Eugene

Freeman Writing Desk

Took Ross back to Eugene today. Total expedition time was ten hours. Pleasant weather on the way down, torrential rains on the way back. Put together a small desk that was purchased at Target. Just fits in the space next to his full-size bed in his pint size room, which is just right. Some of the pegs and pins needed a little convincing to go all the way in. A couple of whacks with a hammer on a block of wood would have been just the ticket. A hammer we have, but a block of wood? None to be found anywhere on the inside. There might be one lying around outside, but it is really wet outside and no one is particular keen on venturing forth. We use a pad of paper instead and it works well enough.

Went to lunch at Charo's (or Charro's, though the one place I found on the web bears no resemblence except its' location, and it's closed to boot) in downtown Eugene about four in the afternoon. Strange place, totally empty. Full bar, front and center. Tables were made of some sort of solid plastic inlaid with abstract designs. Don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it. The booth seats were some kind of pink. The place was pretty bright by today's standards. Waitress was cheerful but she had this very loud annoying laugh, which she demonstrated several times. Made me realize how annoying I can be when I am being loud, or so my family tells me. My friends don't mention it, but then, they wouldn't. Anyway, she brewed us a fresh pot of coffee. There were about six TV's playing, tuned to three different channels. The cook screwed up our order. I ordered a cheeseburger and that came out correct. Ross ordered shrimp and got popcorn shrimp. Anne ordered a patty melt and got some sort of Philly cheese steak thing, which she was not happy about. The waitress tells us the cook is new, and awful. I swap my sandwich for Anne's. It's there, I'm hungry and it has got a couple of good size slabs of beef on it. Looks good to me. Nobody can finish their food, it is way too massive. $40 out the door.

Went to Safeway to lay in some supplies for Ross since he does not have a car. Normally he ferries all his groceries home in a bicycle messenger bag. While they are shopping, I wander around looking for something to amuse myself. In the flower corner I notice a sign that says a dozen roses are fourteen, or is it fourteen roses are a dozen? Obviously a commie plot. Notice one tall bearded dude reading a magazine by the magazine rack. He's there when we come in. He is still there, in the same posture when we leave. It does not look like he has moved a muscle.

1993 Pierce 105' Tiller with rare Twin Screw Tractor (L0549)

When we try to leave there is hook and ladder truck blocking our way. This is one of those fire trucks that have a trailer with a cab on top for the guy who steers the trailer. This is a one way street with three lanes. The right hand lane is for right hand turns. The fire truck wants to turn right, but he is sitting in the middle lane. Even with the guy steering the trailer, they cannot make the right hand turn from the right hand lane. The tractor has two rear axles. I spent quite a while looking for a picture of just such a fire engine. Most hook and ladder trucks like this only have a single rear axle. Hardly any have two. I found a picture on the Niles, Illinois website (gone now) where I also found this statement: "Truck 2 is a 1993 Pierce Lance 105 ft. tractor-trailer tiller with a dual drive axle tractor (one of only two in the country)." Could this one in Eugene be the other one?

Update December 2016 replaced missing pictures with new ones.