Residents of Hood Canal who regularly travel along State Route 106 (milepost 14, between Union & Belfair) have been missing something lately: a wooden bear who goes by the name of Ralph Shakesbear. For years, Ralph has entertained travelers by holding various quotes in his paws, quotes like, “My back goes out more than I do” or “Dentists bore me to tears.” To our profound regret, Ralph “retired” in January, and hasn’t been seen since.

Ralph was carved by chainsaw by Pete Merrill, a long-time Hood Canal resident. Mr. Merrill has been responsible for selecting the 2500+ quotes Ralph has held in his paws which have provoked thought and smiles for passers-by since 1991. Mr. Merrill attempted to retire Ralph back in 2006, but public outcry prevented it.

Mr. Merrill has written two fiction books about Ralph: Ralph – Conversations with a Bear and Council of Bears in the Olympic National Park.  You can get an idea about Mr. Merrill’s writing style from his short story, “Foxworthy Pembroke” or “The Bear that went to Bremerton” (Warning: some rough language is alluded to a few times in this story, and so this may not be the best choice for children, or for those adults who prefer to avoid such language).

It looks like Ralph Shakesbear has truly retired this time, so we’ll just quote Ralph’s namesake, William Shakespeare, and say, “Farewell, sweet playfellow” (Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1 Scene 1) and wish him and Mr. Merrill a satisfying retirement.

Do you have a favorite Ralph quote (or just a favorite quote)? Share it in our comments section.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 at 4:45 am and is filed under A Home at Hood Canal, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.