Saturday, January 21, 2012

A Stella Favorite

I moved to Eugene almost five years ago now, from our large northern neighbor, Portland. Besides the culture (love of beer, bicycles, music, coffee, the environment), both cities share a intimate connection with the Willamette River.

Like a play with too few cast members, the Willamette River takes on different roles as it flows north. In the twelve months that I spent in Portland, there were probably a total of four days of "hot" weather, in which I futilely sought out a river's edge to jump in or a creek to dip my feet. In Portland, the Willamette is a river that works. Career oriented, sitting at a desk for 40+ hours a week, it feels worn out and strangely stagnant. With deep, wide channels, it's main purpose seems to be to carry ships that make the port city what it is today. It's beautiful, sure, but no one wants to take a swim in its waters. I remember reading in the Oregonian that a triathlon had to be cancelled because none of the participants were willing to swim in the polluted Willamette.

In contrary, the Willamette in Eugene is a river for playing. The water is swift and in the summer time is clear and shallow enough to wade across in many spots. Karens line the middle of the river, especially near the many pedestrian and bike bridges that connect the two banks. Sandy banks, river paths and city parks line the river's edge, providing access to this wonderful amenity. The Ruth Bascom River Path is always a go-to bicycling destination for a quick spin, picnic, or leisurely ride.

In addition to the Willamette, we also have the McKenzie River in our neck of the woods. Faster and more wild, the McKenzie is a big destination for kayakers and rafters. There are several bicycling rides following the McKenzie as well.

One ride I've repeated many times in the last two weeks incorporates both the Willamette and the McKenzie. Called the McKenzie View Loop, this 20-mile ride provides a jaunt out to the country side. With a couple of hills thrown in, it's no wonder this is one of Stella's favorite rides. She used to have to lead me through the winding suburban neighborhoods, but without her here, I had to figure it out on my own. Now I got all those cues down! If you are in Eugene and haven't done it, here it is:
http://rideoregonride.com/road-routes/mckenzie-view-loop/