We have mentioned before how much we enjoy walking around the many college campuses in our great country. While here in Oregon we had only visited Portland State and Oregon State so Sunday we decided to drive the short 20 minutes south to the land of the ducks… the University of Oregon.
It took us a while to find the heart of the campus as it is smaller than we had thought it would be. Also our GPS, Alice, had no clue where it was and the signage along the highway didn’t help us new visitors to Eugene. But persistence paid off and we found a parking spot by what appeared to be what we refer to as “the strip.” Found near most campuses the strip is usually a small retail area of eateries, bars, bookstores and usually has banks or ATMs frequented by students and staff of the nearby campus.
The Oregon campus looks to be comprised of an older central campus that is seemingly landlocked by Eugene yet it seems to have grown on the edges through more recent land acquisition. The newer buildings around the edges attest to this hypothesis but I am sure the loyal Ducks will chime in and correct me if this is untrue. The football stadium and basketball arena are quite stunning due to a recent benefactor thus elevating the level of athletic facilities here to being some of the best in the country. However, the women's softball field is a bit run down and aging considering the Ducks belong to the prestigious PAC 12, a powerhouse in fast pitch softball. Hopefully they will remedy this in the near future and the Lady Ducks will have a better home…
But let me talk about the older part of campus… stunningly beautiful is all I can say… The collection of giant stately trees found in this part of the campus is as good as any arboretum we have been to. Some of the historical buildings here also contribute to some landscapes one might picture in novels. If you find yourself in this area you really must visit this part of campus and the parking on Sunday is free; so why not visit?
We just love visiting college campuses and get asked occasionally why we do? The reasons are simple for us:
- the architecture
- the landscaping
- I use to work for Texas A&M University
- but most important to us is the energy we find and feel on campuses
- our daughter played Division I softball in college
All these reasons appeal to us… reenergize us… it is our fountain of youth…
Upon returning home, our friends Pam and Vic invited us to dinner. Pam’s son had caught fresh Tuna on Saturday which Pam marinated then grilled to perfection. She plated the tuna atop balsamic infused onions, potatoes and olives, with a side of locally grown peppers sautĂ©ed in olive oil. We brought broccoli salad and bread so this dinner was truly a feast.
Today we move to Armitage Park in Eugene as we were able to switch our reservation in Richardson with this much preferred Lane County Park that also happens to be much closer to Eugene.
Yes, such a beautiful campus. When you go to the San Diego area, check out the San Diego State College. And in Seattle is the University of Washington, aka U Dub. How is Sharon's wrist?
ReplyDeleteAnd here I thought you were trying to decide where to enroll. I second the motion - How is Sharon??
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe, Nancy and Sherry for asking about me! The wrist still looks foreign to me with the swelling and the big scar but I am faithfully doing my rehab exercises, heating and icing. For six weeks I cannot pick up anything heavier than a coffee cup so the biggest adjustment has been doing everyday things with one hand. John has been very patient and helpful...thank goodness!
ReplyDeleteI was in Sales for a College Textbook company for most of my career. I loved the energy of the campus. It was one of the reasons I stayed in the business so long.
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