Harrisburg, Oregon: The Magna Peregrinus was at Cummins NW at 8 o'clock this morning for her annual check-up. Lube, oil, filter and generator servicing. (We now have our tech, Brian Van De Walker, do the AquaHot servicing.) This work usually takes 4 or 5 hours and Cummins usually phones us several times during the job to remind us that they are still working on our RV and that we will surely owe them $800 in a few hours.
So, we needed to entertain ourselves most of the day. Breakfast was a no-brainer because DT's college coach meets his cronies (and anyone else who shows up) for breakfast every Tuesday morning at a local pancake house. We showed up, just moments before Bill Dellinger left! He had arrived, but their usual reserved table had been taken by another group and he didn't feel up to waiting around for another table. We visited with his remaining posse - men we have known since we were in college. A few of them seemed old back in the day, yet they are still kickin' and cracking jokes with their buddies over coffee and flapjacks.
Half-order of potato pancakes
Turns out Dellinger's usual table had been commandeered by the University of Oregon basketball coach and his players! Seriously? Show some respect, dribblers! We were delighted to see gorgeous Oregon sprinter English Gardener dining in the restaurant. She was in official Olympic Team attire, which could only mean one thing - she was on the team! Miss Gardner did not make the 100m squad, but was selected to be a member of the relay pool - a group of runners available to practice hand-offs, race in the heats and possibly race in the final of the relays. Something you may not know: every member of the relay pool who races in even one heat receives a medal if the relay team earns the necklace. Yeah, English! GO DUCKS!
Car in the pancake house parking lot - covered in bumper stickers
Eugene is a strange and interesting town.
After breakfast, we tried to keep ourselves busy. Car wash. Filled the Honda with fuel. Bought vitamins at Costco. Bought a few groceries. Then we headed back to the RV (where they let me access the coach to put the groceries in the fridge), and parked our backsides in the Cummins waiting room.
It is just like a visit to the doctor. Except without Obama RV Care. Luckily, there were no odd issues with the Magna Peregrinus today.
It was 2 o'clock. Should we camp free at a (very unlevel) campsite in the Cummins NW parking area? Should we go back across the interstate to Premier RV Resort? Should we head over to the coast a day early? Should we try the new place on the Willamette River a few miles up the road?
We decided to try the River Bend Resort in Harrisburg, about 13 miles north of Eugene. It had been getting good reviews and is very popular as a rally park, as the facilities are top-notch. They offer 95 long paved sites, 50 amp, free wifi, laundry, bathhouse, cable TV, seasonal pool & hot tub, huge ballrooms, meeting room with a full kitchen and a small motel.
Clubhouse
One of the ballrooms in the Clubhouse - with views over the river
View down the river
View up the river - notice our RV!
(Though I have lived in the Willamette Valley most of my life, it still feels odd to me that the Willamette River flows north - one of the few to do so in America.)
The pool and spa were very nice - and on the river. Pretty!
But I am here to say, the RV park could use a little TLC. There are a lot of live-ins. The lawn has gone completely to the weeds and hasn't been mowed in quite a while. The cement on nearly every pad is cracked and collapsing (and our mega-heavy coach isn't helping the situation). Very sad.
Not a pretty sight (nor site)
We decided to stimulate the local economy and eat at a Mexican restaurant in nearby Junction City, El Campecino (The Peasant). We have eaten here many times while in the area visiting Country Coach. The food is decent, the prices are good and the service is excellent, and honestly, there just aren't many other options in the area.
My Big Macho Man ordered the Big Macho Burrito with chicken. He wasn't mucho macho tonight though and could barely plow through half of this monstruo.
I made an equally-weak effort on my chicken carnitas. Did not make it through any of the rice or beans, but I did get through most of the pollo.Tomorrow officially begins our VACATION!
Until my next update, I remain, your bloated correspondent.
RV Park: River Bend Resort - 95 long paved sites, 50 amp, free wifi, laundry, bathhouse, cable TV, seasonal pool & hot tub, huge ballrooms, meeting room with a full kitchen and a small motel. We paid $31.50 with our Good Sam discount for Space #25.