“As long as there’s games on our
schedule, we’ll be fighting hard. ”
Oregon’s Malik Hairston on the men’s basketball team’s
outlook on the rest of the season
■ Outdoor recreation
At home
on the road
University professor Annie Dochnahl shows ‘persistence, dedication'
to cycling with treks such as her 500-mile ride through Costa Rica
BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN
OUTDOOR RECREATION REPORTER
Annie Dochnahl’s ambition for cycling has led
her all over the world. Not many people have cy
cled from Eugene to Madison, Wis. — a distance
of just over 3,000 miles. She has also hiked in
Hawaii, New Zealand and Mexico, to name a few
exotic locations.
Dochnahl is a University professor deeply
involved in aspects of health and the out
doors. Many students know her as an Exercise
and Wellness 102 instructor, and she practices
what she teaches.
“She’s someone who walks her talk,” Jen
Strong, an adjunct instructor with the Out
door Pursuits Program and friend of
Dochnahl’s, said.
Dochnahl is an avid outdoorswoman. Bom in
Madison, Wis., she came to Eugene 22 years ago
and has taken advantage of Oregon’s outdoor ac
tivities ever since.
“I feel lucky to be able to enjoy so many sports.
I’m doing it because it feels so right, like a Border
Collie that wants to be with sheep or an alligator
that wants to be in the water,” she said. “There’s
something extremely comforting about the out
door environment where I feel at home. ”
Dochnahl’s most recent adventure came by
way of a 500-mile trek across Costa Rica with
only her bike and partner Roger Bailey for sup
port. The two left in December and biked for
three weeks.
Preparing for the journey, many of the
pair’s friends were concerned about the lack
of cycling safety on the twisting main roads of
Costa Rica. However, Dochnahl said safety
was not a problem.
“We were (only) on the main road for 12 miles.
For about four days we saw nothing but horse
back riders, motorcycles and trucks (on the off
roads),” she said.
By avoiding the main roads and riding on the
trails, Dochnahl and Bailey got to experience
some of Costa Rica’s hidden treasures.
“On the little trails, it was so quiet that the
monkeys, birds and wildlife really came out to
us,” she said.
While enjoying the scenery, the two also faced
their share of challenges on back trails. On the Pa
cific coast, 90-degree temperatures limited the
ability to bike after 2 p.m. In the highlands, where
the temperature was cooler, the roads became
steeper and more challenging to ascend.
1 was just blown away by how steep the
hills are,” Dochnahl said, noting that Costa
Rica doesn’t have rules about road grades like
the United States.
The lifestyle on a cycling vacation is a bit dif
ferent from the typical tropical getaway,
Dochnahl said. Swimming in the ocean replaces
leisurely afternoons at the pool, and nights are
spent in a tent on a beach, not at a resort.
The pair carried about 50 pounds of gear with
them, including a tent, a tiny sleeping sack and a
small stove that ran on denatured alcohol.
In the morning, they used the stove to make
coffee. They feasted daily on big Costa Rican
meals at different stores along the way — where
the food was cheap and plentiful and the Costa
Ricans were friendly and helpful.
“I feel in love with so many Costa Ricans,”
Dochnahl said.
When preparing for the trip, the pair had two
options plan their own trip or let a group like
Courtesy
Annie Dochnahl, a professor at the University, takes a break during one of her cycling adventures in Costa Rica in
December. Dochnahl has traveled the world to cycle in places such as New Zealand, Mexico and Hawaii.
Backroads, where all gear and food is provided,
do it for them.
Dochnahl has always planned her own trips
but takes precautions before traveling. She sug
gests using the TVavel Clinic at the University
Health Center to get the proper first-aid supplies
and immunizations before going abroad.
Dochnahl also recommends getting airline
tickets early to save money and suggests staying
at a hotel on the first night of a trip. Bikers can
then arrange to store their bike box at the hotel
while they cycle.
For those students who can’t afford the time or
expense to travel abroad for an outdoor adven
ture, Dochnahl suggests trying local activities.
She lets Oregon’s distinct seasons dictate her
activities, opting for skiing in the winter and boat
ing in the summer.
“I admire the persistence, dedication and
gumption that Annie puts toward all her en
deavors,” Peter Lunger, who has been on
many adventures with Dochnahl, said. “The
list is impressive: running, bike-touring,
kayaking, climbing, weightlifting, backpack
ing, hiking, telemark and cross-country ski
ing, dance and, most recently, yoga.”
When living in a place with this many diverse
outdoor offerings, students can follow
Dochnahl’s example and see what inspiration the
great outdoors can bring.
ashleygriffin@dailyemerald.com
Erik R. Bishoff | Photographef
Oregon’s Chamberlain Oguchi, seen here against Arizona State, is one of the
“energy guys” that head coach Ernie Kent will be counting on to recharge the Ducks1
momentum in the second half of the season.
■ Men's basketball
'Energy' players to spark Ducks
Malik Hairston, Chamberlain Oguchi,
Jordan Kent and Bryce Taylor are being
called upon to improve the Ducks' season
BY JON ROETMAN
SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
Tuesday’s practice was filled with intensity as the Oregon
men’s basketball team worked through live game situations
at McArthur Court.
Separated by different colored practice jerseys, head coach
Ernie Kent’s “energy” group players donned green tank tops
and dominated their counterparts in yellow.
Maarty Leunen grabbed a loose bdll in the backcourt and
jammed it home with authority. Bryce Taylor added a dunk
of his own, which he followed with a thunderous yell of ag
gression. And just to remind everyone of Oregon’s outside
shooting ability, Chamberlain Oguchi drilled a three-point
er from the right wing — after which he screamed and
hopped, allowing his cornrow mullet to swing freely from
the back of his head.
While energy was the key to Tuesday’s practice, Kent
said, more importantly, it will be the key to improvement
for the Ducks during the second half of the Pacific-10
Conference season.
“They work their butts off for you,” Kent said. “They still
have some adjustments to make come game time, but I
thought our energy was really good today, and it’s been
good the past couple days in terms of intensity.
“Most of our problems are based on energy and compedng.”
Oregon’s Pac-10 season got off to a strong start when
the Ducks followed up an 8-1 non-conference mark with a
90-83 win against Southern California on Dec. 31. Since
then, Oregon (11-7 overall, 3-6 Pac-10) has lost six of eight
games, including the last four. The Ducks have looked
confused offensively and have been outhustled to many
rebounds and loose balls. They have also gotten buried by
terrible starts, often falling behind by double digits before
starting to play with any coherency.
Kent said his youthful team ran out of gas and needs to
find a way to rebound during the second half of the season.
“The biggest thing we’re going to do in the second half
is we’re going to play energy guys,” said Kent, referring to
Malik Hairston, Jordan Kent, Taylor, Oguchi and a few oth
ers. “I think with energy guys, it gets you off to a better
start. You compete better, you’re loud and vocal and you
talk, which brings energy to the other guys on your team.”
Kent also said the Ducks’ four true freshmen are fo
cused on returning their level of play to where it was earli
er in the season. Hairston, Taylor, Leunen and Oguchi all
tailed off at one point and will play a crucial role in how
Oregon finishes its season.
“All four of them have hit the wall and kind of pushed
back over it,” Kent said. “I’m just hoping they can all kind of
get on their groove at the same time now, because they’ve
all shown moments of brilliance. If I can get them all on the
same page at the same time, then I think we have a chance
to have a great second half of the Pac-10 season.”
Hairston is the only one of the group to have turned
things around at this point. Touted as one of the top
prospects in the country coming out of Renaissance High
School in Detroit, the 6-foot-6 swing man is starting to
play with more aggression and has scored in double
figures in the last five games.
“There’s no such thing as giving up,” Hairston said. “As
long as there’s games on our schedule, we’ll be fighting
hard. This team still has great potential.”
jonmetman@dailyememld.com