Happy 150th, Oregon

[Bill in Oregon]

Well, today marks the 150th anniversary of statehood for Oregon, a process begun by Robert Gray, Jefferson and Lewis and Clark, the Astorians, Jedediah Smith and his exploring party and completed by the thousands who risked all for a new start 2000 miles west of Independence, Mo., at the end of the Oregon Trail, where they raised homesteads among the Metis and retired Hudsons Bay trappers at the northern end of the Willamette Valley. It took gumption, sweat, tears and dreams and I believe it paid off. I was 6 years old for the Oregon Centennial in 1959, and will not live to see the bicentennial. But I love this place and respect the men, women and children who went before me to make Oregon a reality.
My low-crowned hat is off, and I bow deeply to the dreamers who ignored the risks to listen to the whispers of their inner children.
May we all have ears to hear ...

[kimwcook]

Hip, hip, hoorah! Hip, hip, hoorah! Hip, hip, hoorah! And we all empty our mugs or take a pull, whichever fits your fancy.

[marlinman93]

We did the kazoo version of Oregon My Oregon!

[cowboykell]

Heard on Fox News they want to raise the beer tax in Oregon by 1900%.

[jdad]

Heard on Fox News they want to raise the beer tax in Oregon by 1900%.

That's why we call our esteemed governor Ted "Tax & Gouge Me" Kulongoski.

[marlinman93]

Yea, microbrew capital of the world and idiot governor wants to run our #1 business out of business! Widmer Bros. said their end alone would amount to $4 million a year in tax increases!

[jeepnik]

Well happy birthday you northerners. Now as you have always been so polite to me when I visited from California, you all, and go back home. Besides the fellow in the F350 hauling the fifth wheel, traveling 75 in the fast lane, and swaying over two lanes at that on Friday, brought all this rain with him. And the Oregon cop got irritate that a Californian (his words) though the could drive 70 like we do in California. Yep, wonderful place to visit, if it weren't for the way they treat you.

[marlinman93]

At least he didn't ask if you had any fresh fruit in the 5th wheel!

[Bill in Oregon]

Or make you wait two weeks to buy a shotgun to kill the rattlesnake on the porch.