Day 4: Crater Lake National Park to Eugene, Oregon
I think Heather and I were both the slightest bit burned out by the time we got to Eugene. The road there was beautiful, winding along the Umpqua River on a scenic byway. We were very grateful to arrive at the Eugene Whiteaker Hostel before dark, that they had two beds available, and that those two beds were in a dorm room with no other occupants and its own bathroom and shower. Sometimes those comforts - a long shower, cell phone reception, and internet access - come right when you need them.
The bulk of our time in Eugene was spent on the University of Oregon campus, and it did not disappoint. The pictures above display it pretty accurately - green, green, green. We paid a visit to the track field, home to the legendary Prefontaine, stalked the Humanities building, scoped the library, etc.
Friday night we hit up Bingo night at Sam Bonds Garage, on the recommendation of the friendly owner of the hostel. Did I mention this hostel had free, grill-your-own pancakes? This, again, couldn't have come at a better time. I think I ate about six, and they were probably the best pancakes I've ever had. The hostel also had a friendly resident dog, a little music studio, and a backyard garden. But I digress. Bingo night turned out to be the perfect way to scope out the 20-something social scene of Eugene - the place was so packed that we ended up at a table with about 10 other people. One festive couple even came decked out in full octogenarian costume, complete with limping around the bar at a turtle's pace and holding up any college kids who happened to be packed behind them. From this experience I got the vibe of Eugene as a sort of resting place for various quirky, eclectic, free-spirited types, mostly migrating from other parts of the West. It's the type of college town where the hippies and the geeks and probably the yuppies too live happily alongside each other, and the little vegan eateries and bike shops on the main campus commercial strip are sandwiched right next to the Digital Duck for all your technology needs and, no joke, an American Apparel not 100 yards from campus.
Aptly named student vegan co-op, The Lorax. May I just say that I found the vegetarian co-op next door to look overall more cleanly, friendly, and welcoming, but I give The Lorax full points for name, concept, and the little Dr. Seuss character that watches over their abode.
Adorable whale we found in a neighborhood park. Nearby there was a little residential street filled with trees and blocked by a wildflower-strewn island with the sign: "Do Not Enter - Except Bicycles and Buses." Oh, Eugene.
1 comment:
eugene definitely scores somewhat high on the list of "cool towns" in this country, but that said, i've also heard it's not quite as idyllic as may seem.
and just think, you were only about 6 hours away from arcata! (crater lake is even closer).
~m
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