis, Jim Barnett, Phil Lumpkin, Cincy Powell.

Don’t forget Steve and Nick Jones, Frank-the-Flake Peters, Steve Pauly, Jimmy Jarvis, Ray Blume and Mark Radford (the last five, all former Oregon State stars.) (#1)

Dale Herron – No. 34 – Coach Spitznagel – Back right

And a key factor for the team’s success was it’s coach – Walt Spitznagel – labeled “a character” by everyone who knew him. “Spitz” coached the team for twenty-three years:

“Spitznagel’s career included stints working as a longshoreman, as a pari-mutuel clerk at Multnomah Kennel Club and operating a grocery store. But his avocation was coaching….

Spitznagel’s credentials are shiny. Under his direction, Claudia’s won 14 city league (Portland Basketball Association) championships, eight state AAU titles and one Northwest Regional crown… (Kerry Eggers Column 9/28/22)

He was an incredible recruiter and gifted in handling the egos of multiple stars competing for playing time.

Dale Herron – A Notable Athlete and Coach

I reviewed Claudia’s in a 2012 blog post entitled, “Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill – Oh the History!!. I have a special affinity for the bar because my dad and our lawyer were friends and fraternity brothers of the late owner, Gene Spathas.

In addition, my high school basketball coach at Oregon City in 1966, Dale Herron, who starred at the University of Oregon, played for Claudia’s (see photo above).

Coach Herron, who passed away late in 2022, led the Ducks in scoring in 1959 and was inducted into the University of Oregon Hall of Fame in 1997.

As a testament to his athletic prowess, after his basketball eligibility ended, he accepted a one-year football scholarship and played in the 1960 Liberty Bowl. (#2 – #3)

When he was in his mid-twenties, he coached us to the OC’s first TYV League Basketball Championship in twenty-one years in 1966. He pushed us hard, but he and his Assistant Coach, Dick Arbuckle, were great motivators and made the most of the talent they had.

Arbuckle (photo below) was also a 1960 U of O grad and football letterman and coached varsity football at OCHS besides being the JV Basketball Coach. He had an outstanding career in high school and college coaching. (#4 – #6)

(#7) TYV Tropy

I remember seeing Claudia’s iconic coach, Walt Spitznagel at our high school games and at the 1966 Oregon State High School Basketball Tournament – where he did not pay to gain admission. As Kerry Eggers stated:

“…..we should mention Spitznagel’s propensity for landing free tickets to sporting events. There may never have been a bigger freeloader at Blazer games in Memorial Coliseum, or anywhere else.”

As an aside, Kerry Eggers is a six-time the National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year, winning in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011 and 2018.

I heard the same sentiments from another prominent Oregon sportswriter and broadcaster recently who told the story of how Spitznagel fabricated a press pass at a professional playoff series to gain admission.

Dale Herron After Athletics

Coach Herron had a remarkable career in both athletics and secondary education as a coach and principal and was known for mentoring students with great skill and compassion. (#8 – #10)

I reached out to one of my OCHS teammates, John Davidson (#30!) for some recollections as I knew he was close to Dale Herron .

(John was a much better basketball player, but I had a quicker first step to the hoop.) Notice the cool Chuck Taylor Converse All-star Black High-tops we wore. (#11)

Thebeerchaser (left) and John Davidson (#30)!

And as evidence of Dale Herron’s influence, John, who is now retired, had a long and very successful career as a teacher, coach and school principal – similar to his mentor!

He offered me this quote on the impact of Dale Herron:

“We all have people in our lives who are very influential. At the top of my list is Dale Herron because of his kindness, guidance, leadership and for being an amazing role model.

He was an inspirational basketball coach who went above and beyond in helping me in many ways. Mr. Herron guided me to his Junior College (Grays Harbor). I shudder to think what my life would be like without his influence.

I’m sure that I am one of many that had the great fortune to have Dale Herron in their lives.”

And he also mentioned Spitz:

“He would always yell at refs and call them ‘Stripes.’ I knew Spitz well as we worked on the Portland waterfront for years as checkers for Longshoremen.” (#12 – #13)

John shares my drink of choice – gin martini – up with olives

In Closing

Gene’s son, Martin announced on social media:

“’It has been a privilege to be a part of the community all these years,’ Spathas wrote. ‘While this difficult decision marks the end of an era, the spirit of Claudia’s will live on in Portland lore. The stories, bonds, and history made within these walls will never be forgotten.'”

And I will close with this thought – one that hit me initially, but had to modify slightly after some more research. Not only is it distressing to see Claudia’s closing, but a 10/11 Oregon Live headline announced:

“Wild’ Portland karaoke bar set to replace 65-year-old Claudia’s.”

The hallowed space at Claudia’s, which was a favorite bar for athletes, coaches, announcers, sportswriters, referees, fans and Walt Spitznagel, will now primarily host intoxicated bad singers.

This seems simply incompatible with the legacy of the bar.

That said, the 2009 Willamette Week Bar Guide did reveal that there is some history with sing-along at the bar:

“When all the (athletic) contests are concluded…how do they keep the beer-sodden spectators in their seats….? Claudia’s, the dowager of Portland sports pubs has devised a resourceful solution:

After the last out, the bar switches to karaoke, projecting lyrics onto its largest screen. It’s an ingenious idea, not least because it allows crestfallen fans the chance to constructively vent.

Claudia’s needn’t worry: It continues to pack ‘em in with high def TVs, cheap pints and its claim to fame – high-backed green captain’s chairs lining the bar.”

I don’t think Claudia’s followed that practice for very long and notwithstanding this history, I cannot envision athletes such as those mentioned above belting off-key versions of some of the Top 45 Karaoke songs such as “I Will Survive”, “Dancing Queen”, Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and “Sweet Caroline”. (#14)

And to give some additional context, can you imagine now 73-year old, 6’11” – 208 pound – former Trailblazer, Larue Martin, crooning Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off?’

I stay out too late
Got nothing in my brain
That’s what people say
That’s what people say
I go on too many dates……

Now John Davidson owes me a steak dinner and onion rings at Portland’s famous Ringside Steakhouse on his next trip up from California. After finishing martinis and dinner, we will head to Suki’s Bar and Grill in Claudia’s former space.

One of John’s best games in high school was against the Tillamook Cheesemakers – I think he had a triple-double. To acknowledge this memory, I’ll get up on the stage and give an off tune rendition of “I Will Remember You.”

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Claudia’s Sports Bar and Grill Trophy Case

#2 – #3. Dale Herron Obituary (https://funeralalternatives.org/tribute/details/305447/Dale-Herron/obituary.html)

#4. – #6 The Oregon City Elevator – High School Newspaper for OCHS

#7. The Oregon City Enterprise Courier

#8. – #10. Dale Herron Obituary (https://funeralalternatives.org/tribute/details/305447/Dale-Herron/obituary.html)

#11. Oregon City Enterprise Courier

#12. 1966 Oregon City High School Yearbook

#13. Courtesy of John Davidson!

#14. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BillyJoel2016MSG.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: slgckgc – 15 April 2016.

#15. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LaRue_Martin.png) 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: Unknown – 1973.

You Should be Seen in The Steens – Part I

Posted on October 5, 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 at the top to see all of the photos so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution is at the end of the post.) (#1)

Most Oregonians know something about Steens Mountain in Southeast Oregon. That said, most don’t know exactly where it is, how to get there and that it is just one mountain rather than “Steens Mountains.”

The Steens Mountain Wilderness is 170,200 acres and I’ll tell you more about it in the next post. My wife, Janet, and I visited the summit in September on a 4 1/2 day road trip through Central and Eastern Oregon and it was a highlight.

The Background

We love road trips, but were stymied during the pandemic and this was only the second in over three years – postponed after reservations were made last year – by the smoke and wildfires that raged throughout Oregon and the Northwest.

The stage for this trip was set in the fall of 2013, when my brother-in-law, Dave Booher and our friend, Steve Larson and I took an unforgettable five-day journey through both Central and Eastern, Oregon, both camping and staying at old hotels.

Five days of Beerchasing in God’s Country

As you might expect, the three of us hit numerous bars and breweries – including one great dive bar that Janet and I also visited in our recent trip and you’ll read about below.

That trip, including multiple bars and breweries we explored, was documented by four posts in Thebeerchaser: https://thebeerchaser.com/2013/11/24/the-diamond-hotel-the-cutting-edge-in-hospitality-and-the-final-chapter-in-thebeerchaser-tour-of-eastern-oregon/

I might add that the idea in 2013 germinated when I was in high school and my dad, Duane (FDW), (to whom I paid tribute in several Beerchaser posts) and I went on his Eastern Oregon carpet sales territory.

He didn’t reel in big commissions visiting his dealers in this area, but absolutely loved the people, the geology, the history and isolation – besides being able to trout fish in mountain lakes such as Fish Lake in the Steens Wilderness.

When I was sixteen, the road only went to a campground below the Lake and it required us to hike in two miles. And we reeled in a lot of fish!

FDW (VW) on a Forest Service Road near Burns, Oregon

2-fdw

The Itinerary

Janet and I spent the first and last night in a Bend hotel and ate both times at one of our favorite restaurants in Oregon – Zydeco Kitchen and Cocktails. Great food, outstanding martinis, friendly and competent staff and reasonably priced.

Although Bend has more breweries than one could reasonably visit in several days (thirty!) as documented on its Bend Ale Trail, we only had an hour so hit Boneyard’s Pub which opened in 2018.

It’s spacious, has a nice bar and a great selection of drafts, but no real ambiance although maybe that was because we were there in mid-afternoon on Wednesday.

Janet had her favorite beer – Boneyard RPM IPA (6.5% – 50 IBU) and I had a good red ale –Foeder Red (5.7% – 10 IBU). We sat at the bar and the guy next to us was just starting his vacation, a Seattle Mariners’ fan and in a good mood so he bought our beers. (that helped the ambiance!)

When we returned on Saturday afternoon, we had the time to take a long walk in Bend’s beautiful Drake Park. That made us feel less guilty when we dined again at Zydecko. (#2)

Burns Oregon

Our second night stay in Burns required a little over a two hour drive through beautiful high-desert countryside with no urban centers to spoil the “freedom of the road” – unless you consider Brothers (66), Hampton Station (41), Riley (73) and Hines (1,665) to be metropolitan centers….

The 2021 population of Burns was 2757:

“Burns and the nearby city of Hines are home to about 60 percent of the people in the sparsely populated county, by area the largest in Oregon and the ninth largest in the United States.” (Wikipedia)

Burns is where a guy can still get a haircut for $20 and there’s a warning for Occupational, Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) employees on the entrance to my favorite tavern in the City.

One might think that with all the wildfires we’ve experienced, the city was named after a long ago timber blaze, but you’d be surprised to know:

“George McGowan named the city after the Scottish poet Robert Burns. By 1891, the community had stores, a post office, hotels, and other businesses. McGowan was the town’s first postmaster.” (Wikipedia)

Burns has one main street – Broadway which is only about ten blocks long. It’s the county seat of Harney County. We returned through the city two days later on the way back to Bend after our visit to Steens Mountain.

We were fortunate to witness the parade down this thoroughfare as part of Harney County Fair and Rodeo. It was awesome.

The Central Pastime Tavern

We walked Broadway after checking into our hotel in the early afternoon, but my primary goal was to revisit this great dive bar which I first hit in 2013 on the aforementioned trip – right on Broadway, a few doors down from the Historic Central Hotel.

It had been almost exactly ten years since I had been to the bar with my two friends and I was anxious to see if the watering hole still had its same unforgettable character(s) as well as seeing if the wonderful bartender (Patty) still worked there.

Patty, was the star of our 2013 visit. She served us great lunches (chicken gizzards, rib-steak and taco salad with Heinz 57 as a garnish….) and we each had one of the eight beers on tap.

P1010778

Here is an excerpt from my blog post on that visit: https://thebeerchaser.com/2013/11/20/burns-oregon-a-hot-stop-on-thebeerchasers-tour-of-eastern-oregon/

“Since we talked about former University of Oregon football star and NFL quarterback Kellen Clemens, who is a Burns native, Dave decided to ask one of the patrons, ‘Do you know Kellen Clemens?’ The guy was listening to country-western and replied, ‘No, but hum a few bars to see if I remember the melody.’

But the conversation with the hard-working Patty, an attractive and personable lady in her late forties or early fifties, was the best part of this bar. I had seen the cocktail menu which included some interesting libations including one entitled, “Liquid Marijuana.”

I didn’t want to pay $9 and had already had a PBR, so Patty offered to fix a shot sampler and told us the ingredients: Captain Morgan’s Rum, Blue Curacao, Malibu Rum and a splash of Midori (green melon liqueur). It tasted like a Long Island Ice Tea with coconut.

“Liquid Marijuana”

We could have talked to Patty all afternoon, but she was busy and we needed to head to Diamond and our conversation concluded with this friendly exchange:

Beerchaser: How long have you worked at the Central Pastime, Patty?

Patty: Eighteen years.

Beerchaser: Then this must have been your first job out of high school?

Patty: And I thought the cowboys around here were smooth talkers. You city slickers put them to shame!

When Janet and I went in and each had our beers, I asked the bartender if Patty still worked there and her reply was:

“Yes, and for the last five years, she’s been the owner.”

She informed me that Patty was at the Harney County Fair (seeing her grandson in a talent contest) but she would be in Saturday morning because she was temporarily filling in as the cook! (Notice the announcement of Patty’s new role that now hangs above the bar.)

Patty – the new owner as of 2018

Well, since Patty had been one of the more memorable people I’ve met in twelve years of Beerchasing, we decided to stop back on Saturday morning and say “hello.”

We did that and since she was taking a quick break to watch the aforementioned parade pass by, I didn’t want to interrupt, so I just told her I had great memories of my 2013 visit and offered my congratulations for her ownership.

Her reply reflected what must be typical for most small hospitality business owners who survived the pandemic:

“Thanks Don – I guess!”

Now as you might expect, Eastern Oregon bars have a totally different atmosphere than those west of the Cascade Mountains or even Bend. They reflect the personality of the wonderful people who make their living primarily through farming, ranching, logging or in small businesses.

This is a generalization, but they are strongly independent, patriotic, fiercely defend individual rights and want the government and regulators to leave them alone. That’s why you’ll see signs such as the one in the Central Pastime which stated:

“Invest in precious metal. Buy lead”

Portland bars and breweries often brag about being dog friendly. That’s usually not the case in Eastern Oregon as seen by these two signs from LaGrande and Prineville bars shown below:

You can see a few pictures from the current and former trips below which demonstrate that nothing much has changed at the Central Pastime.

Stayed tuned for the next post on our night in Burns, the Diamond Hotel and then the trip to and up Steens Mountain.

Cheers!

Dead End

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons – (File:Steens Mountain (14591571776).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren – 8 July 2014.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (Drake Park (Deschutes County, Oregon scenic images) (desD0054b) – Drake Park – Wikipedia) By Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19098667. October 2005.

Summer Simmers III

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

From Bumpass Hell in Lassen Volcanic National Park

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

In my first “episode” of “Summer Simmers” I stated that I was going to end some future posts with three items from my vast collection – bar jokes, lawyer jokes and quotations. Well this one ends with a combined “story” of each of these three elements.

It’s courtesy of my friend of more than fifty years, attorney Mark O’Donnell, who is one of the best business, land-use and real estate lawyers in the state. His robust practice also includes legal work for non-profit organizations. Besides his skill as a lawyer, Mark is also a wonderful human being.

He’s a guy who shows compassion, a dry and sophisticated sense of humor and an ethic which involves helping others on a daily basis. (I realize that these traits apply to most attorneys….) (#1)

Attorney Mark O’Donnell

In 2013, he received the Sam Wheeler Foundation Freedom Award for his commitment to AA and his work in the community:

“Mark is an inspiration for many, and the support of his friends, family, and colleagues at the event made it clear that he has made an impact in our community,”

In September 2018, the Northwest Pilot Project presented him with the Agency Impact Award to commemorate his service to the organization, which provides affordable housing to seniors in Multnomah County:

O’Donnell’s commitment has prevented 450 low-income seniors from becoming homeless.” …He also partners with SE Works, De Paul Treatment Centers and other organizations that serve at-risk kids and low-income seniors.”

Stay tuned below for the closing story, but first some quick news about two watering holes:

Sasquatch Brewing – Since the pandemic, I’ve chronicled bar and brewery closures although trying to stay positive and letting you know of some openings such as Crux Fermentation’s SE Portland Pub and a pair of small Oregon Brewery Success Stories (The Benedictine Brewery and Beachcrest Brewing).

Remembering a great Beerchasing visit in 2013

Since I covered Sasquatch in 2013 – about two years after it opened “Sasquatch Brewery – Anything but Abominable!”, I was saddened to see the Oregon Live headline last November:

“Sasquatch Brewing to shut down brewery, cidermaking operations, keep SW Portland pub”

It was a great little pub and brewery in SW Portland and I enjoyed a beer with my friend, David Kish, who had a distinguished career in public service both for the State of Oregon and the City of Portland including serving as Portland’s Director of General Services under legendary Mayor Bud Clark.

David Kish – a distinguished career in public service

And Sasquatch has a great story:

“In 2012 (Tom) Sims – former weld-grinder, former beeper salesman, soon-to-be former homebrewer – opened Sasquatch Brewing, and the brewpub quickly caught on in the Hillsdale neighborhood.

It proved to be such a hit that in 2017 Sasquatch’s owners opened a second pub, returning to Sims’ roots in Northwest Portland, where the co-founder had years earlier plied his trade.” (Oregon Live)

David and I talked to Tom, a fellow Oregon State grad (David graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst) and based on his initial success, he had plans to expand – these came to fruition.

After the closure news late last year, I was then happy to see just a couple of months later, Willamette Week’s story:

“Sasquatch Brewing Will Start Producing Beer Again at Its Hillsdale Flagship.”

Experienced brewer, Nick Scandurro, plans to be “…brewing in Hillsdale this fall and have at least 12 in-house beers by spring 2024.”

Tom Sims made heroic efforts, but the pandemic, cost of materials and related issues made it impossible to continue. I hope he continues brewing in some capacity.

The Sandy Hut – A Portland dive icon that I visited in the early days of my Beerchasing journey – epitomized why I started this retirement pursuit.

Known by regulars as “The Handy Slut”, this excerpt from “Willamette Week’s 2008 Bar Guide” (that was three years before I started Beerchasing) will convey why it’s so well loved:

A classic resource for Thebeerchaser from 2008

2008 – “The Handy Slut, as regulars and the bar’s merchandise call it, is a lurid, windowless utopia. It looks like it once housed the Rat Pack—and hasn’t cleaned since the party ended.

The drinks pack enough alcohol to fuel a racecar, and often mere eye contact constitutes consent. The east side loves you, Sandy—you dirty little slut.”

My first foray was in 2014 with one of my favorite attorneys and frequent Beerchasing companion, John Mansfield. John has never been shy about having his photo appear in this blog and the second photo shows him with Kevin, a friendly regular we sat next to at the bar.

He welcomed us and stated he has frequented the bar since 1979 when he moved from Phoenix.

JM in front of the iconic Al Hirschfield exterior

I was thus very concerned about the rumor shortly afterwards that The Slut was going to be demolished and become a high-rise condo.

It was purchased in 2012 by two of Portland’s dive bar saviors, Warren Boothby and Marcus Archambault. And as with their other acquisitions, they went to work

” And in 2018 restored an Al Hirschfield mural of celebrity caricatures, uncovered a glass brick wall by the old entrance and improved the food and drink menu with recipes nodding to the establishment’s Mid-Century glory days, when it was known as The Wolf’s Den.” (Oregon Live 7/18/23)

And as it celebrated it century year in August, does it still have a community following? Well, take a look at the photo below and the description of the event and it’s obvious:

“I’m so in love with this portland community. thank you so much for supporting sandy hut and helping to make portland a great place to live. no arguments, no fights. just 2000 folks showing up to have fun, rock out, and be present. thank you to the vendors, staff, and food carts that made this event a success! ….we love you all!” (#3)

370437164_857649625875497_4447498946348435004_n

And as Promised Above – The Story and Mark O’Donnell

Mark, being a compassionate guy and believing in contrition has forgiven me for my letter after I first met him in 1979 when I worked for the Clackamas County Commissioners in Oregon City.

He was appearing before the Board on behalf of a client who needed a conditional use permit for a mobile home on an expansive rural property. (At that time, they were labeled “house trailers.”)

Fortunately, I had worked with a number of lawyers in the DA’s Office who were were known for their well-honed cynical, sarcastic senses of humor. I speculated, with some risk, that Mark might share this same trait.

So with an elevated attitude of righteous indignation, I sent him a letter castigating him for trying to turn the park across from my Mom’s residence and most of my Oregon home town into a massive trailer park. (#2)

Mark responded, in kind, and this started a long-term friendship where we debated everything from religion to politics to land-use planning at periodic lunches.

Our relationship was characterized by letters and e-mails that many (most notably the secretaries who opened my mail) would view as acrimonious. All of these missives are still in my collection of “treasured” documents and I’ve included a few examples below.

In a letter to me dated 2/21/1979 to the Local Government Personnel Institute (my then employer) he again referenced my “concern” about my mom’s residence, he stated:

“(Your mom) called us bleeding liberals and said she agreed with every policy decision of her “former” son. (In the preceding paragraph, he asserted that Mom disclaimed ever having a son.) I then apologized for my single issue approach and we had a nice talk.

In the course of leaving the premises, she mentioned to me that while she always agreed with your great plans for our society such as clean air, transit malls, snow-capped mountains, clean water, mediocre schools, demise of the family unit, open space and farmland, she did miss the feeling of self-respect, dignity and independence.”

When I started work as the Business Manager at the Oregon State Bar, he did not disappoint me as you can see by the address on the envelope below:

Capture

Of course, Mark wanted to raise the standard higher and got one of his firm’s associate attorneys involved. I knew Martha Hicks from her work as a Deputy DA in Clackamas County when I worked for the County Commissioners. (Ironically, she now works as an Assistant Disciplinary Counsel at the Oregon State Bar!)

In a letter dated 8/7/1979, Martha wrote, in part:

“Attorney Mark O’ Donnell has forwarded to me your letter. He has also explained to me in detail your views on land use planning, government expenditures, tax relief and continuing support for elitist goals.

I have explained to Mr. O’Donnell your ‘spoon-in-mouth’ childhood, education and employment patterns. I have also admitted to Mr. O’Donnell that this does not excuse you, but that he should show more compassion and appreciation for your views.

I suggest you consider the following:

‘From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.'” (#3)

The first time I received a letter quoting Karl Marx

This initial series of letters culminated with Mark’s correspondence to me dated 7/11/1979. It was in response to a check I sent him for $1.07 for “legal services in kind.” The final paragraph in his letter stated:

“The El Gazebo Saloon has the finest super nachos that I’ve ever tasted. Please call me so that we may discuss these important matters over a plate of super nachos and large amounts of beer.”

He enclosed the following correspondence to Ms. Sharon Imholt, the Proprietor of the El Gazebo:

When we met for super nachos and mugs of beer, Mark gave me credit for $1.07 and paid the remainder of the bill. The El Gazebo went out of business long ago and has been resurrected several times since.

The structure that houses the bar has a long history as you can see by the photo below. It’s ignominious history may have come to a halt, however.

It became known as the Route 99 Roadhouse and closed temporarily in February 2021, when the Oregon Liquor Control Commission suspended its license for COVID violations:

“Per Gov. Kate Brown’s guidance, restaurants in ‘extreme risk’ counties cannot allow any form of indoor dining; in addition, all counties in Oregon must wear face coverings and follow social distancing guidelines when in restaurants or bars.

“The OLCC says it had reached out the bar before the in-person visit with educational information about the state’s safety protocols. According to the OLCC, inspectors who visited the bar for the follow-up evaluation found Route 99 packed with customers and staff, many of whom were maskless inside the bar.” (PDX Eater 2/5/21) (#4 – #5)

A watering hole with a long history including a meeting over super nachos and beer

It reopened, but the last Facebook post was in December 2021 indicating it was closing for good and the listed telephone number has been disconnected.

Objectively speaking, the above letters may appear like a foolish waste of time by two guys who don’t have enough to do, but they started a friendship that has endured for decades and transcends trite banter.

Mark followed our last lunch two weeks ago by sending me a booklet with David Foster Wallace’s essay:

“This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life.”

Wallace was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor of English and creative writing who died by suicide at the age of forty-six in 2008.

The text originated from a commencement speech Wallace gave at Kenyon College on May 21, 2005.

“The speech covers subjects including the difficulty of empathy, the unimportance of being well-adjusted, and the apparent lonesomeness of adult life. It suggests that the overall purpose of higher education is to learn to consciously choose how to perceive others, think about meaning, and act appropriately in everyday life.

Wallace argues that the true freedom acquired through education is the ability to be fully conscious and sympathetic.” (Wikipedia) (#5)

The essay was controversial, as was its author, but received great acclaim. I could write another post on both of these, but I want to finish with my favorite part of the work below, and as I promised, it involves a bar!

“Here’s another didactic little story. There are these two guys sitting together in a bar in the remote Alaskan wilderness. One of the guys is religious, the other is an atheist, and the two are arguing about the existence of God with that special intensity that comes after about the fourth beer.

And the atheist says: ‘Look, it’s not like I don’t have actual reasons for not believing in God. It’s not like I haven’t ever experimented with the whole God and prayer thing. Just last month I got caught away from the camp in that terrible blizzard, and I was totally lost and I couldn’t see a thing, and it was 50 below, and so I tried it: I fell to my knees in the snow and cried out ‘Oh, God, if there is a God, I’m lost in this blizzard, and I’m gonna die if you don’t help me.’

And now, in the bar, the religious guy looks at the atheist all puzzled. ‘Well then you must believe now,’ he says, ‘After all, here you are, alive.’ The atheist just rolls his eyes. ‘No, man, all that was a couple Eskimos happened to come wandering by and showed me the way back to camp.'”

And In Conclusion

Cheers to Mark O’ Donnell and as he would advise you:

“Keep your eyes out for those Eskimos!” (#6 – #7)

External Photo Attribution

#1.O’ Donnell Law Firm LLC Website (https://www.odlf.net/about-us/professional-team/attorneys/mark-odonnell/)

#2. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buggenhoutse_woonwagen.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Milliped – 29 June 2022.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx#/media/File:Karl_Marx_001.jpg) The author died in 1901, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. Source: International Institute of Social History – Date: before 24th August 1875.

#4. Route 99 E Roadhouse (https://www.facebook.com/route99roadhouse)

#5. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Foster_Wallace#/media/File:David_Foster_Wallace.jpg) By Steve Rhodes – originally posted to Flickr as David Foster Wallace, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4788606.

#6. Mark.jpg (715×1016) (portlandsocietypage.com) Freedom Award honoree Mark O’Donnell Archives – Portland Society Page

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Life_with_the_Esquimaux_-_1864_-_Volume_2_page_224.jpg) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Author: Charles Francis Hall – 1864.

Thebeerchaser

Bars, Breweries and Watering Holes – An Exploration

Category Archives: Beerchaser Miscellany

March Gladness

Did We Really Do That — Take a Hike?

Did We Really Do That – College Antics…..

Fall Fulminations

Migration Brewing – Music to Your Beers…..

Did We Really Do That – Part II – The Tie That Binds…

Did We Really Do That? – Part I

Dual Tributes and Farewells

You Should be Seen in The Steens – Part I

Summer Simmers III