Willamette Valley Life

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The Willamette Valley’s Premier Lifestyle Quarterly

Summer 2010/Issue 3 www.willamettevalleylife.com

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Summer In The Valley!

Your guide to the best of the Willamette Valley’s summer events

Interview With Master Luthier and Willamette Valley Musician,

Marco Cortes

Monmouth, Oregon Valley Daycation

Also Inside: Willamette Valley Life RV Guide (page 14) Summer 2010 • Willamette Valley Life

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Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010

Summer Arrives in the Valley

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s I write this, I’m looking out of my office window at a clear blue sky and sunshine. The calendar says that we just made it past the first day of summer and I’m starting to think maybe it’s true. Maybe summer has finally arrived after toying with us all this spring with the weird, alternating sunshine and fall-like weather.

This is our summer issue of course, and I think we’ve got some great articles in this issue to help make a potentially great summer here even better.

First off, long time member and past president of the Salem Oregon astronomy club Kathy Zendner shares her knowledge on how to better enjoy the fascinating hobby of astronomy. There’s nothing like a clear Willamette Valley summer sky at night, and what better way to enjoy it than with a basic knowledge of the night sky and a telescope.

This issue’s Daycation takes place in the town of Monmouth. Be sure to mark off a day on your calendar this summer and visit this town that has something for each member of your family to enjoy.

We created the “Summer Fun in the Valley” section to help give you some ideas of what do this summer, and believe me, there’s a lot to do! From biking to birdwatching, there’s enough to keep you busy and entertained for the entire summer.

My good friend and ace bass player Chuck Zender recently sat down with guitar luthier Marco Cortes at his home in Salem. Marco creates remarkable bass guitars that are used by musicians around the world.

Ever since I first ran across the ideabox model home here in Salem a few years ago, I have been extremely interested in watching this concept of green (and affordable) home building develop. I finally had the opportunity to visit with co-founder and “chief design guy,” Jim Russell and ask him some of the questions that have been percolating in my mind ever since my first visit there.

Finally, our resident wine enthusiast, Ryan Reichart, explores the individual clones that give Willamette Valley Pinot Noir such diverse characteristics. This is a super primer for wine tasters written by someone who knows (nose?) his wines.

Thanks again for picking up this latest issue of Willamette Valley Life magazine. It really is a pleasure to bring this to you.

PUBLISHERS/EDITORS Randy and Dawn Hill ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jessica Gardner ART DIRECTION Hill Design Studios CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ken Gardner Randy Hill Ryan Reichart Chuck Zendner Kathy Zendner ADVERTISING SALES L. Andrew Brown Concept Marketing PHONE 503.507.1228 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 17264, Salem, Oregon 97305 EMAIL: publisher@willamettevalleylife.com Copyright 2010 by Willamette Valley LIfe Magazine ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.

Randy Hill, Publisher

www.willamettevalleylife.com

www.willamettevalleylife.com

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Eugene Storefront Art Project

The Eugene Storefront Art Project has installed their sixth art exhibit in a storefront property at 198 W. Broadway.

Founding members Marc Gunther, Paula Goodbar and Peter Herley took an unused window in a local business, Shaw-Med, and are featuring the art of Erin Even, Marilyn Kent and Yona C. Riel. “This may not be a vacant storefront, but this block is in need of color and interest, and we are grateful to the owner for participating,” stated Paula Goodbar co-founder of the Eugene Storefront Art Project (ESAP).

Last week ESAP made another window in the downtown area come alive with vibrant colors and styles from artists Gene Carey, Maureen Campbell, Nicola Noetic and Ellen Gabehart. The location of 740 Willamette had been used as a storage space for the Doc’s Pad, and the owner wanted to do something to make the space

more attractive since it is in one of the busy areas for First Friday Art Walks.

ESAP is a group of concerned, volunteer citizens that wanted to contribute to helping downtown Eugene become (or return to) a vibrant, colorful and exciting point of destination for the arts and entertainment. The group felt that immediacy in putting their ideas into action was vital to help support the downtown businesses that are suffering the consequences of abandoned, vacant buildings.

ESAP is headed by local radio announcer Marc Gunther and artists Paula Goodbar and Peter Herley. The group began on Facebook and now has over 400 members. The mission of the project is to place short-term exhibits in empty Eugene area storefronts to demonstrate Eugene’s commitment to the arts, while beautifying downtown areas and allowing artists a unique canvas. The group seeks to promote new art and improve the quality of life while creating an artistic environment and making vacant properties more desirable.

Other properties where ESAP has turned vacant storefronts into art galleries include: 857 Willamette with the work of David P. Miller; 440 Coburg featuring Erin Dougherty-Williams; and 198 W. Broadway, former home of Taco Time, with artist Hosanna Haines.

“Taco Time vacated this property a couple of years ago, and we feel that this is a crucial corner to creating a sense of vibrancy and life for our downtown area,” said Paula Goodbar. “Now, if we could only reach the other property owners and property managers of vacant buildings downtown to follow suit, our downtown could be full of color and people this summer.”

Great Oregon Steam-Up The Great Oregon SteamUp in Brooks, is the largest event at Antique Powerland and takes place on July 24th and 25th, and July 31 and August 1. Most of the equipment is operating and it’s quite the sight watching these behemoths lumbering down the parade route.

Other attractions include, sawmilling, harvesting and tractor pulling. For more info to antiquepowerland. com.

45th Annual Oktoberfest The 45th annual Oktoberfest runs from Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19. Every year over 350,000 people come to Mount Angel for the weekend of their lives. They are drawn to the tiny rural community, 40 miles south of Portland, Oregon, by its beautiful countryside, Bavarian charm – and one of the greatest folk festivals in the Northwest.

There is something for everyone at Oktoberfest: over 50 little food chalets laden with rich, delicious Bavarian treats; a large arts and crafts show full of treasures to take home; and a traditional Biergarten, family Weingarten and interactive family Alpinegarten. There is free entertainment on the village bandstand featuring all of the great sounds of the alpine country and a free Kindergarten on Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy a sports program that includes golf and volleyball tournaments

and a high school football classic, as well as a 200-vehicle cruz-n car show and so much more.

For more information, visit Oktoberfest on the Internet at http://www.oktoberfest. org or call 503-845-9440

61st Annual Salem Art Fair & Festival The 61st Annual Salem Art Fair & Festival will be held Friday, July 16 through Sunday, July 18 in Salem’s picturesque Bush’s Pasture Park.

Produced by the Salem Art Association (SAA) as an annual fundraiser, the lively art-filled festival has become one of the mid-Willamette Valley’s most anticipated summer events and is ranked #38 in the nation by the Art Fair Source Book, the definitive guide to the nation’s art fairs.

The presenting sponsor for the 61st Annual Salem Art Fair & Festival is Spirit Mountain Casino.

The Art Fair & Festival includes a 200-booth Artist Marketplace, two entertainment stages, hands-on arts activities for children and adults, 28 food booths and participation by over 30 local arts related organizations.

Related events include an opening celebration, a children’s parade and a 5K Walk & Run for the Arts. Admission is $5 per day or $7 for a 3-day pass. Children ages 12 and under are free.

For more information, visit the Salem Art Fair & Festival website at www.salemart.org.

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Eugene Saturday Market - The oldest weekly open air crafts festival in the U.S. features handcrafted goods, food and music, rain or shine at 8th and Oak. Through November 13, 2010.

61st Annual Salem Art Fair & Festival - July 16-18 in Salem’s picturesque Bush’s Pasture Park.

2010 Molalla Buckaroo PRCA Rodeo - July 2-4, 2010. molallabuckeroo. com 4th of July Independence Days - July 2-4, 2010. Celebrate the 4th in Independence & Monmouth. Fireworks on 2 nights. Big parade July 4th.

Vendors, family fun. $1 contribution suggested for fireworks.

Red, White and Blue Riverfront Festival - July 3-4, 2010 in Corvallis.

Arts and Crafts booths, live entertainment, food, children’s activities, 5K fun run/walk, the “All-American Anyone Can Join Fabulous Fantastic 4th of July Parade” and fireworks. Free Admission.

Benton County Fair & Rodeo - August 4-7, 2010 in Corvallis. Four days of family fun, national and regional music, entertainment acts, rodeo and rides, fair food and 4-H. Commercial vendors and community exhibits.

Clackamas County Fair & Rodeo - August 17-22, 2010 in Canby. Bring the family to enjoy 6 days of fun including hours of free activities in our family fun grove, 5 nights of PRCA rodeo action, livestock, carnival, demolition derby and more!

Annual Dahlia Festival - August 28-30, 2010 in Canby. Visit the Nation’s largest dahlia grower–over 40 acres! Fields open August 1 through September, 8am-8pm. The festival is the last weekend in August and Labor Day weekend.

Sublimity Harvest Festival - September 10-12, 2010 in Sublimity. Festival fun for the whole family!

Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire - September 11-12, 2010 in Kings Valley.

Come cheer valiant jousting knights, feast upon the season’s bounty, and see the crafts of over 100 artisans at the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire.

For more ideas about where to go and what do this summer in the Willamette Valley go to our online calendar at www.willamettevalleylife.com

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“The sky is the ultimate art gallery just above us.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

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hat is astronomy? It is the scientific study and observation of our Universe and beyond. The average person often confuses astronomy with astrology.

Sorry, no horoscopes here. Humankind has been observing and questioning the nature of the heavens since the beginning of time. With modern technology, our awareness and knowledge is increasing at a tremendous pace. One can only imagine what lies ahead for the human race living on this small blue dot of a planet.

If you are just getting started in astronomy, take your time and decide what type of observation you are interested in.

Some amateurs like to study and view deep sky objects while others favor lunar and planetary viewing. As you develop your observation skills you may even want to try your hand at astrophotography.

But please don’t rush out and buy a telescope without a basic understanding of the different types of telescopes first.

It is very important to understand that magnification, or power, is a misleading idea. Beware the manufacturer touting a “700 X Power” telescope. A telescope’s aperture (size of the mirror or lenses) determines its ability to gather light, not the magnification. The larger the telescope aperture, the more light gathering ability you will have.

There are three types of telescopes: reflectors, refractors, and catadioptric (Schmitt-Cassegrain and Maksutov) telescopes. A reflecting telescope uses a combination of mirrors to reflect and focus light on a converged point. Refractors use lenses to focus light while catadioptric telescopes use a combination of mirrors and lenses. Many amateurs start out with a reflector telescope because they are very economical.

Many new telescopes offer “Go To” capability. This allows you to locate and track objects without an extensive knowledge of the night skies. This is made possible by the use of software incorporated into a hand controller.

Although this feature is sold to the novice astronomer, you still need to know the basics of navigating the sky because these telescopes still require set up and alignment procedures. This feature has created a lot of debate among amateur astronomers. Many astronomers believe that it is much more important to learn how to read and use star charts to navigate the night skies rather than rely on computer software.

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“Make an effort to learn about the sky! It will be very frustrating for you if you purchase a new telescope and then try to use it without a basic understanding of navigating the night sky.”

Telescope mounts are another part of observing that you need to understand.

Mounts are placed on a tripod or base and then the telescope tube or OTA (optical tube assembly) is attached, typically with tube rings. A mount can be either an altazimuth or an equatorial mount. The Dobsonian telescope most commonly uses a type of altazimuth mount, but most large Newtonian reflectors can also be adapted for use with an equatorial mount.

An equatorial mount is a little more complicated and requires polar alignment.

For astrophotography, most amateur astronomers use an equatorial mount in order to track objects that they want to capture using film, digital camera, or a CCD (charge-coupled device).

To strengthen your knowledge, I would strongly recommend that you find a local astronomy club in your area. This can be an invaluable resource for you as you become familiar with amateur astronomy.

In Salem, you can attend the Night Sky 45 Astronomy Club. They meet on the first

Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010

Wednesday of the month at Chemeketa College in the Planetarium at 7:00 pm.

Other wonderful resources are online amateur astronomy groups. Yahoo, MSN, Google, and www.astronomywebguide. com have several very good clubs. You might also try to find an astronomy class at your local community college or attend a star party. Star parties are fun events that are held throughout the year all over the world. At a star party, amateur astronomers gather at a dark sky location and observe the night skies. This gives you a terrific opportunity to see and try out various types of telescopes and other equipment.

I have met many wonderful folks at star parties and most are very happy to let you try out their telescopes. They love to answer questions and are very happy to have a new friend join them in this exciting hobby. This can also help you to better decide what type of telescope will fit your needs.

Make an effort to learn about the sky!

It will be very frustrating for you if you

purchase a new telescope and then try to use it without a basic understanding of navigating the night sky. There are many wonderful web sites, magazines and books that will help you learn about the constellations and teach you how to navigate the night sky. One of my favorite books is Night Watch by Terence Dickinson. It is easy to use, is in a large spiral bound format for field use, and includes wonderful seasonal sky charts with drawings and finder charts for the major constellations. It offers a nice overview of astronomy and our Solar System and provides a good background in telescopes, equipment and observing.

One of my favorite ways to view the night sky is with a pair of binoculars.

There are many economical binoculars available today. You will be amazed the first time you look up at the night sky with a pair of binoculars. Stars and planets will suddenly become much more noticeable because the naked eye is only capable of viewing a small portion of the stars that are a part of our night skies. I use a pair of 10 X 50 binoculars for excellent lunar and planetary detail.

Before you go out and buy that “cool” looking telescope you saw at the mall or department store, do some basic research first. I have often heard people complaining that they bought a telescope a few years ago and it ended up sitting in the back of a closet collecting nothing more than dust. Perhaps they had unrealistic expectations or ideas. Our society has become so accustomed to viewing images from space that many people think there must be something wrong with the telescope they bought. You will never be able to look through an amateur telescope and see images such as those provided by the Hubble space telescope. Remember that the images you see in books, magazines and on the Internet have been greatly enhanced with imaging software.

Our universe is incredibly vast and the objects that we observe are very far from our little blue planet.

I hope that you are inspired to try something new and discover the vast beauty of our Universe.

Kathy Zendner has been an enthusiastic star gazer for much of her life. She is a long time member and past president of the Salem Oregon astronomy club. For more information about local astronomy, go to the club’s web page at www.nightsky45.com

E X P L O R I N G T H E W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y

ideabox: Thinking Outside the Box

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deabox is a cutting edge design firm based in Salem that creates prefab housing with a twist. Their modern homes offer the latest green materials and technologies with a focus on higher end, cost effective, small footprint housing solutions. Jim Russell, founding partner, president and creative director for ideabox, in an interview with Willamette Valley Life magazine publisher, Randy Hill, tells us how they do it.

How did you get into green architectural design?

We like to say we were green before it was a color. Early in my career I was lucky enough to work in a high-end architecture firm in Vail, Colorado. The houses we were designing were amazing, grand expressions of space, materials, and landscape. Certainly not green by their size, but at every opportunity we found creative ways to use materials that effectively used resources and also contributed to dramatic design solutions.

Later, as a program manager at the Oregon Department of Energy, we were interested in green materials as an extension of our work in energy efficiency.

Recalling many of the materials and appliances we used in Vail, we developed simple and comprehensive energy/ resource efficient pilot projects. “E-rated Appliances” became the efficient appliance tax credit, and “Choices” was one of the first in a new genre of “green” material and building programs.

For us it’s not about the color – it’s just about making design decisions with a little thought!

Please tell us a bit more about the genesis of ideabox and where it is heading.

It was a simple thought … “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a cool, little designer house that we could put on a lot at the beach or Central Oregon …” There was

Jim Russell, co-founder and “chief design guy.”

a growing new genre of modern design prefab houses that were clever but kind of costly. We found there was a market for a fun, cost effective modern design with an agrarian edge that we can build locally.

My career spanning architecture, energy and resource efficiency, as well as product design and prefab housing helped! We built our first little house in 2005 and put it on North Commercial Street in Salem to see if people liked our idea. When The Oregonian featured it with an article entitled “Hip & Green” on the front page of the “Sunday Home and Garden” section, we knew we were on to something.

Our houses have grown and evolved.

Our most popular model is a little over 800 sq ft while our largest house is 1,250 sq ft. We’ve survived perhaps the worst housing economy in modern times in part because of houses that are truly fun to be inside, but I think also because we design and build responsibly. We’ve become even more energy efficient, employing smart uses of technology. And we’re having more fun with materials, finding cost effective products that contribute to the ideabox lifestyle.

Tell us about the materials for the homes you’re working on.

We like materials that contribute to the personality of our houses. We look for products whose source material are recycled or renewable, last longer, and have a story. If we can source it locally, we do.

A great example is FUEZ concrete counters. Made from recycled glass right here in Portland, every counter tells a story! Our FSC bamboo floors are from Poulsbo Washington. Metal is fabricated here in Salem. Interior doors are from Idaho. Speaking of doors our doors, cabinets, trim, built-ins and sills are maple. Showers and tubs are ceramic tile, or if fiberglass is called for they come from Gervais. Vessel sinks, faucets, and dual-flush toilets are from Kohler. ENERGY STAR windows are from Yakima with glazing from Hood River.

We search for products and materials that create an ideabox lifestyle.

Everywhere you interact with your home is an experience.

What exactly is eco-design? How are the buildings designed with these principles different from regular buildings?

I think eco-design is as much a philosophy as a design principle. To truly consider a building’s impact on the earth requires a comprehensive approach.

Everything from the size of the house, how much energy it uses, where the energy comes from, its impact on the landscape,

Above: ideabox “Urban Confluence.” Below: “The Northwest”–the house that started ideabox.

and how the landscape functions are all integrated.

The term “regular houses” is kind of scary because it assumes “regular” as being the norm and the norm not being very eco-friendly. And sadly, it’s true. “Regular” houses are typically built for an assumed market of buyers who are first cost consumers. To design with the ecology in mind, one must think beyond first cost and invest in longer-term impacts.

What is your overall philosophy regarding Green Construction?

Our philosophy is best described by our tag line, “the right amount of everything.” Simply described, to us green construction is the right assembly of parts. Right sized houses that use little energy. Materials that are clever as a design element, use renewable or recycled content, offer long life, and require little maintenance. Interiors that are bright with healthy indoor air, and spaces that encourage daylight. All are parts of a design premise that extend the living space beyond the walls, sharing interior space with the exterior, creating a living environment that is larger than just the floor area.

We think green construction needs to be approachable and be an active contributor to a design solution. The opportunity to build green is amazingly available today. Green materials are commonly available. Most paints are VOC free.

Efficient appliances and lighting are every where. ideabox takes all of that and crafts a cool way to live!

What’s your inspiration behind bringing ecology and architecture together?

The Willamette Valley is a special place where so much of our lives come from the

land. Obvious things like food, vineyards, hops, and fruit - all these incredible things grow around us every day. The coast, mountains and valleys, the high desert, the gorge … we are surrounded by natural splendor.

I like the notion of a house that participates in this dynamic lifestyle.

Architecture is the study of a structure and its surroundings. We want our houses to contribute to our unique lifestyle.

What are the advantages and approaches of the more holistic approach to building?

The list could get long fast! Quality of life is perhaps the biggest advantage – houses that use little energy, require little maintenance, have healthier indoor air, and minimize its footprint on the site mean more of your life can be about living!

If we take that approach to the landscape, we can minimize how much water we use, chemicals we spray, and instead maybe harvest water, use natural plant material, and grow a garden.

At the recent Portland Home & Garden Show, we featured a small “landscaped” edible garden that could feed a family of four. Imagine a landscape that you can eat!

What are some of the basic advantages and concepts surrounding prefab construction?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Summer 2010 • Willamette Valley Life

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Celebrate The Summer In

MONMOUTH

Monmouth Music In The Park!

IDEABOX: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Building a house is a complicated process. Coordinating disciplines, material availability, inspections, weather conditions - they all contribute to the construction of a house. In a production facility all of that stuff becomes an organized, engineered systems approach to construction. The house is built indoors where it’s dry; materials are ordered to length and size minimizing waste; and when it leaves, the house is virtually complete when delivered to your site.

July 7, 2010

Lucy Hammond Band Blues & Rock

July 14, 2010

Gumbo

Vintage American & Swing

July 21, 2010

Gusto Brothers Blues & Rock

July 28, 2010

Keller Coker & Friends Jazz

August 4, 2010

Everyday Prophets Reggae

August 11, 2010

Oregon Valley Boys Western Swing

August 18, 2010

Jacob Merlin Band Funk & Soul

August 25, 2010

Roundhouse Band Bluegrass

Cycle Oregon July 16 -18

Music & Food!

MAIN STREET PARK

Mel Brown August 1

Classic Jazz

Main Street Park

Mark Fancey 503.751.0147 www.ci.monmouth.or.us

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At ideabox, we’re building with the same materials that we would build with on site, just without the weather. Working with a team of craftsmen who take pride in what they build and with incredible efficiency of time and material is an amazing way to build.

A big critique of prefab housing is that it promises affordability, but often ends up in a luxury market, so how do you see prefab housing becoming more accessible?

Prefab is simply a way to build, not necessarily a price indicator. Cars are

prefabricated. There are expensive cars and cheap cars. The cost of anything is a factor of design, material cost, and labor.

Cost is relative. ideabox uses quality materials, pays attention to design, and focuses on the execution of our design. We have found the perfect balance of design and cost efficiency.

Accessible is a subjective term. ideabox is considered by many to be an “accessible” luxury designed modern prefab. We think so too!

Tell us about the projects you are working on now.

We’re working on a variety of projects.

We’ll be at this summer’s Portland Street of Dreams in August. It’s the first time a prefab has ever been invited to be on “the Street.” We have our first urban installation in Portland; a colorful high desert home in Prescott Arizona; two all metal modern gems, one for Oregon’s high desert and the other for vineyard. Also “on the boards” is our first micro-development scheduled for this fall. We’re building a terrific and very bright house for a site near the Oregon coast… it’s fun!

Well thank you so much for your time and insights. We’ll be very interested to see ideabox homes popping up across the landscape over the next few years!

Thanks! And thank you for Willamette Valley Life Magazine. We live in a pretty special part of the world; it’s terrific to see something that reminds us of the great things that are all around us.

-Randy Hill

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Destination: Monmouth Located between Salem, the state capital, and Corvallis, home of Oregon State University, Monmouth is a small town with a lot to offer. Home of Western Oregon University, the Paul Jensen Arctic Museum, the Polk County Museum and a vibrant downtown center, Monmouth is located about an hour’s drive from the Cascade mountain range and the Pacific coast. Founded in 1856, Monmouth was named for Monmouth, Illinois where some of its earliest settlers immigrated from.

Entertainment, Art and History One of the first things you notice when you arrive in the quaint downtown area is Main Street Park. Nearly a full block

linois settled in the area in the early 1850s.

The town was almost named Dover, but Ira F.M. Butler broke a tie vote on the town name, and Monmouth won out. Most of the early settlers in the area were members of the Disciples of Christ church and were opposed to the sale of alcohol. In 1881, an ordinance forbade the sale of alcohol within city limits, and the town remained dry until 2002 when the ban was ended.

Dining There are a number of great places to eat in Monmouth. Rick’s Place is situated in the historic Mulkey Mercantile building and Leonard W. Rice Auditorium, Western Oregon University. has been offering great in size, this nicely designed park features coffee, breakfast and lunch offerings for a fountain, play structures and a gazebo. over 15 years. It’s a great place to relax With its central location, it is perfect for and have a cup of coffee or a bite to eat in spending a leisurely sunny day with your an unhurried atmosphere. If you are a lover family. of Indian food like I am, you will be happy Live music is offered at a number of to find “A Real Taste of India” located on coffee houses, bars and businesses. Each Main Street in Monmouth. This restaurant Wednesday during the summer, from July is new to the area and offers some of the 7 through August 25, the town will host best Indian food in the Valley with a bright the Monmouth Music in the Park series and pleasant dining area. held at Main Street Park. Two big 4th of July celebrations will also be held – one Wineries in Monmouth as well as one in its nearby sister town of Independence.

Tasting rooms at many wineries are One of the most unique offerings of open throughout Polk County. Check Monmouth has got to be the Jensen Artic out Emerson Vineyards, a family-owned Museum located on the Western Oregon winery near Monmouth. The drive to the University Campus. It is the only muwinery is some of the most beautiful in seum on the West Coast devoted solely to the Willamette Valley, and at the end of collecting, preserving and teaching about your trip there you’ll be rewarded with Arctic culture and ecology. The museum’s a tasting of some really fine wines. The permanent and temporary exhibits allow Emerson Vineyard tasting room is open on you to explore the world of the Arctic in the weekends from noon to five. Visit their North America, Europe, and Asia. website at emersonvineyards.com.

Pioneer families from Monmouth, Il-

Top: The fountain in Main Street Park. Bottom left: Rick Gydesen of Rick’s Place. Bottom right: Adam Sladden spends a sunny afternoon playing his guitar in Main Street Park.

How to get there...

Summer 2010 • Willamette Valley Life

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Summer fun in the Valley S

ummertime is what every Valley

resident looks forward to all year after sloshing through the long rainy season.

It’s the time where you can roll your car windows down, hang your head out in the sun and start looking for some well earned summertime adventure!

We sent out some of our soggiest reporters to hunt down some of the best places to have a ton of outdoor fun here in the Willamette Valley. Here are just a few spots they found that you might consider for your own summer Willamette Valley adventure:

Camping Go Camping

Camping is huge pastime here in the Valley and if you’ve lived here long enough, you’ve already guessed why.

Summer here is generally rain-free and with 23 state parks in the area, you have plenty of choices of places to enjoy the summer sunny weather.

Here’s a few of our favorites: Silver Falls State Park

You’re sure to get more than an eyeful of some of the most beautiful natural wonders that the Willamette Valley has to offer at Silver Falls State Park. With over 9,000 acres of breath taking scenery it has something to offer for everyone whether it’s swimming, hiking, camping, or you just want to get away for an afternoon picnic with your family.

Be sure and take your camera when you hike the “Trail of Ten Falls.” This eight mile hiking trail passes by and under ten (count ‘em – ten!) spectacular falls of the north and south forks of Silver Creek.

Willamette Mission State Park Just eight miles north of Salem sits Willamette Mission State Park, with more than 1,600 acres of woodlands, wetland, 10

Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010

Proceed about 2 miles and watch for the information and wildlife viewing area on the right.

Fests

Champoeg State Heritage Area to Willamette Mission State Park:

Go to a Festival

Photo by Randy Hill

Oregon State Fair

Aumsville Corn Festival in Aumsville, Oregon.

rolling meadows and working farmland.

History buffs will be pleased to find out that the park is on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is on the site of the former Willamette Mission, established

by Reverend Jason Lee in 1834. Lee traveled from the Eastern United States to teach the Native Americans in Oregon Country.

Love to ride horses? The park has four overnight horse camps with corrals and over 7 miles of horse trails. There are also 4 miles of bike trails, a 2 ½ mile self-guided educational trail, and a 1 mile jogging loop.

Don’t leave without taking a hike around the park’s two beautiful lakes, Mission Lake and Goose Lake, or without visiting the nation’s largest Black Cottonwood.

This 265-year-old tree is more than 26 feet in circumference and stands more 155 feet tall.

Detroit Lake State Recreational Area

Located just 50 miles east of Salem in the Cascade Mountains, Detroit Lake State Park is considered the gateway to Detroit Lake. The lake is situated over a historical road bed of the former Oregon Pacific Railroad. The lake was created in 1953 and was intended primarily for flood control and power generation. Today, it has become one of the major recreation resources on the edge of the eastern Willamette Valley.

Day use passes: Of the hundreds of day use parks here in Oregon, only about two dozen charge a day-use fee. Purchase a 12 or 24 month pass, and you can just drive right on in. The pass is also transferable among vehicles.

For more information about visiting other Willamette Valley parks in Oregon’s state park’s system visit the official website at www.oregonstateparks.org

Birding Go Birding

The national wildlife refuges located in the Willamette Valley were created to provide vital wintering habitat for Dusky Canada geese. Unlike most other Canada geese, Duskies have limited summer and winter ranges. They nest on Alaska’s Copper River Delta and winter almost exclusively in the Willamette Valley.

William Finley National Wildlife Refuge

To reach the William L. Finley Unit, travel south 10 miles from Corvallis or north 7.5 miles from Monroe, to milepost 93 on Highway 99W. Turn west on Finley Refuge Road. Watch for the refuge entrance sign on the west side of the road.

Follow refuge signs for 2 miles to the refuge headquarters.

Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge

Take Interstate 5 Exit 243, Ankeny Hill Road, which is about 10 miles north of Albany and 12 miles south of Salem.

Driving west, you will encounter the intersection of Wintel and Ankeny Hill Roads. Both roads will take you to the refuge.

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge

On Interstate 5, take exit 253, and proceed west through Salem, toward Dallas, Oregon. Travel west on Highway 22 from the intersection of Highways 22 and 99W, north of Rickreall, Oregon.

Oregon, after all. For more information check out these two great websites: www. oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/BIKE/WVSB_ main.shtml and http://rideoregonride.com If the trip from Champoeg to Eugene sounds like more than you would like to attempt, try out these shorter rides:

A group of farmers calling themselves the Oregon Fruitgrowers Association gathered together in 1858, which is considered the first unofficial Oregon State Fair. Flash forward to the 21st century and people come from all over the state to enjoy a host shows, rides, food, and animal and agricultural exhibits. Don’t miss the thousands of exhibits of art, photography, professional wine, homebrew beer and the 4-H and FFA animals and events.

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

Put on your lederhosen or your dirndl and waltz on down to Mt. Angel for the Oregon version of Germany’s Oktoberfest.

This picturesque community was settled

by German pioneers in the 1800s, and the present day festival began in 1966 as a traditional harvest festival to celebrate the local bounty. This is Oregon’s largest folk festival.

This 30-mile roundtrip is through some choice agricultural areas, including many hops fields that are used for brewing some of Oregon’s own beer.

Albany to Shedd:

A 42-mile round trip through some of the flattest country in the Willamette Valley. Beautiful vistas of the coastal mountain range and the Willamette River are some of the best parts of this particular ride.

Armitage County Park to Coburg:

How about a really short ride? The trip to Coburg and back is a 13-mile ride.

The city of Coburg has been recognized as a Historic District with some of the downtown building dating back to 1875.

While you’re there check out the city parks in the area and the Coburg Nature Trail.

Aumsville Cornfest

Thousands of locals come out to Porter Boone Park in Aumsville each August for the annual Aumsville Corn Festival. Don’t miss the parade downtown before heading out for some hot buttered corn on the cob.

Local businesses and organizations get pretty creative with the number of ways you can use a corn theme in this one-of-akind parade.

Turkey Rama

The Turkey Rama festival’s roots date back to 1938, the year of the first annual Yamhill County Turkey Fair put on by the Yamhill Turkey Committee. The festival now attracts over 20,000 people each year.

Don’t miss the turkey BBQ. Over 11,000 pounds of fresh turkey will be barbecued on pits that are 88 feet long.

Biking Go biking

Silver Falls State Park

The Willamette Valley is a biker’s paradise. Start with Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway that begins at Champoeg and ends in Eugene. In between expect to see some of the most beautiful countryside in the U.S. as well as farmers markets, covered bridges, vineyards and wildlife.

Don’t forget your rain gear. You are in

This is one State Park that you don’t want to miss. Located near Silverton, Silver Falls State Park is approximately 20 miles east-south east of Salem. The park’s most visited waterfall is South Falls (pictured above).

Summer 2010 • Willamette Valley Life

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W I L L A M E T T E

V A L L E Y

W I N E

Pinot Noir Clones in the Willamette Valley

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research institute located on Lake Zurich in Switzerland where it was certified. In the 1960s, this was the only clone known to be virus free in the United States.

During warm vintages it can produce fruit with spicy notes while in cooler vintages it becomes more herbaceous. It is valued for its ability to easily ripen and does well growing at lower elevations.

With the availability of so many variations of pinot noir, there are also just as many philosophies on which produce the best wines.

The UC Davis designated the other clone introduced in Oregon from France as Pommard. This vine’s fruit was seen as an excellent compliment to that produced

by Wädensvil clones. These original vines became known as the Coury clone, while others introduced directly from Europe—likely illegally as “suitcase clones” due to their method of travel— continued to be known as Pommard, but are not identical. Pommard has risen in popularity and is now the backbone of many wines produced in the Willamette, with a particularly excellent vintage starting to show for 2009. The grapes ripen with ease and produce wines that equally approachable at an early age. The clone provides both fruit and earth characteristics to wines.

Continued problems with disease and the sudden spread of phylloxera—which nearly wiped out the European wine industry—prompted the development of pinot clones that were hardier and more resistant to these plights. Developed in France, these became known as the Dijon clones, named after the major town of northern Burgundy. Currently there are six clones that are used predominately in the Willamette, simply identified by three digit numbers: 113, 114, 115, 667, 777, and 828. These clones, valued for their ability to give depth when used for blending with the other major clones, were brought to Oregon during the 1980s. In general they are add more nuanced characteristics to wines including bright fruit and floral notes. Some winemakers have also found success both by featuring Dijon clones individually or in blends excluding any of the other major clones.

Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010

Photo by Lynnette Shaw

P

inot noir is not an easy grape to grow—they have thin skins, need a delicate balance of temperature, and are susceptible to rot, viruses, and disease. But for many, growing pinot noir is a challenge worth mounting, and the wines are easy to fall in love with when everything is just right. With Burgundian origins the variety has found a place in nearly every major wine-growing region in the world, from Germany and Italy to California and New Zealand. Of all these places, the capricious grape has found a strong home in the Willamette Valley.

In 1965, David Lett and Charles Coury introduced the first pinot noir vines to Oregon, starting vineyards that would become the foundation of the state’s wine industry. These grapes were brought from the University of California Davis as both men realized the potential for growing pinot noir in Oregon’s cooler climate, which better mimicked that of Burgundy than parts of California. Over the last 45 years pinot noir has continued to thrive in the Willamette and has elevated Oregon in status considerably in the wine world.

However, those original vines were but single clones of pinot noir, and a number of others have made significant contributions to the vine’s success in the Pacific Northwest.

All other idiosyncrasies considered, pinot noir is still prone to genetic mutation, and has been responsible for a number of other varieties. Pinot gris for example was originally pinot noir, and then further transformed to be pinot blanc. Mutation doesn’t always result in a color change though and can simply result in some other adaptation to the vine’s surroundings. If such a change is seen as beneficial to producing quality fruit for winemaking, then growers will work to maintain those characteristics by creating clones of the mother vine.

Clones are simple vines that have been created by propagating new vines using clippings from one plant. Clones are typically selected specifically for wine quality, productivity, regularity of yields, resistance to rot, or ripening characteristics.

Here are brief profiles on the primary clones of pinot noir that are found in the Willamette Valley and are responsible for the majority of Pinot noir wines found in the region. These include Wädensvil, Pommard and Coury, and six Dijon clones. Speaking with several winemakers it is apparent that each is valued for individual characteristics, and opinions vary as to how each is best used.

Wädensvil was one of the original clones brought to Oregon from California, and takes its name from a

Pommard clones at Luminous Hills Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton District AVA.

With the availability of so many variations of pinot noir, there are also just as many philosophies on which produce the best wines. Some wineries prefer to isolate individual clones while others rely on blending or produce wines in both categories. Despite individual preferences though there is little a producer can do to control many of the external influences that contribute to a vineyard’s production. These aspects include soil type, slope and aspect, weather, as well as regional climate and the more specific microclimate of each vine. Depending on these x-factors, some clones will produce better fruit that others in any given vintage, and winemakers seeking to preserve the variable identity of pinot noir must work with what nature provides.

It is probably not a primary concern of many wine tasters to analyze all the different clones of pinot noir. However, knowing some of their history can be valuable to understanding how this grape

has become so successful in this region.

There are a number of producers who rely on clonal selection to differentiate their wines and to create wines that deliver added complexity and aging potential.

During your next trip to a Willamette Valley winery consider asking about the clones of pinot noir being used and why they were chosen. You will likely find your own experience enriched by knowing more about what goes into your glass.

Ryan Reichert is originally from Northeast Ohio and recently relocated to the Willamette Valley to further his career in the wine industry.

He has received both his Intermediate and Advanced certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and is also a certified French wine enthusiast and Spanish Wine Educator.

Ryan strives to learn all he can about wine and to share his passion with everyone. You can read more of Ryan’s work at http://www.oeno-phile.com where he posts about many wine related topics.

Honey wine

Summer 2010 • Willamette Valley Life

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On The Road Again!

One of the Willamette Valley’s favorite modes of travel is all the rage

W

illamette Valley residents and visitors alike are rediscovering something they have already known intuitively for years…

That traveling is a blast! That the time tested “Road Trip” is not a thing of the past. And, that the best way to invigorate your life is to enjoy multiple vacations that allow you to take your accommodations with you!

Given all the media hype surrounding health care and public policy it did seem that people were a little pre-occupied with other things during the winter.

Now with the sun coming out and Spring weather increasingly frequent, it’s no surprise that those in their prime vacationing years are looking at doing the very things they’ve been dreaming about for years. That is preparing for the most relaxing season of their lives.

A number of Valley RV dealers are helping those dreams and aspirations come true for more individuals and couples than ever before.

NW RV - do art

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Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010

Solid improvements in the economy, low interest rates and a rebounding stock market are all factors contributing to the growth in sales. As it is with any recreational get-away, people want to know that they are getting the best bang for their buck. That is where RV-ing outshines other types of vacations. One big advantage RVs offer is that you don’t have to make reservations. You get too come and go at your own leisure without having to purchase expensive plane tickets. It is like owning a vacation home that lets you take what you want, where you want, whenever you want.

One big advantage RVs offer is that you don’t have to make reservations. You get too come and go at your own leisure without having to purchase expensive plane tickets.

When it comes to deciding on the kind of traveling people are planning it helps to have a number of choices. Several of the better options for name brand and reputable products are Heartland, Jayco, Road Trek, Open Range and Pleasure Way. They each have unique features and comforts that appeal to specific buyers depending on what they are looking for. These choices allow consumers to pick from a variety of sizes, styles and interiors as well as economy options. Some units get up to 25 miles per gallon while others offer lightweight towing choices.

If you have an itch to travel and are looking for excitement, try satisfying your wanderlust with a RV adventure.

Some Area RV Parks Riverside RV Park 24310 S. Highway 99E Canby, OR 97013 Phone: (503) 263-3000 Eugene Kamping World RV Park 90932 S. Stuart Way Coburg, OR 97405, Phone: (541) 343-4832 Center Street Mobile Park 4155 Center Street Northeast, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 363-2684 Eola Bend RV Park 4700 Salem Dallas Highway Northwest, Salem, OR 97304 Phone: (503) 364-7714

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Hope Valley RV Park Salem, OR 97305, Phone: 866-9RV-PARK Horsehead Lake Campground 1728 Iler Street South, Salem, OR 97302, Phone: (231) 972-8770 KOA Salem Inc 3700 Hagers Grove Road Southeast, Salem, OR 97301, Phone: (503) 581-6736 Oak Park RV Village 4130 Silverton Rd NE, Salem, OR 97305 Phone: (503) 581-2497 Phoenix RV Park 4130 Silverton Road Northeast, Salem, OR 97305, Phone: (503) 581-2497 Salem Campground & RV 3700 Hagers Grove Rd Se, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 581-6736 Salem RV Park 4490 Silverton Rd NE, Salem, OR 97305 Phone: (503) 364-5490 Silver Falls State Park Salem, OR 97305, Phone: (503) 873-8681 Edgewater RV Resort and Marina 1400 60th Avenue Sweet Home, OR 97386 Phone: (541) 818.0431

Summer 2010 • Willamette Valley Life

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MU S I C

Photos by Chuck Zendner

WVL Interview With Master Valley Luthier, Marco Cortes

“Making instruments, for me, is not about just making money, it’s a passion.”

–Marco Cortes

M

arco Cortes is a bass player and a highly skilled luthier. He is the creator of FretGroove, a unique design exclusive to Marco Bass Guitars.

Marco also builds his own pickups which have a very distinctive sound and quality.

Salem bassist, Chuck Zendner recently visited Marco at his home in Salem to learn more about Marco’s experiences as a bass player and builder.

C: How did you get started building string instruments?

M: Well, it was really out of necessity 16

[laughs] because when I was very young I started to play bass, but I had no money to buy a bass. I had to borrow the bass from my church every time I wanted to play bass, then take it back to the church. I knew I couldn’t keep borrowing the bass, and I didn’t have the money to buy one so I decided to make one. I’m pretty stubborn.

My friends said, “Don’t do that because you can never make a good bass. Because how long will it take?” I think, “I don’t care. I’m going to make it.” I started by reading books which was hard for me because most were in English. Electric bass and guitars started in America so I

Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010

had to learn by looking at pictures and trying to figure out what the books were saying. I finally thought I knew enough to get started building my own bass guitar which was the beginning of a long career manufacturing musical instruments.

Can you tell me a little bit of history about your factory? I know when you started off you didn’t just make basses.

When I first started, I specialized in making electric instruments. In time I started making acoustic instruments as a challenge to myself. I began making acoustic guitars, mandolins and other stringed instruments.

Almost anything with a string except a piano [laughs].

You spent almost 20 years manufacturing these instruments in Brazil. How large was your factory?

I employed 12 people, and we distributed our instruments to major stores around Brazil.

I’m a luthier, but I have the skills to be able to create a large quantity of instruments through the creation of a production line. The economy in Brazil became very unstable and it was difficult to compete with China. Just like other instrument manufacturers, we just couldn’t keep up with the price of labor.

We were also manufacturing our own parts because of the difficulty in acquiring those parts in Brazil. The bureaucracy in Brazil was unbelievable. I later decided to move to Japan and became one of the first Brazilians to work in a guitar factory there.

What did you learn there?

I learned about different methods and skills in finish work. The Japanese are well known for their attention to detail and perfectionism especially in regards to the finish of the guitar.

You used to make all kinds of stringed instruments, but now you focus on the bass. Why the change?

Well, I play bass, and this is my favorite instrument after all! However I am also building guitars due to some special orders. And the ratio is basically two guitarists for each bass player…so there is a big market out there, right?!

How do you choose the different kinds of woods that you use?

It’s about the tone. Each luthier has his own approach to making an instrument. I use wood that I think sounds good. Some factories use different types of wood just because they have become standard and are easy to access. Lately I’ve been using a

lot of fir and spruce as well as some more exotic types of wood.

You have invented the “fret groove system” where the traditional frets are replaced with sunken brass channels that give the instrument the feel and tone of a fretless bass but with the precision of a fretted instrument. How did you come up with this invention?

It came through my observations as a guitar repairman. Bass players who play a lot of fretless basses frequently find that the strings start digging into the fret board of the guitar. People would bring them in to sand back down the fret board and fill in spots in the wood. On three different occasions, I got calls from the bass owners complaining that I had changed the tone and tuning of the bass. What I discovered was that the musicians were wearing down spots in the fret board in the spots where they preferred to play. By making channels on the board you get the best of both worlds. It’s like playing a fretted bass but retaining the fretless bass characteristics.

I had the opportunity to meet Abraham Laboriel, who is a very well known bass player in musician circles. In fact his son plays drums for Paul McCartney. Anyway, I gave Abraham one the basses to try and he said, “Marco, this is genius,” and encouraged me to pursue this.

Thank you Marco for sharing a little about yourself and this fascinating craft that you have developed.

Thank you Chuck, it was all my pleasure.

Chuck Zendner is a professional Bass Guitar player and Bass guitar collector in Salem Oregon.

F I N A N C E

Clemenza’s 236 SW 1st Ave., Albany, Oregon Welcome again to another episode of my cuisine hunting adventures. This round, at the recommendation of a friend, I headed southward to Albany to nibble on morsels of Italian dishes found at Clemenza’s Italian American Café.

Keeping Score in the Game of Credit As a Credit Union professional, one of the questions I’m asked most often is how credit works and why credit scores are so important. The reality is that your credit score helps determine virtually every loan decision a financial institution makes in one way or another.

While your credit score is very important, your credit history is the data that makes up the score and so is the most important part of your overall credit picture. Ensuring that the history contained in your credit report is accurate and error free is extremely important to increasing your credit score. In my experience, both personally and professionally, I have seen a wealth of incorrect information contained in credit reports.

To combat this problem, I suggest following your credit score monthly and checking your credit history at least once every four months. There are two excellent, free resources to help you accomplish this.

The first is www.creditkarma.com which provides the capability of tracking your credit score each month. Two key features include a credit grade section and a credit simulator. Both of these tools are especially useful in pinpointing the areas that you need to focus on to improve your overall credit picture.

The credit grade section will detail if you are too heavily weighted on credit cards debt vs. secured debt (auto, home, etc. loans). Similarly, the credit simulator will allow you to input a number of variables to see what your estimated credit score might be after a given amount of time.

By pulling your score each month, you

can also detect negative actions on your credit such as: identity theft, incorrectly reported payment history, collections and tax liens.

In my experience, both personally and professionally, I have seen a wealth of incorrect information contained in credit reports.

This leads us to the next free resource, www.annualcreditreport.com. This site gives you free access to your credit report from any of the three major credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Each credit bureau allows one free report; by alternating bureaus, you can pull your report every four months.

When working in conjunction, these websites can help you monitor your credit and give you peace of mind. Knowing where your credit stands can help you ensure your financial future.

My credit wasn’t always as strong as it is today, and I’m doing everything I can to keep it that way. I hope the resources and ideas I have provided will help you do the same.

Ken Gardner – Ken writes for life, financial liberty, and the pursuit of member happiness. He has worked in the financial industry for over 10 years and does not have perfect credit…but he’s getting there.

Italian cuisine, I have found in my travels, can be subject to wild and varied interpretations. Authenticity of taste, preparation, and presentation is often a matter of personal taste. For example, my Italian grandmother would have never been caught in an Olive Garden on a Sunday afternoon, but my mother-in-law would offer it as the dinner location of choice any day of the week! But we are not here to talk about the failings of the modern chain, rather to explore and share findings on a small Italian café in downtown Albany.

On to the review!

Clemenza’s is nestled on 1st Avenue in beautifully renovated downtown Albany.

Seating is available in booths and tables, and even though the space is narrow, there is plenty of space for large parties. Frankie and Harry play through the overhead speakers, while Italian lessons play in the single unisex bathroom. The restaurant is clean and tidy (just don’t peek into the kitchen on your way to the facilities). The decorations are meager, but fitting. Just don’t expect this to be a particularly romantic atmosphere, as the term Café is quite fitting in their description.

The dinner prices at Clemenza’s range from $4 (cup of soup) to $17 (veal scallopini), with plenty of reasonable options to choose from between. Lunch was similarly priced with the top end being $10. To Go orders are priced the same as the dine-in. Drinks run from $2 (the standard fare of soda and coffee), $3 for beer, and $5-$17, depending on the size, for red or white wine. Every liter of wine purchased ($17) also provided a $1 donation to the ABC House of Albany. I sampled the white, and while it wasn’t anything brilliant, it suited my meal, and was worth the price, in my opinion.

I can’t say I favored the pizza, due to its cracker-like crust that quickly became soggy, nor the chicken marsala scallopini, which was almost tasteless compared to their fantastic slow cooked garlic chicken thighs or the delicious veal Clemenza scallopini. One appetizer you simply must try is the fried house-smoked mozzarella with their own house-made tomato sauce. But avoid the gratin of grilled vegetables and cheese if your order already includes grilled vegetables – it’s the same dish minus the cheese which only serves to make eating the vegetables more difficult. The salad choices were tasty, but a little overdressed. Just looking for an after-dinner treat? The Lemoncello custard, served like a lemon crème brulee, was simple in its presentation but outstanding in taste and texture. In fact, the only desert I didn’t care for was the cannoli. Sadly, they were over-cooked, thus making them oily, and the shell was far too thick.

While the lunch service was a tad slow, the dinner staff was spot on the entire meal. Drinks were quickly refilled; questions were answered quickly and honestly.

Clemenza’s was, overall, a very enjoyable experience which I plan to return to soon.

Even my Italian grandmother would be willing to sport a mustache for this lovely cafe.

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VAL L E Y P H O T O S

Great Oregon Steam Up Photo by Randy Hill

Each year in August, thousands of steam engine enthusiasts descend upon Brooks, Oregon just outside of Salem for the annual Great Oregon Steam Up held at Powerland Museum.

Do you have a photo that you have taken that you would like to share with our readers? Send a hi-resolution photo to publisher@willamettevalleylife.com.

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Willamette Valley Life • Summer 2010