Via Oregon - September/October 2021 - 31

Pop quiz! Complete this sentence with the
correct answer (multiple choice): College towns
across the West appeal to travelers looking to:
(a) visit their children or grandkids, (b) revel in
regional history or culture, (c) explore built or
natural wonders, (d) sample craft burgers or
beer, or (e) all of the above. If you chose the
final option, give yourself a gold star. College
towns-vibrant communities shaped by a major
university and its student body-tend to be rife
with budget-friendly eats, sights, and activities.
These eight destinations get an A+, whether
or not you know anyone on campus.
Eugene, Oregon
Situated at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence
of two rivers, Eugene beams with natural beauty. The city, home to
the University of Oregon, attracts outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds with
activities as varied as bird-watching, cycling, and kayaking. Sports fans
know Eugene as TrackTown USA, thanks to the school's legacy of producing
track-and-field legends, such as Steve Prefontaine, Phil Knight,
and Caroline Walker. Its 100-year-old Hayward Field will host the World
Athletics Championships in 2022. Go Ducks!
Over 40 miles of paths crisscross the area for use by anyone, from
fitness joggers to future Olympians. For a leisurely introduction, rent
a bike from PeaceHealth Rides and pedal the 12-mile Ruth Bascom
Riverbank Path System-named for the city's " bicycling " mayor, the
first woman elected to the office. Its trails, which mostly hug the
riverbanks, are especially enchanting in fall, when the Oregon alder and
big-leaf maple trees blaze red, orange, and yellow.
Visitors can also cycle or stroll around the UO campus, an informal
arboretum that nurtures 4,000 trees. While you're there, stop by the
Museum of Natural and Cultural History. The striking building, designed
to resemble a Northwest coast longhouse, preserves 15,000 years of
Oregon's history as well as artifacts, including what may be the world's
oldest shoes, a pair of approximately 10,000-year-old sagebrush sandals.
Shoes are a big deal in Eugene. Two of the most celebrated UO Ducks,
Knight and his track coach, Bill Bowerman, cofounded Nike (now based
in Beaverton) after Bowerman was inspired to make grippy soles in a waffle
iron. More than 40 pairs of vintage Nikes, including one of the first
prototypes, are on display at the retro-cool Graduate Eugene Hotel on
Sixth Avenue. At the Eugene Running Company store nearby, you can
peruse an extensive collection of TrackTown USA memorabilia while getting
fitted for your own kicks.
AAA | VIA 31
SEAN PAVONE / ALAMY
Via Oregon - September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Via Oregon - September/October 2021
