Dreaming In Miniature

The "Coyotee", Jim's first original miniature engine

By Liv Stecker

"Lil' Red", a single cylinder miniature

It’s no small feat to build an engine. Ask the motor buffs and hobbyists worldwide who construct running engines in their backyards and garages and maybe even a living room here or there (you know who you are…). Watching a myriad of complex parts and pieces come together, and then troubleshooting all of the functioning aspects until it’s smooth and operational can be a full time job for many years. Now scale that project down to 1/9^th of its actual size, and see how it goes. That’s exactly what Jim Moyer has been doing since 1964, when he began building his first miniature engine. It took 25 years to complete the project, and another 5 to get it running, but that was a challenge that Jim had been looking for since he was a young boy. The “Coyotee” engine won first place at the Pacific Rim International Model Exposition for internal combustion engines, and has been paced at up to 11,000 revolutions per minute. That’s a lot of power for an engine that’s smaller than your average loaf of bread. Jim says that the Coyotee is modeled after many auto-type engines, but will probably never run in an actual vehicle, unlike the Challenger V-8 engine that Jim rebuilt for a 1/3 scale remote controlled model of a T Bucket Roadster.

custom fabricated spark plug, with a dime for scale

It all started in 1964 when Jim was in the army. Fashioning a make shift lathe out of an old ¼ inch drill motor fastened to the window sill of his army barracks, he spun a beautiful little stainless steel crank shaft in spite of the complaints of his bunk mates. After touring in Vietnam and finishing his time in the armed forces, Jim was able to devote more time to his life long passion once he was discharged and began the civilian world. Jim says that he has always imagined things in miniature, from model airplanes as a young boy to remote control cars later in life. Mechanically inclined, he found an outlet for his attention to detail and his ingenuity in building these tiny engines.

Chevy V-8 327 CU, 1/6th scale

Even after doing some research into Jim’s work through his website, MoyerMade.com, and looking into the international hobby of miniature engine crafting, I was still unprepared for the size of the engines on display in Jim’s shop. His single cylinder Lil’ Red engine is small enough to hold in the palm of your hand while it whirrs away, running on an eyedropper full of gas over a period of hours. With a custom fabricated radiator, the tiny water cooled engine, like all of Jim’s engines, runs on regular gasoline and is lubricated by standard issue 5W synthetic oil.

Jim’s projects include the Challenger V-8, alongside the Coyotee, a 1/6^th scale of a Chevy V-8 327CU engine, and Lil’ Red. Lil’ Red was a concept engine that Jim began work on when he ran into some roadblocks with the Coyotee, and finding success within a year on the simpler engine gave Jim the reassurance he needed to keep chasing victory with the more complex project.

Ford Flathead V-860

Jim has lived outside of Kettle Falls with his wife Bonnie for 24 years. They travel to conventions and shows with the miniature engines, where audiences are captivated by the reality of miniaturized horsepower. In August of 2013 they attended the Good Guys West Coast National Convention in Pleasanton, California, where Jim’s engines stole the show. Jim said the little Chevy engine nearly burned out from running so much as thousands of people came through the show wanting to hear the impossibly small engine rev up. Jim’s Chevy V-8 project has taken him over seven years and more than 5,000 man-hours to complete, that, coupled with the cost of creating every part would make the selling price of these collectibles outrageous. Most of Jim’s engines require specialized fabrication of every tiny piece, down to the minute spark plugs, since manufacturers don’t see a high demand for parts at 1/6^th the traditional operating size. The next project for Jim is a ¼ scale Ford Flathead V-860, an engine only made from 1937-40. An online company called replicaengines.com crafted several of these mini Ford engines but so far, none of them have actually run. Jim is using some of the parts from the Replica Engines project and has set out to make a running version. Lil’ Red and the Coyotee are both original designs, but Jim’s more recent undertakings are modeled after classic hotrod engines, which hearkens to another passion Jim has. His “baby” is a 1929 Ford Roadster pickup, which he had up and running last summer and continues to fine tune when he needs a break from the tiny details of his miniatures.

Always eager to talk about his collection, Jim welcomes calls and visits to his website, he will continue to show his engines at expos in the northwest, and to our best knowledge, he holds the record for the smallest running Chevy engine in the world. For our little corner of the world, he’s a one of a kind artist.

Historic Lodge Makes New Memories

By Liv Stecker

Vintage Signs Beckon Passers-By

The fondest memories of my youth involve a grassy lakeside in the sunshine and a tan boy in corduroy shorts, beckoning from the rocking turquoise shell of a paddleboat on choppy waves. It’s the late 1980s, and nothing beats corduroy and paddleboats for a middle-school girl in the dead of summer. The shorts have fallen out of fashion temporarily, but the boat still rocks in the dark blue water every summer off the shore of Lake Gillette, nestled high up in the mountains above Colville where Beaver Lodge has stood since 1948.

Lake Gillette From the Lodge 1968

There isn’t much grass right now, but Beaver Lodge Resort is in full swing as the snowmobilers pile in for the annual Gold Rush Fun Run, perfectly timed with a several inches of new snow and sunshine to rival the peak of July. In August of 2014, Beaver Lodge changed ownership, and new owners Dick and Marlene Nichols bit off a piece of Stevens County nostalgia that may have been more than they bargained for – in both the work and the reward. “It’s been enjoyable, it’s been what we thought it would be – busy!” Dick says.

Growing up in the Colville area, both Dick and Marlene had visited lake as youngsters, as well as bringing their own children out occasionally to stay at the Forest Service campgrounds during the summer. Both of Dick’s parents were mail carriers in the 1950’s on the Highway 20 route when he was a child, back when the mail carrier also served as taxi service and grocery delivery for the remote families on the lakes. Dick and his siblings (one brother is now the mail carrier for the same route) would ride along with their parents on the routes. Looking for a new adventure after many years of employment in Colville, Beaver Lodge presented itself to the Nichols over and over again until, for them, the timing was right. Marlene says that it’s the perfect spot for Dick to practice his fix-it skills and keep busy. She balances a part time job at the Stevens County Superior Court with her time at the lodge, where they spend the better part of their week living and working now – coming full circle for Dick and his youth spent near the Little Pend Oreille Lakes.

Beaver Lodge was built in 1948; at the time it was called Comus Diane Resort. Helen and Lester McKern built the lakeside lodge, when most of highway 20 was still unpaved and the Pend Oreille Lakes were just being developed for summer recreation. The Air Force was constructing a radar dome base about three miles away to support defense efforts for the Cold War, and the military influx brought enough business to expand the lodge and install two gas pumps within the first two years. Five of the resort cabins date back to these first years, constructed from timber harvested from the resort site and costing $4 per night to rent, including a rowboat. The McKerns sold Comus Diane in 1956, it was renamed Beaver Lodge, and has changed hands numerous times since then, gaining another four cabins, a shower facility and other minor modifications as the years have progressed.

Since taking over in August, Marlene and Dick have begun some improvements and renovation, and most of all, repairs. After operating for nearly seventy years, the lodge is beginning to feel her age, and as the Nichols put some tender loving care into the place, the rejuvenation begins and the next season of memory making can take place at this Stevens County icon of family vacation. Upcoming plans include cabin renovations, new RV sites and the finishing touches on a new septic system. One of the first undertakings at the lodge was some basic redecorating as Dick and Marlene decided to go with a more local theme and remove the exotic wildlife trophies from around the world that had accumulated as a somewhat sinister trademark of the resort restaurant.

The restaurant, while no longer serving hard alcohol, still offers a wide variety of wine and beers, of the macro and microbrew variety, and a full menu, including Prime Rib dinner every night, a treat worth the drive for the dedicated carnivores among us. Guests can watch the game on a big screen TV in the dining room, and WiFi is available for the visitors that aren’t enjoying the break from cell service and technology. The Nichols fenced in an outdoor beer garden area off of the deck which almost doubles the restaurant seating area in the summer season.

Gillette Lake is part of the chain of Pend Oreille Lakes that also include Lakes Thomas, Sherry, and Heritage, all connected by the Little Pend Oreille River. Boaters can travel between lakes and reach the various campgrounds and summer homes on the water’s edge, some privately owned and some managed by the Colville National Forest. Fishing season opens on April 27^th for Cutthroat and Brook Trout, and in the vast surrounding forest, hunters of all seasons find a great base camp at Beaver Lodge. The store has been the salvation of countless campers who arrive to the lakes a few marshmallows short of a s’more, or missing crucial items like matches, firewood or beer.

In addition to the nostalgic paddleboats, rowboats and the ever popular canoe, the Nichols’ are looking into expanding the recreation rentals to include Stand Up Paddle Boards, an ideal sport for the Pend Oreille Lakes and their many summer visitors. The pristine, snow covered lake also beckons snowmobilers and snowshoers, who can skip the seasonal (and altogether reasonable) dock fee of $5.

Following the Gold Rush Fun Run for snowmobiles, this May the resort will host an ATV/Jeep Bucket Run starting at the lodge, another fall Bucket Run, and the Tiger Triathlon in July. The resort is busiest between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with crowds of campers for July 4^th and other summer holidays. The campground is able to accommodate large groups and events with a wide variety of camping options and a big pavilion that is available for daily rentals. Reservations well ahead of time are strongly encouraged as the resort fills up quickly. Family reunions, wedding receptions, birthday parties and other special occasions over the years have planted their memories on the shores of this little lake tucked high above the Colville valley.

For Valentines Day, Beaver Lodge Resort is offering a cabin rental and dinner with two drinks at $99 a night for a standard cabin, $129 for a deluxe cabin (with a private bathroom). A quiet dinner for two including two drinks is $45 if you don’t want an overnight stay in cozy cabin. For almost any holiday, it’s worth the 24 mile drive from Colville to find out what Beaver Lodge Resort has to offer. Try the prime rib and drink a cold beer overlooking the spectacular lake year round, enjoy the memories from years past and plan some new ones for the future at Beaver Lodge.

For more information, visit the website: http://www.beaverlodgeresort.org or call 509-684-5657 to make reservations for your next adventure in the woods.

Life After Diagnosis

by Liv Stecker

“It’s an unfathomable thing, when you see your doctor, and they say that you have cancer…” Jerry Pechin explains the overwhelming effect that life-changing news has on patients who have just been diagnosed. Nearly one out of every two men, and one in every three women will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States at some point in their lives, a staggering statistic for a problem with a name that has long struck terror in our hearts as we watch loves ones struggle and suffer in their final days. The good news now is that less than half of these diagnoses will result in death, as cancer recognition and treatment has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. The problem in the meantime, is getting the help and support that the cancer patients in our community need, along with the hope that there is help, and compassion, and the knowledge that they are not alone. Enter Jerry Pechin, Julie Dehle and the Cancer Outreach Center, located in the old Mount Carmel Hospital building, just inside the doors where the reception waiting room used to be. For a patient with a new diagnosis, finding a place to come in, sit down, and hear that they are surrounded by people who not only understand, but also can help in very practical ways, is an immeasurable gift.

The Cancer Outreach Center started in 2009 as a cooperative partnership with Mount Carmel and the American Cancer Society as a response to the growing numbers of local patients in cancer treatment that were forced to travel to Spokane, not only for critical medical treatments, but even for any kind of practical support. In addition to providing literature, wigs and prosthesis free of charge to patients, the Outreach Center has several effective programs to make the road to cancer survival just a little bit easier.

One of these programs provides low cost or free lodging for out of town patients who have to be in Spokane for early morning treatments, or back to back appointments, or for those that leave a treatment session in no condition to face a 2-3 hour drive back to the Colville area. In addition to hotels near the hospitals in Spokane who have been tapped to help out, a cancer survivor purchased a four-bedroom house and started an organization called Because There Is Hope, where out of town patients can stay in a handicapped accessible facility with on-site caretakers that are ready to help at the drop of a hat. Through the Cancer Outreach Center in Colville, patients can be set up with this stress-relieving solution in the midst of one of the toughest trials they might face.

In addition to housing, the Cancer Outreach Center provides assistance to local patients in getting low cost prescriptions. This program is not limited to cancer patients, but any low or fixed income area residents that are having difficulty in affording their necessary prescription medicine. Through direct connections to both discount prescription providers and pharmaceutical companies, the Outreach Center can acquire prescriptions at a fraction of the cost for uninsured, or underinsured patients in the area. Information about the Tri-County Prescription Assistance Program is available at the Outreach Center or by calling Ciara at 509-979-4910 or Kelly at 509-981-6420.

Another program that the Cancer Outreach Center offers is called Look Good Feel Better (lookgoodfeelbetter.org), which provides chemotherapy patients with a cosmetic bag full of name brand beauty products, all donated by the leading cosmetic companies, and coaching by a professional cosmetologist to adapt a beauty regime to a sudden and new set of cosmetic needs.  For one survivor who lost all facial hair including her eyebrows during chemo, learning to pamper herself with quality products and celebrity-style application, said that the program “made me feel like I was alive again.”

One of the most effective and practical programs that the Cancer Outreach Center runs is the gas voucher program. Repeated drives to Spokane for treatment add up to a costly fuel bill, especially when gas prices were nearing the $4.00 a gallon range. With the help of Tri-County Health to manage donations and reimbursement, the Outreach Center set up a voucher program where patients can access up to six $25 fuel vouchers at one time to get them to the vital treatments they need. The vouchers are redeemable at several local fueling locations in the Colville area.  When the fund started out with a generous $1000 donation in 2006, and was later augmented by allocated donations through the Relay For Life Program, it met a need that has only grown since. Last fall, the fund was depleted entirely, and for lack of public awareness, local patients were turned away when they requested help with their fuel. With a little bit of publicizing, another major donor stepped up to the plate, along with a steady trickle of small donations, the program was back up and running. While The American Cancer Society can provide help with the Look Good Feel Better campaign, as well as the housing program, the fuel voucher resource is entirely locally driven (pun intended!). Now there is additional fuel help available specifically to breast cancer patients through the Susan J. Komen foundation. To donate, contact Julie or Jerry at the Cancer Outreach Center 509-685-5110, or Melenie at Tri-County Health. All donations must be made out to Tri County Health with a notation for the Cancer Outreach Center Gas Program.

The most important resource that the Cancer Outreach Center provides is the support network for patients and survivors who might have no other help in this stormy season of their life. They offer beautiful donated pillows for patients who need a little extra cushion after the removal of a lump or even a body part, and wigs that can be ordered in any size or style through the ACS “T L C” catalog, along with a variety of books and other resources that might be the one thing to get patients over the hump of cancer survival.

For Jerry and Julie, the only two remaining volunteers in the Outreach Center, getting the word out to new cancer patients through their doctors or loved ones is the vital mission of the Center right now. “Our office exists, we’ve got programs, if you know someone we can help, send them our way!” Jerry says. All too often they have stumbled across a survivor who had no idea the Outreach existed, and some who simply forget in the tidal wave of emotion that a cancer diagnosis rides in on. In addition to reminding care providers to direct patients to the Outreach Center, Jerry hopes that family and friends will have the awareness of the program to direct their loved ones in for help.

The Cancer Outreach Center is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 AM to 1 PM, and with the help of additional volunteers, could be open more often. Most of the past volunteers have been family members of survivors, or cancer survivors themselves. Several have had to leave the Center due to recurring illness within their own families. Volunteer training with the American Cancer Society takes about 16 hours and is done on-the-job along with an existing volunteer. Shifts for volunteers are flexible and as the Outreach Center becomes more widely broadcast, the need for more open hours will grow. At present the Center is reaching 2-3 patients a month, providing critical resources and access to local and national programs. Jerry expects to see this number grow as health care providers include a referral to the Outreach and the community becomes aware. During the hours that the Outreach Center is not open, the American Cancer Society provides a 24-hour hotline that provides all kinds of support to cancer patients at any time of the day or night, 1-800-ACS-2345.

For more information, you can visit cancer.org, or email the outreach center canceroutreachcenter@providence.org.

Local Wine Bar Gets Artsy

By Liv Stecker

I have never fancied myself an artist. But for one night, it seemed like a reasonable idea to test my inclinations. It helped that the one night included wine and snacks and a bevy of pretty fun ladies.

ChewVino opened in Chewelah in December of 2013. The first wine bar to grace rural Stevens County, it has grown in the last 14 months to include over 100 wines, mostly from the Northwest region and now including some California varietals. In addition to an impressive assortment of boutique wines that are hard to find in major retailers, ChewVino keeps a rotating tap of local beer handy. ChewVino is housed in one of Chewelah’s oldest buildings, originally the Post Office, which has since served as a newspaper print shop, a private residence, and after a little hard work, a wine bar with the ambiance of a European beatnick café and the friendly approachability of a small town pub. From Barrister Winery in Spokane, and China Bend out of Northport, to Middle Sister from California, the wines at ChewVino cover the spectrum of styles and flavors – appealing to all wine types. They have a few local micro brews on tap for the non-wine drinkers in the group. ChewVino also offers a full bistro menu of artisan foods, including pizza and sandwiches. A great switch from the local bar scene, ChewVino provides a quiet, upbeat environment for a get together or a romantic date.

Armed with nothing but a spirit of adventure and backed up by one of my best and most fearless friends, we traveled south for the January version of Van Gogh and Merlot, a wine and painting class that is hosted by ChewVino and put on by a company out of Spokane by the same name. Owner Ulysses Mireles relocated to Spokane from San Antonio, Texas and launched the Van Gogh and Merlot business with the motto: “Learn to paint while you enjoy a drink.” For $45, participants are equipped with a canvas, brushes, paints and a step-by-step lesson in a room full of amateurs and a few sneaky professionals feigning ignorance. The price of a ticket also includes your first glass of wine and an appetizer buffet – if you can find room to juggle a plate of food in your workspace.

The easels are set up cheek to cheek, and the bistro is packed. It’s a sell out crowd and the few cancelations are quickly filled up, plus some, with last minute walk-ins. The theme for the night is a Winter Scene, and I am fairly certain that my inner Renoir is just dying to get out. The red blend that I start out with is all of the reassurance that I need to secure my artistic confidence, and after an hour of socializing with the girls at the table next to us, and realizing our snacks need to be consumed before we can get work done, the lesson begins.

Van Gogh and Merlot is a business out of Spokane that travels to group locations for parties from 5-25 people, bringing everything you need to discover the artist unaware in your midst. For ChewVino, it’s a great way to give people a reason to come together, traveling upward of 50 miles, to try some new wines, meet some new people and learn some new skills.

The painting class splits the group into two, and walks each group individually, step by step through the process of putting something that resembles a winter scene out of water based acrylic paints onto a canvas. Whether the wine is to blame, the natural artistic inclinations of the group, or just good teaching, the result at the end of the night was astonishing. While all 40 women were instructed with identical steps for the exact same picture, the variety of results was vast. All in some way hearkened back to the original print that we were trying to imitate, but each painting had it’s own personality, it’s own panache. From table to table you could see certain trends that could not necessarily be tracked back to the wine choice of that particular group, but perhaps the influence, neighbor to neighbor, of painting techniques.

Above all, the evening was a barrel of laughs. We met new friends and even reconnected with some old ones. We enjoyed the wine and the painting, and while my position on not being an artist remains unchanged, my youngest daughter was wildly impressed with my mad brush skillz, so it wasn’t a total artistic loss. Whether for an evening with Van Gogh and Merlot, which is offered two nights a month now, and usually sold out well in advance, or just for a quiet dinner for two, ChewVino is worth the visit.