Those with time to spare.
We sit inside an airconditioned craft beer hall, an A3 poster beside us advertises a re-enactment of the Frost/Nixon interview tonight at a nearby hall in Eugene for $19. Knowing the history, one of us would say yes as he loves that story. However, another A3 poster suggest's you can view 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the community park for free. The J's have it, for free it is. It is a fun play to see friendly local's act it out.
Winding our way further along the 101 we were hopeful for a well catered rest area to deposit some rubbish and make a toilet stop. A generic sign pointing to the left gave the symbol of a recognised picnic area. Applying the brakes heavily, we gave an apologetic wave of the hand to those behind us as we eased in to a small lane bordered by bush. What seemed liked a good five mile winding road made us question this option and if a U-turn would be better. We drove on as we had time to spare, we reached a cut away of bare grass, a small wooden hut, toilets to the right and a bin, perfect for us. While Jamie unloaded some rubbish and visited the toilet, Ian went towards the small hut to see what he could see.
The slight twang or hinge of an accent can mean so much between dialects. Particularly a common language as English, we know so many accents that carry it across the world. Upon entering, a friendly fellow in a khaki coloured uniform with a long white beard greeted me, "Hello" he said with a smile. "Welcome to the New River Nature Centre, feel free to look around." He offered.
With a nod of the head I responded in kind, "Cheers."
"Cheese?" he asked with a puzzling look. He almost turned around to see if I had spotted something he had not.
I attempted the same greeting, only this time slowed it down, "Cheeeerss."
Again he looks at me, now clearly aware I was not from around here, but nonetheless puzzled for why I kept asking him for cheese. I am well aware that even in Australian circles I carry a heavier than usual Aussie twang. So, I spell the word for him, "C.. H.. E.. E.. R.. S."
"OH!.... cheaRRs." He says and starts laughing. At this time, his doppelganger appears from around a corner, same uniform prescribed outfit, including khaki baseball cap, flowing long white beard with plenty of hair going sideways as much as it is reaching for the floor. The only difference I could see, this one held a mug of tea. "Hello," I say to him.
The cheese friend introduces himself as 'Roc' while the cup of tea carrier is 'Griff'. By now, Jamie has joined us and further the introductions.
We have come across a small hut no larger than a regular household loungeroom, within it is a splendid array of display's and diagrams, video screens and wildlife material laying about. We have appeared to have stumbled into the room containing all of the things Roc and Griff are dying to tell us about.
We start with the first table, Roc asks us if we can recognise any of the skinned animal hides. We name a few including skunk, squirrel, badger, possum and fox. The trickier ones are wild cat, elk and the mountain lion. As it turns out, the hut used to belong to an old lady many years ago and the municipality acquired it and turned it into a local information centre. Griff informs us it is only two miles from the highway even though it feels like five. We learn about the invasive foreign grasses that changed the landscape. The area we were on should be sand dunes but instead it has become grass land. This has meant the beach sand has now become one very large sand dune over 35 feet high and is preventing the small creeks from flowing where they once had. Griff was excited to tell us about the Pipe Plovers, it took him a little while to get one of the video screens to work but when it did, he talked us through each scene before it happened. His favourite was when the new born plover was walking around its nest and the shadow of a larger bird flies overhead, the little plover hunches down to the ground and sits still. "That's their only defence!" he exclaims, "they are so helpless." These plover's are losing a lot of habitat and need looking after.
Roc returns us to some more information about the nearby creeks, the local salmon and the cranberry farms. As we are keenly listening to Roc, Griff talks over the top of him, "The mushroom, I want to show them the mushroom." Roc finishes his review of the cranberry farms and we walk over to Griff who is standing behind a large glass bowl fit for a fish tank. It is half filled with dirt and in the centre a small red mushroom with white spots. "Don't worry," Griff says with a large smile on his face, "it's not real." As though we knew anything of what Griff was about to tell us of this mushroom in a bowl. Turns out this is a replica of a deadly mushroom that can grow in these parts. He begins telling us a story of how settlers were given these mushrooms and shown how to consume them by the native americans. Halucinations would follow and at one occasion they would see reindeer fly, which is where the idea of santa's flying reindeer came from. Listening to Griff, we were more engaged with his excitement of talking to us than the content of what he had to say. As Griff finished his tale, we gave some 'Oohs and Ahhs' then turned to Roc who had started up again.
By this stage we had completed our circle of the room and made our way back towards the door. Roc talked to us a little more about the information centre, their role there and how it had improved over the last couple of years. They often had small school groups come by and they loved interacting with the kids. We suggested some clearer signage along the highway might bring more visitors. They said they didn't like attracting too many people, they didn't like the type of people that came only for the toilets and weren't interested in the local fauna and environment. Roc told us they stayed in their campervans parked behind the building full time now to supervise the facility. It was their 'perfect retirement'. As we began our farewells, Griff made sure that we signed their visitors book, which we were all too happy to do. We walked outside together, Roc and Griff stood at the doorway to their hut, while we made our way to the van. We could have been there a month by the way Roc and Griff were farewelling us. We politely wound down our windows and waved goodbye as we pulled away.
We sit inside an airconditioned craft beer hall, an A3 poster beside us advertises a re-enactment of the Frost/Nixon interview tonight at a nearby hall in Eugene for $19. Knowing the history, one of us would say yes as he loves that story. However, another A3 poster suggest's you can view 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the community park for free. The J's have it, for free it is. It is a fun play to see friendly local's act it out.
Winding our way further along the 101 we were hopeful for a well catered rest area to deposit some rubbish and make a toilet stop. A generic sign pointing to the left gave the symbol of a recognised picnic area. Applying the brakes heavily, we gave an apologetic wave of the hand to those behind us as we eased in to a small lane bordered by bush. What seemed liked a good five mile winding road made us question this option and if a U-turn would be better. We drove on as we had time to spare, we reached a cut away of bare grass, a small wooden hut, toilets to the right and a bin, perfect for us. While Jamie unloaded some rubbish and visited the toilet, Ian went towards the small hut to see what he could see.
The slight twang or hinge of an accent can mean so much between dialects. Particularly a common language as English, we know so many accents that carry it across the world. Upon entering, a friendly fellow in a khaki coloured uniform with a long white beard greeted me, "Hello" he said with a smile. "Welcome to the New River Nature Centre, feel free to look around." He offered.
With a nod of the head I responded in kind, "Cheers."
"Cheese?" he asked with a puzzling look. He almost turned around to see if I had spotted something he had not.
I attempted the same greeting, only this time slowed it down, "Cheeeerss."
Again he looks at me, now clearly aware I was not from around here, but nonetheless puzzled for why I kept asking him for cheese. I am well aware that even in Australian circles I carry a heavier than usual Aussie twang. So, I spell the word for him, "C.. H.. E.. E.. R.. S."
"OH!.... cheaRRs." He says and starts laughing. At this time, his doppelganger appears from around a corner, same uniform prescribed outfit, including khaki baseball cap, flowing long white beard with plenty of hair going sideways as much as it is reaching for the floor. The only difference I could see, this one held a mug of tea. "Hello," I say to him.
The cheese friend introduces himself as 'Roc' while the cup of tea carrier is 'Griff'. By now, Jamie has joined us and further the introductions.
We have come across a small hut no larger than a regular household loungeroom, within it is a splendid array of display's and diagrams, video screens and wildlife material laying about. We have appeared to have stumbled into the room containing all of the things Roc and Griff are dying to tell us about.
We start with the first table, Roc asks us if we can recognise any of the skinned animal hides. We name a few including skunk, squirrel, badger, possum and fox. The trickier ones are wild cat, elk and the mountain lion. As it turns out, the hut used to belong to an old lady many years ago and the municipality acquired it and turned it into a local information centre. Griff informs us it is only two miles from the highway even though it feels like five. We learn about the invasive foreign grasses that changed the landscape. The area we were on should be sand dunes but instead it has become grass land. This has meant the beach sand has now become one very large sand dune over 35 feet high and is preventing the small creeks from flowing where they once had. Griff was excited to tell us about the Pipe Plovers, it took him a little while to get one of the video screens to work but when it did, he talked us through each scene before it happened. His favourite was when the new born plover was walking around its nest and the shadow of a larger bird flies overhead, the little plover hunches down to the ground and sits still. "That's their only defence!" he exclaims, "they are so helpless." These plover's are losing a lot of habitat and need looking after.
Roc returns us to some more information about the nearby creeks, the local salmon and the cranberry farms. As we are keenly listening to Roc, Griff talks over the top of him, "The mushroom, I want to show them the mushroom." Roc finishes his review of the cranberry farms and we walk over to Griff who is standing behind a large glass bowl fit for a fish tank. It is half filled with dirt and in the centre a small red mushroom with white spots. "Don't worry," Griff says with a large smile on his face, "it's not real." As though we knew anything of what Griff was about to tell us of this mushroom in a bowl. Turns out this is a replica of a deadly mushroom that can grow in these parts. He begins telling us a story of how settlers were given these mushrooms and shown how to consume them by the native americans. Halucinations would follow and at one occasion they would see reindeer fly, which is where the idea of santa's flying reindeer came from. Listening to Griff, we were more engaged with his excitement of talking to us than the content of what he had to say. As Griff finished his tale, we gave some 'Oohs and Ahhs' then turned to Roc who had started up again.
By this stage we had completed our circle of the room and made our way back towards the door. Roc talked to us a little more about the information centre, their role there and how it had improved over the last couple of years. They often had small school groups come by and they loved interacting with the kids. We suggested some clearer signage along the highway might bring more visitors. They said they didn't like attracting too many people, they didn't like the type of people that came only for the toilets and weren't interested in the local fauna and environment. Roc told us they stayed in their campervans parked behind the building full time now to supervise the facility. It was their 'perfect retirement'. As we began our farewells, Griff made sure that we signed their visitors book, which we were all too happy to do. We walked outside together, Roc and Griff stood at the doorway to their hut, while we made our way to the van. We could have been there a month by the way Roc and Griff were farewelling us. We politely wound down our windows and waved goodbye as we pulled away.
As mentioned previously, it would "make someone's day" if you photographed, (after asking permission) some characters you meet, like Roc and Griff.
ReplyDeleteThen added the pic to your blog.
ReplyDeleteLANDCARE!!! Everyone has it!
ReplyDelete