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Greenwood/Elk columns August 20 ~ October 1, 1987 August 20th A "Mock Harmonic Convergence for Fools Ceremony" was held last weekend on the Elk Beach at 8:00 PM. A lot of my friends and neighbors were heading for that and I admit it was tempting but I wanted to get closer to the power source, Ukiah. After an hour and a half of driving I was there, the heat and noise was overwhelming but I did not turn back. I pressed on and entered a small artist studio on the second floor of an old brick apartment building in the middle of town. It was awesome. The walls were covered with Dada Posters and stuffed toy ducks were everywhere. The air was hot and the noise seemed endless. I took off my clothes, laid down on a small bed and covered myself with a sheet. While waiting for the Convergence to pass I fell asleep. In the morning I hurried back to Elk to see what had happened. As I entered town everything seemed the same but then I finally saw it. I couldn't believe my eyes. There was Jeff Molfino on his bicycle, clean shaven and wearing a yuppie hairdo. The new age is definitely upon us! The Elk Post Office Centennial Celebration is this weekend, August 22nd, and the town is ready. Come on down and see Greenwood/Elk dressed up in bunting. The celebration begins Saturday at noon. Here is a list of highlights. * 12:00 PM. Cal/Aggie Marching Band concert of patriotic music and marches. * Introduction of notables from Government, State and Parks Department and Postal Service. Senator Barry Keene and presentation of California Bear Flag. * Presence of great grandson of Britt Greenwood, Jim Big Bear King, and members of his family. * 1:00 PM Elk Volunteer Fire Department barbecue at the Community Center. Special sauce made by Einar Matson who used to live here, his dad ran the silent movie house. * Pictures of yesteryear on display at the Community Center. * 3:00 PM. Kashia Indian Dances at the Community Center. * Historic walks lead by John Luzzi and Roy Moungovan who lived in Greenwood as young boys. * 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Methodist Community Church open and concert of lilting Irish airs by Powder and LeAnn. * 4:00 PM. Catholic Church of the Blessed Sacrament open. Alice Fashauer will play beautiful organ music. Mass at 5:30. * Old friends willing and wanting to talk over old times and exchange memories. * Bring your pictures and reminisce about the good old days when Greenwood had seventeen saloons and a population over two thousand! When it is all over, get lots of rest because in a few weeks it will be Great Day/Great Night. Thanks to the efforts of Bob Matson and Del Wilcox, it looks as though we will be trusted with a parade permit once again. Last year it took and hour and a half to get through town. This year there will be better control. Entries so far: Sixteen antique cars, the Cal Aggie Marching band, Pentecostal Church Group, the Philo Yacht Club Drill Team and a mounted horse patrol. Anyone who would like to enter should contact Rusty Gates 877-3425, Kendrick Petty 877-3423, or Bill Baker 877-3241. Greenwood celebrates one hundred years as Elk! August 27th We seem to have survived the Elk Post Office Centennial. The weather this summer, on the coast, has either been wind or fog so a lot of mental energy was expended by the ladies of the Greenwood Civic Club; casting an evil eye on the fog bank, bemoaning any gust of wind while going about their work preparing for the big day. When the event finally arrived they had all bases covered. August 22nd was glorious and the town was beautiful. At 11:30 AM. the Cal Aggie Marching Band single filed down Highway One into position by the Post Office and the celebration commenced. I spent the day working in the Elk Store. I could hear the band but not the detail of the speeches, which is sort of the way I like it. Although, I was later told that the speeches were wonderful, especially the prayer by Jim Big Bear King. The Elk Volunteer Firemen were happy, the barbecue sold out and all the effort was worth it. The photos on display in the dining hall were real interesting and sparked lots of discussion. One photo of the "Class of '37" Greenwood school children led to a round up and it was discovered that five of the eleven school children were on hand plus the teacher, Ann Daniels! I got to meet various folks as they passed through the store. The one that sticks most in my mind was Kodiak Greenwood. About nine years old and history all the way. The town of Elk and especially the Greenwood Civic Club want to thank everyone for coming out and making it a historic day. The week before the celebration some folks showed up in their 1910 seven passenger Packard Touring car and stayed at Saint Anthony's point for several days. Since I caretake the place I got a good look and even a ride. Owner John Grundy, his wife Diane, Dr. John Morrison, and Gerry Tapland were decked out in long tailed dusters and appropriated head gear for visiting the coast. The car was discovered about twenty years ago pulling stumps in the Canadian Woods. John bought it, restored it and has driven across the country five times. For the first trip they loaded it into a 747 and flew with it to Montreal, Canada, then drove it to Tijuana, Mexico, then up to L.A. and back into another 747 for the flight to their home in Chicago. All of the rest of the trips have been on the road. Seattle to Philadelphia, Key West to Halifax, Pebble Beach, California to Jekyll Island, Georgia and Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon via Canada. While here, John disappeared into the far corner of the Elk Garage with Bob and Mel Matson and after some horse trading, reappeared with two magnetos, a head lamp for "something" and a spark plug of a type John had never seen before. Everyone had a great time and it is wonderful that John shares his time and talent by driving this beautiful car around the country. Well, one big wedding for Charlie and Rosie the 28th of August and one Great Day/Great Night September 12th and we can taper off for a long winter nap. I'm ready. September 3rd. The Roadhouse has closed for the season. Here it is the weekend before Labor Day and they close up. Everywhere else the stores are gearing up for the big weekend and in Elk we close down. That's what I like about this place, when I stop and think about it. People around here still have their priorities straight. Let Mendocino chase the gold ring and be a zoo. Of course it means I'm back to Cheerios and milk but that is the price I have to pay to live in paradise. The Roadhouse crew did a great job this year and after a short break head off in other directions. Sue Matson will be making school lunches for the Greenwood School. Sheryl Matson and Walt are moving to Tahoe. Jackie Thompson will be living in Santa Rosa. Kristi, Becky and Liza Matson and Isa Pederson will be back in school and Jerry Huckaby will have his feet up off the floor once again. Thanks for the smiling faces, wood fire, and hot coffee early in the morning. I'll be beating on your door next spring. Well, Charlie and Rosie did it. The wedding was beautiful and the bride a knockout. While bells rang softly in the back ground, kids climbed in the trees and soft fog enveloped us all, Charlie and Rosie exchanged vows, rings and kisses on the bluff above Greenwood Beach. It was a beautiful and uplifting occasion. Later we all gathered at the Community Center for a feast that had tables sagging from one end of the hall to the other and still later the dancing began with music from "Word of Mouth" which went on until early morn. What a great group of people and a wonderful collective send off for two friends on the path of marriage. Charlie and Rosie will be honeymooning on the Colorado River in the Lake Powell area of Utah, then back to Elk for the building of their nest. The Fireman's BBQ was real successful. Special thanks to Einar Matson for the "secret" Marinade, great beef and beans, Roff Barnett and Al Weaver on Grill, Steve Acker and Gary Moran on beans, the Greenwood Civic Club for their support, the crowd, all the firemen for the actual BBQ work and the ladies of Elk for the great desserts. Hopefully it can become an annual event. Now all we have left to do is Great Day/Great Night. I think everyone in the area is now involved in one way or another. If not, don't be shy, it is a great way to meet your neighbors. That is how I happened to find out that Elk is more than just a beautiful place. I got to meet the people that live here when I volunteered to wash dishes after a Saint Patrick's corned beef and cabbage feed. I thought I was just passing through on my way to L.A. That was five and a half years ago. Give Carolyn Carleton a call at 877-3540 and see what happens and if you have something you want to do in the Parade, call Rusty Gates at 877-3425. This Sunday, September 6th, there will be a work party at the Community Center and a "testing of the barbecue". Bring something pot luck like and a hammer or a helping hand. September 10th. Great Day/Great Night. Parade begins at 12:00. Get here early and find a spot somewhere between the Greenwood Lodge and the Community Center. Another important reminder is to get your dinner tickets in advance. The Elk Store has them. Two seatings; 5:30 and 6:45. If you have those two bases covered you should be all set for a great day. Bring your dancing shoes for Zulu Spear and you're set for a great night also. Del Wilcox just stopped by the store to make sure I mentioned the Raffle tickets. It seems it was forgotten in some of the press releases. There are over sixty prizes now, things like dinner for two, several overnight lodging for two in our local bed and breakfasts, a complete smoked Salmon, gift certificates and so on. The response has not been too hot so your chances are good. You can get them from Del Wilcox, 877-3204, the Elk Store and during the course of Great Day/Great Night. That is about all I know. I have been out of town on vacation for a week and got back just in time for my column deadline. Guess what I am going to write about? My summer vacation. Lolli and I had been wanting to drive the back roads of the Lost Coast for some time now and finally did it. We loaded up my VW bus with camping gear and headed North on Highway One. We turned off at the Usal turnoff, past Rockport, and disappeared for a week. Steep gravel grades, dense forests and breathtaking ocean views . We found we could pretty much pick our climate. On the ocean beaches it was cool and cloudy. One thousand feet up we would be driving in dense fog and five hundred feet above that we would be in hot sunshine. At night we camped on the ridges and during the day we explored the beaches. Needle Rock to Bear Landing was the first strip of beach we hiked. An old ranch house stands at Needle Rock and is now a ranger station and information center. Lots of pelicans and a few seals kept an eye on us as we walked along. I am amazed at the vistas this old ranch had and at the determination the people who built it must have had. Just putting in a road looks like a lifetime occupation. Reading a little about the history of the area though shows that it once was a bustling logging area with large meat, dairy and produce producing ranches and farms. Not much remains and nature has the upper hand once again. We swung through Whitethorn, which didn't take long, one store, one bar, both closed, then down to Shelter Cove. Shelter Cove was a surprise. I expected a small stormbattered fishing village. Instead we found an airport surrounded by development tracts, fire hydrants, underground wiring installed, curbed and blacktop lanes and cul-de-sacs with realestate signs everywhere. Some of the prime spots had expensive homes already in place. Not my cup of tea. Now, Petrolia, that's my kind of place. I felt like I was back in Elk. Friendly people, wood floored general store with a little bit of everything in it, Post Office with a talkative postmistress. People sitting outside in the sun with coffee in hand, catching up on what is going on. We found a lot more but you will have to go find it for yourself, I'm running out of space. One last comment. Returning to Elk brought tears to my eyes. Only one other town ever did that, L.A., but for completely different reasons. September 17th. Great Day/Great Night was a fourteen hour non-stop party. For those who helped put it on, the party started months ago! I missed a lot of the day time activities because I was on duty at the Elk Store during the afternoon, but I did get to watch the "best ever" parade go by and I helped frantic folks from the committee who would rush into the store for those last minute items and "more ice". Ruth Liljeberg was Grand Marshal at the front of the parade. The Cal Aggie Band was hot. The Philo Yacht Club had a marvelous ship being chased by a six foot Abalone (Hap Talman). Connor Bird looked like the last of the rough riders. A fire truck full of kids, then a moment of silence as the Greenwood Temperance Society made their chaste progress along the route. Frank Schmidt and friend made their appeal for Jesus. A herd of kids on bikes, skateboards, scooters and go carts, a lady in a bathtub and the whole shebang turned the corner and headed for the Community Center as I returned to selling groceries. I caught up with the going-ons in time for the second seating for barbecue salmon. Great dinner! The crew out back slaving away over the charcoal and the kitchen just spinning around. When it was all over, all they had left was a few ears of corn. After dinner everyone was sitting around digesting and discussing when a commotion starts up in the parking lot. We rushed out to find the Maverick Marching Band at full strength, playing away in the dark. What an amazing scene. Are they great or what? Next I got to looking at the sound system John Sargent had set up for Zulu Spear. His own twenty channel mixing board, sound equalizers, amps, speakers and all kinds of gizmos I had never heard of before. He told me he had "analyzed the room" and tuned the sound system to match. I remember trying to hear the sound track when we use to show movies in the Community Center, all I could say was "good luck". Well, he did it. When Zulu Spear came on the place was wall to wall bodies, yet you could hear every note. They were clear, crisp and even next to the speakers you weren't blown away. An amazing job and the band outdid itself. Bill Edison's Firehouse Bar was an event in itself. The walls were covered with panels left over from Christo's fence. Bill had potted plants, picnic tables, mood lights, and a cheerful staff. Bill stayed up way past his usual bedtime. By now I fully understood "cumulative effect"! The Thirteenth Annual Great Day/Great Night was history. The weather had been perfect. The turn-out was fantastic. The residents of this little community had done an amazing thing once again. Now for that long winter nap. Meanwhile, back in the "real" world. Saturday September 26th, College of the Redwoods will sponsor a "Symposium on Offshore Oil Development" at Cotton Auditorium in Fort Bragg. The Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service is scheduled to release the Draft Environment Impact Statement for Lease Sale 91 in early September. That includes us folks. Watch for more details in your local papers. September 24th. I'm happy to report that nothing is going on. All is quiet on the western edge. Great Day/Great Night is over and the clean up is almost complete. The only negative things I heard about was the Zulu Spear spears and shields turned up missing and that Mel and Jane Matson got turned away from the sold out Salmon dinner. Other than that it was our greatest party ever. Looking for something to write about I checked with Bob Matson, our Fire Chief. He said we did have one fire call but Albion beat us to it. Ray Yates, in Albion, intercepted the call and got the jump on us. I had to drive up to Fort Gagg last Monday and it brought to mind a passage in one of my favorite books. The community the author refers to is different but the situation sure seems the same. Let me read you a bit of it; "During Joe's three years in Chamisaville, the construction snafus from one end of town to the other had defied at least his imagination. Without exception, from January to December, all of the town's main arteries and public gathering places were clogged by road crews, asphalt cutters, Jackhammer drillers, back hoe operators, sewage technicians, bewildered hard-hats manning bilge pumps, and befuddled macadam engineers slopping down hot mixes. You couldn't travel one hundred feet in Chamisaville without hitting a detour sign. Roads freshly paved in June were dug up in July, resurfaced in August, and chopped to smithereens in September. Getting from place A to Place B in the rustic burg invariably entailed zigzagging through a veritable minefield of construction boondoggles so impenetrable and uncircumnavigable as to try the sanity of even the hardiest maze runner. What puzzled Joe was that Chamisaville had a very limited number of roads to maintain. Yet the variations on the excavations, sewage and waterline, pothole-patrol, widening, deepening, curbing, grading, regrading, and degrading themes that could be played by a relatively finite bunch of dedicated state and local highway sadist was infinite. Hence, when Joe steered onto the plaza, he had to run a slalom course between festering wheelbarrows, blinker barricades, smudge pots, sump pumps, and signs announcing that his tax dollars were at work for a better America." Ring a bell? This was taken from "Nirvana Blues" by John Nichols. Part of his, "Milagro Bean field War", trilogy. Well, what else can I mention? Isabel and Kendrick are due back from a vacation in France. You wondered why it has been so quiet around town. I am going to change jobs; from selling groceries at the Elk Store to turning wrenches at the Elk Garage. When I mentioned this to Ramone he asked if I knew much about cars? I said "a little bit". He said I should fit in just fine! I have noticed that most everyone's woodpile have gained size and that Orion is back in the early morning sky. |