Farewell to an old friend - 300,000 miles later

A close friend and companion moves into semi-retirement from the Trib Thursday.

She's had considerable staff and personal hours since 2002. She's been on assignment at a Washington State University Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena, Calif., and has been at Seattle Mariners spring training in Peoria, Ariz.

She's been on scores of ski trips to McCall's Brundage Mountain and other Northwest ski areas. She's been a faithful companion to fly fishing runs on the Lochsa River, Kelly Creek above the North Fork of the Clearwater River and up and down the St. Joe River east of St. Maries. She's been present at sailing regattas twice each year, the annual Tribune Cup at Silcott in September and the Payette Cup at McCall each June.

She's a Duck fan, too, having been on annual treks to Eugene for University of Oregon football games at Autzen Stadium. Trips to Portland and Seattle have almost been on auto-pilot. She's a fan of the Oregon Coast. She even attended a week of events at the Winter Olympics outside Salt Lake City in 2002.

Last Wednesday afternoon, the 2002 Ford Explorer turned 300,000 faithful miles, and now she'll go from the Tribune to semi-retirement at the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, serving two or three days a week on circulation deliveries to WSU. She's happy she'll be of service.

Immediately upon turning 300,000 miles, the Explorer stopped on the U.S. Highway 95 road shoulder six miles short of reaching the Cottonwood turnoff, and accepted our hearty congratulations.

The only disappointment was what this driver had hoped: The 300K mark would best have come 18 miles farther. That would have been on the Johnston Road bypass of Grangeville, taking the cutoff because no lunch stop, gas fill-up or visit was planned at Grangeville, while on the road to McCall, the cabin and Brundage Mountain.

Why would Johnston Road have been emotionally pleasing? It would have been near the Johnston Ranch, from which came one of my favorite letters to the editor to the Tribune many years ago.

The Johnston letter said something like this: We help a number of Lewiston-Clarkston drivers who can use some roadside assistance. We welcome such visitors who need help and they're all welcome, other than those from the Lewiston Tribune. I loved that Johnston humor. I always make note of it when taking Johnston Road en route to McCall or Boise or Idaho Falls or Salt Lake.

She's been a close companion at work and at play. Faithful and dependable. Hardly ever a hiccup. The Hemly Rule has religiously been followed: Whether 2,000 or 7,000 miles, have the engine oil changed. She's been warm in the cold, cool in the heat. American made.

Who could ask for more?

Her replacement has been waiting since New Year's Eve. My guess is that the new Explorer will also be a close friend capable of another 300,000 miles. But will I have another 300,000?

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Alford is president of Tribune Publishing, the parent company of the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News. He may be contacted at alajr@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2250.