Greetings from Tropical Oregon

[18406ej]

Oregon's Willamette Valley is one hour from the Coast, 1 1/2 hours from Cascade Mountain snow skiing, two hours from the high desert, and six hours from the vast spaces and Swiss Alps-like Wallowa Mountains. In short, a hell of a place to live...except for the fact that our Winters have been balmy instead of freezing thanks to the El Niño effect. That ocean flow pattern is said to be changing however, so maybe this will be a colder year.

My first pickup was a '59 GMC long-bed stepside which cost all of $200 (the generous discount being thanks to a kind neighbor). Unfortunately the truck was sold during my college years when it came down to riding a bicycle or eating. Now I am searching for a replacement to fill the void left in my heart.

I am a recently retired police commander and former professional firefighter (Oregon's Public Employees Retirement System allows police/fire retirement at age 50), and now enjoy restoring antique Coleman and other brand-name camping appliances. I also restore air compressors- the types that weigh 500 pounds and which despite being decades old, will outlast your grandchildren.

Thank you to the developers of and contributors to this Forum, which has already served as a great source of information for me.

Eamon