Day 58 Blue River to Eugene

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Miles  48.67     Total  4,43.75 miles     Daily Avg.  69.72
Avg Speed  15.8 mph      Max Speed  26.0 mph   Alt Climbed  492 ft

We awoke to typical Oregon weather, cold and raining.  We set off with a light drizzle which soon changed to a heavy down pour.  Within a few miles we were drenched through.  As long as we kept riding we were comfortable.  The ride was flat and we made good time to Eugene.  Our plan was to ride a few miles past Eugene and camp for the night.  The cold and rain changed our minds.  As soon as we arrived in Eugene we stopped in  Starbuck's for a cup of coffee and called Joey who was around the corner at the Eugene Saturday Market.  We quickly got together and checked into The Timbers motel two blocks down.  After a warm shower we played tourists in the "Track Capitol of the USA" home of the University of Oregon.

The Eugene market, held each Saturday from April to Sept.,  spans 4 city blocks, offering local farmers, artisans and musicians the opportunity to peddle their goods.  The crowds, quality and variety of items for sale made for a fun afternoon as we sampled foods and purchased some gifts.

After spending several hours at the market we stopped in the Steelhead Brewery for a sample of their local brew.  On the way back to the hotel a visit to the Voodoo Donuts, as seen on the food channel, was a must.  A regular donut cost about $2.00, but at the time we walked in they were offering $5.00 boxes of donuts, the box contained a sampling of at least 2 dozen donuts.  The donuts dripping with chocolate icing, covered with rice krispies were our favorite.

Late in the afternoon my sister Justine and her family joined us at the hotel.  They are from Florida traveling along the Pacific Coast Hwy and decided to celebrate the conclusion of our adventure with us.  After getting settled into the motel we toured the downtown area, visited the Ninaski Brewery for a beer and had a wonderful dinner at a Italian Cafe a block from the motel.  It is wonderful to have them join us for our final ride on this 4,100 mile bike ride.

The evenings relaxation

That's a big tree

The Farmers Market

The Farmers Market

The Farmers Market

Beets never looked so good

The Farmers Market

Big Radishes

Voodoo Donuts $5 special

The Farmers Market

Voodoo humor

Eugene biker friendly town

Interesting art work

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