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(Mail Tribune / Jim Craven) Shootin' it at the Shenandoah Roundtable Shootin' it every morning at 5 a.m., these men have become a much-loved institution at the former Shenandoah Restaurant By Jennifer Strange for the Mail Tribune King Arthur's knights of Camelot would have had nothing on these guys. For upward of 20 years, a rotating group of the Rogue Valley's movers and shakers has been gathering around a table at the crack of dawn every morning to gossip, network and build community. The "Shenandoah Roundtable" got its start at the Witham Truck Stop, where Charlie Pickett, Merlin Fjarli, Stan Foley, Jack Hansen and Doug Plumley tipped their coffee cups before heading out to run their burgeoning construction, equipment and timber businesses. "We got run out of there, though," says Pickett, a devilish grin spreading over his face. It's hard to tell exactly when the clan moved to the Shenandoah Restaurant and Lounge on Highway 62 — according to relative newcomer Rick Fielder, it was when Witham "raised the price of coffee to a nickel." Advertisement "No way," insists Bill Batzer of Batzer Construction (one of the three younger members of today's roundtable). "It was because the older guys weren't tipping enough." Such is the flavor of these daily meetings — anywhere from three to a dozen men, many of them in their seventies, crowd around a mishmash of cups, menus and jelly-holders, lobbing jokes, innuendoes and even the occasional slice of pith at anyone who'll listen. "Trust me, you need your boots when you go in there," says Kim Bradford, Charlie Pickett's daughter. "It's that deep!" Indeed, the Shenandoah Roundtable is an institution, known far and wide for its boisterous sense of history and humor. And nobody is about to threaten its existence. Although the Shenandoah changed hands and became Chaps, new owner Rhonda Dunn welcomed the good old boys with open arms — a nd a new rectangular table that sits on prime real estate just inside the door to the café. "I've been waiting on these guys for six and a half years every morning and sometimes twice a day," says Meredee Cropper, a head waitress at Chaps who also waited tables at the Shenandoah when it was owned by Bill Link. "If they weren't here it wouldn't be the same." Spying on the morning coffee klatch provides several insights into life, love and livelihood. Consider these: What's the secret for staying friends over all these decades? "He who speaks the loudest runs the table," confides Eric Hunt of Hunt Tractor. "And it's a policy that the last one here has to buy the coffee," says Gary Whipple of Whipple Equipment. "Quick — who's not here yet?" shouts Foley, who has just come in from the icy morning. "Call him and get him down here!" And what about keeping a marriage alive, something most of these gents have been doing for up to 60 years? "That's easy: Start work early and stay late," Whipple exclaims to a rousing cheer of agreement. Hunt adds: "Wake up and say, 'Yes, dear.' Then go to work. Then come home and say, 'Yes, dear.' " Regarding the booming growth of the Rogue Valley, there are several opinions, ranging from mourning the "noble trade" of timber harvesting to poking gentle fun at the "weekend warriors" who have a small tractor for their five acres of land. "It's all medical, tourism and retirement now — the timber's over," says Doug Plumley of Plumley Inc., a logging company. "The environmentalists changed it forever." "It's been hard on a lot of people," says Hunt of the economic change. "They've gone from family wages to barely making a living and it's all based on emotionalism." Discussion ensues about timber being a renewable resource and how the United States should remain an active player in the industry. "We have good policies in place so the trees grow back in 40 years and help control forest fires," argues Pickett. "Now Russia, South America and China are just logging everything and are doing a lot more damage to the planet," adds Whipple. Most of the men have kept up with the shift, whether by "buying dirt" and developing property or selling farm equipment that's geared more toward mowing an acreage than tending a crop. "But it's still the best place to live," says Batzer. "You go north and it's too wet, go south and there are too many people, go east and there aren't enough people, go west and it's just water. With this place, you can wake up and see 50 elk and still be at the coffee shop in five minutes." Like their knightly predecessors, these men have been known to come to the rescue. Two years ago when President Bush's advance team needed 40 vehicles delivered to the Jackson County Fairgrounds, the Shenandoah Roundtable made it happen, pronto (even the group's "token Democrat," Foley, got on board). Last year, when the Jackson County Humane Society was facing sewage problems, the men donated time and materials and installed a new underground system. And every year they go to the fairgrounds and bid up the animals at 4-H auctions, encouraging the continuation of family-oriented activities. "It all goes back to the roots of their upbringing — if you don't invest in your community, you don't have anything," explains Bradford. "This good old group of boys — they're never going to retire and that's what keeps them going. We need positive things in our lives and that's what this is. I call my dad's buddies his 'Shenandoah Posse.' " Proof of the group's longevity came at Pickett's 70th birthday last year, when he was presented with the original Shenandoah Roundtable, emblazoned with the names of several members. "He'd been so panicked when the Shenandoah closed that he was going to buy the building and hire a waitress to keep it open just for them," says Bradford, who has wondered aloud more than once why the guys don't just meet at Starbucks and call it good. "When they pulled the sheet off the table at the party, you'd think Dad had been given a Corvette!" And just for the record, says waitress Cropper, these current-day knights are "very fair tippers." Jennifer Strange is a freelance writer living in Central Point. Reach her at [email protected]. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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