Alan has what passes for a view in this week's Cascadia Weekly - known to us political junkies as the Trillium Weakly. Alan writes a scathing guide to the Ski to Sea weekend. Alan, of course, is high above the peasants and their annual affair. But there is one item he wasted several inches of type on that I would like to enlighten him about. And perhaps he served a public service by motivating me to write of this. Alan gets morbid telling how impossible it is to find parking for the festival.
If you plan to enjoy the festival in Fairhaven - the It All Ends in Fairhaven festival - then you should know of a very fine solution to finding a parking place. A Park and Ride system runs from noon till 8:30 pm with plenty of free parking at the Western Washington University lots on 21st Street. The WTA runs their regular bus from the bus stop at the "C" lot straight to Fairhaven - a 5 minute ride every 15 minutes. Yes, they put on extra buses because of the heavy use on Sunday, May 25. The bus costs the regular fare - and WTA passes are valid.
This is the 6th year of the Park and Ride. It works. Use has increased each year, with last year breaking 1,000 persons using it. The drop point in Fairhaven is the corner of 12th and McKenzie - one block from the heart of the festival.
I doubt Alan can name any year that a "torrential rainstorm" interrupted the festival, although he writes of that. He even works the word "Nazi" into his article about Fairhaven. Sad. Alan, if you want to take the time to come down to our festival then use the Park n Ride, give me a call, and I'll buy you a drink in the Beer Garden. I'll enjoy a Red Hook draft but they have white wine - as I suspect that is your drink. My treat. Tim Paxton paid it forward a few years ago when he treated me to a much appreciated beer at the festival. You can relate to Tim, can't you Alan? Just ask him. It's a fun party. --++++++
Full disclosure time. For the past three years I have managed the Park and Ride service. It was started by Tim Imus. And it is a tribute to the four agencies I work with that they don't let my activism and sharp opinions get in the way of working with me on this green project. WTA, WWU, CofC and the Fairhaven Association. Alan, it works.
Comments by Readers
Tip Johnson
May 16, 2008I don’t know what Alan’s thinking. He oughta be encouraging folks to bus and ride their bikes to events like this, instead of whining about not enough parking. It almost sounds like he is promoting a parkade.
Anyway, thanks to John and whoever helped organize the park-and-ride system for this years event. It’s a great coordination of community resource for those, like out-of-towners, that have to drive. And I’ll bet it helps alleviate the rampant parking sprawl that usually extends throughout the neighborhoods for this event.
Let’s hope it gets all the promotion required to let folks know it’s available and make it a success. Everyone involved should get a little credit for thinking outside the box. Maybe we’ll see something in the Herald??
John Lesow
May 17, 2008Alan Rhodes is the best local writer that can write humor. Who at the Herald can write humor? Cut Alan some slack. Emmett Watson was our regional answer to Garrison Keillor, but he is not writing anymore.
Alan’s edge fits well in our overacerbic printed commentary on local issues. His article last year on the Lynden Fair was laugh-out-loud funny. Lighten up.
When was the last time any blogger wrote anything remotely humourous about a local, state or national issue? Other than the dreary, detatched irony that unfortunately passes for humor these days. I don’t agree with most of the local commentary from the uber-left Hate Bush mindset, but I let it go.
If Alan Rhodes were arrested for being a good writer, there would be plenty of evidence to convict him.
John Lesow