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We got into Eugene. The homing beacon went off
on the tandem again and we made our way out to Co-Motion to say
hello. We then stopped in at Amtrak to buy tickets for Portland.
We had planned to take an afternoon train, but discovered that
due to some construction, we'd need to leave early in the day,
missing our planned morning ride around Eugene. When we arrived
the next morning, we found there was yet another problem and we
might have to take a bus, which would really complicate matters
with the tandem. Fortunately since we had no connection, we were
able to wait and take the almost empty train to Portland. It turned
out the buses got lost and only arrived minutes before us! But
we also had a bizarre issue with some Amtrak requirement that
we BOX the tandem. Single bikes didn't need boxes and could be
hung from hooks, but the tandem, which is awkward to box, needed
to be boxed. We pointed out that we could decouple it and hang
each part from a hook. Given that most of the passengers took
the bus and the baggage car would be empty, the agent decided
we could just roll it in as is. But he warned us the folks in
Portland would give us grief. He said to tell them that Dave in
Eugene said it was OK. Well his predictions were correct. The
baggage folks in Portland told us we did the wrong thing. We apologized,
said Dave told us it was OK, and next time...
Now whenever we get in trouble, we use that line.
"Dave in Eugene said it was OK"
Dan and Janet took us out for a cool down ride
on our final day, that included their usual climbs up to Skyline,
but also a little gravel road called Otto
Miller. We probably should have stayed with them for the whole
trip, since this was our training for Mt Washington. We did far
more climbing with them than on tour.
Dan brought along a flask with jet fuel for courage
for the descent!
After all our gravel roads, the tandem got the
full Morgan Spa treatment before getting packed away.
Dan loves washing bikes. We visit every year,
just to give him this pleasure!
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