Bob's Corner
From our weekly issue dated May 27, 2009
Took a trip to Bend the other day while that city’s annual Pole, Pedal, Paddle event was held. Nearly 3,000 skiers, cyclists, runners and paddlers converged, along with their families and friends. Quite a deal. Has a huge effect on traffic.
Our trip was to first pick up the covers for our 2009-10 Valley Visitor in White City and deliver them to the Bend Bulletin. There they print the inside pages and attach them to the covers. It’s quite a heavy job, and quite a heavy load. We rented a cargo van for the task.
Our original plan was to spend Friday through Sunday nights in Bend; pick up the Valley Visitors on Monday morning and return to Illinois Valley. We had engaged a vacation rental that our daughter, Vicki, located for us on the Internet. Much nicer than a motel, and actually less expensive.
But as plans go, well, they change. We had unloaded the covers at the Bulletin and just reached our rental when we received a cell phone call that there was a problem. Back to the Bulletin. Seems that the covers had been cut incorrectly; they needed trimming. Fortunately, a shop that does that kind of work was nearby, and the owner was willing to stay and do the job. We reloaded the covers into the van and drove to the shop; unloaded the boxes; and waited around for approximately 45 minutes. Job done, we reloaded the covers into the van; drove back to the Bulletin, and unloaded them again.
The print boss advised that our annual guide likely would be finished by Saturday afternoon. Humm, that sounded interesting. Make a long story shorter; we ended up leaving Bend shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday. Had to tell the owners of the rental that we wouldn’t be staying. They were understanding; said we’d get a refund of sorts. Arrived home shortly before 10 that night; unloaded the Visitors at the Illinois Valley News office.
It’s quite a trip to Bend: U.S. 199 to Grants Pass, Interstate 5 to State 62 to reach White City. Take 62 through locations including Shady Cove, Prospect and Union Creek. Skirt the edge of Crater Lake National Park; take State 230 to State 138 to U.S. 97 and pass through places including Beaver Marsh, Chemult and LaPine. Hwy. 97 is dangerous; it’s known for its hellacious crashes, many of them fatal, and many involving large trucks tangling with passenger cars and pickup trucks whose drivers are not too careful.
The return trip is pretty much the same except for taking State 234 out of Shady Cove and passing through Sam’s Valley; and going through Gold Hill before reaching I-5.
I’ve always enjoyed trips, but sometimes they get a bit tiring. Maybe it was all that loading and unloading. Either that or leaving my suitcase at home, or driving a loaded cargo van on Hwy. 97 and worrying about all those other crazy drivers. Take your choice.
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