Readers asked to give ideas for ridge name.

Byline: Bob Welch The Register-Guard

A hundred years from now nobody is going to remember you, me or even No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden, whose tonsillectomy was played with Second-Coming-size headlines up north.

But - cue grave movie-teaser voice - what if you had a chance to die knowing that this place would be different because you lived?

Here, dear readers, is our chance. We're going to attempt to become what I believe will be the first group of newspaper readers in history to officially name a geographic feature, in this case the ridge in the Coburg Hills that a bunch of us seem enamored with: the notch between Buck Mountain and Mount Tom that bridges the Lane County-Linn County line just east of Interstate 5.

No map I've seen, including the U.S. Department of the Interior's Geologic Survey topographic map, shows a name for the ridge, even though it's the most distinguishable feature of the Coburg Hills, linking their highest two points - and Linn County with Lane County. And even though the more mundane Coburg Ridge, to the south, is named.

It just seems wrong, having a Buck Mountain and Mount Tom, 1.07 miles apart, but ignoring the sloping ridge that ties the two together like a horse saddle. It's like the Two Sisters mountains. Or the Kingston Duo. Or 2M Scotch tape.

So in June, I asked you if you knew what it might be named. Not only did I get a wonderful bunch of "we-call-it-this" suggestions - from "Basil's Gap" to "Saddle Gulch" to "God's Divot" - but a sense that I wasn't alone in my affection for this geographic feature.

`When driving I-5, from north, it is a harbinger of `almost home,' ' Ed Weston wrote.

Indeed it is. It's our ridge, we southern Willamette Valley dwellers.

And it's time to give it more than a visual identity.

I've contacted the Oregon Geographic Names Board to understand what must be done. Bottom line: Anybody can name a geographic feature as long as they get approval from the state and feds.

So I've received, and filled out, a form that asks for descriptive information on the feature. All we need is a name.

The board meets at least once a year. Our nomination will be researched and reviewed by the board, which will then give it either a thumbs up or down.

Even then, our struggle to put ourselves on the map won't be over. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names must give final approval.

Let me be blunt: This could take up to two years, I've been told.

Clearly, it is not a task for the faint-hearted or folks who pace waiting for a microwave pizza.

Ah, but think of our forebears, rolling west from Springfield, Mo., on the Oregon Trail. Like us, they, too, faced odds that weeded out all but those willing to be in for the long haul.

Are you with me? All right then, the process is simple:

If you're unfamiliar with the ridge, see www.registerguard.com

/name-coburg-ridge to check out a photo and Google map of it.

E-mail me (bwelch@guardnet .com), phone me (338-2354) or snail-mail me (3500 Chad Drive, Eugene, OR 97408) with your nominations before 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.

Beginning 8 a.m. Thursday go to www.registerguard.com/vote-coburg-ridge and vote for your favorite name. If you're not Web savvy, just call and tell me your choice.

The polls will be open for one week.

One vote per person. If you vote more than once, SWAT personnel will crash through your windows, like in "Christmas Vacation," and you'll be handcuffed on the spot.

Once we have a favorite, we'll send off our request and hope for the best.

"Place names are integral to our knowledge and understanding of our history," said Oregon icon Lewis McArthur, author of "Oregon Geographic Names."

Indeed they are. So, now is our time, dear readers, to carve our name not only into the Coburg Hills, but into history itself.