The thing is that we had some good political friends. They ranged all through the state and they ranged into the feds. I don’t know where those are now. I worry a lot about the leadership in the regional office, because I don’t see it there. I see that more as a political agenda, somewhat self-serving, as opposed to a commitment to a cause.
Do you think it’s hurt somewhat by Seattle being so far away and there may not be the commitment because we seem to be secondary [to the needs of other parks]?
No. You’re only secondary if you want to be secondary. In one sense, the political process can only help you because you can make life so damn miserable for them. If you want to sit back at Crater Lake and let the world go by you, Seattle is going to be very willing to let that happen. They’ve proved that for a bazillion years. Obviously, the area around Portland is more central [to political power in Oregon]. But if you want to sit back and let it go by, they’ll sure let you. Again, are you going to get in there? Every time you stick your nose out, every time you assume one of these leadership roles, you’re going to get burned. There’s no question about it, You’re going to get slapped around and you’re gonna get burned. And you’re going to get criticized, and a lot of people don’t like to do that. Being a superintendent is not a pleasant life if you want to do it right. It may be wonderfully self satisfying, but not pleasant. You take a lot of abuse.
Was there a lot regional office support for the changing of the road system back to a two way?
Absolutely not.
So that was really a park-driven decision?
It was a superintendent-driven decision (25). The road went one way for a while, then it went the other way one way for while, then it was this, then it was that. It’s changed a million times. But nobody never ever went and looked at it. So hell, we just went back and got hold of good maps, and we had the state look at it from the standpoint of safety of vehicles and two-way traffic. And we got the federal highways to look at it. They said it was no problem. So, if it ain’t a problem, then let’s go do it.
So that would underline your point about going ahead and not letting the world go by?
Yes. If you just like to sit down there and let it happen, it’ll let it happen. But if you want to go out there and say, “Well, bullshit, let’s find out what the truth is.” The truth was the road had its problems, but there was no way that it could not effectively be used as a two-way road. Once you had that, as a fact, not based on some idiot superintendent, but on people who know highways, then, heck, once you have that go do it.
