Wanderlust. You understand it if you happen to bought it. That itching want to drag out on to the open highway and go! However — typically there’s the query of what to do along with your pet? “Eeeheheheh!”
“For the previous six years, we’ve been touring the nation, two or three months out of the 12 months, with our pet goat Frankie,” Cate Battles started. “Eeehaaahh,” Frankie bleated with earnest. “We couldn’t go away our child behind!” Cate laughed.
Final fall, Cate and her husband, Chad, have been approached by a expertise scout trying to spherical out a Discovery Channel sequence. “The Bond” is produced by Robert Downey Jr., his spouse Susan Downey and Emily Barclay Ford of “Staff Downey.” The 4-part sequence shares tales of individuals’s outstanding relationships with animals normally considered wild: a cheetah, a dolphin, a kangaroo, and sure, a goat.
Frankie has traveled 60,000 highway miles across the nation and perhaps visited extra states that you simply! Right here she is, getting thirsty on the salt flats, along with her Argosy Airstream dwelling parked within the background.
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Courtesy of Cate Battles
“We did a number of conversations with producers and the director,” Cate mentioned, “and we thought it might be type of a enjoyable expertise to do it.”
With somewhat musical intro, a minimize from the episode begins: “Frankie’s in all probability been about 60,000 miles across the nation. She’s traveled to about 25 states. ‘Isn’t that probably the most regal sea lion you’ve ever seen, Franks?’” (sea lion barks!) Cate continued, “She’s been to deserts, mountains, seashores, tons of Nationwide Parks. ‘You see the marmot, Franks?’ She’s been to the Grand Canyon. She’s been to Hollywood.” And Chad piped in, “Frankie has held her head out the window as we drove down Hollywood Boulevard. She’s simply been a beautiful addition to the household.”
The Battles journey in a totally renovated, 50-year-old Argosy Airstream. It’s fairly cool, painted in vivid hues with whimsical characters throughout. They admit after they get out of their camper with a goat on a leash they catch some stares. People categorical awe or disbelief after they hear Frankie sleeps of their mattress. A relentless query is about toilet breaks. I imply, when a goat’s gotta go, a goat’s gotta go!
Cate and Chad chuckled a bunch at that — then he mentioned, “Properly, ya know. The nice factor is that um, goat poop is the little, tiny pebbles. They don’t stink. They dry fairly fast, they’re simple to comb. Um, she is pee educated. Truly, she pees on command — normally.”
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Cate began a weblog (Argosy Odyssey) to showcase their journey adventures with Frankie and it has fairly the next. They discover associates out on the highway, like at a “goat conference” in Idaho. In a snippet from “The Bond” episode, Cate mentioned throughout a campfire, “By no means belief an individual who doesn’t like goats.” A fellow camper replied, “Precisely.”
It’s kinda laborious to not discover how a lot Cate’s snort appears like Frankie’s bleat. “Ha ha ha ha.” “Eh eh eh eh.” OK, OK! Another time. Right here’s Cate: “Ha ha ha ha.” And right here’s Frankie: “Eh eh eh eh.” See what I imply?
Anyway, Chad thinks he is aware of why the present producers picked Frankie. “I consider it had quite a bit to do with Cate’s images,”” he mentioned. “And the way in which that she is ready to seize Frankie the goat, the panorama, the camper. It appears to resonate with lots of people.” Cate believes of us see their story as a light-hearted escape. “You understand there’s been a variety of tumultuous years lately and I feel it’s been a beacon of sunshine in lots of people’s lives,” she defined. “And the happiness we get from Frankie, we’re joyful to share with others.”
Along with the banjo, Chad Battles additionally performs a noticed with a bow.
Courtesy of Cate Battles
Eight-year-old Frankie is a combined breed: half-pygmy, half-Nigerian Dwarf. She’s curious, nimble, and a full-fledged member of the family. When Cate’s beloved canine Maggie died three years in the past, their goat helped them via the grief.
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When not on the open highway, the Battles and Frankie stay on a farm within the Applegate Valley of Oregon. Cate mentioned, “There’s at all times this false impression that oh, we simply journey and stay this glamorous life. However I imply we each work our butts off. We’re not freeloaders or “trustafarians” over right here!” (there’s Cate’s snort once more!)
Cate has an artwork studio in downtown Grants Cross. She’s typically commissioned to color different folks’s Airstreams or pets. She’s additionally social media supervisor with the tourism division for the Metropolis of Grant’s Cross. Chad is a draft line cleaner, that means he maintains the traces via which craft beer flows. A reasonably essential job in beer-thirsty Oregon! He additionally handles the enterprise finish of Cate’s artwork enterprise. “I don’t understand how I may do it with out him,” Cate mentioned.
The Battles aren’t positive but what goat pleasant place they’ll journey to subsequent. Til then, they’re joyful at dwelling, tucked into their Airstream. Chad begins their night-time routine, “It’s time to go to mattress. Goodnight Franks,” he says.
“Goodnight Frankie,” Cate coos. And with, “Eeheheheeah,” Frankie will get the final phrase.
You may catch episodes of “The Bond” on the Discovery Channel or utilizing the Discovery Go app.
On Saturday morning at the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, three-star prospect T’Andre Waverly announced his commitment to Oregon State over Washington and Notre Dame.
The product of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington, is ranked as the nation’s No. 96 athlete and No. 18 player in the state in the 2025 class by 247Sports. Once he arrives in Corvallis, he’s expected to play tight end.
“I believe in [offensive coordinator Ryan] Gunderson for the future,” Waverly told 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman. “And I’m excited to get to know the new tight ends coach [Will Heck].”
“[Head coach Trent] Bray seems like a real get to business guy and I like that. I don’t want a coach who will pamper me. I want someone who will tell me what I need to do and what to do.”
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Despite seeing the in-state prospect going elsewhere, tight ends coach Jordan Paopao has pulled in a promising batch at the position after signing four-star Baron Naone and three-star Austin Simmons in December.
For an athlete, a loss can shake even the strongest mental foundation. For Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, those feelings bubbled up after losing to the Oregon Ducks 32-31 at Autzen Stadium in early October.
While interviewing with ESPN before Ohio State’s semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns for the College Football Playoffs, the quarterback reflected on that feeling of loss.
“It’s been a rollercoaster. Some of the ups and downs that we did go through are why we’re sitting here today in the semifinals and probably playing our best ball right now,” Howard said. “There have been some tough moments. I’d say that Oregon loss early on in the season was rough.”
Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) walks off the field after losing 32-31 to Oregon Ducks during the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Howard, who went 28-35 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns, remembers what he did after that fateful quarterback keeper turned slide that sealed the fate of the Buckeyes during that regular season encounter with the Ducks.
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“Coming out of it I felt like I played a good game but it was really just the ending. I sat there and stewed over just how could I have done that differently. But when we got back here I think it was about six in the morning. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was kind of at a loss. I went into the indoor and I just laid there for about an hour – hour and a half. I was in a dark place. I just wanted another crack at them so bad. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the next chance I could get,” Howard said.
It wasn’t too long before Howard got his second chance with Oregon. After winning the Big Ten Championship, the No. 1 ranked Ducks were seeded for the Rose Bowl. With the Buckeyes easily beating Tennessee at home the previous week, Ohio State faced the Ducks once more.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) motions at the line of scrimmage during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Before every game, I listen to two voicemails that my late grandmother sent me and I’ve been doing that every game for the last three years now,” Howard said. “I listened to the voicemail and it just brought this immense peace over me. This year for the playoffs it actually probably got me going even more. It really helped.”
Those voicemails helped Howard correct his headspace before facing Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Howard went 17-26 in passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns. The Buckeyes completely shut out Oregon in the first quarter, with the Ducks only responding at the end of the second quarter with a touchdown and two point conversion. Howard reflected on the point in the game where the Buckeyes were up 34-0 against the No. 1 team in the nation.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) holds a rose following the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Ecstatic. I mean, at that point it felt like it was almost not real. It was like ‘Man, are we really up on the No. 1 team in the country right now that we were in a dog fight with at their place?’” Howard said.
The Buckeyes won against Oregon 41-21, advancing to the Cotton Bowl Classic against the Texas Longhorns, where Howard and the Buckeyes are knocking on the door of a National Championship.
“You take a big National Championship ring and hoisting the trophy up. It takes a lot of the hardships and bad things that happened this year and kind of go out the window,” Howard said.
Lewis & Clark College is opening up its residence halls early to students impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Odell Annex pictured here, is a residence hall on the Lewis & Clark campus in Portland.
Adam Bacher courtesy of Lewis & Clark College
Some private universities in Oregon are offering extra assistance — from crisis counseling to emergency financial aid — to students who call Southern California home.
This comes amid the devastating wildfires currently burning in Los Angeles.
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Lewis & Clark College, University of Portland and Reed College sent out messages of support to students with home addresses in Southern California this week.
Administrators at Lewis & Clark contacted around 250 undergraduate students in the region affected by the blazes. These students represent close to 12% of the college’s current undergraduate students.
The school, which begins its next term on Jan. 21, is opening up its dorms early for Southern California students at no extra cost.
“We will keep communicating with students in the weeks and months ahead to know how this impacts their next semester and beyond,” said Benjamin Meoz, Lewis & Clark’s senior associate dean of students. “That will mean a range of wraparound academic and counseling support.”
Lewis & Clark also pushed back its application deadline for prospective students from the Los Angeles area to Feb. 1.
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Oregon crews arrive in Southern California to aid wildfire response
Reed College began reaching out to about 300 students who live in Southern California on Wednesday. In an email, the college urged students and faculty impacted by the fires to take advantage of the school’s mental health and financial aid resources.
Reed will also support students who need to return to campus earlier than expected. Classes at Reed do not begin until Jan. 27.
Students at University of Portland will be moving back in this weekend as its next term begins on Monday, Jan. 13. But UP did offer early move-in to students living in the Los Angeles area earlier this week. A spokesperson with UP said four students changed travel plans to arrive on campus early.
Students are already back on campus at the majority of Oregon’s other colleges and universities, with many schools beginning their terms earlier this week.
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