By BEN OLSON/for The Herald — 4/20 is coming up this weekend. If you understand the significance of the date, you may be living in Oregon for a reason other than “for the magnificent scenery”.
Legend has it that, in 1971, 5 students would meet every afternoon at the Louis Pasteur statue on the San Rafael High School campus at 4:20 in the afternoon. There they would smoke marijuana. It was very illegal then, but they didn’t care much about that aspect. In 1991, High Times magazine wrote a feature article about the participants, and 4/20 became established as a counter-culture holiday. Most of the states that have a highway long enough to have a mile marker 420 find them missing as soon as they’re replaced. Colorado now features a milepost, 419.99.
Because I am a musician, I occasionally run into other musicians who “toke up” or smoke “reefers”. I’ll admit it, I tried it once, but I didn’t exhale. That probably explains a few things. Now for the events taking place on this holiday for which no one gets a paid day-off.
Adult burlesque at Willamette Lanes this weekend
The Timber Vixens will be serving up burlesque with their “Smoke Show” this Saturday evening, appropriately on April 20. The show will be taking place at Willamette Lanes, 47707 Highway 58 in Oakridge. The doors will open at 6 pm, with adult beverages available, and the show starts at 7. This show, as expected, will feature scantily clad local women and themes not meant for children. You must be 21 years of age to attend. Advanced tickets are $20 and it’ll cost you $25 if you buy them the day of the show.
Corner bar and grill to have aliens this weekend
After having to cancel their show last month due to the band contracting one of the plagues that was going around, Alien Echo is feeling better and will be performing at the Corner Bar this Saturday. This 4 piece band was once known as Stoner, but felt they could tap into the extraterrestrial market with a name change. Doing almost all Jonathan Chiarella-penned original tunes, they also do some choice cover songs. The show is scheduled to begin as the crowd from the aforementioned Smoke Show makes its way uptown. The Corner Bar has all your favorite adult drinks and nightly food specials. They’re located on 1st Street with ample parking nearby.
Multi-talented Bim Jeam comes to the Crane
The 3 Legged Crane, also on 1st Street in Uptown Oakridge, will be presenting Bim Jeam this Friday, April 19. To my trained eye, the name appears to be a play on words. From his website, bimjeamandthesadness.com, I will quote, “When not busy playing R&B and blues with his band, Kevin Conness likes to put on a different hat and moonlight as an acoustic act, paying homage to some of his other influences that often get neglected. While he’s always been a fan of music that you can groove to, he also has a soft spot for old country, folk and blues.” The music is scheduled to begin at 7 pm. The 3 Legged Crane brews their own beer and has appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu.
Go ahead and ski anyway!
Willamette Pass Resort is still open, but contending with 2 issues- warm, snow melting conditions and spring-is-in-the-air and we have to (1) get the yard work done, (2) go yachting, (3) have a picnic, and anything else that this nice weather encourages. As of press time, I do not have the entertainment line-up for the weekend, but if people are skiing, you can bet there’ll be a guy with a guitar playing from noon until 3 pm in the Summit House Lounge. The Lounge has a full bar and appetizers, sandwiches and pizza on the menu. Willamette Pass Resort is located 25 miles east of Oakridge at milepost 62 on Highway 58.
Dexter Lake Club, just off Highway 58 by milepost 12 has been having entertainment on Friday evenings, and occasionally on Saturdays, but I didn’t receive the line-up by press time. They have a full bar, and the adjacent Rattlesnake BBQ has appetizers, sandwiches and dinners on the menu. To find out more, call 541 581 3000.
I lost my phone last week. After the initial panic, my world has become much more peaceful. I’ll probably make an effort to replace it this week.
Stop by and visit Ben at his wife’s wine bar. Oh, and tell him he’s needed at The Herald
I’ll be taking some time off from writing this column for a bit. I’ve been pretty busy with projects that require a lot of my time and energy. Don’t get me wrong- I’m not overwhelmed, in fact I’m barely whelmed at all. If you miss what I serve up in this column, you can find me, without much effort. I’ll be tinkering around the grounds of my wife’s Diamond Peak Wine Bar. Then I can, in person, pass along some of the kernels of wisdom that have occasionally found their way into my column. Thank you for reading what I write. Chances are good that this is just a sabbatical, and I’ll be back writing a column for the Highway 58 Herald again.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
📣 Support Your Local News Publication: Donate to Highway 58 Herald! 📣
The Highway 58 Herald is your trusted source for all things local, from community events to breaking news. But we need your help to keep delivering the stories that matter most to you. Your generous donation ensures we can continue providing in-depth reporting and vibrant coverage of our community.
Every dollar helps us maintain high-quality journalism and keep you informed. Please consider making a donation today and support the voice of our community. Donate today!
Thank you for helping us keep Highway 58 Herald strong and vibrant!
OFFICE SERVICES AVAILABLE: Copying, Scanning, Emailing & Faxing Services are now available at The Herald’s office in Oakridge.
