10/05/10: Day 12: A day in and near Eugene, Oregon
We woke slowly on Tuesday in the home of Wendy and Tom in Eugene. Slowly probably because of the wine with dinner. I've known Wendy since college, and stayed in touch even after they moved all the way out here.
After Tom left for work and we had a casual breakfast, Wendy wanted to show us one of her favorite places to walk. We had to drive through Springfield to get there. Actually, we first toured an industrial part of town trying to find a place that sold park passes, with no luck.
This is the Springfield in which Matt Groening was born. I liked his Life in Hell in college and after. When he had to pick a town for The Simpsons, this Springfield was a natural model.
Wendy's walk turned out to be a one mile hiking trail up Mount Pisgah. About a thousand feet up, and then back down.
We ride from Eugene through Springfield to Mount Pisgah, for a "little hike".
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Halfway up the 1,000 foot elevation change from the parking lot to the peak of Mount Pisgah \(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pisgah_(Oregon)\), we take a breather. The peak is only about 1,500 feet above the sea, but we've been mostly sitting in a car for 11 days. Pant.
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Karen gamely follows aerobically fit Wendy and bike-legs Dan up the hill.
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"Get a horse."
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This bronze relief map at the summit was donated as a memorial for Ken Kesey \(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Kesey\)'s son Jed. The sides portray the geological and biological evolution of the area.
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Even though the altitude wasn't much, the climb in my condition must have deprived me of oxygen. I started taking pictures of people. Of myself!
Wendy and Dan, hiding behind his camera, as usual.
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Actually, this is what Dan was taking a picture of.
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Self portrait of an aging traveler
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Dan sees the light atop Mount Pisgah
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Heading back down, Karen had trotted ahead. Here she waits for us to descend to her level.
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Nice scenery.
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We got down the mountain without problem. Then Wendy took us to the college part of town for classy pizza, and then to a local chocolatier to stock up on truffles, and finally a good butcher shop to buy provisions for supper. Lamb.
The evening was cozy, drinking something green, eating good foods, and... Um. Did I mention drinking?
Sitting in the kitchen, Wendy prepared dangerous green drinks while Dan plans the second half of our trip. Yosemite, Reno, Salt Lake City, a couple of arbitrary points in Wyoming and Nebraska, then home. Just checking the timing.
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I'd see Wendy working, and had to take a snap of her ergonomic set up.
Wendy has discovered that working from home does not necessarily imply a sedentary workspace. One can walk and work. Somehow.
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