DAYS 16-18

Got a spare 27 hours? Ride the Amtrak from LA to Eugene, Oregon. Takes you through Santa Barbara, San Jose, Oakland (San Francisco), Sacramento (California's capital) and Klamath Falls.

Jack Jack (dog), Emma (6 month old bub) and her parents Peter and Jessica have been spoiling us rotten here in Eugene - "The World's Greatest City of the Arts and Outdoors". It has a uni, the Nike corporation and 3 big companies - Burley, Co-Motion and Bike Friday. (The previous 2 times we've come through Eugene, we've bought a tandem bike!)

Fay enjoyed having a ride all round Eugene - absolutely the best bike trail town in the world!

Seeing Peter had 10 bikes in the shed, there was a pretty good chance I'd find one to my liking. Sure did! It's a SURLY, same as Fay's ride, but with road bike config.

Fay even had a go on a recumbent! She sure had some style too.

They have some great bike and walk bridges across the Willamette River too. I reckon they should have the Australian Bike Friday gathering here one year! What do you reckon?
Eugene has a population of about 157,000. At least 2 universities.
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From here we head to Corvallis (Oregon) for a day and then by train and bus to Vancouver in Canada's British Columbia. If you want to email us, after Saturday, address is:

• gkeast4503@pearl.cruisemail.net

Thanks Patronas, Smiths, McCarthys, Berras and Joellen for looking after us while we were in California and Oregon. We've had a great time.