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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (May 22, 2003)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 for the Willamette provides a list of campsites, plus detailed information on amenities, under the heading “Trip Planning.” www.vistaballoon.com/beta for more informa- tion. MOUNTAIN BIKING Some people call it the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Others call it skydiv- ing. “I get out of the airplane and I can fly,” says Dave Wright, owner of Wright Brothers Skydiving. After several hours of training, novices can plummet thousands of feet to the earth at 120 mph. Wright Brothers Skydiving and Eugene Skydivers, both in Creswell, offer local newbies their first shot at Icarian adven- ture. Contact Eugene Skydivers at 1-866-461- DIVE. Contact Wright Brothers Skydiving at 1- 800-SKYDIVE.. Options for local mountain biking enthusi- asts are seemingly endless. Lane County is home to some of the best trails in the country. While mountain bikers are more likely to share national secrets than their favorite trails, some local jewels are common knowledge. The McKenzie River Trail, 50 miles east of Eugene on Highway 126, is practically a gift from the moun- tain biking gods. The Oakridge area, 45 minutes south of Eugene off of Highway 58, is home to many of the better trails in Lane County. The U.S. Forest Service map of the Willamette National Forest is an excellent resource for find- ing both popular and lesser known tracks. BARBECUES & BACKYARDS The prescription for the ultimate kickin’ it on a Sunday summer afternoon: a fridge full of longnecks, a stereo blasting Legend and vari- ous meatstuffs on an outdoor girl. It’s laid back, it’s inexpensive and it induces camaraderie and instant nostalgia. Simply heat up some coals, call up a bunch of friends and pro- ceed to sit on the grass and fill bel- lies with meat, brewdogs and possibly potato salad. If it’s an especially hot day, consider rig- ging up a sprin- kler, kiddie pool or the Slip N’ Slide. air HOT AIR BALLOONING Picture yourself floating high over wine country, held up by a gigantic, candy-colored balloon. Vista Balloon Adventures offers that exact experience. Hot-air powered flights run daily out of Newburg (just south of Portland) for $179 per person. The one-hour trip is fol- lowed by a catered breakfast. “It’s absolutely wonderful,” says owner Roger Anderson. “It’s probably the closest I’ll ever come to owning a magic carpet.” Call 1-800-622-2309 or visit ULTIMATE FRISBEE Eugene is big on high school ultimate fris- bee. A South Eugene player, B re e ze S tr o ut (shown of left pulling down a “d”,) was called a future “Callahan Candidate” (most valuable player in college ultimate) in the Ultimate Player’s Association newsletter. Recently Oregon high school teams played one another in Philomath, Ore., in the Oregon High School Championships. After Philomath High School staged an early seven-to- one run against South in the finals, South put on a dis- play of diving blocks and sky-high grabs to stage a terrific comeback before being edged out 13- 15 by last year’s champions. South was shy a couple of their best players due to family events, so look to the youth of South Eugene for future regional and national high school ultimate frisbee titles. E u ge n e pi c k- up ga m es for all-level play, 6:30 pm, T, TH, South Bank Fields (by the footbridge to Autzen Stadium.) U p c o mi n g O r eg o n to u rn am e n t s: Slugfest, May 31-June 1, Corvallis. 738-8929. 25th Annual Summer Solstice, June 21-22, Eugene. 302-9779. Log Jam, June 21-22, Estacada. (503) 233- 4634. Against the Grain, July 19-20, Seaside. (503) 819-2585. Kleinman Eruption, Aug. 2-3, Portland. moni- cow@teleport.com ON PAGE 8 Cheesecakes • Breakfast Pastries • Brownies Play Hard, Eat SWEET! 755 Monroe St. • 683-5676 • www.sweetlifedesserts.com Hours: Sun - Wed till 8:00pm • Thur - Sat till 11:00pm Cakes • Cookies • Pies • Eclairs Power Muffins • Vegan Options CONTINUED SKYDIVING Footwear for those who appreciate comfort FREE FLEECE VEST OR DAY PACK Buy any Birkenstock boot over $200 and receive a free vest or pack (while supplies last.) 301 SW Madison Ave Corvallis 7 5 7 - 0 8 7 5 181 East Broadway Eugene 3 4 2 - 6 1 0 7 Train Excursions are Fun Good Times Await on Trips to Portland & Seattle Amtrak Cascades Trains Depart Eugene at 5:45 am & 9:30 am Coast Starlight Train scheduled to depart Eugene at: Northbound to Seattle 12:44 PM • Southbound to California 5:10 PM New Service Lewis & Clark Explorer Train Portland • Astoria May 23 through Sept. 2, 2003 Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday Via the Lower Columbia River Rail Line Depart Portland Union Station 7:30 am Arrive Astoria RR Station at 11:30am Depart Astoria RR Station at 4:30pm Arrive Portland Union Station 8:30pm Travel close to historic L&C sites You can also get there on Amtrak Oregon Thruway Buses NORTH: 1:45 PM and 3:10 PM to Albany, Salem and Portland 3:10 PM Bus connects to Cannon Beach, Seaside and Astoria EAST: 9:22 AM to Sisters, Bend, Burns, Vale and Ontario WEST: 3:50 PM to Florence, Reedsport and Coos Bay For Tickets and Schedule Information Contact: Your Amtrak Travel Agent or call 1-800-USA Rail This service is partially supported by Oregon Department of Transportation Passenger Rail Funds www.eugeneweekly.com EW’s OUTDOOR GUIDE 2003 MAY 22, 2003 7
