The Corn Cob story

The CornCob Campout

            CornCob's naming and it's claim to fame, derives from the idea for the camp-out. To have a tub of freshly picked, hot, sweet corn on the cob, cooking in a large community kettle, available to all  of the vanners 24 hours a day, all weekend long! That's right, anytime you like, you can walk over and pluck out one of those delicious ears for yourself.

            This van run was started by High Cascade Vans, out of Medford, OR. They put it on for the first 14 years. It was held in various places during the early years, but finally wound up at the KOA Campground in Gold Hill, OR.  At CCC #14 High Cascade vans announced they would not be hosting CCC # 15 and that this was the last CornCob.  For Vanners by Vanners, was formed by everyone who refused to stop meeting at the KOA over Labor Day Weekend. So the run continued to be held, with Kathy Willis, Larry Scott, Bob Ulm, Brian Holmes, Lynn Harmonson, Tim Ebright, and Suzanne Stone Ebright being some of the people that pitched in to keep the run going.  Zephyr Vans and Trucks took over all hosting functions 3 years later, to help co-ordinate with the KOA and for better organization. Zephyr did not place their logo or claim to be the official host until #25, out of respect for all of the many vanners that contributed to the run all of those years. Since the Silver Anniversary Zephyr is the official sponsor and host.

            Why did this Van run refuse to die and disappear like so many others have over the years?

One word.

                                                                       FUN!

            I call this run “More fun than humans should be allowed to have.” In the early years of vanning in Southern California, I kept hearing all of the stories and adventures of the few vanners that had made it to this event. For me to go, it was 830 miles, which is 13 hours of driving at freeway speed, and not enough vacation time. When I was finally was able to attend, I was hooked,  

 Here is my experience:

            Thirteen hours of driving time, with 3 of it going through Los Angles traffic, means an overnight stay somewhere on the way.  After a couple of times at a motel in Redding, I found a campground in Dunsmuir CA. The owner built a jacuzzi and a swimming pool in a beautiful valley. Then he proceeded to place sections of railroad tracks around the pool area. He then installed cabooses on the sections of track. Your hotel room for the evening is a caboose complete with a bed and a full bathroom. He has also furnished the park with a complete locomotive engine with tender car and water tank. Dining cars serve as restaurant and bar. Railroad items are scattered through out the grounds.(www.RRPARK.com)  There is nothing like savoring your mourning cup of java in the cupola of your caboose at daybreak.  Unless your name is Ray, and someone (hee hee) , went all around the campout telling everyone that Ray got it in the Caboose on the way to CornCob.

That leaves just a 3 hour drive with plenty of time on Thursday to set up camp. For Friday I have prearranged with several other attendees to go white water rafting. (www.noahsrafting.com) The Medford, Oregon area has several options for rafting white water. The upper Rouge River trip is 10 rapids with some leisurely floating between rapids. The upper Klamath river trip has 85 rapids with over 30 major class III to IV+ rapids. A thrill ride I guarantee you won't forget anytime soon.

(http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/upper-klamath-rafting/)

 

After rafting it's back to the campground to greet all of the new arrivals and of course the Friday night party.  Saturday morning is for games, and the afternoon for the Jet Boat Ride. (www.hellgate.com) All of us load up and make the 20 minute trip to Grant's Pass OR to the Hells-gate Boat Excursions location. There is nothing like flying down the river in a flat bottom jet boat with 79 of your vanner friends. This trip goes down river to the hells-gate area on the Rouge River. A very steep walled canyon with the river cutting through it. In the movie, when Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid jumped off a cliff into a river to escape the posse, this is where it was filmed. Coming back up river, the boats stop at an old ranch house that they have converted into a restaurant. Serving you an all you can eat meal complete with beer and wine. Dinner is included as part of the ride. After gorging yourself on all you can eat (you didn't miss the part about free beer and wine, did you?) we climb back into the jet boat for the return trip up river.  If properly persuaded, the boat captains will do 360 degree spins on the way back. We always made sure we had several lovelies to flash the captain for inspiration to spin the boat. Our record is 13 spins. 

Back at camp Saturday night, the band cranks up, the S.L.U.T. Bars rolls out, let the party begin.

            Sunday was the float down the Rouge river day. Gold Hill had a rental shop where you could rent your floatation device. In the early days the city of Gold Hill sponsored a raft race down the river to the next town Labor Day weekend. The rental shop got his start by renting rafts for the race.  He found that he spent most of his time repairing tears in the rafts. So he invented what he called a “dirt bag”.  He found a supplier of woven plastic polypropylene, the material that used to be used in interwoven lawn chairs. He sewed this fabric into bags 6 ft by 4 ft and filled them with packing “popcorn”. Crafted a pillow wide enough to go across the width of the bag, and filled it with “popcorn. He sewed the pillow about 2/3 of the way down the length onto the bag. Add a kayak paddle and this is what you would rent. You would then drag this outfit down to the river and place it in the water. Next you straddle it and sit down on it with your rump next to the pillow. Lift your feet out of the water and onto the bag. You are now in a sitting position, with your back supported by the pillow, so grab the paddle and you are ready to go downstream. It's like riding a steer-able floating chaise lounge chair. Did I mention that there are rapids on this stretch of the river? Don't forget to bring all of your water shooters with you. You will need to be properly armed for the continuous wars as you float. I have found that box wine is the perfect companion for this trip. Remove the box, tie a rope around the plastic bag containing the wine, tie rope to your water vehicle, and place the wine bag into the river for perfectly chilled wine throughout the trip. You just have not lived life until you have dirt bagged down the Rouge River. Drink up! Here comes the next rapid! You don't want to spill any do you?  Don't like water activities, just not your thing? Lots of other things to do while others float the day away. Visits to the local wineries or the Oregon Vortex are always fun. (www.oregonvortex.com)  A fisherman?  Hire a local guide who will take you out in a boat looking for those large trout or salmon.  Lots of trophy fish out there. Sunday night was trophy presentations, raffle, and an old fashion Ice Cream Social.

            Things have changed since my experience. The run is not at the KOA in Gold Hill, It has been moved to Schroeder County Park in Grants Pass, OR.  The Jet Boat company and the raft rental people were sued by the Sierra Club, so the jet boat trip is severely limited as to where they can spin the boat. You still get one or two spins, but just that. You have to make your own reservations, request the Friday night dinner cruise and tell them you want to be with the CORNCOBBERS. They will make sure all of the Vanners get on the same boat. Boats fill up early, so reserve early.  Hell Gate Jet Boat 1-800-648-4874. Same great ride and dinner, that hasn't changed.  Dirt Bags are no longer available for rental.  In the 15 years they were rented they only lost 2 bags on the river, and NEVER had any of them rip open or lose “popcorn.” None the less, they put him out of business for fear of polluting the river with “popcorn “.

With the new location, things have been shuffled around. The campground is right next to the river. The river float is launched right from there. The float day has been moved to Saturday. Bring your own float (raft, inner-tube, etc.) and a Life Vest. Everyone must wear a Life Vest. The river patrol does like to issue tickets for not wearing one!

On Sunday there are small hydrofoil boat races that go screaming past this park. Which is why the float was moved to Saturday. All of the day time games are on Sunday afternoon on a large grassy area next to the river. . The night time “adult “ games may break out on any given night. Swing your Corn and Safe Corn were very popular  :D   White water rafting is still available anytime.  Instead of a band last year, Bart of Zephyr provided karaoke (great competition—winner got a karaoke machine)

Last part of my experience, you will never camp with a warmer more friendly group of people, ever!

I hope this has tweaked your interest to attend the event and keep the fun going! 

Billo