Korkowski kudos

Bev and Cliff Korkowski attended the Wobegon Trail dedication on Sunday and sent along this note:
I read John Herdan's write-up, about his Jazz.Combo appearance in Osakis, and wanted to give him and his group some kudos.
His kids are outstanding, and there was one little gal, just now going into 8th grade, who could make that sax smoke. She was just a little thing but the sound that came out of that sax was nothing but BIG!!
John did a great job of having each player in the limelight for a bit so everyone had to feel good about themselves. It was great to see many familiar faces from the Alexandria area enjoying what was a perfect summer day.
Bev Roers Korkowski

Bev is right. The girl impressed Chuck and Al Lieffort (Douglas County Parks guy) so much they asked her to play with them. So John, who is this eighth grade girl in your band?

John writes:
Stan,
The little girl with the big sound is Sarah. She indeed is a brand new 8th grader at Sts. Peter Paul and Michael Middle School. She comes from a very musical and incredibly supportive family. She plays in Jazz.Combo, my middle school group, Crusader Jazz, and also plays with the other all-star jazz groups in town. She not only practices but she listens to what I say and takes advice. She listens to all kinds of jazz music and is very knowledgeable about jazz music. All students should be like that. She's a perfect player to be in the band with my son who is a monster player because he knows he can't back off because Sarah will gain ground on him. It will be fun to see where both of them are in 10 years.
John

Set sail on the Wobegon Trail

Our St. Cloud correspondent, John Herdan, was Johnny on the Spot Sunday morning with his Jazz.Combo at the Osakis end of the new 50-mile Wobegon Trail. Most boomers can remember taking the Great Northern from Alexandria to Minneapolis. Now you can take your bike at least as far as St. Cloud on the same right-of-way. The railroad ties have been replaced by a nice smooth bituminous path to cushion your 60-year-old bottom.

Garrison Keillor was the big hoop-ti-do at Sunday's event (above). He saw John's song written in honor of the new trail and confessed to some professional jealousy in an autograph.

Our high school speech teacher Bill Riggs played his trumpet. His wife, Ann Falvey Riggs, as well as Bev Roers Korkowski and her husband, Cliff, were in the crowd.

Here's John's report:
Stan,

Sorry we missed you. We were in Osakis by 10:00 a.m. and set up to play at 11:00. In the crowd were Cliff and Bev (Roers) Korkowski. As it turns out Cliff went to school with one of the best known teachers at Cathedral who is also coach of our state championship baseball team, Bob Karn. Bev recognized my family from the wedding pictures you posted.

Since all of our kids go to school in the St. Cloud area we thought it was only appropriate that we have a guest artist who was a graduate of St. Cloud Tech, Bill Riggs (left). Ann was also in attendance.

We played early and Garrison came late, on his bike, but several of us did connect with him. Later on that evening he was back in Avon (long after your picture was taken but within two blocks of where you were). He is part owner of Fisher's Club which is where my son frequently plays. The house band was playing for the last time this summer so the place was packed. All of the Stearns County guys were there with Garrison. I got to chat with him for a few minutes and got a really nice compliment from him on my "Wobegon Trail" song.

Out of the day, we got two bookings, one at Fisher's Club, and one in Alex next summer at a new summer concert series to be held on Thursday evenings. We'll let you know when.

THE WOBEGON TRAIL

(Sung to the tune of "Route 66")

If you ever plan to cycle west

Travel my way,

Take the highway that is best --

Set sail on the Wobegon Trail.

It winds from St. Joseph to Osa......kis,

More than 47 miles all the way.

Set sail on the Wobegon Trail.

Now you go through Saint Joseph,

Collegeville and St. John’s,

and Avon City Beach is mighty pretty.

You see downtown Albany,

Freeport and old Melrose,

Memoryville, Sauk Centre

Don’t forget West Union,

Then you come to beautiful Osakis.

Won’t you get hip to this timely tip:

When you make that westward cycling trip

Set sail on the Wobegon Trail.

John

Anything from Lake Wobegon, John?

The trailhead in Avon was vacant when the trailboss stopped by Sunday a.m. on his way to the Sevey Open in Alex. No one was there for the dedication of the Wobegon Trail yet. And the Jazz dot Combo was probably still having a big breakfast. At nightfall, streets were still blocked in Osakis as the trailboss made his way home to Shakopee Sunday night. There were bikers aplenty on the trail. So John. Did The Man show up? Bloggers want to know. File your report.

The Sevey Open, 2007

Photos by Tom Obert and Stan Rolfsrud

Mary Jane Arendt Black and Bruce Black waited patiently in the flowers at Hole No. 1 for their chance to tee off Sunday afternoon. The Blacks joined Betty and Perry Butcher in a blistering round on a windy afternoon on the beautiful Alexandria Golf Course, home of The Resorters... and Tom Lehman... and Tom Obert.

(Top left) Beetle (Mary Anne Hibbard Estenson), Sara Smith Sevey, Marilyn Olson. Top right, Dave and Bonita Olson Gilbertson; Melissa McPhee (Jim's wife), Gerard (Marilyn's husband -- what's his last name again? Sorry. The cub didn't have it either.), Betty Larson Butcher; Bottom right, Marilyn Olson exhibits great form.

Top left, trailboss draws a bead on the cub; Bonita, Diane Hoffman O'Brien, Kathy Sherry Skadsberg. Lower left. Okay 65ers. That's a ringer from Sioux Falls on the left, seated with her pal who was possibly the cutest cheerleader in the Jefferson senior class when we were sophomores. Give up? Mary Berglin, of course, also that year's Dairy Princess. She golfed Sunday with Bobby Watson's foursome and was most welcome. The Sevey Open is open to anybody who considers themselves to be a boomer; speaking of Sevey, that's her taking a whack on No. 3, watched by Melissa McPhee. Creeping up in the golf cart is Byron Peterson.

"I wanna be.. Bobby's girl, I wanna. . ."

Today's Sevey Open drew about 20 Alexandria High School boomers, mostly from the Class of 1965. Sara Smith Sevey organized another fabulous outing for her classmates, assisted by Tom Obert, a member of the Alexandria Golf Club, site of the event. Details later, when the cub reporter makes them available. Above is Sevey with her driver, Bobby Watson, in his classic baby blue convertible, perfect for today's class event.

There's Betty Larson Butcher's husband, Perry, tooling around with Byron Peterson in Byron's 1929 street rod, the "Main Street Express." Maybe Bobby and Byron can get us some details on the vintage autos. Click on the photo to enlarge.

More photos to come: Mary Jane and Dave Black plotting strategy; Betty Larson with trumpet; Marilyn Olson's golf set up; Bonita Olson Gilbertson keeping score in Dave's custom golf cart; the cutest senior cheerleader when we were sophmores, and much more.

(Personal note to Jim Sevey. Everything's cool. It was the darn trailboss's big idea to have Sara sit by Bobby for the photo op and he's the one who came up with the headline. Sara did a great job handling the event, but we did miss you. Next time?)

Fort Alexandria hosts big sing

Mikko Cowdery, with Patty Kakac, charmed the crowd this week on another beautiful free concert night at the famous Fort Alexandria. Above, the bashful cub photographer took a shot in the rear. (That's his camera bag and shoes in the foreground.) Notice, third row, left to right, what may be David Overly, Brian Berglund, Sara Sevey Smith, Ruth Helie, Harland Hoffland, and others too obscured to identify, but possibly Lorlee Bartos, Mark and Karen Benson and Sue and Karl Tegland, taking in the night air. We looked everywhere, but could not spot Diane Hoffman or Betty Larson, although both are said to be in town and are music lovers but may have been missed in this view of the crowd. Earlier, Paul Strandberg was rumored to have given the warm up monologue, doing a bit that went, "You know you're a Lutheran when. . ."* The trailboss will be in Alexandria this weekend to visit his mother (she's doing really well, they say) and to verify this secondhand information. Reports Monday.

*Full text of Strandberg's Monologue:
You know you're a Lutheran when

*You hear something really funny during the sermon and smile as loudly as you can;
*Donuts are a line item in the church budget, just like coffee;
*The communion cabinet is open to all, but the coffee cabinet is locked up tight;
*All your relatives graduated from a school named Concordia;
*When you watch a 'Star Wars' movie and they say, "May the Force be with you", you respond, 'and also with you'
* It takes ten minutes to say good-bye.

Another prize winner from Lorlee's gallery

Lorlee Bartos writes: This is the photo I entered in the "On My Own Time Art Show" at my office. Dallas Business Committee for the Arts sponsors it and there are shows at about 30 companies around town. They are judged by outside judges and winners are shown at a show at the North Park Mall in September.

Well, anyway -- this photo won "Best in Show"

I have also entered photos in the State Fair -- but this is really a stiff competition so we shall see.

Good Luck at the Fair, Lorlee! TB

Michael's bride

Katie Marie

John Herdan writes: Thought I'd pass on some pictures from our son Michael's wedding last weekend. He married a great young lady from Maple Grove, Katie Hoversten. We now officially have two Katie Marie Herdans.

Group photo, click to enlarge:
Front: Katie Marie 1, Judy, John, Katie Marie 2, Jennifer. Back: David, Stephen, and Michael

Congratulations Katie Marie and Michael!

This is John and Judy Herdan at their son, Michael's wedding, last weekend. There are a couple more wedding photos to come when the trailboss gets a chance. John said he felt it was time to bump the naked guy. In the meantime, here's an annoucement about this weekend from John. --Trailboss

Update on Wobegon Trail ride
Thought I'd let you know about an event coming up next Sunday , the 26th, in the Alex area. The Lake Wobegon Trail (the old Great Northern Railroad tracks) has now been finished all the way from St. Joseph to Osakis where it turns into the Central Lakes Trail. They are having a party to celebrate the completion in downtown Osakis.
My all-star jazz band, JazzDotCombo is representing the St. Joseph end of the trail. We are opening the party by playing from 11:00 a.m. to around noon. Even people golfing at the Sevey Open at the Alexandria Golf Club that day could make it to this part.

Here's the Echo story:

08/22/2007

Two major hiking trails will finally connect and the celebration begins this Sunday, August 26 at 11 a.m. in Osakis.
Osakis is roughly the half-way point between Alexandria and Sauk Centre at the Central Lakes Trailhead and connecting point for the Lake Wobegon Trail.
Hundreds of bicyclists and bladers along with walkers and joggers are expected to join the festivities and greet Minnesota’s most famous resident of Lake Wobegon – Garrison Keillor.
It’s OK to arrive by car, truck, motorcycle, horse or other legal means of conveyance.
The linkage of the two trails creates a 120-mile uninterrupted paved surface through Minnesota’s scenic prairies, rolling hills, woods, creeks, rivers and lakes.
Local residents have dubbed it a “Pretty Good Trail Connection” and have laid out a series of events beginning at 11 a.m., which they say are worthy of the attention brought by Minnesota’s most famous non-existent place.
Events include the following:
• Live music on an outdoor stage in downtown Osakis featuring the Acoustic Cats, a jazz combo, Skilly and Duff with Mikko Cowdery, and The Gordon Men’s Chorus.
• Bicycling with Jake of The Bike and Fitness Company of Alexandria and Dave Simpkins of the Sauk Centre Herald who will lead the biking convoys from their respective towns to meet in Osakis. (Local information: jake@bikeandfitnessco.com or davespimpkins@saukherald.com.)
Water for the bicyclists will be provided by First National Bank of Osakis.
• Other “above-average” fun stuff includes a rhubarb pie-eating contest, kayaking and pontoon rides on Lake Osakis, a bicycle parade, free use of a bicycle and sidewalk sales.
• Food available includes powdermilk biscuits from Just Like Grandma’s, ribs and pork from Osakis Meats and Deli plus specials at Osakis versions of the Chatterbox Café.
For more informat ion, contact the Osakis Chamber of Commerce at (320) 859-3777 or 1-866-784-8941 or jan@visitosakis.com.

John Herdan

Pomp & Circumcision

In a shameless attempt to improve ratings on this blog and stimulate the submission of more appropriate content, we present this photograph taken by our friend, Nancy, at the Burnsville graduation ceremonies in June. She was seated calmly in the audience, observing the traditional exercises when her husband jabbed her in the ribs, urgently whispering, "take a picture, take a picture." As streaking pictures go, we think this one earns high marks, taken at the peak of a joyful leap without exposing enough to lose its PG rating. You may click on the image to enlarge it and examine the expressions of the audience, some of whom have also raised their cameras, if not their eyebrows. Others shade their eyes for a better view.
Graduation ceremonies ain't like they were in 1965.

Now, people, send the trailboss@swpub.com something more to use.

Summertime in Vacationland USA

Kathy and Will Skadsberg are in town for their annual vacation at Betsy Ross Resort on Lake Ida. Professor Doctor Colonel Tom Kiehne (and brother Jerry, class of '63) is in town again because of his mom's continuing serious health issues (she is back home from the hospital now). The Col. and and the cub reporter paid a visit to the Skadsberg's Ida abode this afternoon - and the prof. paid a visit to his parents' previous Lake Ida home, which was only one block down the road from the resort. The visit was made possible because the doctor, who has been an aged 60 for several months, wrenched his back playing golf yesterday with Jerry, and was unable to keep his golf date with the cub today! (Photo courtesy of the Skadsberg's eldest daughter, Stephanie.)

August storm bullies through Alex

Eighty mph winds hit Alexandria last week. Trees were down everywhere, the cub reporter reports. Cedar and Douglas Streets on the city grid (where these photos were taken) were particularly hard hit - the tree that landed on the house was on Douglas (couldn't tell how much damage was done to the house). Jim Hafdal, on Lake Darling, had his pontoon lift, with the pontoon in it, completely flipped over. Geez. Maybe it is time to take one of those Betty Larson tours and get out of town for a while.

Sara Sevey, soon to be in town to host the annual Sevey Open at the Alexandria Golf Course, writes:

We lived at 13th and Cedar with the tallest fir tree in Alex. The people who bought the house from us cut down that tree and it's probably a good thing that they did.
See you soon,
Sara

An item from our television correspondent

Diane O'Brien, who covers the entertainment and television scene for the class blog, reminds readers that Channel 5 will repeat its Jason Davis episode on the Alexandria Boat Museum tonight.

Clouds no saints, bedeviled the trailboss's cable

John Herdan sent these pictures. They would have been posted earlier, but the trailboss lost his internet connection in the nasty storm that John was watching from the safety of St. Cloud last night. That was bad enough, but it also took away the PGA coverage for a while today, because the internet provider is also the cable guy.

Our St. Cloud weather observer writes:
Here are a couple of pictures I took Saturday night of the storm going through the twin cities. The pictures were taken from my back yard (on HILL street) in St. Joseph. The one on the bottom taken at 7:40 when the storm was over the Twin Cities. The one on top was taken later at 8:20 after it had moved on to Faribault and into Wisconsin.

Who knew?

You learn something new about your classmates every day. The following article appeared in the St. Cloud Times. Bandmeister John Herdan, it seems, is a big race fan.

Andretti revs up another crowd

By Ben Birnell

bbirnell@stcloudtimes.com
Published: August 08. 2007
John Herdan cradled a green photo album in his arms like it was a precious gift.
Andretti signs a mechanic’s toolbox during a promotional event at Highway 10 Tire & Auto on Tuesday. Inside were countless photographs of well-known auto racing drivers that Herdan had taken over the years. But there was one photo Herdan had waited more than 35 years for the chance to be autographed.
This particular photo, taken in 1971 at a race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., features racing legend Mario Andretti in a seven-liter engine Ferrari.
Herdan, a 59-year-old racing fan from St. Joseph, met Andretti in the past but never got the opportunity to have the photo signed.
He finally got the chance Tuesday afternoon.
Andretti, 67, was in St. Cloud as part of a promotional appearance for the Highway 10 Tire and Auto store’s grand opening festivities.
Herdan was second in line to meet Andretti.
“He (Andretti) looked at the photo and said, ‘Wow, I remember this,’” said Herdan, who has been a racing fan since he was about nine years old. “It is very special to me to get the photo signed.”
Herdan was part of a throng of people to show up and meet the legendary driver.
About 20 minutes before Andretti’s appearance at 2 p.m., fans and admirers formed a line that eventually weaved outside to the store’s parking lot.
“He’s got a great family tradition of racing,” said Bob Siemers, 64, who was waiting in line to get a picture of him and Andretti autographed. “He’s a great driver and a really nice guy.”
Officials said they expected about 1,000 people to meet Andretti during the two hours he was scheduled to be at the store.
He said he has met a lot of his fans over the years he has been involved with racing. It is a career that has taken him around the world.
“I love meeting the fans,” said Andretti, who began his racing career in the 1950s. “They’re all welcoming and they make you feel good inside.”
Herdan said he remembers Andretti racing in an event in 1968 at Brainerd International Raceway.
“Obviously, I must have been through (St. Cloud) then,” Andretti said. “I’ve covered a lot of ground over the years and I can’t remember if we were or not. But, I’ve raced in Minnesota quite a bit.”
Andretti, who was named the Driver of the Century by The Associated Press in 1999, won the Indianpolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Formula One World Championship during his career. He retired in 1994.
Andretti said the major championships are what he remembers the most about his career.
“It’s all about results and the highlights are usually the championships I’ve won,” said Andretti, who was born in Italy. “I’ve been very, very fortunate. I was lucky to race for many years and I loved every second of it.”
Since retiring, Andretti has remained busy.
Besides the promotional appearances, he keeps himself entertained with a number of business ventures. Among them are a winery in Napa Valley, Calif., a petroleum business, several car dealerships, a racing school in Las Vegas, and a go-carts facility near Atlanta. He also serves as a spokesman for a number of corporations.
“You could probably say I’m busier now than when I was racing,” said Andretti with a smile. “There are a lot of things I’m doing that keep me away from home and keep me on the road. But, they’re all things I enjoy.”

Fog Over Brophy

Cub reporter submits photo art for your approval.

(No, really. He really wants your approval.)

The cub's digital camera got a workout this past week at the Resorter's Golf Tourney. Unfor-tunately, the cub couldn't capture any of the action, apparently bowing to the traditional rule that you don't make noise or take pictures during a backswing. And, of course, it requires extraordinary youthful reflexes to squeeze quick enough to get action after that.

Fortunately, nature is much more cooperative and our trainee is showing an excellent eye right at the end of the dock, which is apparently as far as he ventures into the natural world.

Let's examine these additions to his body of work. The sunrise in the fog over Lake Brophy is a muted, soft rendering of mid-summer morning hues, using an oaken frame to highlight unusual ocre and periwinkle tints.

We're not sure, but we think the spider piece is intended as a political statement protesting the ubiquity of the w.w.w.

Or maybe not. It could be just a spider web by the dock.

---

Comment from the St. Cloud correspondent:

What was the cub reporter doing on the west side of Lake Brophy at that time of the morning? Did he get up that early or was he on his way home from the winery? Was it really that foggy or did it just look that way through his eyes?

Actually, it's a great picture as is the spider picture. Kudos to the cub reporter!

John Herdan

Chris McCabe's father dies

John L. McCabe, a long-time resident of Alexandria, passed away July 27, 2007.
John was born September 27, 1921 in Alexandria to Dr. John A. and Elizabeth (Ginther) McCabe.
John attended Alexandria schools where he played basketball and graduated from Central High School in 1939. After high school he was employed at Northwest Airlines as a flight dispatcher in Alaska.
Prior to enlisting in the Navy, he was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Sybil Myklebust.
With his brother Chris, he started the McCabe Brothers Camera Store and later expanded it to include the Hallmark line and gifts. After 35 years of business, he and Sybil continued to live in Victoria Heights and spent winters in Marco Island, Florida. He loved spending time with his family, working in the yard, planting trees, traveling and recording all kinds of music.
John was a caring, loving father and a devoted husband. His many friends and family always enjoyed his quick wit. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Tena; and his sister, Lois Anderson. John is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Sybil; children, Cheryl McCabe, Chris (Terry) McCabe, Mike (Peggy) McCabe, Peggy McCabe, Terri (Mike) Steidl; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; brother, Chris McCabe; and a sister, Mary Kelly.
A Memorial Mass was held July 30 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria with the Rev. Fred Fink officiating. Carol Hughes and Laurie Youngers provided music.
Inurnment was at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers were John’s 11 grandchildren, John Doring, Heidi Doring, Chris McCabe, Jeff McCabe, Andy McCabe, Adam McCabe, Mike McCabe, Shannon Nordby, Sam Steidl, Tom Steidl and Katy Steidl.
Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria is in charge of arrangements. (Reprinted from the Echo Press.)