July 2019 The Good Life

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July 2019

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BUILT TO RIDE The remarkable resurrection of Squilchuck State Park

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Contents

We are pleased to announce that

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page 32

Making funny with alex haley

businesses realize their financial goals for over 80 years.

Features

7

who was that man?

A bad day at work could have been a whole lot worse, had it not been for a stranger

8 take a walk on the wild (ocean) side

Financial Advisors with D.A. Davidson & Co. member SIPC

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You say the Enchantments are too crowded, too worn, too restrictive? Try this other hike with a different face of nature

12 remarkable resurrection

The state was about to surplus Squilchuck State Park, and then a bunch of bikers rolled in

14 volunteering at the senior center

Jay Young came in for a lunch, and then came back to serve

16 cary ordway’s central wa experience Tune out with a trip to the foothills

18 at ease in belize

Great fishing, sure, but some monkey business, too

20 farmhouse reborn

Extensive renovations make old house better than it ever was Art sketches n Fiddler EliAnn Oakes, page 28 n Comedian, performer and arts producer Alex Haley, page 32 Columns & Departments 6 A bird in the lens: Osprey, an easy bird to watch 24 Pet Tales: A man and his dog look for adventures 26 The traveling doctor: Should you take probiotics?

27 June Darling: Go for the community picnic this Fourth 28-35 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 35 History: The daring flight across the Pacific 38 That’s life: Finding gold in the Superstition Mountains

July 2019 | The Good Life

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OPENING SHOT

Northwest lifestyle among the trees

By Cary Ordway

Trees, trees, trees — we ac-

tually dreamt about trees when we were living in sunny San Diego.

It was 14 years of weather bliss, but also 14 years without trees.

Palm trees are nice, but they don’t replace the iconic forests of

the Pacific Northwest.

And so it was when we came home to live closer to grandkids, one of our top priorities was to live near trees.

Navarre Coulee fit the bill, with the added advantage of Lake Chelan being five minutes away. Gone were the swimming pool and palm trees, but in their place was this forest of real, honest-to-goodness Northwest trees.

Living a Northwest lifestyle, for us, means a tractor instead

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Year 13, Number 7 July 2019 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life PO Box 2142 Wenatchee, WA 98807 PHONE: EMAIL:

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Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Cary Ordway, Susan Ruth Williams, Andy Dappen, Molly Steere, Toby Steere, Jay Young, Dave Graybill, Joe Anderson, Mike Irwin, Travis Knoop, Chris Ohta, Bruce McCammon, Donna Cassidy, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising: Lianne Taylor Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Dianne Cornell Ad design, Clint Hollingsworth

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of a lawn mower, and a strange contraption San Diegans wouldn’t recognize — a snow blower.

A third of an acre down there meant maintaining a few plants.

Six acres up here means becoming a part-time park maintenance worker. San Diego means lots of traffic. Navarre Coulee means 10 miles to the nearest store, and light years to the nearest In-N-Out Burger.

It’s all good — you just have to know what you’re getting into.

Video editor, Aaron Cassidy TO SUBSCRIBE: For $25, ($30 out of state address) you can have 12 issues of The Good Life mailed to you or a friend. Send payment to: The Good Life PO Box 2142 Wenatchee, WA 98807 For circulation questions, email: donna@ncwgoodlife.com EVENTS: donna@ncwgoodlife.com BUY A COPY of The Good Life at Safeway stores, Mike’s Meats at Pybus, Martin’s Market Place

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July 2019

But about those trees. Glorious as they are, they’ve now cost me two of my hobby drones that, for whatever reason, seem drawn to trees like bees to honey.

On the cover

Molly Steere rides — very carefully — an elevated beam in the Squilchuck State Park skills park. Photo by Toby Steere.

See her story on the remarkable resurrection of the park on page 12.

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editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

In hot water doing home repairs We stopped at Julia and

Greg Scott’s home on a warm evening to catch a quick photo of the couple for our house of the month feature, starting on page 20.

And then we got talking as Greg and Julia showed us around ... “every surface you see, every single surface, we touched in one way or another,” said Julia.

Julia showed us where she and her daughter wallpapered a ceiling (which was a daunting, never again task, admitted Julia, but it came out beautiful) and Greg talked about how he added pieces to an old kitchen cabinet found in the barn so meticulous that even our probing eyes couldn’t find the joint line.

We laughingly agreed with the couple during our visit that with the right tools and YouTube for how-to videos, a person can accomplish wonders.

I wish we would have had YouTube when my wife and I embarked on house renovations.

Our “career” in home projects started with a leak in the base of the washing machine faucet.

One night, sitting on the floor of our sparsely furnished rambler suburban house, enjoying an adult beverage and listening to a vinyl album on the stereo (perhaps I’m dating myself here), I went to stand up by shoving off against the living room wall ... and my hand went through the wall.

What!!?

It seemed a leak from the hot water faucet rotted a few studs in the wall, and, as we found out later, down into the floor joists.

An experienced do-it-yourself buddy came over, and using his tools, we pulled up the carpet, ripped into the wall and cut out

the rot.

We replaced everything, and I thought: “I am so good at this home repair stuff!”

Next up a few days later was to replace the leaky washing machine faucet.

Unfortunately, I was not able to locate the water turnoff valve, which I mistakenly thought was somewhere in the street.

“I’m fast,” I thought, “and now I know I’m good at home repairs.

I can unscrew the faucet, quickly screw on the new faucet and mop up water that comes out.”

Laying on the washing machine — it was wedged into its space too tightly to pull out completely of the way — I unscrewed the faucet and whoosh, a spray of warm water hit me in the face, shocking me into dropping the replacement faucet I was holding in my other hand to the floor.

I stuck a thumb into the pipe, maneuvered my feet to the floor, where I grasped the faucet with my toes and brought it up to my free hand. (It’s good to be agile when doing home repairs.)

I pulled my thumb out of the pipe, but in trying to screw on the new faucet with water gushing out, it slipped out of my hand to the floor again. Back in went my thumb. And there I was stuck, my wife at work, hot water burning my thumb, and my confidence ebbing.

Well, I eventually persevered, and I learned something about thinking through a problem before picking up a tool.

Maybe all YouTube videos should start with that advice.

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column a bird in the lens

Osprey: An easy bird to watch in awe B

By Bruce McCammon

ird migration is like a merry-go-round of seasonal treats.

Every month provides another sample of birds to observe in north central Washington.

Spring and fall are the most substantial periods to see new birds as they pass through heading to breeding areas to the north or warmer locations to winter-over.

Bruce McCammon We know is retired, colorthat spring blind and enjoys is here when photographing the the American birds in north cenRobin arrives. tral Washington.

Winter is near when the Dark-eyed Juncos appear.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides a good overview of migration dynamics here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/ the-basics-how-why-and-whereof-bird-migration/.

Many birds nest and hatch their young in north central Washington in May, June and

What Are You Laughing At? We’re looking for fresh, true stories from local people that’ll bring a chuckle to our readers.

Limit yourself to 500 to 1,000 words and send to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

July.

For good reasons, most birds make efforts to conceal their nests to protect their young.

The Osprey, however, has adapted to urban chaos and freely nests in open view.

Being near the top of the food chain, Osprey were an endangered species in the mid-20th Century. Like the Bald Eagle, Osprey populations have recovered after DDT and other pesticides were banned.

Today, because the Osprey diet is almost entirely made from fish, anyone can see Osprey at many locations along the Columbia River or other rivers and lakes.

There are at least three nesting pairs of Osprey in Wenatchee. The pair that is nesting on a man-made platform (thank you Chelan PUD) near the north end of the boat launch

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The Osprey, however, has adapted to urban chaos and freely nests in open view. parking lot near Pybus Public Market offer residents and visitors a unique, up-close-andpersonal opportunity to witness flight, feeding and nesting behaviors.

The Apple Capital Loop Trail is a major attraction for people during the summer months and the birds are on full display.

Once the chicks hatch, they stay in the nest for about 50 days as the parents bring fish to the nest. Then the chicks begin flight and hunting school as they prepare to make it on their own.

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July 2019

The evening that I took this photo at the Pybus nest site, a couple walked off the paved trail and across the grass to talk to me. I’m used to fielding questions like “What are you looking at?” or “Getting any good shots?”

I enjoy opportunities to talk about birds or photography.

This couple, though, was unique. The man smiled and said, “We sure enjoy your bird articles in The Good Life.”

I very much appreciated that feedback. This was a pleasant instance when birds, photos and words connected strangers on a public path.

I hope you are able to find an Osprey nest near you and that you take some time to watch these remarkable birds.

If you see a guy standing around with a camera and tripod, stop and say hello. You might make his day. Just sayin’.

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MY WORLD // a personal essay

Who was that mystery man?

By Susan Ruth Williams

M

y husband, Mike, went to work that morning, starting at 5 a.m.

Afterward, he would tell me he hadn’t felt very good getting ready, but he had muscled through.

If Mike hadn’t gone to work, none of this would have happened. But something else may have happened, something potentially devastating.

The phone rang at 8 a.m.

Mike, on a break, would sometimes call to teIl me something, or just to see how I was doing.

Not today.

Mike said, “Susan, I’m not feeling well, and I need you to take me to the ER.” The wavery tone in his voice seized like a thunderclap in time, one where everything after would never again be the same. Fumbling with this news, the urgent demand to drop everything and leave, at once, was galvanizing.

At the same time, it was otherworldly to move through.

I had not fixed my face, or self yet, and that did not matter. In a reel of freeze-frames, I grabbed a sweater, my purse and keys, and bolted down the steps and out the door. Agitatedly, I covered the vast mile distance to the store, and drove to the rear employee entrance where I saw him standing with the HR lady.

“Oh Mike, honey, what’s happening? What’s wrong?” It took every ounce of my being to exude calm presence as I surveyed my husband standing there.

I don’t know if I waved at the lady, or merely blinked, as Mike folded himself into the passenger seat.

“You don’t look like you’re feeling well. Would it be okay if I check your pulse?”

I drove out of the Fred Meyer grotto to the Central Washington Hospital ER entrance in a blur.

In this time in the car with Mike, I heard his incoherence as he was telling me about how strange his morning had been. I was focused on driving.

They took him rapidly into the ER, and I parked the car. When I came back in, they told me Mike’s heart was in atrial flutter, at 140 beats per minute. He was given Diltiazem and Lopressor, and labs were done.

There was no heart attack, such good news, but clearly, he wasn’t out of the woods yet.

They were admitting him, and he stayed two nights. I slept on the fold out.

During the hospital stay, and the exams by the various doctors, and the inquiry into the symptoms, reasons were collected to answer the why.

Over and over again, Mike, stated that, yes, he had felt an “oddness” on six other occasions, always after lunch, over the last two years. He described a lightheaded state and dizziness, which passed always after 10 minutes. Each time this happened, once the attacks passed, he resumed whatever he’d been doing.

The difference on this morning was the sensation of odd disequilibrium didn’t pass, persisting and getting worse. He July 2019 | The Good Life

Mike and Susan on a healthy day.

told co-workers that he wasn’t feeling well, and that maybe he was coming down with the flu and to not get close. At one point, he had to grab hold of a table to keep from falling down.

Finally, after not feeling any relief, Mike decided to head over to the in-store Starbuck’s, where they have comfortable chairs.

While taking this break, he was approached by an older gentleman who said to Mike, “You don’t look like you’re feeling well. Would it be okay if I check your pulse? I worked for Ballard Ambulance, but I’m retired now.”

He took Mike’s pulse, found it to be very high, and told Mike, “You should go to the ER, now.”

An echocardiogram found no heart disease or blockage and the determination was made that chronic insomnia was the source of Mike’s dysrhythmia. For 40-some years, Mike’s inheritance has been that he’s

gotten by on very little sleep, maybe four hours a night.

And he has restless leg syndrome, at times. And he snores, at times.

When this event happened, Mike had gone without any sleep for four nights in a row.

Mike is fine, back at home and back to work. He has a plan for better sleep and it works.

The intervention by the retired Ballard Ambulance man had everything to do with that outcome.

Mike, very likely, had his life saved by following this older man’s direction.

I wanted to know who to thank, so I visited Ballard Ambulance and spoke to a Penny, who said she was going to look into their retired employees.

I haven’t heard back from her.

I’m still wondering who you are. Because, if there is no other answer, I have to ask: Are you an angel?

Susan Ruth and Mike Williams moved to East Wenatchee in 2010 from Whatcom County. In July, they’ll celebrate their 37th anniversary whale watching off Cape Ann, MA.

We provide over 600 guidebook posts for human powered outdoor sports in and around the Wenatchee Valley.

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SQUEEZED OUT OF THE ENCHANTMENTS?

Take a walk on the wild (ocean) side T

story and photos

by Andy Dappen

he Enchantment Traverse is one of Washington’s premier hikes.

Yet, because it’s hard to get an overnight permit for the route, many people have given up on backpacking the traverse.

Instead, day hiking and trail running the route has become the rage. So much so that the area is almost crowded and its fragile vegetation is becoming threadbare.

Now visitors will find anything but a wilderness experience in this neck of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

The solution? Give the Enchantments a break and find other enchanting alternatives.

The South Olympic Coast Traverse between the mouth of the Hoh River and Third Beach in Olympic National Park is such an alternative.

This route is typically spanned as a two- or three-day backpacking trip. However, given that permits must be obtained from the Park Service, permits come with a cost, and food barrels must be carried to keep bears and raccoons from one’s food, it’s now almost easier to day hike this 17-mile route along the Pacific Coast.

Day trips require no permits,

have no associated costs, and the food and equipment needs are simple.

The trick of this and other coastal traverses is contending with the vagaries of the tides. Lower tides are sometimes necessary to round precipitous headlands situated at ocean’s edge.

Between the various headlands, beaches are strung along the coastline. They too, however, are more easily traveled when the tide is out.

Successfully navigating all this without getting stranded by high tides means paying attention to the ocean’s cycles and scooting along efficiently when the tide allows.

Last summer, I completed a south-to-north traverse of the South Olympic Coast as a day trip. Most of the route was solitary and every bit of the route was as enchanting as our own Enchantment Traverse.

Here’s how the adventure played out for me:

Foggy forests — one of a hundred scenes that greet a hiker’s progress on the overland trails.

Typical marking noting the start of an overland trail around an impassable section of beach.

11:30 a.m. - 1:25 p.m.

With the tide just having peaked and beginning to recede, I leave the end of the Oil City Road and quickly reach the mouth of the Hoh River. Here a junkyard of driftwood logs leads to a tangle of fallen trees border-

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July 2019

Shelf fungi (or bracket fungi) like these are part of a group of fungi called polypores. They are important for decomposing wood and recycling forest nutrients. The forest floor is often littered with great ferns.

entirely encouraging — there an exposed scramble leads down a crumbling cliff to the next beach.

A weathered, rodent-gnawed rope hangs over the worrisome descent. What a choice: Wait and lose low-tide time that may be needed, or risk my neck to loose rock and a mangy rope.

Mountaineers hate such false protection Finally easy, quick travel on the sand beaches immediately north of Hoh’s Head. but I grab the rope, ing the ocean’s shoreline. These that a 30-minute wait will be test the anchor, and carefully must be climbed over or crawled needed before the falling tide make the exposed scramble under. exposes beach front property downward, making light use of At the first headland, I time the obstruction. the rope. Good fortune keeps me the outgoing waves and sprint It’s possible that a small notch from actually hanging on this around problematic boulders in this headland will allow shabby line. when a few feet of exposed sand overland passage to the next I break for a 15-minute lunch; materializes between wave sets. beach so I scramble upward. The then follow boulder, cobble, and At a second headland it seems opposite side of the notch is not sand beaches to Hoh’s Head.

July 2019 | The Good Life

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1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Three-and-a-half miles of utterly slow trail leads over Hoh’s Head, a massive buttress jutting into the ocean.

The trail is rocky, rooty, muddy and boggy. It has ropes, ladders, boardwalks, and balance beams.

A dozen times it climbs up 100 feet and then dips down nearly the same distance. I want to rush, but to hurry is surely the formula for going slow. You can slip, twist, slam, tweak, dislocate, or break yourself on anything slippery. And everything is slippery.

Still, the trail is wondrous with its humongous hemlocks, colossal spruces and redwoodsized cedars.

Chartreuse moss, orange fungi, and purple mushrooms are like neon lights glowing through the green screen of salal, sword

}}} Continued on next page

A walk along the wild (ocean) side }}} Continued from previous page ferns, deer’s heart, wood sorrel, and salmon berries.

Every time I try to hurry, I feel compelled to stop and take a picture.

“Make time, rush, the tide is going out,” these voices push me along. “Step carefully, don’t slip, take that picture,” these warnings drag me down.

At the end of this trail, I take stock: I’ve been traveling four hours, yet I’ve barely started.

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Finally there’s good beach.

Gotta move! Jog, walk fast, eat on the go.

Keep the legs moving and let the eyes absorb the setting: sand, pebbles and cobbles; pearly everlasting, fireweed, and goldenrod, sand pipers, Western gulls and Heermann’s gulls.

Three sets of footprints flow against me — yes, I saw a group camped a mile back at Mosquito Creek.

New tracks: one doe with a fawn, several raccoon, ravens, scores of shore birds. Flotsam: orange buoys, blue bottles, green nets, yellow polypropylene rope. Distance finally flies.

What? I’m dead ended. There’s no beach around the cliffs ahead. Did I miss an overland trail? Must have.

Retrace. Run. Ha -- there’s a rope headed up a steep bank that I simply ran by! Darn: 20 minutes lost.

4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Without trails over the headlands that stick into the ocean and bar waterfront progress, this traverse would be impossible.

I start the 1.75-mile trail around the Goodman Creek headland. Spanning this ground would be utter Hell had machet-

es and chain saws not cleared the way.

The salal fields and brambles bordering all these overland trails are beyond heinous — they would slow travel down to about two miles per day.

Currently the tide is completely out. What a waste to be traveling an overland trail now — I hoped to be farther along using the low tide for beach travel.

5:05 p.m. – 6 p.m.

I’m making good time north of Toleak Point. Sand beaches lead past Strawberry Point and the Giant’s Graveyard.

Sea stacks and waves. Kelp and eel grass. Butter clam and cockle shells. Legs and claws of dead crabs. The breeze is fresh on skin and lungs. Time and distance scroll under rubber soles.

Over the hill and through the woods to reach the beaches north of Hoh’s Head.

An orange sign minutes later nothing seems leading back to the beach. This tacked to a tree marks another as it should. I should be comoverland trail skirted a very overland trail. I won’t waste ing down onto Third Beach, but small headland. time running past this one. I I’ve walked farther and farther Now a short beach walk approach a man camped near leads to the Taylor Point Trail I the sign, “Is this the trail around inland.

My trail merges with a logging thought I had reached 90 minTaylor Point?” road. Eventually a sign indicates utes earlier. Relief flows – I was He’s confused. He points to lost, but now I’m found. the cape northwest of us. “That’s this is state land. I pull out my Worry also erupts — it will be Taylor Point there, so I guess so.” park schematic. This is a pathetic map for real navigation a race to finish the route before but it reveals that no overland dark. At darkness the shuttle 6 p.m. - 7:40 p.m. trails come close to state land. I driver waiting for me at trail’s I rush off. After seven or eight end will leave. minutes, the trail splits. The left retrace on the run.

Back at the trail split passed fork surely goes to a campsite. I 7:40 p.m. - 8:35 p.m. fade right and am soon climbing an hour ago, I turn left and quickly find a rope allowing me The 1.25-mile trail over Taylor steeply.

Point is heavily used by day hikThis seems as it should. Thirty to batman down slippery slopes

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Tidal pool wildlife (green anemones) highlighted colorfully by encrusting coralline algaes (pink).

Scenic route but not always making for swift travel — the bouldered, cobbled beach north of the Hoh River and south of Hoh’s Head.

The South Olympic Coast Traverse follows the coastline north from the end of the Oil City Road (near the mouth of the Hoh River) to the Third Beach Trailhead (along Highway 110 a few miles southeast of La Push).

July 2019 | The Good Life

ers who have accessed the coast from the Third Beach Trailhead near the town of La Push. This trail is in far better shape than those traveled earlier in the day.

Is it the trail condition or adrenaline that seems to be giving me a third wind? The trail gives way quickly to determination; so do the sands of Third Beach.

At 8:10 p.m., I start up the final 1.5-mile trail connecting Third Beach to the highway marking trip’s end.

Now I’m pondering the waiting driver’s exact definition of “darkness.” Will that be true blackness, or will it be some gradation of gray? In some incarnation of an Oscar Wilde story, I see myself reaching the road just as the tail lights of my ride disappear down the highway.

The legs go into overdrive.

Everything feels heavy — I have not stopped for food or drink in over three hours. I don’t dwell on this but on the disappointment I’ll feel if, after a nine-hour effort, I’m a few minutes too slow.

The atmosphere below the canopy of the surrounding 250foot hemlock trees is charcoal — I should don a headlamp to prevent stumbling on a shadowed stone, but the minutes lost will not be regained over the www.ncwgoodlife.com

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short distance remaining.

Twenty minutes before true darkness I reach the road. I see my ride and my worries vanish.

I jog toward the car letting my mind flash over the beauties and the enchantments of the previous hours — what a rush!

My driver watches my doubletime approach. He cocks his head and curiously studies the sweat streaming down my face.

“Hey man,” he says nonchalantly, “what’s your hurry?”

The South Olympic Coast Traverse follows the coastline north from the end of the Oil City Road (near the mouth of the Hoh River) to the Third Beach Trailhead (along Highway 110 a few miles southeast of La Push).

Tide tables and a topographic map of the route are highly recommended. Those attempting the route as a day trip should carry some emergency provisions (extra food, water purifier, warm layers, small tarp and fire starter) in case the rising tide brings forward progress to an unplanned halt.

This story also appears on Wenatcheeoutdoors.org — the site covers such topics as hiking, biking, climbing, paddling, trail running and skiing.

The remarkable resurrection of Squilchuck State Park I

By Molly Steere

keep my eyes fixated on the wood beam I’m balancing on, well ahead of my front wheel.

Focus.

I sneak in a shaky half rotation of my pedals to keep my speed up. I’m doing it!

The realization that I’ve made it over halfway surprises me.

Then, my concentration wavers and my gaze slides to the grass below.

My front wheel, a slave to whatever direction I look, starts rolling off of the side of the elevated beam, taking me and the rest of the mountain bike with it. Rather ungracefully, the wheels of my bike reacquaint themselves with the ground.

“I have to try again,” I said to my husband, Toby, who is already cruising smoothly down the balance beam located in the heart of the Squilchuck State Park skills park. Neither of us makes it to the end of the beam on our second attempts.

While we were lamenting this fact, Roper, our son, casually pedaled onto the beam and skillfully propelled himself down the full length of it without a single waver. Of course.

“Well, now we obviously can’t leave without doing it,” Toby said. I agree, and with a steely determination not to be shown up by a seven-year-old, Toby and I complete the balance beam on our next attempts.

That was a couple of years ago.

Now, a similar scene plays out each time we visit Squilchuck State Park. First, on the shorter elevated beam in the skills park, and then on the over 300-foot

Roper stays on track as he rides a portion of the 300-foot plus log ride.

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log ride (logs sawed in half lengthwise and connected endto-end on elevated stands) on the Twisted Giant trail.

The long log ride is our reward and destination after pedaling the nested trails. The hills (one of the joys of living in a valley — you always start with uphill) are moderate and made more palatable by the shaded canopy of trees, butter smooth berms, and (depending on the season) a carpet of wildflowers, greenery, or rich fall colors.

Roper (now 9) has completed the log ride once, Toby always manages to complete it at some point during each ride, and I can usually get a decent distance down it . . . if I sneak up on it.

But if I think about it at all, I’m just as likely to start falling over before I even get on the log.

Sometimes, my brain and I don’t get along.

Amidst pep talks, good-natured ribbing, and muttering to ourselves, we practice and play.

Once everyone’s had his fill, we fly down the serpentine trail, hooting and laughing, through a veil of dappling light filtering through the branches overhead.

These summer evenings are the highlights of my summer: spending time with my favorite humans, challenging myself mentally and physically, and enjoying the beauty of our communal backyard.

I am grateful for the passionate mountain bike enthusiasts who make up the Central Washington chapter of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance (EMBA), who have made these evenings possible.

In 2009, Squilchuck State Park, a 288-acre park sitting just

The Squilchuck riding area and skills park is a fantastic training ground for mountain bikers. below Mission Ridge and forested with fir and ponderosa pine, was nearly mothballed due to state budget cuts and was destined for obscurity. That’s when EMBA went to work forging a new identity for the park.

The local chapter envisioned Squilchuck as a mountain biking mecca with a skills park comprising progressive features, jump lines, and a pump track alongside nested trails to serve as a hub to a much larger trail system.

With this in mind, they approached the local branch of Washington State Parks with their concept to make Squilchuck relevant and deserving of resurrection.

Mission accomplished.

New trail construction began in 2013 and as of 2019, 10 miles of single track has been developed.

It’s a multi-loop configuration so riders can choose the length of their ride, and trails range in technical difficulty from easy to moderate.

The Squilchuck riding area and skills park is a fantastic training ground for mountain bikers. There, riders can work on their foundational skills and then take those skills to the rest of the trail systems in the valley.

Thanks to a great partnership between Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance’s Central Chapter and Washington State Parks, Squilchuck has returned as a thriving recreation area.

The Central Washington chapter of EMBA not only advocates for — and donates massive man-hours to — forest health, trail access and trail development, but they also offer camps for kids and adults at Squilchuck and the Leavenworth Ski Hill.

Molly rounds one of the beautifully built corners on Twisted Giant — it’s not all trying to balance on logs.

Roper rages down a flow section of Yellow Jacket Trail.

Last summer, Roper participated in one of the youth bike camps, and each day after camp he literally counted down the hours until camp started the next day. It was a hugely positive experience for him and gave him the opportunity to focus on particular skills with enthusiasm, advancing each day.

The coaches were knowledgeable, encouraging and playful.

I can’t wait to attend an adult camp so I can brush up on some July 2019 | The Good Life

of the foundational skills and advance my riding.

EMBA will also be rolling out new mapping at the end of the summer including new signage and wayfinding systems with signs at junctures. You’ll no longer have to pull your phone out to figure out which way to go.

If anybody’s looking for me on a hot summer evening, I’ll be at Squilchuck honing my skills and riding premier trails in the forest shade. www.ncwgoodlife.com

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(Be advised that currently, there is a partial park closure for healthy forest maintenance that will likely remain in effect until the end of the summer. The majority of the trail system — plus the skills park — is still open for public use and the closed trails are well marked.)

Molly Steere is a local technical editor and freelance writer. She considers the Wenatchee Valley trail systems an extension of her office.

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Volunteers

Wenatchee Senior Center

He came in for a lunch and came back to work in the kitchen A

By Jay Young

fter retiring from my teaching position at Wenatchee High School in 2015, I started to wonder what I was going to do with my time.

For over 40 years I was on a schedule. Every September started with a new group of students. We would traverse the landscape of United States history and world history. Then in June, the year would end and I pursued more schooling, work and — later in my career — the pleasures of languishing in the delicious warm air of summer.

Travel became an instant option and road trips. Adventures to places such as New York City, Washington D.C. and Europe filled many a day.

That was perfect for the times not in Wenatchee, but what about here? What could I do here?

I spent one summer volunteering with Small Miracles, a local non-profit dedicated to ending hunger among children in the Wenatchee Valley. That was quite rewarding, seeing the children show up at a local park and the pure delight in their eyes as they were given lunch for that day. This sparked an interest in me to find more opportunities.

Sometimes as you are looking for something, it finds you.

Diane, my wife, and I decided one day to have lunch at the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center. Little did I know that day would lead to a profound

Volunteering has given me the opportunity to stay connected with a wonderful group of people... I am fortunate to be a part of this “hidden treasure” of Wenatchee. change in my life.

Lunch was amazing and so we decided to return and see if this was a one-time wonder or a good way to spend the lunch hour. We were pleasantly surprised as the food was wonderful and we met so many delightful people.

On our first visit, Dave Tosch, the director, sat down with us and explained the many volunteer opportunities available. It was all fine and good, but after all my only intention was to enjoy a good lunch and socialize.

After a few lunch visits, I noticed there was a window where people would put their dirty plates and the person working the window would hand them to another person in the kitchen.

Due to an unforeseen circumstance the window person, who was a volunteer, had to step down. After talking to Dave and offering to fill in, I started my volunteer time at the center.

Over the course of the last two years I have expanded my

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It’s not all work... sometimes it’s Hawaiian Days with tiny bubbles. Jay Young is in a hula skirt, Saidee Rice is on the uke and Tim Myrtle works the bubble machine.

responsibilities, primarily volunteering in the kitchen, and when we are in town, I am there five days a week.

My time now is spent helping to serve lunch, washing and putting away the dishes, placing chairs and tables for special days, at times dancing the hula and in general helping where I can.

There is a marvelous staff and volunteers in the kitchen, which is run by Penny Petersen.

I mentioned special days —

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every month there is a western day, a birthday Friday, a sparkle and shine day and a Hawaiian day. Meals are served at noon and the average attendance is a little over 100. For the special days, attendance can go all the way up to 200.

As I talk to friends and tell them what I am doing, I am astounded at some of their questions.

The most common ones fall into the category of not understanding what happens there.

Jay works with the kitchen staff that include, left to right, Shaylee Fry, Tim Myrtle, Candice Rice and kitchen manager Penny Petersen.

Jay and Dale Rushing serve dinners at the center.

I get questions like: How many beds do you have at the center and how many residents are there at one time.

I explain this is a senior activity center with a wealth of opportunities. These include a writing club, computer classes, exercise classes, various trips (locally and to distant places), an excellent thrift shop, bingo night and the list goes on.

One of my favorite activities is the Wii bowling league.

amazing group of people. As I listen to them, I am getting such an appreciation of the town we live in.

Whether it is from the group of WHS alumni, or the Friday table of WWII veterans, the stories never stop. I never get tired of hearing the small tales and the big ones.

Volunteering has given me the opportunity to stay connected with a wonderful group of people, while helping in some

This includes shirts, teams, Wii bowling bags and head-to-head showdowns.

One of the joys I had as a teacher at Wenatchee High School was the interaction with my students and my colleagues.

Everyone has a story, a collection of events that make him or her unique.

As a volunteer at the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center, I can continue that learning opportunity with an

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small way. I am fortunate to be a part of this “hidden treasure” of Wenatchee.

I encourage anyone of any age to take that leap to be a volunteer in some capacity. I found my niche here, at the center.

There are so many opportunities and I can attest to the fact that as what you give, you will receive as much and more in return.

s ’ y a w d r O y r a C CENTRAL

WASHINGTON

Experience

Off-grid: Tune out with trip to the foothills

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was very friendly, knowledgeable and enjoyable to talk to. It was very simple living “off grid” for a few days – in many ways, it had all the conveniences of home.

by Tara Wilkins

re you looking for a peaceful place to get away from all the hustle, bustle and “busyness” of life? Do you want a place to relax, unwind and reconnect with your spouse, family or friends?

We have found just that kind of place. Camas Meadows Lodge is set at the edge of a beautiful, flowered meadow with Aspen groves and a winding stream running through it, surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains filled with ponderosa pine and fir forests.

And it’s a convenient location, close to popular tourist attractions and the natural wonders of North Central Washington. It’s a short drive off the Blewett Pass Highway in God’s Country, those beautiful foothills just west of Wenatchee.

The lodge is a chalet-style home run on solar power, with a cozy wood stove, plush carpet and comfy couches and beds with down comforters and extra pillows. There is a spiral staircase up to the loft that has two beds built into one of the walls, an entertainment center with TV, stereo, DVD and VHS players - plus many movies and CD’s, mini foosball table, a cabinet full of games, toys, coloring books, crayons and puzzles, a piano and other small instruments to play.

In other words, this is the perfect getaway for a family looking to

Camas Meadows is remote, off the grid, yet close at hand for Wenatchee residents

spend time with each other and connect with something other than wi-fi -- which, by the way, is not offered. That’s a big plus for parents who want their kids to holster their phones, if even for a short weekend.

The bathroom has a tub where you can soak away your cares while looking out at the picturesque views of the meadow and mountains. Downstairs the kitchen is open to the dining room and living room where you can look out the wall of windows onto the meadow and surrounding mountains. There are two comfy bedrooms and a bathroom off of the kitchen.

The kitchen has everything you can think of for making your meals – we enjoyed several meals

while staying there and were able to find everything we needed.

They even have a Chemex for all the coffee drinkers out there.

You’ll spend lots of time out on the deck, which has a dining area and BBQ for relaxing in the sun and enjoying a meal outside. They also have an observation platform closer to the meadow for sitting in the sun with binoculars, enjoying a book or just relaxing.

In summer, they provide some mountain bikes and helmets that you can take on the trails and in the winter you can cross-country ski right from the deck.

The owner, Vladimir, met us there when we arrived. He gave us a tour and told us about the area and showed us how everything worked. He

Cary Ordway is publisher of NorthwestTravelAdvisor.com and host of Exploring the Northwest, heard at 6:27 a.m. and 1:25 p.m. weekdays on KPQ 560 AM, Wenatchee.

Central Washington Experience is made possible by the sponsors appearing in these articles. Email: getawaymediacorp@gmail.com SUMMER 2019 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

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We had a great time exploring around the meadow and hiking on some of the trails.

The first evening we were able to see the Elk herd that lives in the area. They have a powerful telescope there for looking across the meadow, up at the mountains or into the stars. The night sky is absolutely amazing as there are no competing city lights.

We also came across many birds, butterflies, chipmunks, lizards and a frog on our walks. The cabin has binoculars for bird watching and a library bookcase of many birding and nature books, plus some new and classic books for your reading enjoyment.

Camas Meadows is a great place to stay if you just want to visit Leavenworth for the day but don’t want to be in the middle of all the tourist activity, or if you want to go out for a meal since Leavenworth is only 20 minutes away. We stayed at the lodge Easter weekend and were only 45 minutes away from my grandma’s in Wenatchee, it was a great

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Taste Treats

NCW Wine Trails Eagle Creek Winery

Must-visit tasting rooms around NCW WineGirl Wines

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ur winemaker Angela Jacobs is a chemist who played a little roller derby in her spare time. She produces wines with little manipulation to bring you intense flavors worth contemplating. There’s something for everyone from crisp Sauvignon Blanc to full-bodied Syrah Rosé to award-winning Malbec to a luscious Port-style wine.

Stop in for a tasting, a trivia game, a rockin’ blues concert, or a barrel burning. Angela, Todd, Brooklyn, Kenai, Quincy and the rest of the crew cannot wait to meet you at our winery in Lake Chelan or our tasting room in Leavenworth. WineGirl Wines, where we strive not only to create story-worthy wines, but to know you by name. 222 E. Wapato Way, Manson. (509) 2939679. www.winegirlwines.com.

Vin du Lac Winery

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in du Lac Winery, Farm and Bistro is located on a bluff 100 feet above Lake Chelan, with stunning views of the lake, the town, the Chelan Butte and the surrounding countryside. The 14 acre farm grounds surround you with vineyards, fruit trees, flowers, herbs and

produce. Vin du Lac offers outdoor wine tasting and dining in season in a family-friendly setting, with live music every Saturday year-round.

The wines are terroir-focused, seeking to express the nuanced flavors of Lake Chelan Valley grapes. The Bistro is also terroir-focused, using produce from local farms and Vin du Lac’s own orchard and garden. Vin du Lac is conveniently located near the City Park in Chelan at 105 Highway 150. Phone 866-455-WINE. www.vindulac.com.

Benson Vineyards Estate Winery

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ur Mediterranean-inspired estate winery overlooks Lake Chelan. Our warm, north shore, south facing slope vineyard produces premium-quality Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Syrah, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and Port.

It’s all about the wine here and we only produce wines made from our own grapes grown on our Estate Vineyard. We have the perfect setting...from the quietness of the first morning sun, to the dramatic sunset in the evening. In-season live music on weekends and you can lunch at the Bistro at Benson. 754 Winesap Avenue Manson, WA, www.bensonvineyards.com. 1-509-687-0313.

Malaga Springs Winery

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W

Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery

Succession Winery

agle Creek Winery is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It is the home of Edward & Patricia Rutledge, their winery, tasting room and cottage.

We take pride in producing only the highest quality premium wines. Ed Rutledge, the Eagle Creek winemaker, personally selects grapes from our own vineyard and other exceptional vineyards though out Washington’s Columbia Valley. Our continuing commitment to our visitors is to make world class wines at affordable prices. 10037 Eagle Creek Road, Leavenworth. (509) 548-7668, www.eaglecreekwinery.com. Please visit d’Vinery, our downtown tasting room at 6174A Front Street, 509-548-7059.

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hateau Faire Le Pont Winery is a boutique winery located in the beautiful Wenatchee Valley in Central WA. Our Winemaker, Doug Brazil, is known for his innovative award winning blends inspired by old world traditions. The wines have exceptional structure and complexity. Our renovated 1920’s Fruit Staging Warehouse is also a perfect place for weddings and events. We have a full tasting room, elegant restaurant and spacious events center. Hours: Sun.-Monday 11-6, Tuesday-Sat: 11-9 Contact: 509-667-9463, www.fairelepont.com.

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hen Kathy and Al Mathews started looking around the Wenatchee area in 2000, they had no idea they would end up at 1700’ at the base of towering columnar basalt cliffs. After measuring the sun exposure and heat indices, they purchased the land and planted the first 1,000 grapes. They planted their nine favorite varieties and, as luck would have it, they all thrived.

Because of that, the Malaga Springs wine list features a wide variety of choices. Come visit the gorgeous grounds of Malaga Springs and enjoy our wine and spectacular views.

3450 Cathedral Rock Road, Malaga WA. www.malagaspringswinery. com. 509-679-0152. Friday-Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

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rock Lindsay, Winemaker.

“Where your stories blend with ours.” Passion and love are the guiding principles for the way we approach life. The same is true of our wine. We invite you to join us on our journey as you sip, smile, and share your stories at our award-winning boutique winery in Manson. We look forward to seeing you soon! Cheers to living the life you love! 2018 Washington Winery to Watch by Wine Press NW! 78 Swartout Rd., Manson, 509.888.7611, successionwines.com. Event Space | Rehearsal Dinners | Reservations Recommended for Best Service | Family Owned and Operated | Uncorked@SuccessionWines.com.

At ease in Belize Not just fishing, but some monkey business, too

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Off-grid trip to the

foothills From page 16

place to stay and still be close to family and friends in the area.

Not only are there many things to do if you just stay at the lodge but there are so many things close by that are worth exploring. Cashmere (25 minutes away) has a great Museum and Pioneer Village, the Aplets and Cotlets factory, many unique antique shops and excellent restaurants. The 59er Diner is a fun 50’s themed restaurant with great food, Rusty’s drive-in is the place for a quick burger, fries and a milkshake, Brian’s Pizza has a little of everything – great pizza, bowling, an arcade, salad bar and froyo bar -- and the Anjou Bakery outside of Cashmere has beautiful and tasty pas-

tries, espresso and sandwiches.

And, of course, Wenatchee has a host of attracations.

I asked our kids what their favorite things were when we were there; here are their answers: Exploring the meadow -- Aaron, age 17. The observatory deck, because when you stepped on to it, it was like you were in a whole new world – Caleb 14 and Christian 12. The beds built into the wall – Rebekah 10. The spiral staircase – Isabella 6. Putting the puzzle together as a family – Russell 4.

My husband enjoyed talking to Vladimir and learning about off-grid living and I enjoyed the time together with family without all the distractions -- the quietness, peacefulness and rest. So, as you can see, there is something at Camas Meadows Lodge for everyone.

Are you ready to book your trip to the Meadow?

For more information, please visit www.camasmeadowslodge.com or phone 509-665-0876.

By Dave Graybill

very year my wife Eileen and I host a fishing trip to somewhere warm.

We have taken small groups of people to Belize twice and to three different destinations on the Sea of Cortez on the Baja peninsula of Mexico.

Fishing is always the “bait” to attract our fellow travelers, but there are other considerations, like the other activities available in the area that we plan to visit.

This year we took our group to Placencia, Belize, which is on the southern coast of this Central American country.

We have previously gone to the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize and have enjoyed those trips.

I was anxious to get back to Belize. The country is the site of the second largest barrier reef in the world, which is one of the reasons that the fishing is so great and makes diving the number one attraction to the country. There are large, shallow flats along the shores here, too, and the fishing for tarpon, permit and bonefish is some of the best found anywhere.

I traveled to Placencia last November to see what this area had to offer. This is when I found Roberts Grove Resort, which everyone in our group found to be an excellent place to stay. This is one of the original resorts in Placencia and has been kept up very nicely and the staff is tremendously attentive.

I also met Wayne Castellanos, a local guide. I arranged with him to have four boats with guides available to our group three of the days we were there.

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The boats were 23-foot pangas with Bimini tops for shade. They provided all the gear, bait, water, sodas and could arrange to have excellent lunches for the two anglers they had on board each day.

I also learned that there are some Mayan ruins nearby, a jaguar preserve and other attractions. Cave tubing is a popular activity here, and a boat tour of the Monkey River promised encounters with crocodiles and manatee that also inhabit the waters near Placencia.

When we arrived in Placencia in early May, I started two of the fishing days on the Monkey River, fly fishing for tarpon. I managed to get a tarpon each morning, and then we headed out to the open water.

Wayne would run out to the small island of Ranguana where he would cast a net for the sardines we would use for bait.

From there we would head for the reef and troll these bait right on the surface.

You never knew what would take the bait. Everything from Spanish pompano, mutton snapper, barracuda, bonito, yellow jacks, Spanish mackerel and other fish would attack the bait.

There were times that as soon as your bait hit the water, you would get hit so hard it would nearly tear the rod out of your hands.

One day Eileen and I caught and released at least nine species. We would release our fish, unless we wanted to have one for dinner.

We had multiple dinners from the fresh fish some members of our group brought back to the resort. The resort would make

Iguanas are everywhere in Placencia. This one watched visitors board the fishing boats one morning.

Lyle Ostheller, from Brewster, had his hands full with this African pompano.

A fishing boat heads for home after dropping off clients in the lagoon.

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ceviche from part of the catch, and then prepare the balance three ways. It would be grilled, fried and blackened and presented on a big platter for our dinner party to enjoy. Boy did we; these fresh fish dinners were out of this world.

There are only 1,500 residents in the village of Placencia, but there were many great restaurants, gift shops, three banks, grocery stores and even an Italian-owned and operated gelato shop.

Eileen and I liked to have lunch at one of the restaurants that faced the open water so we could take advantage of the onshore breeze. The fish tacos and blackened shrimp salad were our favorites.

We fished every other day, so there was time for people to relax around the pools, visit the village or take one of the tours that is available.

One of the most popular tours is the one to the Monkey River.

Several members of our group took the river cruise, which exposed them to the dense jungle that lines the shore of this small river. They heard toucans calling in the trees, watched flocks of parrots fly overhead and other birds. Our people encountered crocodiles that swam right up to the tour boat.

There was a short walk through the jungle so they could see the howler monkeys, and the guide beat on a tree with a large stick that got the whole troop of them yowling.

Iguanas are very common here, and we saw one that had to be at least three feet long near the path at the resort.

A real treat was to come across manatees while running to and from the fishing grounds. Eileen and I were able to photograph and video a group of 10 to 12 of these big creatures one day.

On my last day of fishing, instead of going back to the Monkey River for tarpon, we ran straight out to Ranguana Caye.

Wayne wanted me to get some bonefish.

When we arrived, there were a bunch of them right off the beach. There was a group of people in the water nearby, so he didn’t want me fly casting.

He handed me a spinning rod with a piece of sardine on it. I cast this out in front of the bonefish I could see, and they would grab it. I landed three in very short order.

We took a break for lunch and when I went back down to the water with my fly rod they were gone. No problem. Wayne put me in the bow and “poled” around the island until we found some.

I got to break in my new 8 weight rod in style. I also saw a bonefish that had to weigh at least 6 pounds. I didn’t know what I was looking at when I first saw it. I had never seen one that large.

Placencia is a very special and largely unspoiled place.

The fishing is tremendous, the people incredibly friendly everywhere you go and the tropical environment is beautiful. I can’t wait to go back next year.

Dave Graybill is the owner of FishingMagician.COM LLC and provides current recreational fishing information in Eastern Washington.

His reports appear on his web site, Facebook page and are broadcast on several radio stations in the region and on KVI-AM 570 in Seattle. His videos on fishing in the region, which are available through his web site have received over 1.5 million views.

He is also serving as a Commissioner for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The former orchard house still retains almost an acre of grass and shade, including a flowering hawthorn and a surprising “junicot,” a juniper hosted by an apricot tree.

Better than original Former dryland wheat farmer — along with his interior designing wife — restore a farmhouse that outshines its past Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Travis Knoop

You have to be

a little bit fearless and pretty sure of your bearings when you make big life choices like the ones Greg and Julia Scott have made.

First, the couple sold their fourth-generation Pomeroy wheat farm and moved to Wenatchee in 2007 for Greg’s job, investing in Looking like landed gentry on the front steps of their farmhouse, Julia and Greg Scott, and an almost-unlivtheir little dog too, anticipate the adventure of a bold new move into a semi-permanent fifth able old orchard wheel trailer. Photo by Donna Cassidy house on Easy Street.

This year, now that they’ve its jampacked, and larger, shop That choice was triggered by finally restored it to almost sub- and storage barn) and plan to the recent birth of their first lime perfection, they are selling live full time for a while in a 30- grandbaby in northern Idaho. the three-story 1912 house (with foot Rockwell fifth wheel trailer. They’d assumed their three kids

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When the Scotts first saw the house, this classically detailed archway was just a sagging framework between two rooms. Greg fashioned the pillars over two custom-built boxes.

would eventually follow them to Wenatchee, where Greg’s sisters live; that didn’t happen, so when he retires from Stemilt in a few years, the couple will head east to establish new roots.

“Everyone thinks we’re crazy,” said Julia, who’s cheerfully, certifiably sane. Career and

restoration work and friendships have been satisfying, but for the Scotts, after 12 years it seems natural to move down the next turn on their path.

In 2007 they simply sought a country home with an outbuilding. But they hit town, Julia said, just as a local headline blasted: “Wenatchee #1 in Nation for Percentage of Real Estate Increase.”

The charming old house on .84 acre, all they could afford at the time, had been recently gutted for a re-do by the seller, leav-

ing the interior in shambles.

Both Greg and Julia agree they wouldn’t have taken over its full restoration if they’d known how hard it would be.

They also agree that the hundreds of hours of shared work have brought the couple, married 36 years, closer together.

They leaned on each other’s skills, appreciative of each other’s strengths.

Julia said, “Greg can do anything, he’s a master fixer — we’ve never ever paid for July 2019 | The Good Life

a repairman.” Greg quipped, “Sometimes I’d spend an hour explaining why something she wanted couldn’t be done, and then the next two days doing it.”

Greg had no prior home building experience, but he said modestly, “I spent 30 years as a dryland wheat farmer. I know how to put things together.”

Working out of his 1,200 square-foot shop in the cellar of the storage barn, he expertly crafted trim and molding, cabinetry and period ornamentation. www.ncwgoodlife.com

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He re-routed a steep staircase with a more welcoming landing and managed to even out, some with original fir and some with new oak, floors they said had been “slanted and rippley.”

Julia was the primary scrapesand-and-paint laborer and made all the hardware store runs. But it was her past study, retail experience, and continuing interest in interior design that makes the house glow with vintage charm. She parlayed a

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farmhouse reborn }}} Continued from previous page passion for domestic history into a houseful of early 20th Century furnishings and décor.

An elegant extra touch that Julia declares she will never do again is wall-papered ceilings. During those prolonged projects, she and her daughter Trisha were so stressed by their efforts, she said, that “we laughed ourselves silly” on exhaustion and achiness. “I’ll never know why we didn’t just paint them. Especially the second one…”

Julia still delights in a couple of serendipitous saves.

“See these original cupboards?

Greg had just sanded them down so I could paint them ‘shabby-chic’ when I realized — they’re perfect just the way they are.” In an upstairs bedroom, creamy, antique, cracked and mottled walls look like a faux-painter’s masterpiece. But, Julia said, “I scraped the wallpaper off, got ready to paint, and I saw all this — really, it’s just 100-year-old glue on plaster.”

The previous owner’s demolition had left a massive pile of materials all askew in the barn.

Some seemed to be from 1912, some from a remodel in the ’30s, including windows and French doors, cabinetry, and a puzzling wealth of beadboard, hundreds of feet of it that had been both ceiling and wall covering. That trove and plenty of astute shopping around for re-purposed items helped the Scotts save money and still re-create the vintage styling of the original house.

Asked how tough it was to live full time and restore only part time in those first few years, Julia asked back, “Have you ever lived in a house being sheetrocked? The dust is everywhere.”

They soldiered on, hiring experts for said wall work, all

Given a choice between a big back porch and a small kitchen, and no porch and a big kitchen, Julia naturally picked spacious and gracious, with carefully-restored original cabinetry.

“Have you ever lived in a house being sheetrocked? The dust is everywhere.” electricity and some carpentry.

Greg would have liked more concentrated time to dig into projects and finish sooner, but the responsibilities of his job meant he worked mostly in short bursts.

Their craftsmanship was up close and personal. Julia said, “Every surface you see has so much behind it. I can remember what went into every tiny job; there’s so much exacting preparation before you actually do the work.”

The house was, and remains, solid and functional. Some quirky original construction is pure 1912: the zig-zag, walk-inand-around closet between upstairs bedrooms, the cellar that opens up from the main floor, the space where a full chimney

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With the best of intentions, the former owner had done demolition work, anticipating renovation. Her plans changed, and the Scotts took over, faced with a completely gutted house.

obviously was and now isn’t, a full-length covered porch that early on became a study and a bedroom.

From studying rooflines and interior ceilings, Greg theorized that the home was probably built very small and then extended in its first decades.

The Scott’s restoration work

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(“It’s not remodeling, not renovation or repair,” Julia clarified) includes plenty of new-minted but respectfully old-looking touches that subtly evoke a past era.

Julia said of their careful selection of materials and design, “We’ve made it more like it used to be than it actually was.”

Greg and Julia created a welcoming home out of a sad old structure that almost missed its chance. Hopefully, now that it’s on the market (listed with the Laura Mounter agency) they will soon drive off — happily and fearlessly — in their big trailer en route to a new adventure and then on to Idaho.

Soon the Easy Street house will become another family’s fairytale farmhouse… minus the fuss, the muss and the sheetrock dust.

Travis Knoop is a local real estate photographer working in Central Washington. More of his work can be found at www.TravisKnoopPhotography.com.

Have an idea for a home we should feature?

ABOVE: Master bedroom closets are faced by old mix-andmatch French doors.

The coordinated wallpaper on the walls and the ceiling is contemporary but helps achieve a vintage look.

LEFT: One half of the house-width original front porch was transformed years ago into this separate room, now a study with plentiful light and a distinctive beadboard ceiling.

If you’d like us to consider your remodel, a new home, or historic, unique, grand, or otherwise intriguing house, please submit a brief project summary to Susan Lagsdin at sjlagsdin@yahoo.com.

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4968 Contractors Drive East Wenatchee, WA 98802

Joel Osteen

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • AGRICULTURAL July 2019 | The Good Life

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PET tales

Tells us a story about your pet. Submit pet & owner pictures to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

Kai and Roger A man and his dog looking for adventures

By Jaana Hatton

Most dog owners are pretty

pleased when their pets sit or heel on command. Their routine may be a walk or two throughout the day and lots of downtime for the dog.

Then there’s Roger, the Irish terrier, who does a whole lot more.

I first met Roger on a hike with my friend Tiina. She often takes the dog, which belongs to her 25-year-old son, Kai, on outings.

Roger is a good companion.

He roams ahead just a bit, turns to look back to make sure all is well, and then roams a bit more.

Never too far, never too fast. He is more like a sheepdog than a terrier.

Before I tell anything more about how special the fouryear old Roger is, let me briefly introduce the Irish terrier breed

Roger the dog and Kai, his owner, enjoy motorbike rides together. During the rides, Roger sits in his special backpack, wearing goggles and enjoying the breeze.

to you.

The breed is considered medium to large, usually weighing about 27 pounds. The appearance of the dog can be described as “racy, red, and rectangular” (Wikipedia). The racy refers to its slim build, the red hints at

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the orange-hued coat and the rectangular describes the overall shape of the animal.

So, what we are talking about here is the “Racy Red Rectangular Roger.” Got your tongue into a twist yet?

An Irish terrier is a good

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July 2019

choice for someone with allergies. The wiry coat does not shed easily but instead, traps loose hairs in place until brushing time. Under the coarse outer layer is a dense, fine coat that covers the skin entirely: a second skin, almost. An Irish

Roger enjoys paddleboard outings.

He has figured out how to keep himself – and the board – balanced. Kai does the paddling, though.

Roger and Kai draw attention while riding through local streets, and now are on Instagram at RogerRuffian.

terrier will not easily get cold or wet.

The breed tends to be lively, but not hyperactive. An Irish terrier is constantly looking for things to do, seeking out physical and mental challenges. You can ask Tiina about the new landscaping features Roger generated on her property as a puppy. There are few less rhododendrons in her yard now — thanks to a few dog-made alterations.

An Irish terrier is good with people, kind with children, but dominating with other dogs.

A good family dog, it sounds like. Like I mentioned earlier, when Roger hikes with us, he is constantly keeping an eye on us — his family.

I have known Roger for a year, and he has always been an obedient, low-key dog — rather like an English gentleman, or Irish, in his case. His boundless en-

ergy seems well under control.

Roger is much like Kai, his owner — considerate with a quiet confidence but also with an eye for adventure whenever there is a possibility.

Hiking isn’t a big deal for Roger, it’s just a walk. His more exciting outings include kayaking, paddle-boarding and motorbike rides. None of it was forced on him. Kai simply took the dog along and Roger has enjoyed it all.

“It took some practice to get the paddle-boarding right,” Kai chuckled. “Initially Roger would approach me from his spot at the end of the board and that threw the balance off.”

After a few unexpected dunks in the water the pair figured out how to stay on the board and on the surface of the water.

From paddle-boarding, kayaking is a simple adjustment, and easier. I want to mention that July 2019 | The Good Life

Kai puts a flotation vest on Roger when they are on the water.

Getting Roger used to the motorcycling backpack was more of an effort. For one thing, the dog just fits inside the carrying device, as snuggly as they get.

“I use positive reinforcement,” Kai said. “Getting inside the backpack meant peanut butter for Roger. I am looking for a more comfortable pack for him as the current one is such a tight fit.”

They now happily ride along the streets of Wenatchee, drawing attention and fans every-

What Are You Laughing At? We’re looking for fresh, true stories from local people that’ll bring a chuckle to our readers.

Limit yourself to 500 to 1,000 words and send to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com www.ncwgoodlife.com

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where they go. Somebody even followed alongside them and filmed the ride. You can find Kai and Roger on Instagram as RogerRuffian.

“We only go at 30 miles per hour. About 20 minutes is enough for him,” Kai explained.

“He is used to wearing the goggles now. Next I need to get him a helmet to protect his ears.”

Kai works as a nurse at Confluence Health, so it’s no wonder he pays attention to his pet’s health.

“He is a bit of a daredevil,” Kai said with a grin. “Once on a trip to Cape Disappointment he got into a fight with two huge bucks, a porcupine and several crabs — all within the same day.”

Boldness is a trait imbedded in their genes.

“There is one thing he truly fears in this world — the vacuum,” Kai said.

All through my interview with Kai the dog was with us, his head resting on his owner’s leg and eyes upward watching Kai’s every move.

Roger may be a daredevil of a canine, but he is also much like a guardian angel.

Jaana Hatton is a Wenatchee-based writer. She loves the outdoors and most animals (spiders are not high on her list of likability). Jaana grew up with dogs in the family and knows how much they can enrich our human existence, make us pay attention to the here and now and maybe romp and play.

>>

column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Should you be taking probiotics?

One of our readers asked me

to write about probiotics.

Probiotics are live organisms, usually bacteria, similar to the beneficial microorganisms found in our lower intestinal tract.

Proponents of probiotics think they are useful in obtaining better digestive health, maintaining immunity and helpful for some of our ailments.

Probiotics are obtained by eating probiotic foods, such as yogurt, or taking probiotic supplements. These supplements are obviously popular as the global probiotic supplement market is estimated to reach $40 million in 2019.

We humans are loaded with bacteria, most of them primarily beneficial.

The human “microbiota or micro-biome” includes all the organisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses that live on or in our bodies including in the gut, vagina, in bodily fluids and on our skin.

It is estimated the total microbes per adult human is 100 trillion or 10 times the total cells that make up our adult bodies.

These are mind-boggling numbers. We have thousands of different bacterial species inhabiting us as part of our healthy physiology.

Most people think of bacteria as harmful “germs” rather than a healthy part of our physiology.

Probiotics include bacteria, primarily lactobacillus and bifidobacterium as well as some

Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

Our natural balance of flora can be altered negatively by taking antibiotics intended to kill harmful bacteria, but as a side affect they also can kill our good bacteria. yeast products.

Our natural balance of flora can be altered negatively by taking antibiotics intended to kill harmful bacteria, but as a side affect they also can kill our good bacteria. In that case, probiotics are potentially useful in restoring our natural bacteria balance.

Taking antibiotics is not the only way our bacteria can be adversely changed. Our natural bacterial balance can be altered by excessive sugar intake (bacteria love sugar), lack of exercise and lack of sleep, as well as smoking.

Chemical residues in foods can potentially disrupt the natural balance of our gut bacteria as well, which is another good reason to consider focusing on eating organic foods.

A probiotic healthy diet provides consistent complex carbohydrates, fiber and fermented foods.

“Prebiotics” are fiber sources including legumes, beans, peas, oats, banana, beans, asparagus, garlic and onions that are also good food resources for our “healthy” gut bacteria.

Probiotic foods include yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, as well as many foods that are fermented, usually using lactobacillus bacteria.

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In consuming yogurt with probiotic content, look for the label “Live and Active Cultures.”

Many yogurt products are popular because of the high sugar content. They may be tasty, but in my view, the sugar kind of defeats the purpose.

Lactobacillus plays an important role in the manufacture of fermented vegetables, pickles, sauerkraut, sour dough bread, some sausages and some wines.

Other food sources of probiotics are kimchi, kombucha tea, kefir, non-pasteurized pickles and other pickled vegetables. If they are pasteurized, the good bacteria in them are killed.

Lactobacillus has been used to help some digestive disorders including irritable bowel, upset stomach problems, bloating and excessive gassiness.

As I said, probiotic supplements are big business, but my question is: are they really that good for you or worth the cost?

My major concern about these expensive and profitable supplements is they are not regulated, even in the United States. Our FDA will not approve of dietary supplements that claim to treat, mitigate or prevent disease.

No probiotics supplements have been approved by the FDA for therapeutic purposes. In addition, the FDA does not even have a definition of probiotics but is currently considering a way to characterize them. This might help in reducing the unsubstantiated claims made by sellers, distributors and manufacturers of probiotic supplements.

Manufactured supplements have been shown in some cases to be produced in less than optimal regulated conditions. Many are manufactured in countries outside our borders including China and India.

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The bacteria in these supplements have a definite limited shelf life, and if they are kept in storage too long, the bacteria in them will decrease.

At room temperature the rate of bacteria lost can be as much as 10-15 percent a month.

Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium should be refrigerated to maintain efficacy. After being manufactured, these supplements usually leave the manufacturer at room temperature and sit on shelves at room temperature before being purchased.

The expiration date on these products is only an estimate of the possible life expectancy of these bacteria. In fact in some testing that has been done, there were instances where no live bacteria were found in the supplement, making them useless.

Until there is regulatory oversight in the manufacture and claims made for these products, I will maintain a “healthy” skepticism.

As for me, I will stick to foods containing both prebiotic and probiotics.

They not only taste good to me but most likely are also helpful to my gut bacteria.

Jim Brown, M.D., is a retired gastroenterologist who has practiced for 38 years in the Wenatchee area. He is a former CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

ask the doctor

Are there medical topics you would be interested in knowing more about?

Send your ideas to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com.

>>

column moving up to the good life

june darling

Picnic on the 4th: Good for you & the USA “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics...”

— Erma Bombeck

I

n 1993 Sociologist, Amitai Etzioni, said that contemporary Americans have both a “strong sense of entitlement” and a “weak sense of obligation to the local and national community.”

In 2019 pundits continue wringing their hands over the problems associated with too much “me-ism” — suicide, loneliness, alienation, drug use, mass shootings, breakdown of the family, rampant consumerism and the general ripping apart of society’s fabric.

Here’s the irony, much of our personal happiness and health rests on dialing back our individualism and ramping up our “we-ism.”

This somewhat paradoxical message about how to live the good life is not coming only from sociologists, but also from psychologists and physicians who are telling us to get connected to each other — not just for the sake of society, but also so that we can thrive as individuals.

To be clear, the easiest way for me to live a bad life is to be all about me.

The flip side is that if I want to flourish, then I need to figure out ways to engage with others in big and small ways most of the time.

When we start connecting with each other, we start caring Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

To be clear, the easiest way for me to live a bad life is to be all about me. about each other. When we care about each other, we start feeling safe and happy. We begin to reach out to others outside our clan. We start building an ethereal entity, a spirit; a spirit of belonging to each other on a larger scale.

Many people have exact ideas about how to connect and collectively re-weave our torn relationship places. I’ve read manifestos, stages, and steps.

Most of them seem stilted and unworkable to me, but a couple of thoughts do make sense.

Start where I am. Where I can make the biggest difference is in my own neighborhood.

I am deeply emotionally attached to many towns in the Valley (Wenatchee, Leavenworth, East Wenatchee, Monitor, Peshastin and Dryden, for example), but Cashmere is my hood.

Second whatever I do, if I intend to have an impact, it cannot be a momentary enthusiasm. I need to commit to doing it consistently.

If I’m going to commit, it needs to be something that I can do repeatedly — something that I enjoy and find meaningful.

There is a group of people who have diligently offered free dinners to the Cashmere community every Thursday evening at the Methodist Church. That’s consistent commitment! I am in awe of their faithfulness. These meals help to build a spirit of community.

I strongly support the endeavor; it’s meaningful, but it’s not in July 2019 | The Good Life

my wheelhouse to consistently do.

My husband, John, and I were discussing what we could do as we strolled around town last year. While we were walking, we occasionally saw people, gave a smile, or a wave. Occasionally we’d stop for a few minutes and chat. That’s when it dawned on us.

We could help build community by consistently doing, with more intention, what we were doing at that very minute.

Giving a smile, a wave, making eye-contact, stopping for a chat.

As we have become more purposeful around having positive community encounters, we notice more. We pay more attention to who lives where — to who has dogs and cats, to who needs help. We talk to the teens at the skatepark and to those waiting to play soccer.

In addition to connecting, we learn a lot. We see what books the kids are taking from the little free libraries around town.

Yesterday, we met a man at the Riverside Park who moved here to grandparent. He told us he had been a “math guy” at Boeing. He had drawn various configurations for planes. The math guy gave us the inside dope on the troubled 737 Max. Later we ran into a group of fifth-grade girls who were doing an art project on the downtown sidewalk. They showed us a poster and gave us a five-minute message on the fruits of the spirit — love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

These neighborhood walks feel good to us. We enjoy making connections, learning, and doing something to build community. It’s fun and fulfilling.

People all over America are www.ncwgoodlife.com

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doing things to help build their communities. Billions of hours are volunteered in service each year.

We need to keep that up. And we need to continue to figure out personal and collective ways to thicken our network of relationships in ways that are rewarding.

Here’s one other, simple way to help build the spirit of community. Take your whole family to the 4th of July community picnic in your hood. Go, not just this year, but every year. Make it a ritual.

I know, you could run into some discomfort. There could be people sharing different politics, speaking languages you don’t quite understand, playing music that isn’t quite your taste. Dirty dogs might step on your blanket. You might have to skip the potato salad if it’s been in the sun too long. You might need to take a day off work.

But go to the picnic anyway.

Consider it your duty as a citizen.

Don’t just go to the picnic, make a point to connect. Make eye-contact. Curl your lips into a smile. Give a little nod or wave.

Have a short conversation.

Eating together is a unique way we, as Americans, celebrate and appreciate all that we have received as citizens of this country. It also could be one way we continue to revitalize it. And… you could end up having a blast.

How might you move up to the Good Life by intentionally building community?

June Darling, Ph.D. can be contacted at drjunedarling1@gmail.com; website: www.summitgroupresources. com. Her bio and many of her books can be found at amazon.com/author/ junedarling.

Her riding’s on hold for a while, but Eli’s love for her first very own horse, “Irish,” a trustworthy quarter horse mare, is undiminished. Her work with horses has extended from training to equine massage and chiropractic.

Into

a troubled life came riding saviors — and music H

By Susan Lagsdin

orses and music, music and horses — how better to sooth the troubled soul of a girl who might have headed nowhere, or worse?

And, with those loves grown into twin proficiencies, what better way to live your life?

EliAnn Oakes, who’s been deeply immersed in both worlds for about 25 years, acknowledges they were at first therapy and release for her but evolved into a platform for her unique brand of success. She said, “Whatever I can do to help people I want to do. You can empower a lot of

people with horses, and you can make a lot of people happy with music.

“This is a rags to riches story… riches of the soul,” Eli, 33, declared before she started recounting her painful and necessary steps from severe abuse as a toddler, into a blooming high school career, through illnesses and incapacity, and on to hopeful adulthood.

She credits her life and her talents to her adoptive parents, with whom she lives again in East Wenatchee, four especially loving adult mentors and — she is steadfast in her praise — the love of God.

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Eli merrily played her fiddle on a cold afternoon last December at one of her favorite busking spots on North Wenatchee Avenue. Bad weather can’t keep her from her rounds; she’ll always raise a smile and start some toes a-tapping. Photo by Mike Irwin

The horse life happened first.

Unable to function well in her elementary school classroom, Eli seemed calm around animals, so her parents turned to Cathy Juchmes at Turning Point Equine Therapy at Appleatchee for help. There she thrived, learned and matured, every blessed Tuesday, over four years of assisted lessons.

As a teenager, after meeting horse owner Kathy Lambert (serendipitously, but with help from her assertive mother) Eli

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July 2019

found a loving friend and mentor who gave her the freedom of a good horse to ride any time.

By 20, she was back as a volunteer trainer with Juchmes, matching needful kids with helpful mounts and improving her own skills with dressage lessons, showing a bit, eventually training horses.

New complications from old pre-adoption injuries kept her out of the saddle until she was 25. But then, Eli purchased her first horse. It seems fitting that

her choice was an abused mare, one who’d suffered at the hands of humans but showed potential.

“She was a bay quarter horse, and she was my dream. And move? Oh, she floated!” Her eyes sparkle at the memory.

“Irish” is waiting safely at her sister’s place in Chelan for a few years while Eli restructures her life and lays the foundation for the melding of her two great passions.

Back to the beginning, where her love of music grew simultaneously with her love of horses.

On a third-grade field trip to another school, she was captivated by the fiddling of music

teacher Betty Ritter’s strings students. (“A fiddle is a violin with attitude,” explained Eli).

She signed up for violin lessons, and Betty realized Eli was almost a savant: the rest of the class was to pluck Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star with their fingers, and instead little Eli nuanced it with her bow, like a pro.

She soon easily replicated Boil Them Cabbage Down, the first fiddle song she ever heard.

When Betty brought her star fourth grader to a bluegrass concert at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, the room was filled with horse art, saddles and other frontier July 2019 | The Good Life

icons, and Eli said, “I felt like my soul was home. I think I was born 100 years too late.”

That exact combination of joyful, sassy old-time fiddle music and the heady representation of early ranch life helped shape Eli’s future.

Even more compelling was her relationship with bluegrass fiddler Carol Boyle, who she met there and who remained a strong support of Eli’s prodigy until her death.

“She’d give me CDs of famous bluegrass tunes, and I’d just listen and learn four or five at a time,” said Eli. Carol’s 2012 Christmas gift to her was a battered but restored violin (Giovani Maggini 1681) that Eli treasures, along with her mentor’s faith in her.

As a young teen, playing at the Farmer’s Market and the Cashmere Bluegrass Festival and jamming with other local bluegrass musicians, Eli’s repertoire and skill grew. She’s parlayed that ease and lifelong love of performance into a very public art.

If you’ve seen the local movie ads for our city bus (“I’m Eli, and Link Transit is how I move….” is the tag line), you’ve seen how she helps support herself these days.

Though she’s invited to play music for special occasions like birthdays and weddings, and she visits classrooms and nursing homes, her daily pleasure comes from fiddling for strangers on a few choice Wenatchee sidewalks, touching their lives for a few minutes with tunes from another time that could make a strong man weep and make anybody want to dance.

“You wouldn’t believe the special moments that have happened out on the streets — some related to the music, some because… well, because I was there, and someone needed me.”

She once coaxed a little girl, a beginning violinist, to learn a new way of fingering the strings, and saw her eyes light up. (The grateful mother left a tip in Eli’s www.ncwgoodlife.com

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“You wouldn’t believe the special moments that have happened out on the streets...” violin case, a $100 bill.)

A man leaving a nearby store, whose fiddle-playing daughter would have been just Eli’s age, had she lived, called his wife to drive from home and listen with him to the music and cry for their loss.

She learned how to evoke other instruments’ sounds on her single fiddle. (Jerusalem Ridge has a definite klezmer sound.)

When one man praised her Irish and English folk songs, “from home,” he said, she recognized the brogue and delighted him by going one better, playing Scotland the Brave complete with the evocative drone of bagpipes.

So, how is this going to turn out? What’s the rest of the story?

Eli looks fearlessly at her future. Influenced by communityserving parents, she’s formalized her need to “serve and protect.”

She’s taken first responder and CPR courses, will soon start search and rescue training and has talked with local law enforcement about developing equine rescue teams.

That folds into a plan that Eli has imagined, sketched and described for years, one that’s created ripples of interest from others: it’s a small ranch, somewhere up north in the Okanogan, where she trains horses and the people who love them in an environment filled with bluegrass music.

It’s a complicated, very simple dream, it’s a too-high goal and a real possibility, somewhat like Eli’s life, and she’s already named it: Hope Family Ranch.

To find out more about Eli’s horses, music and other surprising arts, start with that1fiddleplayer on Facebook.

fun stuff what to do around here for the next month Rocky Reach Hydro Project, now through 11/1, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Museum, café, balconies that offer panoramic views to the dam and grounds, juvenile fish bypass system. A 90-seat theater shows movies and ample parking for recreational vehicles and buses.

Guided tours by appointment. Info: facebook.com/visitrockyreach.

Homegrown Oldies Jam, every first and third Monday, 7 to 10 p.m.

Riverside Pub. Cost: free.

NCW BLUES JAM, every second and fourth Monday. 7 – 10 p.m. Riverside Pub. Cost: free.

Wenatchee Paddle Club, every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. open paddle, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 p.m. novice kayak paddle group, Saturdays, 7 a.m. masters crew rowing.

Info: wenatcheepaddle.org.

Upper Valley Running Club, every Tuesday, 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Check-in at the gravel lot across from O’Grady’s Pantry. Maps will be available for a marked 3-mile trail route, partly along Icicle Creek. Run or walk, by yourself, with a friend or with your family. Participate 10 or more times and earn an Upper Valley Running Club tech tee. Info: sleepinglady.com.

From scratch, 4:30 – 6 p.m. Every Tuesday in the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Public Market, Linda Brown will be cooking meals made from scratch for you to take home. Order ahead of time on her website and pick up from 4:30 – 6 p.m. Info: fromscratchatpybus.com/welcome.

1 million cups, every first Wednesday of the month. 7:45

a.m. sharp. Entrepreneurs discover solutions and thrive when they collaborate over a million cups of coffee. Come join this supportive, dynamic community and hear from two businesses that are between 1 – 5 years old. Discover how we can help move them forward in a positive environment, fueled by caffeine. Coffee provided by Mela Coffee Roasting. Wenatchee Valley Chamber office, 137 N. Wenatchee Ave. Mid Week Farmers Market, every Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

South parking lot of Pybus Public Market. Shop local fruits and vegetables.

Shrub-steppe poetry podium, every last Wednesday, 4 – 5 p.m.

A free, poetry-only public reading. Read your own poems or the work of a favorite poet. The Radar Station, 115 S. Wenatchee Ave. Info: sfblair61@gmail.com.

Leavenworth Community Farmers Market, every Thursday through August, 4 – 8 p.m.

Offers everything from local eggs, meats, cheeses and bread to local produce, fruits, prepared foods, local crafts and more. Lions Club Park, Leavenworth.

DONATE AND RECYCLE YOUR BOOKS! Leavenworth Friends of the Library will be collecting used books ALL SUMMER LONG! The “Pickup Truck” will be in the Leavenworth City Hall parking lot during the hours of our Farmers Market... each Thursday from 4 - 8 p.m. They cannot accept encyclopedias, old text books, Reader’s Digest condensed books or magazines. Need help moving those books? Call Kirsten at 548-7018.

Weekly Club Runs, every Thursday check in between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at Pybus Public Market south entrance. Either a 5k or 10k walk or run on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. Complete 10 weekly runs and receive a free shirt. Cost: free (other than a smile).

Chelan Thursday evening farmers market, 4 - 7 p.m. 20 plus vendors. Riverwalk Park. Cost: free. Info: chelanfarmersmarket. org.

2 Left Feet, every Thursday, 7 – 9 p.m. 2 Left Feet is a loose organization of local dance enthusiasts who would like to see more dancing in the Wenatchee Valley. Beginner lesson at the top of the hour followed by carefree social dancing. No partner necessary to join in the fun.

Dance style will be 1940s swing with a bit of salsa, blues, waltz or tango thrown in. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Game Night, every 4th Friday.

Board games, card games or any games you bring. Open to families and all ages. Hosted by Pacific Crest Church. Pybus Public Market.

Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket. org.

Wenatchee Valley Farmers market, every Saturday, 8 a.m.

– 1 p.m. Local farmers, artisans, winemakers, bakers and chefs make up the friendly, hardworking vendors. West parking lot of Pybus Public Market.

Quincy Farmers Market, first and third Saturdays thru September, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Lauzier Park, 1600 13th Ave. SW, Quincy.

Jam at the Crow, 7 – 10 p.m.

Every first Sunday. The Club Crow in Cashmere, 108 1/2 Cottage Ave. Cost: free.

Village Art in the Park, now thru 10/21. Friday through Sunday and Thursdays will be added during the months of July and August. 9 a.m.

– 6 p.m. The Pacific Northwest’s longest continually run outdoor art show. Downtown Leavenworth.

Commissions are used as: $8,000 scholarships for students pursuing a higher education in the arts, financial support for art programs in local schools and community projects that are of an artistic nature.

Info: villageartinthepark.org.

Theater under the stars: Perry Hotter and the high school musical, 7/3, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, 27, 31, 8 – 10 p.m. A hilarious hodge-podge of magical-musical merriment and mayhem. 204 W Okanogan Ave, Chelan. Cost: $19$99. Info: theaterunderthestars.org.

River run on the fourth, 5k and 10k, 7/4, 8 a.m. Run will start and finish at Pybus Public Market. Info: runwenatchee.com.

Wenatchee Riverfront Railway, 7/4, 10 a.m. – 2. p.m. Home of the Nile Saunders Orchard mini train. All train runs are weather permitting. Birthday rents available by appointment. Wenatchee Riverfront Park. Cost: $2. Info: Steve Sleeman 663-2900.

Kinderfest, 7/4, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Balloons, cotton candy, shaved ice, popcorn and prizes. Bouncy house, kids games and crafts, bike parade, cupcake walk, water features and touch a truck. Downtown Leavenworth. Info: leavenworth.org.

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WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

Wenatchee Valley 4th of July celebration, 7/4, all day. Live music, entertainment, food, art and craft vendors and Wenatchee Valley Symphony performance with the fireworks show. Walla Walla Point Park. Cost: free.

4th of July Red, White and Blue, 7/4, all day. Wine and hard cider garden at Walla Walla Point Park. Plus gourmet hot dogs stand.

Fundraiser for Wenatchee Confluence Rotarians to help support its Rotary exchange students, as well as global aid projects like Stove Team International and Hippo Water Roller Project in rural Africa.

Manson Fireworks, 7/4, 9 p.m.

One of the largest displays in the Northwest. Fireworks begin at dark over Manson Bay Marina. Cost: free.

First Friday Events Include: *Guided Art Tours, 7/5, 5:30 p.m.

First Fridays with professional artist talks, mini lessons, and collector prints. All tours begin and end at Columbia Station. Tours help familiarize you with local art venues and artists. Minimalist painter John McCabe draws on an array of life experience in his work including art excursions through central Mexico, public school teaching and fish buying. Cost: free. Info: 664-7624. *Class with a Glass, 7/5 5 – 8 p.m. 10 S Columbia St. *Collapse, 7/5, 4 – 9 p.m. 115 S Wenatchee Ave. (in front of RadarStation). *Gypsy Lotus, 7/5, 5 – 8 p.m. 1 S Wenatchee Ave. Cost: free.

a.m. – 6 p.m. 114 N Wenatchee Ave. *MAC Gallery, 7/5, 5 – 7 p.m.

Wenatchee Valley College Music and Art Center, 1300 Fifth St. *Mela, 7/5, 5 – 8 p.m. Nosh provided. Cost: free. 17 N. Wenatchee Ave. Cost: free. *Mission Street Commons, 7/5, 5 – 8 p.m. 218 S Mission St. *Pans Grotto, 7/5, 4 – 9 p.m. 3 N Wenatchee Ave. Ste 2. *RadarStation, 7/5, 4 – 9 p.m. 115 S Wenatchee Ave. *Tumbleweed Bead Co., 7/5, 5-7 p.m. Refreshments served. 105 Palouse St. Cost: free. Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com. *Two Rivers Art Gallery, 7/5, 5 – 8 p.m. Featuring minimalist artist John McCabe. Music by Amy Albright on the hammered dulcimer.

Complimentary refreshments. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free.

Info: 2riversgallery.com. *Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce, 7/5, 5 – 8 p.m. 137 N Wenatchee Ave. *Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, 7/5, 5. – 8 p.m. Light refreshments. Cost: free.

Info: Wenatchee.org. *Ye Olde Bookshoppe, 7/5, 5 – 8 p.m. 11 Palouse St. Summer concert: beer garden at the museum, 7/5, 7 – 9 p.m. Listen to Junkbelly live on the Centennial Park stage from the Wenatchee Valley Museum parking lot and have a beer or wine. Cost: $1 cover charge.

Joe Guimond, 7/5, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

*Lemolo Café and Deli, 7/5, 11

PICKLEBALL TENNIS FITNESS WATER WORKOUTS NON-MEMBERS WELCOME Silver & Fit/Health Alliance Facility

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/5-20. The Summer of Schubert. 7/5, 7 p.m. Schubert, DeFalla, Brahms. Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Info: icicle.org.

The Sound of Music, 7/5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 20, 23, 24, 26, 31, 8/2, 6, 10, 14, 16, 21, 24, 28, 31, 9/1. 8 p.m. The story of the von Trapp family. Live performance. Ski Hill Amphitheater, Leavenworth. Cost: $14 - $35. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival 7/6, 7 p.m. Haydn, Weinberg, Schubert. Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Info: icicle.org.

US Open of paragliding, 7/6 – 13.

Us Nationals Paragliding event attracting the best pilots from around the world and the US. Lake Chelan.

Info: airtribune.com/us-open-paragliding-chelan-2019/info.

Leavenworth Comedy Show, 7/6, 8 p.m. Family friendly stand up comedy. Headliner Dwight Slade with Cliff Cash and Jamal Coleman performs. Leavenworth Feshalle.

Cost: $15 and $25. Info: leavenworthfesthalle.com.

Twilight Alphorn Serenade, 7/6, 8 p.m. End your day with the soothing tones of the Leavenworth Alphorns. The evening serenade is followed by a brief demonstration with information and fun facts about this alpine folk instrument.

Front Street Park, Leavenworth.

Cost: free. Info: leavenworth.com.

Chelan Rockin Fireworks, 7/6, 9 p.m. View from Don Morse Park and Lakeside Park. Cost: free.

Music in the Park, 7/7, 4 – 6 p.m.

Enjoy a family-friendly Sunday afternoon in the park listening to live music. Bring a picnic or grab a bite from vendors. Loose Change performs. Riverwalk Park, Chelan.

Cost: free.

SUMMER MEMBERSHIP THROUGH SEPT 15th

Summer Concert Series: Brian James and the Great Unknown, 7/7, 6 – 9 p.m. Rocky Pond Winery – The Pond Amphitheater, Orondo. Cost: $30-$40. Info: rockypondwinery.com.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/7, 1 p.m. Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Borodin. Canyon Wren Recital Hall.

Info: icicle.org.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/9, 7 p.m. Schubert.

Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Info: icicle.org.

NCRL puppet show, 7/10, 2 – 3 p.m. The whole family will love this hilarious puppet show featuring the NCRL puppeteers. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: NCRL.org/ wenatchee Theater Under the Stars – The Miserable Phantom of the Op’ry, 7/10, 19, 24, 25, 8 – 10 p.m.

204.W Okanogan Ave, Chelan. Cost: $19-$99. Info: theaterunderthestars.org.

Community Science: ebird monitoring at Horse Lake Reserve, 7/11, 6 – 11:30 a.m.

Would you like to spend a weekday morning hiking, viewing wildlife, wildflowers and snow-capped mountains, while being part of a small team collecting bird species data? Learn more about becoming a CDLT citizen scientist volunteer by contacting Susan Ballinger at susan@cdlantrust.org or 667-9708.

Lake Chelan Bach Fest, 7/11 – 20. Enjoy 21 free concerts at local wineries and churches as well as Riverwalk Park Pavilion. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for a great family experience. Info: bachfest. org.

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JOIN THE FUN TODAY! The

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Wenatchee Racquet & Athletic Club

The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

Making funny For Alex Haley, Putting on a good show is as cool as being in a good show

Alex Haley performs at the Numerica PAC for the Cold Winter Nights Comedy Series. Photo by Chris Ohta

By Susan Lagsdin

What big-time comedian

would you like to spend a whole day with, to soak up some vibes, take away a few pointers?

“Jerry Seinfeld,” Alex Haley said immediately. He likes those trademark “So what’s going on with...?” observational openers.

“Oh, then… Robin Williams if he were alive, Bill Murray… but really,” he continued, “My favorite would be Lorne Michaels.”

He’s the masterwizard behind TV’s Seinfeld, not the lead, and that choice makes sense.

Though he’s performed live comedy for years, Alex, at 31, maintains he wants his legacy to be helping other people gain confidence in their comedy, and that “it’s just as satisfying to put on a good show as it is to be in one.”

Alex admitted that stand-up comedy is tough on the soul.

Some nights… well, some nights people just don’t laugh. But If you want to make a career of it you just have to go on — the next line, the next night.

Ever since he veered away from sports his senior year at Eastmont High School (’06) to take a role in Godspell, Alex has been connected to some edgy form of show business ...

And, ironically, though most comic bits need to be honed with countless live repetition, audiences respond best to fresh material, rarely do they savor favorite old punchlines.

In Seattle or New York, you can uber 10 blocks after a set and find a fresh club with its own crowd; in Wenatchee, it’s not so easy. That’s partly why Alex is driven to diversify — keeping it fresh and bringing in new audiences is good for everybody.

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Ever since he veered away from sports his senior year at Eastmont High School (’06) to take a role in Godspell, Alex has been connected to some edgy form of show business as a stand-up comic, impresario, writer, actor and program planner.

In 2012, back home from Western Washington University after receiving his BA in business — and after his own debut, a roommate-coerced stand-up set — he invested in and staged his first comedy show as Alex Haley Presents, in the riverfront basement bar 10 Below.

The invited comics got enough laughs from a first-time audience that Alex knew he was on to something: his hometown, coming of age in the arts, might actually enjoy and support comedy.

Alex joined with his friend Pete Lolos on other ventures as the four-initial anagram LAPH (“You think that works? We thought about maybe ALPH, or PHAL…” he deadpanned) and gained a growing audience in

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venues as diverse as Campbell House, Radar Station, Café Mela, Clearwater and the PAC. Working shifts at local bars and bistros, he still made time for what mattered most to him.

He produced ambitious shows (the first Wenatchee Comedy Festival featured 36 comics, possibly too big for starters, he reflects); he was an MC, a talent judge, an event planner at Pybus for a year.

He started May’s Blossoms and Brews event at the Centennial Park and did some writing: promo sketches for North 40, articles for experimental regional publications like The Telegram and Field and Compass.

Alex is also proud to claim stage time in most of Don Fox and Jaime Donegan’s eyebrowraising Hot August Nights musical productions and has a part in Hands on a Hardbody this summer. Serious drama’s new to him, but he’ll play a strong supporting role in September’s The Elephant Man, directed by Matt Cadman.

This acting opportunity is

>> especially meaningful because Cadman, the former director of the Numerica PAC, has praised Alex’s work ethic, characterizing him as “completely adaptable… hungry and talented, smart… with incessant drive,” and tapped him in the summer of 2018 to become the PAC’s program manager.

Now his full-time job is vetting and booking stage productions, securing local sponsorships and continuing community outreach efforts.

He’s nurtured Full Circle’s Twilight Theatre (Shakespeare in the courtyard) and EKAP (“every kid at the PAC”), and he initiated this year’s Apple Awards for excellence in high school theater.

And the laughs continue.

LAPH Productions partnered with the PAC last winter for Cold Winter Nights, billed as a three-part stand-up comedy series in Wenatchee’s chilliest months and featuring young comics from late night TV gigs and sold-out comedy concerts.

Alex fosters good connections with West Coast comics, but the big city’s more boisterous comedy scene hasn’t pulled him away; being here has been good for him and good for Wenatchee, where he hopes to stage at least one indy comedy show a quarter.

“I get the chance to experiment,” he said. “Sure, it’s a smaller market, a smaller scale, but it’s great being in a community where your work can actually have a personal impact.”

“How about ending with just one joke?” (Any interviewer can elicit a deer-in-the-headlights look from a comic with that request.)

Alex hesitated, made one false start, chuckled at his awkwardness, then flawlessly riffed for three minutes on finding a listing on Craig’s List for a used casket.

The bit was really funny — buy-a-ticket, take-a-seat funny.

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

}}} Continued from page 31 Knights of Veritas and medieval teachings, 7/11, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Learn about medieval astronomy and demonstrate cutting with a sword, how to put on medieval armor and much more. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: ncrl.org/ locations/wenatchee-public-library.

The Tempest, 7/11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 7 p.m. A William Shakespeare play.

Local cast directed by Pete Kappler.

For 12 years, the exiled Duke Prospero has waited for this moment: Old enemies have sailed too close to his magical island, and a great storm has forced them ashore.

Now it’s time to settle old scores and reclaim his former dukedom for his daughter, Miranda. Aided by supernatural powers and a magical sprite called Ariel, Prospero dispenses justice while overseeing the budding romance between Miranda and the princely son of one of his foes. In The Tempest, sorcery and love transpose vengeance into humility and humanity, making it possible for all to return to a world of forgiveness. In the courtyard at Numerica Performing Arts Center.

Cost: $20. Info: numericapac.org.

Comedy @ the Grizzly, 7/11, 7:30 p.m. Live performance by Harry J. Riley. Red Lion Hotel’s Grizzly Lounge. Info: wenatcheecomedy. com.

Lake Chelan Boating Club Poker Run, 7/12, 13. Beach party will kick off registered crews and gather in the center of Manson at 6 p.m. On Saturday crews will gather at the Lake Chelan Boating Club for breakfast. The Poker Runs start from Mill Bay at 11:30 a.m. Boats travel to five stops up lake to get

their poker cards. After lunch in Lucerne travel back to the Club to turn in cards. Dinner is followed by the beach party costume contest – channel you inner Annette and Frankie. Info: lcboatingclub.com/ lc-poker-run/.

Summer concert: beer garden at the museum, 7/12, 7 – 9 p.m. Listen to Desmadre Musical featuring Los Faraones live on the Centennial Park stage from the Wenatchee Valley Museum parking lot and have a beer or wine. Cost: $1 cover charge.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/12, 7 p.m. Dvorak, Harbison, Schubert. Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Info: icicle.org.

A Rotten Apple Special Comedy Event: Harry J. Riley, 7/12, 13, 9:30 – 11 p.m. Ruby Theatre, Chelan. Cost: $25 - $35. Info: rottenapplepresents.com/events/ harry-j-riley/.

Lions Club community breakfast, 7/13, 7 – 11 a.m. All you can eat pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee and milk. Proceeds go to Lions Club projects, locally and worldwide.

Lions Club Park, Leavenworth.

Wenatchee to Leavenworth Geology Tour, 7/13, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Brent Cunderla will take you on a tour that will highlight the different rock types and geologic processes that occurred over the last 100 million years. Meet at Wenatchee Valley Museum. Cost: $40 - $45. Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org.

Sleeping Lady Organic Garden Tour, 7/13, 10 a.m. Join garden staff for a tour, learn about environmentally friendly gardening techniques; and earn your Sleeping Lady Green Thumb patch. In addition to using natural fertilizers, and regular crop rotation to

improve the soil, the staff attracts beneficial insects to maintain the health and sustainability of the garden. The tour will include a stop in the greenhouse, which extends the growing season providing the Sleeping Lady culinary team with fresh produce and herbs throughout the year. Info: sleepinglady. com.

Historical walking tours of Leavenworth, 7/13, 10 a.m. The railroad and mill tour is along the Wenatchee River. Walks start at the Lions Club Park and are one to two hours long. Cost: $5 donation. Info: Upper Valley Museum, 548-0728.

Run with the cops 5k, 7/13, 7 – 11 p.m. Fundraiser for Special Olympics. Fred Meyer, East Wenatchee.

Cost: $25/or $35 day of run. Info: Victoria Boles 206-231-6575.

Twilight Alphorn Serenade, 7/13, 8 p.m. End your day with the soothing tones of the Leavenworth Alphorns. The evening serenade is followed by a brief demonstration with information and fun facts about this alpine folk instrument.

Front Street Park, Leavenworth.

Cost: free. Info: leavenworth.com.

Christian Nodal, 7/13, 8 p.m. Live performance. Town Toyota Center.

Town Toyota Center. Cost: $45$200. Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/13, 7 p.m. Crumb, Rachmaninoff, Brahms. Snowy Owl Theater. Info: icicle.org.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/14, 1 p.m. Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Schumann, Shostakovich. Canyon Wren Recital Hall.

Info: icicle.org.

Leavenworth Unplugged, 7/15, 8/19, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Presented

by Friends of Northwest Hatcher-

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LAKE CHELAN BACH FEST JULY 11-20, 2019 Experience the best of many styles of music at beautiful venues throughout Lake Chelan. Nine days of classical and pops concerts, string quartets paired with wine and education programs for all ages.

FESTIVAL INFORMATION & TICKETS AVAILABLE AT

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>>

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

}}} Continued from previous page ies and hosted by the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery. This event is focused on goal/theme and activities for kids and adults to spend more time outdoors together, unplugged from technology and to reconnect with nature and each other. Leavenworth Fish Hatchery. Cost: free.

Info: friendsofwhateries.org.

Hello, Dolly! 7/17, 19, 25, 27, 8/1, 7, 9, 13, 17, 22, 27, 30. 8 p.m. Thrilling dance numbers, riotous comedy and of course — Mrs. Dolly Levi.

Hatchery Park. Cost: $14-$35. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org.

Community Science: ebird monitoring at Mountain Home Preserve, 7/18, 6 – 10:30 a.m. Would you like to spend a weekday morning hiking, viewing wildlife, wildflowers and snowcapped mountains, while being part of a small team collecting bird species data? Learn more about becoming a CDLT citizen scientist volunteer by contacting Susan Ballinger at susan@cdlantrust.org or 667-9708.

Kids Maker Market, 7/18, 4 – 8 p.m. Youths of our community bring their homemade art, crafts, non-edible creations and services to the Leavenworth Community Farmers market. Lions Club Park, Leavenworth. Info: leavenworthfarmersmarket.org.

Comedy @ the Grizzly, 7/18, 7:30 p.m. Live performance by Ian Bagg.

Red Lion Hotel’s Grizzly Lounge.

Info: wenatcheecomedy.com.

Summer concert: beer garden at the museum, 7/19, 7 – 9 p.m.

Listen to Seth Garrido’s Power Trio live on the Centennial Park stage from the Wenatchee Valley Museum parking lot and have beer or wine. Cost: $1 cover charge.

Mike Bills, 7/19, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/19, 7 p.m. Beethoven, Prokofiev, Schubert. Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Info: icicle.org.

Movie Night at Ohme Gardens: Mary Poppins, 7/19, 8:30 p.m.

Bring your own chairs. Concessions available. Ohme Gardens. Cost: $3.

Info: ohmegardens.com.

Chelan Man, 7/20, 21. The swim takes place in Lake Chelan, the runs are on paved paths and roads and the bike legs are along Lake Chelan and the Columbia River. First timer triathlons a sprint, Olympic and half triathlons, 10k and half marathon runs. Proceeds go to the arts and healthy lifestyle programs for area children. Lakeside Park, Chelan.

Info: chelanman.com.

Hike for Health, 7/20, 7 – 9 a.m.

Improve your health, be part of a team, take home prizes and be entered to win one of many grand prizes at the end of hiking season.

Jacobson Preserve. Cost: free. Info: cdlandtrust.org.

Wenatchee Riverfront Railway, 7/20, 10 a.m. – 2. p.m. Home of the Nile Saunders Orchard mini train. All train runs are weather permitting. Birthday rents available by appointment. Wenatchee Riverfront Park. Cost: $2. Info: Steve Sleeman 663-2900.

Perri the poetry fairy, 7/20, 10 – 11 a.m. Enjoy the magic of poetry.

Children ages 4 – 11 and their caregivers can enjoy silly poems, funny stories, story poems, limericks and more. Perri will also facilitate a related fun craft for kids. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center.

Cost: free. Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/20, 1 p.m. Dvorak, Dohnanyi, Glazunov, Turina. Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Info: icicle.org.

The Big Chill Ciderfest, 7/20, 3 – 8 p.m. 12 local cider makers, local caterers, lawn games and more.

Cashmere Riverside Center. 201 Riverside Dr. Cashmere. Cost: $30.

Info: cascadefarmlands.com.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/20, 7 p.m. Bach, Adams, Tchaikovsky. Snowy Owl Theater. Info: icicle.org.

Twilight Alphorn Serenade, 7/20, 8 p.m. End your day with the soothing tones of the Leavenworth Alphorns. The evening serenade is followed by a brief demonstration with information and fun facts about this alpine folk instrument.

Front Street Park, Leavenworth.

Cost: free. Info: leavenworth.com.

Music in the Park, 7/21, 4 – 6 p.m. Enjoy a family-friendly Sunday afternoon in the park listening to live music. Bring a picnic or grab a bite from vendors. Bitterroot Beets performs. Riverwalk Park, Chelan.

Cost: free.

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Michele LaRue, 7/22, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Traveling actress Michele LaRue performs a one-person comedy. Vibrant performances of vintage American literature. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: ncrl. org/locations/wenatchee-publiclibrary.

Burke Museum: dig in, 7/25, 6:30 – 8 p.m. What was the earth like millions of years ago? Take a journey through geologic time as you examine real fossils, rocks, and minerals, as well as cast replicas of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals and plants. Unearth fossils in our fossil dig pits, learn about the work of paleontologists and geologists, and imagine the amazing life that once inhabited our planet. Pybus Public Market.

Cost: free. Info: ncrl.org/locations/ Wenatchee-public-library.

Comedy @ the Grizzly, 7/25, 7:30 p.m. Live performance by Susan Rice. Red Lion Hotel’s Grizzly Lounge. Info: wenatcheecomedy. com.

Little Black Dress Summer Party, 7/26, 6:30 – 10 p.m. Grab your girlfriends and enjoy an evening of drinks, dining, dancing and discovering the magic of Alatheia.

Wenatchee Convention Center.

Cost: $57 or $95 VIP. Includes dinner and one beverage. Info: alatheiaridingcenter.com/lbd.

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Summer concert: beer garden at the museum, 7/26, 7 – 9 p.m.

Listen to Analog Jack live on the Centennial Park stage from the Wenatchee Valley Museum parking lot and have beer or wine. Cost: $1 cover charge.

Lions Club community breakfast, 7/27, 7 – 11 a.m. All you can eat pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee and milk. Proceeds go to Lions Club projects, locally and worldwide.

Lions Club Park, Leavenworth.

Sleeping Lady Organic Garden Tour, 7/27, 10 a.m. Join garden staff for a tour, learn about environmentally friendly gardening techniques; and earn your Sleeping Lady Green Thumb patch. In addition to using natural fertilizers, and regular crop rotation to improve the soil, the staff attracts beneficial insects to maintain the health and sustainability of the garden. The tour will include a stop in the greenhouse, which extends the growing season providing the Sleeping Lady culinary team with fresh produce and herbs throughout the year. Info: sleepinglady. com.

Peshastin Library Ice Cream Social, 7/27, 7-9 p.m. Enjoy a slice of pie or cake for $3; scoop of ice cream for $1 on library lawn at 8396 Main Street in Peshastin.

Dave Judd and The Scenic Route featuring Dave along with Ron

>>

column those were the days

rod molzahn

The tale of daring first trans-Pacific flight “I

’m the last one alive that saw Pangborn and Herndon land.” That’s the claim of 94-year-old Jack Graybill.

KPQ had been broadcasting reports of Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon Jr.’s transPacific flight since their takeoff from Japan on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 1, 1931. “My dad had followed all the reports,” remembers Jack.

They took off from the gray sand of 8,000-foot-long Sabishiro Beach, north of Tokyo near the small town of Misawa.

The beach had been used as a runway by several other aviators in attempts to fly the Pacific. It was straight and long enough to allow a plane to reach takeoff speed though not all past aircraft had been successful.

Bulldozers had created a wedge shaped hill of sand at the beginning of the beach to help the planes get more initial speed. The slope was boot

}}} Continued on next page

>>

Jack Graybill with four Japanese … the last living that saw the takeoff. They are standing in front of a life-size replica of Miss Veedol at Sabishiro Beach. This was taken in 2015 when Jack went with the Apple Blossom royalty to Misawa, Wenatchee’s sister city. Photo courtesy of Jack Graybill

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

Lake Chelan Rodeo, 7/26, 27, 7:30 p.m. Rodeo grounds, vendors and beer garden open at 5 p.m. Lake Chelan Rodeo Grounds.

Andrews and Jerry White will be performing. Children can ride the auxiliary fire truck; Jump for Fun will have an inflatable; adults and kids can browse the used book sale throughout the evening. Info: 5485043.

Twilight Alphorn Serenade, 7/27, 8 p.m. End your day with the soothing tones of the Leavenworth Alphorns. Front Street Park, Leavenworth. Cost: free. Info: leavenworth. com.

The Paperboys, 7/27, 7 p.m. Live music in the meadow. Bring a blanket to sit on. From Celtic and Bluegrass, to Mexican son jarocho, brass bands, and Canadian roots.

Next to Snowy Owl Theater, Leavenworth. Cost: $28 advance or $30 at the gate. Info: icicle.org.

The Traveling Lantern presents My mother the astronaut, 7/20, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. A theatrical live performance. Story line is take your child to work day and Aquarius’ mom is an astronaut. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: ncrl.org/locations/Wenatcheepublic-library.

Slim Chance ,7/26, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Pirates of Penzance, 7/30, 8/3, 8, 15, 20, 23, 29, 8 p.m. Bumbling bobbies, a bevy of beautiful maidens, and a comical modern major July 2019 | The Good Life

general round out the cast of this delightful musical comedy featuring lilting melodies and clever patter songs in the absolute best British tradition. Ski Hill Amphitheater. Cost: $14-$35. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org.

Harry Potter birthday party, 7/31, 3 – 7 p.m. Enjoy crafts, games, refreshments and take your picture with Dobby. Costumes are encouraged. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: ncrl.org/locations/wentachee-public-library.

Summer concert: beer garden at the museum, 8/1, 7 – 9 p.m.

Listen to Kevin Jones live on the Centennial Park stage from the Wenatchee Valley Museum parking lot and have beer or wine. Cost: $1 cover charge.

Hot August Nights: Hands on a hard body, 8/1, 7, 8, 14, 15,

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7 p.m. 8/2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 8 p.m.

8/10. 2 p.m. Live performance. For 10 hard-luck Texans, a new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end, armed with nothing but hope, humor, and ambition, they’ll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it.

Numerica Performing Arts Center.

Cost: $29 - $43. Info: numericapac. org.

Find your way gnome treasure hunt, 8/3, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Eleven locations have been ambushed by tiny gnomes. Complete the hunt and you’ll receive a treasure and be entered in our gnome Grand Prize giveaway. Pick up maps with clues in downtown Cashmere at Ardeta Park. Cost: free. Info: cashmerechamber.org.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

With just 100 yards to spare, the plane takes flight }}} Continued from previous page packed by local people and covered with boards.

The same Misawa people had filled 55-gallon drums with water and pushed them up and down the beach to harden the surface for Pangborn and Herndon’s take off.

The bright red Miss Veedol was

So...

What Brings You Here?

A screw picked up from the Miss Veedol landing site — thought to be from the skid plate attached to the bottom of the plane to protect it during a belly landing. Photo courtesy of Donald A. Snyder

Pangborn climbed out of the plane onto the wing strut to release the We’re living The Good Life here… how about you? braces, first on one side then through Tell us your story: What the cabin and out brought you to our area? the other side. To Was it love of a special person that got you to move, economic reduce weight the opportunity, the weather (300 days of parachutes had sunshine, right?), the beauty of the four seasons, schools and/or health care been left behind. facilities, wanting a small community for your children to grow up in? Or, was it something else?

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Share the story of the moment when you decided you wanted to live here — right here — and perhaps win our best story award of $100 in cool, green cash.

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pulled with ropes backwards up the slope. The plane was dangerously over loaded with extra fuel needed to make the 4,500-mile, non-stop flight.

Pangborn held the brake with all his strength as he brought the 425 hp Wasp engine to its top speed of 1,700 rpm. He released the brake and the plane accelerated down the slope and onto the beach. It slowly gained speed while Pangborn rocked the plane from wheel to wheel to break loose from the wet sand.

With 100 yards to spare the plane finally took to the air just clearing a pile of drift logs at the end of the runway.

Three hours out, over the

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Pacific, the landing gear was jettisoned to reduce weight and drag. They would have to make a belly landing wherever they ended up.

Most of the gear fell away but braces on both sides of the plane hung up. At 14,000 feet, in an 100-mile per hour wind, Pangborn climbed out of the plane onto the wing strut to release the braces, first on one side then through the cabin and out the other side. To reduce weight the parachutes had been left behind.

Sunday they were over Alaska and KPQ reported that a ham radio operator in the Aleutian Islands had broadcast that he heard a lone plane fly over high above the fog. Early Monday morning KPQ reported that a plane was heard over Seattle.

“Dad and I were listening,” Jack Graybill recalled. “We knew they wanted to break the distance record for a non-stop flight. They needed to get to Idaho for that but Boise was fogged in and so was Spokane.

“We knew the Pangborn family. Clyde’s mother, Opal, lived in Wenatchee along with his brother, Percy and his family.

An uncle owned Pangborn Jewelry next to Mills Brothers.”

With no other regional airports available it became more

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July 2019

likely they would end the flight at Fancher Field, a runway carved out of the sagebrush, above East Wenatchee.

“Dad had an old Maxwell.

About 6 a.m., Monday morning mom got me and my little sister, Donna, in the car and we went up there. We’d been up there before, you see, on Sundays we’d go up to watch the planes come in.

“It was cold, you know, and the old car didn’t have a heater.

Mother brought some blankets so me and my sister were sitting on the fenders wrapped up in the blankets.”

The Graybills weren’t the only ones who braved the cold morning to see the end of the world record flight. Twenty or 30 others had guessed the fliers just might land at Wenatchee.

The small group included Clyde Pangborn’s Wenatchee family members. Most of the group was huddled in the small airport office where there was a heater. Jack and his sister stayed wrapped up on the Maxwell’s fenders.

A few minutes after 7 a.m. their wait was rewarded.

“He came up the river. You could hear him coming. He came up high and went past.”

(Clyde was surveying the landing strip.) “Then he went down over the cliffs out of sight. I, being a six-year-old kid, thought he had crashed.” (Pangborn was dumping the plane’s remaining fuel.) “When he came back up he was not very far above the ground, then he landed. Dad and I ran out there.”

They weren’t the only ones to run towards the plane. Most of the onlookers joined them.

Clinton Snyder had also been listening to KPQ and was one of the first to reach the airfield. After the landing, Snyder walked around the tail of the plane and picked up a screw from the path

the plane’s belly had made in the dirt. The screw was, most likely, one of many that Pangborn had used in Japan to attach a sheet metal skid plate to the bottom of the fuselage to protect the body from damage during the belly landing.

“All of a sudden a door opened on the side of the plane and Herndon came out. He was in the back of the plane to keep the tail down. We waited and waited probably 10 minutes then Pangborn came out of the cabin.

They’d been having a big argument. They were on the outs, you know.”

Herndon’s primary responsibility during the 41-hour flight was to operate a hand pump to move fuel from extra tanks in back to the wing tank that fed the engine.

Twice Herndon failed to do his job. The first time the engine began to sputter Pangborn yelled at Herndon to pump and the engine roared back to full power. The second time, at 14,000 feet, the engine stopped completely.

With Herndon pumping furiously Pangborn put the plane in a steep dive. They were only 1,500 feet above the black waters of the Pacific when the propeller began to windmill, the engine restarted and Pangborn pulled the plane out of the dive just above the water.

Add to that the time Herndon flew the plane off course while Pangborn napped. Herndon missed Vancouver, B.C, where Clyde had asked to be awakened and overflew Seattle before waking Pangborn, who quickly discovered they were only 1,000 feet above the top of Mount Rainier.

No wonder they were, as Jack Graybill had put it, “on the outs.”

Historian, actor and teacher Rod Molzahn can be reached at shake. speak@nwi.net. His third history CD, Legends & Legacies Vol. III - Stories of Wenatchee and North Central Washington, is now available at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center and at other locations throughout the area.

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the back page: that’s life

Finding gold in the Superstition Mountains

W

By Joe Anderson

hen I was 10 years old living in Mesa, Arizona, my dad would tell terrible tales of the Superstition Mountains and the fabled Lost Dutchman’s gold mine.

My father was a wonderful storyteller and encourager. He would take me out to the desert peaks and talk about the bones that have been found along the trails. He talked about the curses the Indian witch doctors put on anyone who sought the precious treasure.

From that time, I dreamed of finding the gold. Well, it finally happened, I found the riches of the Superstition Mountains.

In March, my wife and I ventured to Arizona to spend several days with Jan and Larry Lenssen, who are snow bird friends from our church who winter in the Arizona area. They have kept inviting us so we accepted their offer to visit them in the Superstition Sunrise RV Resort in Apache Junction.

Since I am a hiker, my friends thought an adventure hike in the Lost Dutchman’s State Park would fit the bill. The park is near Apache Junction in the Sonoran Desert, 40 miles east of Phoenix. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition wilderness and surrounding

What Are You Laughing At? We’re looking for fresh, true stories from local people that’ll bring a chuckle to our readers.

Limit yourself to 500 to 1,000 words and send to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

Working the way up the trail: ever closer to the Lost Dutchman’s mine?

Tonto National Forest.

I remember my father driving me out through Apache Junction on our way to go swimming in Lake Apache. At that time, it was just a junction; now it is a big city. As we drove up the trail I remember dreaming of someday hiking around the mountains in quest of the hidden treasure.

I could hardly contain my excitement. In fact, it came bubbling out to my friends as we parked the van at the Chola Day Use Area.

I told everyone about my father and the stories he shared.

As I looked up at the mountains and ridges, I knew I was going to

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find the gold. All I had to do was look and concentrate on where it might be hidden. I was going to be rich beyond belief and share the gold with all my friends!

We decided to hike up the Treasure Loop trail to Jacob’s Crosscut trail, down the Siphon Trail and returning to the trailhead.

As we started hiking and stopped to rest in the shadow of a giant Saguaro, we saw the desert awakening from a long winter — coming to life with a cacophony of colors as the wildflowers and cacti were starting to bloom.

We had to be careful to stay on the steep twisting trail,

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July 2019

watch out for snakes, and not get too close to the cholla cactus, which is said to have jumping thorns. There was cactus everywhere and a plethoJoe Anderson is a retired English ra of prickly teacher and on-call pear. public information We made officer with the it to the Forest Service. He top of the and Cyndi live in East Wenatchee. trail where we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the majestic valley. We were still far below the summit but needed to return.

On the way down, as I was intensely scanning nooks and folds in the hills, I heard my wife, Cyndi, warn: “There a snake!”

She moved to the other side of the trail and pointed to a three-to four-foot rattlesnake with half a dozen buttons. Our two friends walked right past it.

They were so lucky they did not get bitten.

We headed one direction and it another.

The whole time I was hunting for hiding places of the supposed gold mine. I was looking for the hidden clues behind each rock structure and cacti and reliving the stories my dad whispered to me. I guess they were just ghost stories to inspire my imagination, which they did.

Even though we only did a short 3.2-mile hike and covered a fraction of the mountains, I realized when I got back to the car I had discovered gold — it was in the wealth of friendship and adventure shared on the Superstition Mountains.

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Tell us your story: What brought you to our area?

Send stories — along with digital photos — to editor@ncwgoodlife.com

Was it love of a special person that got you to move, economic opportunity, the weather (300 days of sunshine, right?), the beauty of the four seasons, schools and/or health care facilities, wanting a small community for your children to grow up in? Or, was it something else?

Hurry… share your unique story.

And then get on back to living The Good Life.

Or, were you born here, liked it so much you never left?

Share the story of the moment when you decided you wanted to live here — right here — and perhaps win our best story award of $100 in cool, green cash.

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