Betty Neighbors does not raise her voice when she talks of the moment.

Neighbors does not need to. She conveys a sense of excitement without added decibels.

The La Grande resident was discussing the time several weeks ago when she saw a mountain goat while on a Grande Ronde Retirement Residence bus tour in Union County.

"It is almost like magic to see animals like that,'' Neighbors said Tuesday while on another such bus excursion.
The Grande Ronde Retirement Residence resident did not see any mountain goats Tuesday. But she and others saw many other of nature's gems - tamaracks that stand out like nuggets with their golden fall foliage in evergreen-dominated forests, hundreds of wild Rio Grande turkeys north of Elgin, mule deer and white-tailed deer feeding in farmers' fields.

"The deer are so graceful. They almost look like they are dancing when they are walking,'' Neighbors said.

The popularity of his tours is growing.

"We need another bus because it so popular,'' said Karen Fye, community relations coordinator for Grande Ronde Retirement Residence.

Comstock's tours are as varied and diverse as Northeast Oregon. He takes groups along the old state highway to Emigrant Springs State Park, the elk feeding site at the Elkhorn wildlife viewing area in the winter, the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City, the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area and many other places.

Recently he has taken groups to the Perry area to see the mountain goat Neighbors speaks of.

Comstock succeeds in making each two- to three-hour tour special. He does so by doing things like setting up a spotting scope for riders at stops and providing binoculars to help them observe wildlife.

Soon Comstock will begin providing bird watching books to riders to help them identify birds at places like Ladd Marsh. He speaks humbly of his work, saying that his goal is simply to help everybody have a good time. Comstock's actions, though, indicate that his objective is further reaching.

"He is not just taking them on a drive. He wants them to absorb and observe,'' Fye said. "He is filling a spot which is so vital.'"

Students strengthen their confidence in themselves and their abilities while developing skills to work with all ages at home, in business and their communities.  The program is offered in the junior and senior high schools around the United States.

The La Grande FBLA members helped decorate, make cookies and serve for the evening with time to join in the dancing as well.  Everyone had a great time dancing and visiting throughout the evening.

“I feel like (the Iditarod) is tomorrow,” Parrish said. She talked about the challenges she faces during a stop at Grande Ronde Retirement Residence with her sled dog team. She was en route to Joseph for the Eagle Cap Sled Dog Race January 18. Parrish will compete in the 12-dog, 200-mile event. It is the final race she must finish to qualify for the 2008 Iditarod.

Parrish, who also completed the Eagle Cap Sled Dog Race a year ago, said it provides excellent preparation for the Iditarod. One reason is that the Wallowa County race has similar rules and terrain.

“Moose are the biggest danger. They are a cranky, solitary creature,” Parrish said. Moose stay on tails during heavy snow years in Alaska and often will not step aside for sled dog races. “Some have stomped dogs to death,” she said. Sled-dog drivers are allowed to shoot moose in self defense. However, state law requires that the animal’s meat be dressed out before a sled dog racer continues on.

Parrish lives in Fort Klamath where she raises and trains 23 Alaskan huskies. Tuesday, she brought twelve of the dogs into Grande Ronde Retirement Residence, where she stayed before leaving for Joseph. It is part of their training for the Iditarod. She explained that she wants her dogs to get used to new experiences like the ones they will encounter in Alaska. “I want them to learn to take new situations in stride,” she said. She hopes the dogs adopt a mindset for unfamiliar settings of “Oh, that’s good. What’s next?”

Parrish and her dogs have been through a lot together. Last weekend, for example, they competed near Mount Shasta, California, in the 135-mile Arrowhead Sled Dog Race. Her team placed fourth, completing the course in just under 24-hours. The grueling race saw Parish get only 45 minutes of sleep. Still, the race had one of the most inspiring moments of the racer’s life. Her team reached the top of a hill just as the sun was rising. There was a reddish alpenglow. It was a magical experience,” she said.

She most enjoys running her dogs at night when it is cooler. “When there is soft moonlight, it is like a dream sequence in a movie,” she said. Parrish and her dogs will have many night runs at the Iditarod with her dogs, some of which she has trained for five years.

Some people lease teams for the Iditarod race but Parrish cannot imagine doing this. “I like to build my own teams, train them myself. Make my own mistakes. Whatever I do, I want it done because it is what I’ve done. I learn something about my dogs every time I take them out on the trail.”

The dogs also learn something about Parrish. Her Alaskan huskies seemingly have become so connected to the sled-dog driver that they read her mind. “I can be thinking about something (while on a trail) and they will do it. There is something in my body language.”

Parrish never stops letting her dogs know she is in control in firm but gentle fashion. She conveys to them a message of, “This is not a democracy. You don’t get to vote.” Her dogs, though, are not above pushing their leader’s boundaries. “They will test me to see if the rules are still the same.”

Alaskan huskies are social creatures, but getting them to work well as a team takes long hours. Once it happens it is unforgettable.

“The magic is in the performance, everyone coming together. When it clicks, it is goose-bump experience.”