TrackTown, USA: Here We Are. More than six months ago (Halloween 2016), we started this trip in Eugene. We have now returned - for super good reasons. 1) The Prefontaine Classic track meet is this weekend and, 2) Brian is installing a new washer and dryer in our motorhome tomorrow.
Due to our only two-hour drive between Canyonville and Eugene, we asked for a late check-out from the Seven Feathers RV Resort so we could visit the local Farmers Market (held in the parking lot of the casino). We drove down to the market and cruised up and down the only aisle. There was not a lot of produce for sale at all, but there were crafts, jewelry, a folk singer and a belly dancer. (So Oregon!)
Dave spotted a home-made cinnamon roll and could not pass up the sweet treat. As he was paying, the baker asked if we had a dog... because if we had a dog, she was offering a free dog biscuit for our dog. We have not had a dog for nearly 11 years now, but when I looked at the bag of teeny little dog treats offered, I completely lost it and broke into tears thinking about our Sweet Little grand-dog, Reese, who passed away only a few days ago. The poor baker must have thought I was mad. Who sobs at the suggestion of a free dog treat?
Me.
I know it will get easier, but it really hit home this morning that he is no longer with us and I can no longer spoil him with treats. Scratches. Walks. Belly rubs.
Barely recovering from this sad moment of social dignity, we turned around to find a booth of foods made by the Milo Adventist Academy - the place we visited two days ago while searching for covered bridges. The academy were serving Filipino foods! Cooked by Filipinos - where we lived for many years in the early 1980's; where Lisa was born. I am not exactly sure where one would acquire the ingredients to prepare pancit (fried noodles), lumpia (egg rolls) and sinangag (fried rice) in the middle of basically no where in rural southern Oregon, but they did. Since they were Adventists, everything was vegetarian. We dove in, trying everything and chatting about food in the little Tagalog (tah-ga-low) I still remember. I think the students were as surprised to meet us at the little market as we were to meet them. (Old people speaking Tagalog and knowing about our foods???) The fried rice was like taking a trip to The Philippines. One bite and I was transported to Manila. I was already on a crying jag about the dog biscuits, so just let the tears continue to flow. A simple trip to the farmers market, turned into a nostalgic dream this morning.
Carriage return. New paragraph.
We hitched-up the Jeep and continued 100 miles north on I-5 to Eugene.
We met our friend, Vin, at Marche (our favorite Eugene restaurant) for dinner. Dave and Vin had a zillion things to discuss about The One True Sport, and we enjoyed great food, once again, at this Eugene treasure.
It's Chinook Salmon season! Grilled and served with roasted fingerling potatoes, carrots and peas on a green pea puree. Perfect.
You knew one of us would have the Steak Frites from the bar menu, because, well... it's just the best thing ever.We have to be to Brian early tomorrow morning so he can install a new washer and dryer. The old (and new) units will fit through the front door of our motorhome. We can't figure how Brian is going to get the old units out (and the new units in) without removing the refrigerator door (poorly situated in the narrow passageway between the kitchen and bath area)... but that is not my problem.
I hope.
Until my next update, I remain, your Eugene correspondent.
RV PARK: Premier RV Park. I-5, exit 199. Large paved pull-throughs. Back-in sites line a small lake. Laundry, fitness center, club house, pool in-season, bath house, recycling, small store. 50 amp, free wifi. This park is very popular with campers in the area for University of Oregon sport events - and repairs/maintenance at the many nearby RV facilities. We are paying $54 per night.