President Nixon was about to speak at the American Legion convention. The FBI told governor Tom McCall he should expect 25,000 Legionnaires and 50,000 anti-war freaks to clash in the Rose City and make Chicago '68 look like a "tea party."

A few hippies proposed a rock festival to give peace a chance. They asked McCall, a Republican battling for re-election, for a place to hold it. He gave them a state park and told the cops to lay off. Did they ever.

"I've just committed political suicide," said McCall after approving the only state-sponsored rock festival in American history's name: Vortex I: A Biodegradable Festival of Life.

What a short strange trip it was for the 100,000 who attended...far out in a way that only Oregon used to be. Vortex I, now a legend; now documented for the first time; now even more legendary.

The book includes over 150 photographs and a bonus CD of McCall's historic Vortex I speech and circa 1970-music from the first band to play the festival, Jacob's Ladder.