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Eugene, Oregon
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Section: Hippie Havens | Category: Place | Area: Oregon | Topic: Hippiedom
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Site of the nearby Oregon Country Faire (each July) where each year hippies gather to celebrate their hippiness. Home to the University of Oregon, many co-operatives, communes galore, a real cool Saturday Market, and eco-consciousness.
UPDATE: I wanted to let you know that the Oregon Country Fair WAS a wonderful hippy flavor type hang-out once a year (or often if you know the old owners). Well, the new owners are a little different now. They now let cops in undercover and not, onto private property to gather local revenue of happy-hippy trippers and such. JUST AN FYI....wouldn't want any wonderful people to go with the impression that the old hippy extraordinaire still owned and operated the scene!!!
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Visitor Comments about Eugene, Oregon
Posted by some damn local on 2008-03-07 19:01:23
My Score:
Comment: I have been a lane county resident since 1966. Eugene is not a city, it is many different incompatible small towns all stuck together. This is why there is no viable downtown or real civic identity other than constant quarreling between the Left and the Developers. The Eugene ''Tribes'' are as such:
Hippies - see some types of them at the Saturday market, oregon country fair, downtown. They are not ''stuck in the 60''s'', rather the 60''s were the brief period when the dominant culture considered hippies a fun consumeable fad. After the fad is over and regular people went on to the next thing, they laughed at the hippies for not getting with it...... hahahaha! The hippies just smiled and keep on keeping on. Many are the real thing, many young ones are posers. Look at what they drive, eat and smoke. Real, respected, counterculture leaders and other genu-wine drop-out-of-society hippies STILL do not have car payments or paycheck jobs, and do NOT sponge off the government either. Real hippies are separate and self-sufficient, like tie-dyed Amish with dank bud. ANything else is a wannabee or a trustafarian or some poor white kid who put on a tie-dye to try and sell catnip to the unsuspecting tourists looking for famous eugene smoke.
Old Progressives - original 60''s hippies and agitators that grew up and became responsible, without losing their idealistic values. These are the people that do the actual work that earns eugene it''s progressive rep;, they fight senseless development, pledge public radio, demand recycling, shop at independent stores, use public transit and dress in comfortable clothes, they''re outspoken, political and concerend with the environment and human rights. Most are "spiritual" in some way. They are politically savvy, patient, vocal and efficient at keeping Eugene a "no growth" city. Patient with hippies who show real promise, disdainful of wannabees wearing political slogans who never manage to register to vote.
Promise Keepers - squeaky clean christian Conservatives north of the river in McMansions and megachurches. Look for them at the mall buying Christian CDs. They mainly exist to annoy and harrass the LGBTQI community and keep the consumer economy afloat. Pro-business, pro-growth. Hate hippies as the spawn of new age religions and communism.
Ducks - The name of the UofO sports teams. See them at the university and places where people drive nicer cars. They''re not from here, and they usuall don''t stay. They drive nice cars and eat at trendy restaurants and wear lots of yellow & green. The only real African American presence in Eugene is at the university, usually connected to sports. Hippies are a local cartoon to them, part of the entertainment.
Tweakers & Methheads - usually white, low income and rural. Look for them in broken trash strewn-trailers surrounded with dead cars. They have few teeth, bad skin, guns, pit bulls and will steal anything they can get their hands on. Most are native born kids who have nothing to do since the timber industry went to hell. Sad. They steal from naive hippies.
Anarchists -college educated trust-fund rich drop outs and smart poor kids who would rather fight than submit. Most are not from here, some are. They think the best way to change things is with property destruction and social disruption and petty violence. They get a disproportionate share of attention, like hippies. They clash with the cops regularly, many of the notorious figures from the late 90''s are on parole or in jail. Hate hippies for being too peaceful.
Depressed artists - everywhere. look for them at gallery openings, open mikes, cheap bars and finally squashed on the train tracks. Lot of depression and mental health issues in Eugene, heavily related to the weather. It''s not the rain, it''s the overcast, the lack of work and the lack of enough audience for art in a town full of artists. Resent hippies for appreciating art but not buying.
Latinos - A fast growing group, mainly seen in Whiteaker and West Eugene. Eugene claims to love the third world, but when real Mexicans came to town there was a lot of misunderstanding and stereotypes. Latinos now have a newspaper, stores and restaurants churches and other cultural underpinning well established. Bienvenidos! Find hippies amusing but dirty and uncultured.
LGBTQI - the Queer community. Lots of lesbians and gays and every other variation of Queer you can think of. Very out and proud and political, with a great Pride party every summer. the lesbian community in particular is very visible. Bookstores, clubs, discussion groups and social events abound. Hippies welcomed.
Rednecks - THe oldest tribe of local caucasians. They dress in flannel, hickory shirts, jeans and baseball caps don''t want to be lumped in with the Hippie vibe. Live in Springfield, and west eugene. Hard-working, drive American trucks, chew snoose, listen to new country and classic rock, work in wood products or trucking or railroad, etc. County Fairs, karaoke, TV, pool tournaments and rodeo are the entertainment forms. Lower-income than the Promise Keepers group, although both are quite conservative and often evangelical. Rednecks are actually the dominant lifeform in Lane county, they just don''t feel the need for grandstanding like the hippies. Rednecks gone wrong turn into tweekers, rednecks that get an education and smoke dope turn into green-necks. Harass hippies for fun, staging pro-war counter-protests at the federal building and gay-pride events.
Green necks. The social mellowness of a real hippie with the practical skills of real rednecks. Can operate a bong or a chainsaw with equal skill. Flannel shirts, boots and long hair (both genders). Often goats, gardening, and feminism successfully marry into power tools, trucks and Second Amendment rights. Also found in Washington state. Not as overtly stridently political as hippies or rednecks. Live & let live attitude.
Californians: They are buying up everything and complaining about the weather. THe only way for a Californian to successfully assimilate is to leave their damn money home. Period. Your money is what pollutes you and makes us HATE you, because you''re arrogant and priveleged in a lnad of people who have learned to MAKE DO with very little. If you''re going to bring money, don''t build a mansion, adopt a little town and bring it back to the life WE remember, not the same crap you''re trying to escape. Often try to camouflage as hippies or progressives, but money leaks out and dissolves the disguise.
First Nations - Where are they? We have a lot of caucasian wannabee new-age "indians" (WAY too many!) but the real First Nations people are usually only seen in groups during local pow-wows. Many of them seem to be of the redneck country-western lifestyle, i''ve never met an "Indian" hippie. They resent cultural appropriation of their spirituality and art by new-age white kids. (hippies)
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Posted by on 2008-03-07 17:52:39
My Score:
Comment: Who ever wrote that bogus crap about the Oregon Country Fair is full of compost. The fair is not "owned" by anyone, it''s a COOPERATIVE. The old days allowed dogs, dope and dumbshit behavior. There are no undercover cops in the fair, it has its own security and they will throw your reeky ass out if you fire up in public..... COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY....any of you stupid stoners even know what that is or are you just interested in another party sceeeeeeeeeene, maaaaaaaaaaan....... Fucking Posers stay home. Real hippies go to www.oregoncountryfair.org and get the real scoop.
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Posted by You Can Call Me Snail on 2008-03-03 11:40:37
My Score: 
Comment: I''ve heard a lot of opinions, and I just had to stick mine in here somewhere.
I think that somebody hit it when they said Eugene is a different experience for everyone who comes/lives here.
A lot has already been said; i.e. polit. issues, nature, bikes, progressive, etc.
I agree with most of the pro''s and con''s, but my view is growing up in the surburbs of Tejas, in a F**ked up town where the youth are all on coke and the parents are millionare workaholics and the show is the "American Dream", Eugene is Paradise to me. Being able to choose to grow/process "clean" food, have my kid at home in the woods and school him myself if I should so choose, being able to be part of an artsy cool community that has hippies, punks, homeless, students, yuppies, 80''s luvvers, pseudo-hippies, religious nuts, etc. is part of what I love.
My experience is that Eugene has come through for me in miraculous ways. I''ve met people from Africa, From Brazil, From Mexico, all over, where I lived near Houston for years and didn''t plug into any of it even though I tried. I love the heart of this town, and the intentions, the farmers, the friendly-ness (that people will even talk to each other in the back or post lost and founds, etc) Bartering, free piles, hot springs, and protests+conscious solution building (hello coops and sustainable options?)
Being a struggling low income mama for two years, I have had moments where farmers at the market handed me veggies or goat milk kickdowns, and folks at sundance handed me juice, when I had only the gas in my tank and pennies in my pocket.
I love Vishnu imports and Pomegranate''s and Plaza Latina and the diverse flavor of those neighborhood trendy nat food stores. I love the option of having supportive resources where I can choose to buy organics from small ops or grow my own. I love mountains and herbal medicine, and the opportunity to learn about vast amounts of different subjects all expressed in the activity of this town. I love smart people who can carry on a conversation, even if sometimes they can be pretentious or art snobs. I love building community together and experiencing all of the subcultures I can....I love how my gas attendant can be a musician as well, how my babysitter can be a masseuse, and the undiscovered treasures of people that we have magickally drawn here together for some reason. I like the LGBTQ pop we have and the family-orientedness that makes itself present in local venues, and yes, I love the businesses where the employees smoke a little too much reefer and space the onions or olives on the pizza (you know who you are) because it makes me feel like a live in a place where we are beautiful, aspiring, fallibly humble humans. And this is where I belong at least for the time being. I''ve been to every state except three in the US, and this is my favorite place so far. Maybe I''m just supposed to be here, who knows?
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Posted by jennifer on 2008-02-06 19:29:10
My Score:
Comment: i just moved to mpls from california and i am really sick of people calling california cali......whassup with that anyway. i have never heard so many misconceptions about a place in my life. yes, i left there becuase it is too crowded because so many people want to live there---must be a reason....liberal, beautiful weather, smart people who are green and understand the asian healthy lifestyles
i joined this site because i need to find a hippie friendly city that is not in calif because i need elbow room. any suggestions? boulder, colorado ?
how on earth are we to get along with the rest of the world when we can''t even get along with each other in our own country...i have been mistreated here because i made the mistake of being born in calif.
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Posted by Dave H. on 2008-02-05 15:22:28
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is what it is. I lived there for three yrs. in the mid 90''s. I still have a lot of friends that stayed, most were re-plants from the Northeast. Erb is superb there, and the beer is even better. We used to call ourselves the "privledged poor" because we always had good weed and beer, but used to get food stamps. So many people get food stamps that are totally capable of working, they just choose to be high and milk the government they hate so much...lol. But all in all, the people are great. If you''re a musician you can start an instant friends circle, literally...within a day of getting there I had about 15 friends, and they just kept growing. I played in a bunch of bands but don''t remember much because I was to high. It''s crazy that people smoke that many times a day. I mean once you''re high, you''re high, can you get any higher? I used to take 3 hits and be good, but low and behold the damn bong was still being passed around two hours later as we were sitting in the same damn spot...HA! Eugene is what it is, which is something very cool... for what it is (if that makes sense). When you feel it''s time to grow up, simply do what I did and leave. That''s all. Some want to be a Toys-R-Us kid forever though, and there''s nothing wrong with that. I went back last year after a 10 yr. hiatus, and found that for the exception of some new buildings and bars, not much as changed. That''s what I expected, and was glad to see it. I love that town and always will. Be good to each other and don''t take life so seriously. Peace,
Dave
www.makeyourpoemasong.com
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Posted by NorfAm on 2008-01-26 01:28:30
My Score:
Comment: Eugene man. First off, I dont know where you people have lived before but many of the things you are saying about Eugene are way out of perspective. I grew up in the suburbs on the east coast where glass & strip malls are the norm. Went to school in upstate new york where there is no economy, the weather is horrible, & the people are conservative & not very well educated. I then moved to Philadelphia, which has more to do than Eugene, but also has angry people, trash everywhere, damaged landscapes, etc etc.
I moved to Eugene because they seem to have their act together much more than the places Ive lived before. Public transportation is pretty good. Recycling programs, parks, community services - these things barely exist in the east.
The economy here does suck - I used to find jobs in Philly very easily but have struggled to find anything here. The weather has been colder than I thought but doesnt compare to the East Coast. The people here are really nice (a lil too nice for my east coast ways), I dont think Ive even seen a cop - unlike Philly where they used to give me shit just because I was not wearing a suit. I know that no place is perfect but have some perspective.
Its also pretty cheap to live here. I would rather be in the bay area but Eugene cost me 1/4 of rent. Its cheaper here than Philly by about half & laughably cheap compared to Seattle, SF, NYC, or DC.
If I had to pick a place to be in Oregon I would move to Portland but whatever jobs are hard to comeby there too & Im trying to get into UO so I settled for Eugene.
I see why people leave - I know I will after I get a degree but just remember most places dont have bike trails, river walks, buttes, acess to coast, organic food options, veg options for food. Yeah Im sure the mexican in Cali or AZ is better but I come from the East where mexican options are normally Taco Bell. You people dont even know.
Go live in the rust belt or the midwest or the south & then judge Eugene.
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Posted by B-man on 2008-01-25 01:55:38
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is interesting. There are lots of positive things about this place that have been mentioned in other comments. Access to outdoor activities is pretty good and from April to November the weather is really great.
However, this site apperas to be dedicated to the "Hippie" lifestyle. I want to comment on that. I''m a 28 year old professional male, renting in one of Eugene''s "old" neighborhoods (Friendly Street area if you are interested). There are many parts of the hippie philosophy that I appreciate and respect and some that I do not. I think I offer a pretty objective view of the hippie scene in Eugene.
This is NOT a small hippie community. While you may see some tie dyed clothes wearing folks not doing too much, teh majority of people are absorbed in their daily routine of being typical good old Americans. Their is a great bike trail system and park system, but its nothing that many other cities now offer. I would not call Eugene particularly bike friendly at all. Most people zoom around in cars (to be expected), but there is little respect for bikers, streets and bike lanes are sometimes dirty and in poo repair. The most bike friendly city in America schick that Eugene manages to fire down people''s throats is kind of crap. It is great place to bike though.
There are plenty of mock hippies as has been mentioned. People that want desperately to identify with the hippie spirit and lifetsyle, but just don''t have the balls to pull it off. If you were a hippie you wouldn''t be living in Eugene and shopping at expensive and trendy organic markets, you would be living in the country and growing your own food. There are slovenly and slothlike folks that try to do the hippie thing but generally end up looking like jackasses. If you are going to do it, do it all the way.
Lots of these self proclaimed hippies ernjoy putting down motivated folks that like a clean house without junk in their yard. Get over it and respect their rights and wants. I get shit for keeping my lawn trimmed and well manicured (but not watered during our drought like summers) because it is "not natural". They talk about how my time would be better spent at a protest or rally. My point is, Eugene is no Eutopia. Don''t come here thinking so.
BUT..I love it. Great acces sto the things I live. If I could never leave town though..different story.
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Posted by shame Cutlass on 2008-01-16 02:58:28
My Score:
Comment: Oh me Oh my I can''t believe what I have read on this site about Eugene I am almost in amazment in what is going on ther I say almost because I have seen crazier shit in my life that what this town is I am definatley confused on what that is. it seems to me that this town was at one time a great mecca for cultural diversity, and now is caught at a cross roads as to where it want to go I am sure there is great majority of people who have lived ,worked hard,and raised family''s there that want somthing for their family''s future but not having taxes to fund ther school systems and just general city up keep is a bad Idea. Just as well for the people who do not work but want to live off of what they that is there choice and there''s alone. you can not choose to live this life and then hate on someone else because they decided to live a more secure life for there family everone has dreams and aspirations of what they want to in life .the idea is to figure ways everyone can coinhabbitate I think that this city has the right ideas but maybe not the right people or persons for the job. I have become curious of the place seeing on how I am moving here first week of feb. I hope that I will find a decent job some fine ass women and maybe I peace of mind besides isn''t that ultimatly what everyone want to be happy on there own terms.oh yeah there is nothing wrong with smoking weed. I f you looked at every drug that was ever made you will see that marijuana is the least harmful think about it cocaine,crack,meth,heiron,acid,ALCOHALeven pharmacudical pills have killed and destroyed more live individually as a drug than marijuana I mean the most you would ever do is raid your fridge lol so people why weigh so heavly on these issue and just enjoy on what you do have.
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Posted by kiki on 2008-01-15 19:02:08
My Score:
Comment: hahaha!! eugene is soooooooo awesome!! ppl come here!
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Posted by B-man on 2008-01-04 23:26:11
My Score:
Comment: I''m a native Oregonian from up the valley. I''ve always thought Eugene is a pretty cool place. It''s a great place to spend some time if you''re young or at the university there. It''s a great place to spend your smokin'' years. And there''s a lot to be said for places like that. My family used to go to the fair about 20 years ago. It was amazing. I remember it well.
Eugene, like all of Oregon, is changing because it is growing. It will continue to change somewhat. But the thing about Eugene is that it''s mostly filled with people who choose to seek it out. Not much reason to move there otherwise (i.e. bad job market). So it will keep its vibe to some extent. The fact is that Oregon has been a simple mid-to-down market location forever. This means that many of the people moving here are going to be bringing more affluence and bigger city attitudes. Unavoidable. This gets me down sometimes, but its still a great place to be. If you know what you''re looking for, you can always see Olde Oregon peeking through. Come, enjoy it while it lasts.
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Posted by John on 2007-12-27 05:49:04
My Score:
Comment: Eugene Oregon is a place where people of all walks of life thrive... The rain can be hard for some but with it incredible beauty arises in the spring and summer months. The people are like all people filled with love hate bitterness uncertainty happiness and sadness. However unlike most communities there is a understanding in Eugene that people of all kinds and all walks of life make a unique and often very special place known as Eugene. Eugene Oregon is a mecca of all types of people with a rich and diverse cultures ,that often seems to be unwanted by some local ignorance that there shit don"t stink. Dont let individual ignorances and stupid people deter you from all the beautiful places and people who call Eugene their home.
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Posted by Rich Polysorbate 60 on 2007-12-24 08:47:34
My Score: 
Comment: I moved to Eugene in 1987 from San Pedro,Ca. (A port town in L.A.).
my initial reason was to go to the U of O and take up geology and art therapy instead I became a security guard for some door company and a partially abandoned mill on the outskirts of Springfeild. I worked graveyard and had the heavy dark cloud of eviction over me constantly.
I also found work at a recycling plant, a junkyard, and a chicken death factory where I was constantly sick.
I have mixed melancholy feelings aboout Eugene (which in retrospect shouldn''t be surprising since during that time I was going through manic depression). Yes, the Winters are wet, mossy, and cold.....the Summers are allergy season.
I will start with the good. The nature, parks, footpaths, and Williamette River,.......
Lots of second hand clothing stores and used bookstores. Elbow room and abandoned houses to explore. I also had a small collection of friends with a sense of humour who liked to go out and find mischief.
A small underground scene of sorts with house parties and clubs that would quickly come and go. Some bands that I enjoyed were Mooselodge, E13, Carrion Commandos, Some Velvet Sidewalk, Rancid Vat, and other bands that I will remember twenty minutes from now.
An assortment of oddfellows interested in witchcraft, dark sci-fi, surrealism, and paranormal exploration with a couple of OTO leftovers exiled from smaller towns thrown in.
Satanical native Americans who worshipped bigfoot at the old Masonic Cemetary on the hill.
What influenced my move back to L.A. in 1990?....the bad.
Hard to find anything other than temp jobs (they all paid min. wage).
Feelings that the town was shrinking all around me and that the closer I got to some the father apart they seemed to drift away. Rents rising without a roof, having my car zebra stripped by the cops because I couldn''t afford auto insurance........other grips include.........
A dreadful, creeping feeling of becoming inert and invisible. Alot of interesting people relocating away to Portland, SF, and other places with more options. No good Mexican food or cultural contrast/mix (I soon realized how much I took this for granted in other places I had lived before). The condescending vibe from people who I disagreed with....disagree with me but don''t hate me for it. Psuedo retro pyschedelic football jock mentality.....you know, those who will preach their groovy music at you but criticize your tastes for being to weird and/or negative.
The older hippies and street eccentrics (Frog the recycled joke man, Zuess the Barbie Doll Man,...) were all troopers in their own way to me but the majority of younger hippies were pretty petty upper crust deadbeats who sorely lacked a sense of humour or wonder for things not directly related to sex, classic MOR rock, and drugs (which they wouldn''t sell to someone like me because I had short hair and might be a cop). I am an Oddfellow not a cop but I look like a cop because I would walk about town wearing bone stick necklaces, yellow rubber boots, and blood tie dye shirts with insects drawn in.....yes, yes, yes,....the suit of a narco.
I come back once every two years for X-Mas at the outskirts of town.
i am a ghost to Eugene and that is fine. There is a store across from the post office that sells Theremins and has art shows which is good,....there are people who probally veiw me as an outsider which is fine. This town has grown but only in real estate terms. I am suspect.
this is only my opinion from my brief moment in time....take it for what it is.......Rich p.60
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Posted by Qi on 2007-12-14 20:31:14
My Score:
Comment: Oh, the Euge. I''ve lived in Oregon all my life (except one year abroad) and two years in Eugene. Here''s what I will say about it (from best to not-so-best):
1. Public transportation is pretty damn good. The people ON public transport can be of questionable character, but if you need to get around town and you don''t have or don''t want to use a car, Eugene is the place to do it.
2. Good food. There is a pretty wide array of food, both in markets and in restaurants.
3. Fun night life, if you know where to go. Live bluegrass music, free pool nights, etc. I always had fun with the crew in the Euge. Good pot if you''re into that.
4. Quick access to: coast, hiking, skiing.
5. No smoking in public places. Really nice for non-smokers, not so nice for smokers when it''s raining outside (aka always).
6. Mediocre education system. UofO is okay if you''re after a generalized, useless degree like sociology. Not so good if you need a specialized degree like law, accounting, architecture, etc. Lane CC is pretty sweet if you want the community college experience.
7. LOTS of rain. Depressing in the wintertime, but makes for a lush, green summertime.
8. Millions of allergens. Every time I go there, my nose stuffs up, my eyes water, and I have asthma problems. Shit just settles in that valley and never floats away.
9. Transient community. Those people who have been there forever will continue to be there, but the majority of folks are there for a year, two, three, then leave. Especially 20-30 somethings.
10. Hypocrisy. I call them trustafarians; rich white kids who wear their hair in dredlocks and refuse to shave or bathe, go to UofO on their parents'' dime, drive a gas-guzzling 1990 4-runner around town, but preach conservation and anarchy and what-the-hell-ever.
11. Constant protests. Nobody''s listening anymore. You''re NOT making any difference.
12. Lack of cultural diversity. WHITE, WHITE, WHITE.
13. Obnoxious frat boys/sorority girls. Like any college town, Eugene experiences masses of inebriated 20-year-olds rampaging through the streets, passing out in your front yard, or driving John Deere lawnmowers down West 11th Street at 3am.
Overall, Eugene gets a C grade from me. Don''t think I''ll ever live there again, but there are worse places (like Norman, Oklahoma). If you''re thinking about Oregon, Portland is it for cities, and Central Oregon is it for sun and sports as long as you can stomach yuppies AND rednecks at once. The West is a beautiful place, from Utah to Montana and the entire west coast - you take the good with the bad.
Hope this helps and is more informative than a general "Eugene sucks" or "Eugene is the best" rant. :)
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Posted by Mandy on 2007-11-15 02:36:59
My Score:
Comment: Does anyone know of a good motel to say in while visiting Eugene? Cheap and clean?
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Posted by Mandy on 2007-11-13 21:59:06
My Score:
Comment: Hi!
Had fun reading all the comments!
I''m going to visit Eugene in January and am hoping to find a cheap place to stay- a small motel with a clean bed and shower is all I will need, hopefully near the downtown/ main drag so that I can get around on foot for the most part. I would really appeciate some suggestions. Thanks ahead of time,
Mandy
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Posted by Alyssa on 2007-11-04 03:32:43
My Score:
Comment: I moved from Seattle Washington to Eugene about seven years ago. Honestly I really don''t know exactly what to say about this place. It''s insane. People here are unlike anybody I''ve ever met, good and bad. If you are not interested in a career or education, it''s the best. You can walk out on the street downtown and make friends in seconds. People are friendly, caring and interesting, that is, the people you meet on the street. If you try to get an education, start a career, buy a house, or find a decent paying job, this place is a shit hole. In the career world you are screwed unless you are a doctor or lawyer. It is impossible to get an education or job around here. In the professional world nobody knows when to shut their mouth or know their role. Everybody has something to say about everything. I have never seen anything like it, well not to this extent. It''s not just at jobs but at stores, gas stations, schools, everywhere. Everybody has seniority complexes. There is not enough jobs for the amount of educated people in this town. There is such a lack of jobs, highly educated people are settling for lower than average jobs and they think they have the power to change everything, because they know they''re too smart to do what they are, and know that they''re stuck doing it. Everybody needs to move out of this city and start over. Find bigger and better things. This city sucks as far as economy. Not to mention all the TWEAKERS. Holy shit, it is really sad. But hey, the weed is good. Fuck it!!
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Posted by Katie on 2007-10-26 09:56:45
My Score: 
Comment: Eugene is not for the faint of heart. It takes a real trooper to stay loyal. I have lived here, off and on, for about half of my 28 years. It''s not a very happy place. People are snobby. If rain makes you depressed, don''t move here. If you feel kind of strange around white people who sport dreadlocks, don''t move here. Lifelong Eugenians have a hard time admitting you into their cult. ESPECIALLY if you''re from California. Be warned. If you don''t agree with a local viewpoint they will send out the bloodhounds. Downtown Eugene is shitty. There are run down buildings and homeless street kids everywhere. Yet this is how Eugene wants it. Why? I don''t know. No one sticks around, this town is very transient. On the bright side, that''s just during the winter. Come here during the summer and you might as well be in Maui. It''s a completely different town. People are nicer. Obnoxiously drunk college students are non-existent. Amazing camping. Perfect weather. Lush forests. Good nightlife and restaraunts. Amazing hikes within city limits. Just don''t come here during the winter. You will hate it. Seriously.
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Posted by Jay on 2007-10-17 05:04:05
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is a great town with a superb central valley location. As for the Country Fair...it is an experience, but I have never seen a bigger gathering of STUCK UP, ELITIST, POSER HIPPIES. Seriously.
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Posted by The Wanderer on 2007-10-02 11:10:04
My Score:
Comment: Lived in Eugene in the very late 80s into early 90s. It seemed at the time a very diverse place, a great place to start a new existence. Then moved away, and moved back in mid 90s. Eugene seemed to have changed, and seemed to lack some of the cultural "flavor" that it previously enjoyed. Eugene/Springfield is sort of like a bubble, so for some it may not be the best place to go, as the pace of life tends to be a little slower than larger metro areas. What happened to all of the old hippies there? Many likely moved on, many likely still live there. Back in the day, I remember meeting some Jesus Freaks at the Saturday Market who espoused the upcoming Great Tribulation.......
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Posted by Eugene is the best on 2007-08-22 06:55:20
My Score:
Comment: Eugene Oregon is the sexiest place North of the California border. Eugene is the best place to live in the United States to live (besides Northern California) if you are lower middle class white, law abiding, educated , and with liberal politics.
The public transportation and bike paths are better than average for a city of its size in the USA. The library is still there and descent size. There''s good community college. Good Vegetarian food. Good thrift stores and discount bargains. There''s open mindedness and diversity of character and costumes.
No rosy cheek Nazi Norman Rockwell poster boy baseballcap wearing dipshit domination here.
There''s no sales tax, fertile land to plant gardens. It''s got a University. There is a health conscious youthful atmosphere.
And the women here let their pit hairs grow and are proud of em''
People who say it sucks haven''t lived in shitholes dominated by geriatric retireee aged assholes, senior citizen, and conservative yuppies --- who pushed the materialistic fallacy to the edge, most of whom voted for Bush.
------ such as Medford and now even Ashland, OR, or further of the closeted man on man bumfuck plague ----- just about any Bumfuck backwater area in the Western States (Utah, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico) etcetera ------
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Posted by UofOstudent on 2007-05-29 11:51:56
My Score:
Comment: I love Eugene.. and I am looking for a woman that can hang out with me on weekends, I need a white "preferrably blonde or redhead" woman, I am 22 years old international student fromt he middle east, never had any sexual experience, age is of no importance to me, All I need is love
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Posted by Belly Boy on 2007-05-27 07:23:08
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is the worst. It''s worse than the worst. It''s easily one of the worst most worstest worst places to live ever ever ever ever ever. Eugene blows. Eugene sucks. The rich people own everything and pretend to be laid back hippy people but in reality they are all refugees from New York and California with too much money and not enough brains. If they could have made it there they would have stayed there. If you move here, leave. If you are thinking of moving here, don''t. The mayor of Eugene is a sellout. The city council is on the take and totally cowed by the police. The police are criminals including perjurers, thieves and rapists. Do not move to Eugene. The Eugene vortex may catch you and once it gets you then you can never leave.
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Posted by uh on 2007-04-10 22:12:21
My Score:
Comment: well, you suck. see, if you tri to get thte back to teh front tnhen you will see what is menat by a stuck in the ruck, becasue that is what happends when that is nothing then it comes , back, in case you where wndering what the thoughts that were going on here in eugene, there is it iagain, but wait, it hit it back to the first time , but wait, it is was you. me
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Posted by Stretch on 2007-03-10 23:26:17
My Score:
Comment: Those who are considering moving to Eugene or to those who already call Eugene thier home should consider selling all thier assests and becoming a nomad. I gaurantee you will experience someting like you have never experienced before.
There''s a group of highly intellegent "people" from another planet dwelling in Eugene, and if your lucky you might get the chance to meet some of them.
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Posted by trappedtraveler on 2007-02-14 04:30:18
My Score:
Comment: its a good hangout. i met a wonderful girl there that changed my life. there is pollution but everyone looks out for each other and whatever you''re after is readilly avalble
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Posted by onemanparade on 2007-01-23 18:42:15
My Score:
Comment: You forgot to mention it''s in a valley so all the pollutant particles stick around a longer time. The indians didn''t call it ''death valley'' for nothing... there''s definately something chaotic(?) and destructive(?) in the space over there. Or was it just me?
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Posted by Ar Iiel on 2007-01-11 02:12:04
My Score:
Comment: Please wake up, people of Eugene. I was considering moving to town, actually, but after I learned about the environmental situation in Eugene and cancer mortality rate, I''m going to a different state. Eugene has factories that release huge amounts of cancerogens, cardiovascular, immuno-, neuro- and many other toxicants at rates higher than anywhere in Oregon and higher than in most US areas. It is not safe to breathe air in Eugene. You can check the information on SCORECARD website that includes environmental maps, what I was looking at was TRI environmental releases in Lane county (toxic release inventory) monitored by EPA.
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Posted by George Bender on 2006-12-23 04:22:26
My Score:
Comment: I imagine everyone who lives in Eugene sees it from a different angle. It''s a small city, with all the variety of any city of comparable size. There are remnants of the 1960s counterculture here, but I wouldn''t say they dominate. Eugene, or the majority of us, value nature, which is the main reason we live in the Northwest, even though the gloomy winters are hard to put up with. Eugene doesn''t want too much development. It doesn''t want to be a big city, like Portland, and it doesn''t want to be a suburb. It doesn''t like freeways. It wants livability. It doesn''t want to be California.
Don''t come here during a recession, as the job market will be really bad, and that includes the rest of Oregon. Whether you like living in Eugene or not will probably depend on whether you can make a decent living here.
Eugene has long had a reputation for being "laid back." I''m not sure that is true, except for those of us who prefer to move slow. I think people who come here probably prefer a life that''s somewhat less pressured than what they would find in a big city, like Portland (where I have also lived), and more stimulating culturally than what they would find in a suburb.
Probably a large part of the reason Eugene has culture is that it''s a college town. The University of Oregon is a big deal in Eugene, plus we have a community college. There is a good library, lots of bookstores and art galleries, etc. More events than I have time and energy for.
Eugene is considered a "progressive" town and I think that''s probably true, judging by voting patterns, letters to the editor, etc. At least among the minority of us, as in other places, who give a shit about politics. As far as left-of-center politics goes, my experience is that Eugene is a liberal Democrat town. Since I''m to their left, that makes me feel out of place, but there is no place in America for radicals, and it could be a lot worse.
For years Eugene was run by the business community. Last year we were able to elect a progressive mayor and enough progressive city council members that progressives now run the show. So far that has resulted in the cancellation of a highway that would have cut through the west Eugene wetlands, a project Eugenians have been fighting over for years.
Every community has a history, which includes issues they fight over again and again. Another one of our issues is redeveloping our downtown area, which is rundown and now has two gaping holes in it. The problem started a long time ago, as it did in many other cities, when a mall was built on the edge of town and customers deserted downtown. On the other hand, that has resulted in cheap downtown rents for art galleries, etc.
Controlling the police is also a live local issue, as it is in Portland and, I imagine many other cities.
Eugene has very few black residents. Some brown. There have been indications of local racism.
On the other hand, I once saw a guy on the bus wearing a big black peaked leather hat styled like those witches wear in movies. So yes, we have "diversity," especially if you ride the bus. That''s where you''ll meet all the poor people, like me, who can''t afford cars.
Eugene is nobody''s idea of paradise, but I''ve lived many other places in my life -- I''m 66 -- and this is the best I''ve found. I''m going to stay here.
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Posted by Will on 2006-12-05 05:34:45
My Score:
Comment: I like Eugene. I''ve never actually LIVED there, but been through, but never settled. I used to go to the park where the Food Not Bombs group would serve the free vege food to all. That''s a great concept. And Eugene is a very green place, and lots of parks and a river, great for nature lovers like myself. And all the great vegetarian places and health food stores. I plan on finding a place there, and hopefully this story will connect me with some people who might want to help with finding a rental. I''m only looking to share any place with any people that are smoke, drug and alcohol free. I want to live there with my soon to be wife, and am a very clean and drug free person as well as my girlfriend also.
Different issue: I am a travelling salesman, and import handmade products from Thailand, and hope to open up a small retail shop there too.
I have for sale right now: thai handmade silver jewelry, handmade silk and cotton batik scarves and shawls, batik sarongs from Indonesia, and a few other embroidered and handmade misc. items from Thailand.
If you would like anything, just email me and let me know: willmhill@hotmail.com and if you''ve got any ideas for starting a retail import biz for these kindz of thingz then let me know--------
Sincerly,
Will Hill
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Posted by moonflower on 2006-10-24 23:44:11
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is great !
I got married to a wonderful man here and I am now tring to open a small bussiness here out of my home.
Any of you like Handdipped iNcense I have the greatest prices and Quality , I soak mine for over a week ,they burn longer and smell great.
I have 86 different smells along with all 12 zodiac signs and your fung shau''s give me call if your interested . A bakers dozon for $1.00 on the 11 in sticks 689-4495
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Posted by melissa on 2006-10-24 03:47:06
My Score:
Comment: Im looking for a yoga class that fits in with my work schedule
nothing in the middle of the day. People forget theres a working class out there that doesn''t work the 9 to 5 job, but would like to be fit and involve in the community
missyjomj@msn.com
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Posted by Mark on 2006-10-08 20:32:25
My Score:
Comment: Okay,here''s my take. Eugene is a small, laid-back & mostly crime-free town. Sure there is some drug problems and break ins, but in comparison to San Jose or Modesto CA for that matter, Eugene resembles a rainy, resort, not a hard-core crime ridden town. Some very nice resturants, some others that are obviously influenced by too much pot smoking. I find that Oregonians in general are rather clannish and stick to their clicks. A lot of long term relationship baggage that you won''t find in big cities. In other words, well you''re new in town-we do business with the guy we''ve known for 20 years. Best things: clean air-low crime-bike paths & laid back downtown. Worst things: sense of isolation, many people here aren''t used to much competition, they work slow and in their terrms. Not the friendliest people, not that they are mean, just not the warmest folks you''ll meet. It''s a strange mix of empty nesters from out of state, intellectuals, old hippies, Oregonians, artsy-fartsy, and college students.
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Posted by moonie on 2006-07-16 11:42:10
My Score:
Comment: Bob Fennissy(red haired bob) are you still around?
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Posted by OCFjunkie on 2006-04-20 19:08:21
My Score:
Comment: The Oregon Country Fair is a fantastic festival, full of wonderful art, music, food, and people. As for the problem with the heat, there is so many people at the fair that it would be hard for them to bust you, and if you are still worried wander across the street to the Darling Family Reunion, where is a little more laid back.
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Posted by the guy on 2006-03-21 21:36:53
My Score:
Comment: i''m coming to eugen and need a place to stay
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Posted by seeyasoon on 2006-03-15 21:39:19
My Score:
Comment: i''m coming to eugene on the 22nd and need help finding a place to stay or camp. i plan on working and have several job leads already. i''m a 24 year old male who''s just lookin'' for a fresh start. any help would be great.j peace to all
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Posted by on 2006-01-20 10:14:28
My Score:
Comment:
Do some thing good for the Area you live in, Plant a tree or do some hippy work that help people ect. there are many things u can do you can do to help you comunity, keep it hippie,stay away from corporations if you dont like them, hang around hippie style coffee house, Arts and crafts, Eny body in here like Arts and Crafts, what kinda arts and crafts do u Guys like ?
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Posted by Sang on 2006-01-18 04:11:54
My Score:
Comment: For those of you considering moving here:
I''ve lived in Eugene all of my life, and while yes, the ownership of the fair has changed, it''s still a wonderful thing. In fact, it''s a wonderful town.
If you''re thinking of raising kids here, be warned, though. The school system is steadily going downwards due to underfunding. The classrooms are crowding and it is growing harder and harder for a child to succeed.
The thing that must be noted about Eugene/Springfield schools is that while they recieve little funding, the teachers are dedicated and the school district/ESD does it''s best to make due with the small amount of money it is given.
For example, South Eugene is a wonderful liberal Highschool with excellent teachers. Thought the classes are crowded, the students are very enthusiastic about fundraisers.
If you are not quite reassured with the school system, then give Marist Highschool a try. It is private, Catholic, and (regretfully) highly conservative. However, the school''s Human Rights Alliance is amazing, and has attended the Oregon Peacemakers Conferance for the past several years. In my stay at Marist, I was active in it, and it is a great way to get in contact with fellow liberals. Currently, the Human Rights Alliance is working on Gay/Straight relationships at the school, which is, as a whole, very homophobic.
Despite those negative things, though, the education is wonderful. The Honors Geometry/Honors Pre-cal/Calculus math teacher is the best I have seen, and the AP History teacher gives wonderful lectures. The Sophomore Lit and movie crit teacher heads the Human Rights alliance, and the new Theater director is fast on the way to putting Marist Theater on the map. The religion classes, though rather close-minded, make excellent study hall periods. XD
Next year, a new public liberal arts school will be opening in Springfield, which, contrary to popular belief, is not a slummy as it has been rumored to be (I live on the Eugene/Springfield border, and my family is close with the new Springfield City Manager''s.) In fact, the new and aformentioned city manager of Springfield is helping with the economic change, and Springfield, particularly in housing and property, is slowly but surely surpassing Eugene, which has already reached it''s borders.
Eugene and Springfield are crisscrossed by an intricate and wonderful series of bikepaths, that are contsantly being updated and can get you anywhere in town that is not already being reached by bus. The library is wonderful, and the recently redone Eugene and Springfield bus-stations are amazing. The Eugene one is large and wonderfully designed, and the Springfield one is beautifully landscaped and eco-friendly.
The Fifth Street Market and Saturday market are also wonderful aspects of Eugene, and I spend my Saturdays at the Saturday market, eating the marvelous Pad Thai and enjoying fresh raspberrys from the Farmers market.
All in all, despite some changes, Eugene is a wonderful place to live, and I highly recommend it.
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Posted by capisthenaturallaw on 2006-01-14 10:31:14
My Score:
Comment: Capitalism is the dominant and only rational form of economic distribution known to man. Anyone who thinks the CF hasn''t been capitalistic is mistaken. Anytime you barter for something, you are practicing capitalistm. Anytime you agree to pay "fiat" money for any product or service, you are practicing capitalism. You have a vote! You may (and will) vote with your hard-earned dollars. If the product or service meets your critieria, you buy it. If it doesn''t, you don''t buy and send your dollars elsewhere. Get real people. Quit being idealistic and realize that Ayn Rand was right.
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Posted by Dain Alferes on 2006-01-13 21:13:39
My Score:
Comment: The country fair is a good hippyish place but it´s definately falling to capitalism. I saw multiple booth owners driving in with non-functional lexus suv´s, where´d the love go with that shat
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Posted by 80srule on 2006-01-11 03:19:27
My Score:
Comment: Hippie-dom is so passe. Move on to a larger, more vibrant culture...the 80s! Neon is so hip.
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Posted by cherryrose on 2006-01-01 06:43:16
My Score:
Comment: a counter-country faire sounds awesome claire,where do I sign up
Hey has any one out there seen lori ladd lately
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Posted by miss d. on 2005-12-12 23:53:35
My Score:
Comment: Amazing -was''nt anyone as grossed-out by that old lech greg-whatever from canada (the never-married loser who charmingly described himself as a good-looking "owner of middle-aged prick", which is, excuse me, asn oxymoron)as I was?What the hell is it with these dirty old men who are actually proud of the fact, and what sort of bimbo would touch these dirtbags?Just a thought, Eugene-progressives.I hope those 18 to 20 babes kick the ever-loving crap out of your tired old ass, gregster.
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Posted by MovingtoEugene on 2005-12-11 22:02:55
My Score:
Comment: From every other site I have read that Eugene is a wonderful place full of diversity. It has been said that Eugene doesn''t want any drama, so why all the drama on this site? I mean for real, dope is illegal and if you want to do it, go off to some foreign country where it isn''t, or move to Alaska *you aren''t real far*. It seems all anyone does these days is put things down. Police are in force to control the law. It shouldn''t matter what the color of your skin, or your crime. If you did the crime, expect to do the time. Life is what you make it. If you break the law, you get in trouble, if you get caught. A fair should be for everyone. I won''t be taking my seven kids to a fair where there is open drug use, how absurd! Blessings to all.
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Posted by ClaraB on 2005-12-06 02:29:11
My Score:
Comment: One other thing: The County Fair is now run by a bunch of mercenary capitalists who cave to the local police and turn in their own fairgoers. I went for the first 21 years I was in Eugene and won''t ever go back...there needs to be a Counter-County Fair.
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Posted by ClaraB on 2005-12-06 02:08:43
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is NOT what it used to be: a fair and open-minded community that allowed people to be themselves, however or whatever flavor(s) that was.
I''ve lived in Eugene since 1976 and am about ready to move on. The police (Eugene, Spfld, Lane County) are racist and violent. The wonderful hippy community that I loved when I moved here has been replaced with consumerism and repressive conformity. There is NO diversity in Eugene, and when an other-color business opens, there is NO support given by the "liberal" white upper class that dominates the area.
It still is beautiful country, the mountains, ocean beaches and high desert nearby, but the area is being overrun with industry belching death pollution and no one seems to really care.
Clara
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Posted by DB on 2005-12-04 05:00:32
My Score:
Comment: Well I came across this site to get more info about Eugene, OR but I am very unsure now if this county is of positivity or negativity. I have been considering the possibility of relocation in that county, but now i am confused per the different comments read if this is an area to be cosidered especially to raise a family especially if there is racism, drugs etc... JJ I would like to get information if possible pertaining to your comments. Thank you!
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Posted by JJ on 2005-12-03 21:51:23
My Score:
Comment: hi there i am a east indian male raised in eugene all my life i am currently 28 years old , my family and i own a business in eugene for the past 28 years so since i was like 2 weeks old ive lived in eugene born in california , i truely miss the old days in eugene when growing up even thou i am a modernist the days when i was in elementry school etc.. eugene spfd was a good place to live now all i see is alot of messed up druggys, alot of racisim so i dont know where yall get that people here are open minded here,also people here are soo shady, and quite anti social i see that alot between the opposite sexes, also id like to add that eugene is sooo anti-business, now a days you see alot of business''s shutting down or new business''s not being able to build in eugene , if nothing else eugene does have alot of beautiful scenery if anyone has anything to add then please do so id love to hear feedback thank you
JJ
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Posted by cherry on 2005-12-02 04:11:34
My Score:
Comment: I used to go the the rennassance back in the 70s'' with my friend Lori.
It was the best 3 days of every summer. From the painted faces and midevel costumes to the hippies dancing near naked with flowers in their hair in the circle near the band. marajuana cookies sold from a wheelbarrel and passing a joint around right out in the open to whoever happened to pass by and wanted to take a hit. Pizza freaks, lulus smoothies, the tribes and the buses. WOW what a ride!
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Posted by Chromium on 2005-11-18 09:53:18
My Score:
Comment: I''ve lived here for 23 years. I''m 48. I raised three kids here. It is a great place for families and outdoor recreation. An hour to the beach. An hour to the mountains...nirvana.
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Posted by jdthlearjet on 2005-11-12 23:18:29
My Score:
Comment: I lived in Eugene .... several times . I thought it was such a people oriented place ... . People were friendly .... and seemed to care .
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Posted by on 2005-11-02 03:58:35
My Score:
Comment: i completely disagree with that statement about the Country fair. I went this year, and believe me, there was no shortage of trip-happy hippies. The country fair may have changed, but it is still an wonderful event held every year. I stayed for five days and didn''t once hear about there being police issues
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Posted by Kate on 2005-10-24 06:38:44
My Score:
Comment: Anyone seen Sasquatch (the man) around?
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Posted by Bodhi on 2005-10-19 20:06:48
My Score:
Comment: There''s something wrong with this forum...someone asked for advice and there is "no information" who it is?.....How can I send an answer this fine person??...Thank you
juicemaster@racssa.co.cr
Thank you
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Posted by Bodhi on 2005-10-19 19:43:13
My Score:
Comment: Hey Dawn Dancing Feather & Jimmyinspace please e mail me if you see this (juicemaster@racsa.co.cr), I have some questions that I''d like to ask you.
Many thanks.
Bodhi
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Posted by Bodhi hippy in exile on 2005-10-19 19:35:06
My Score:
Comment: Damn..the minimum wage in Blue jean is $7+??? I guess there is no inflation LOL!! Or maybe I''m just a really old young man who rememebrs when $4.25 was what it was.........BTW If you could edit your posts that would be great I''m not trying to dominate the thread at all, but man, I have been rich and I''ve been poor, and neither one really felt right, but where I live hard labor pays $2.50 and hour and the cost of living is comparable, but what price freedom, here it''s like wherever you go is the top of Spencers Butte, and we don''t war over money, but it''s just not Eugene,,
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Posted by Bodhi again on 2005-10-19 19:26:34
My Score:
Comment: I couldn''t resist, but I must know is downtown Deb still on the air??
my e mail is juicemaster@racsa.co.cr
Gotta dub the Led, er..luv the Dead.......
Also will buy any and all new or used Graffix bongs, as long as you can ship to C.R . please pack in indica to avoid breakage.....lol!
Go Big Green, gosta love them Ducks..thems the pure Organic Goodsness.....or Godesslessdesness, or you know how it is ;)))
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Posted by Bodhi hippy in exile on 2005-10-19 19:20:54
My Score:
Comment: This is the goods...this site is beyond hip, it''s well........any other site on the planet would be deleting all the posts that aren''t "P.C." for the site, but the "flames" in the thread just serve as big fat exclamation points saying something very, very right about this place and these people IMHO. I really, really miss Eugene, and Eugenians, and I live in a very wonderous magical place, but it''s just not home....
OK I''ll leave you alone for a while.....gonna go smoke a bowl and imagine some whirrled peas.
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Posted by Bodhi hippy in exile on 2005-10-19 18:44:53
My Score:
Comment: I posted before I read the thread.....and so I''m reading it and I notice a lot of people are making some points that I''d like to address...#1 Eugene is not racially diverse, this is true if you want racial diversity you should look elsewhere, what Eugene is is open minded and very CULTURALLY diverse....if you want racial diversity then you will not fins that in Eugene, but it''s an open minded community in that there isn''t the discrimination you see a lot of places either.
Also yes Eugene is surounded by slums on all sides, the largest slum is Springfield the inspiration for the longrunning show the Simpsons....yes there are some people out there I would rather avoid, but where is that not true, and where else are there a lot of really good people in the eye of the storm...Yes Eugene has cops, politically correct professors at the U of O, the whittaeker neighborhood etc etc, but hey there''s a New Frontier market a 6th and Blair (or at least there was several years ago before I was exiled from my homeland)..US out of North America!!!
Oh and hipness aint about the length of your eair or the color of your skin it''s about the kind in your bong, the getdown in yo'' boogie woogie and the friends in your heart........Peace out, Go Axemen!..Scrodhi says!
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Posted by Bodhi hippy in exile on 2005-10-19 17:50:35
My Score:
Comment: Wow this is all good.
I grew up in Eugene, I did a google search Spencers Butte LSD and lo and behold here I am....
I''m in exile in Central America now (I decided I should have kids in Costa Rica so they nver get drafted or imprisoned for some stupid victimless crime like possession of marijuana or acid or whatever they come up with next).....but man I miss Eugene, lots of good people, tons.......maybe soon they''ll get wise and legalize life and all the green plants that grow on the earth and what not....well we can always hope that good will prevail over evil I suppose (but I won''t be holding my breath, unless I''m smoking a big bong hit), in the meantime I hope that one day in the not too distant future I will again be able to drop a hit or two of good acid, or some liberty caps, hike the butte, and smoke a sweet bowl on the summit with some good friends, after all that''s waht it''s all about IMHO!!
Cya, liv''n let liv..n'' just B''Kind
Scrodhi Bodhi the terahdron guy Peace, luv, big buds, and microbrews 4ever..oh yeah and go Ducks
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Posted by Mrs.D on 2005-10-02 17:43:11
My Score:
Comment: I am just about 26, born and raised Eugene Oregon. Love this valley, I have lived in several other states and always find myself back home in Oregon. The greenery is just to sweet and abundant to stay anywhere else. People here are mainly open minded. It may be a culture shock to some. But I fit right in with my native hippy freaks. Peace to all &
One Love
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Posted by on 2005-10-01 02:20:49
My Score:
Comment: Hi,
I visited my mate in Eugene in 2001 and had a fine time, just about everybody I met were really nice people and I also met some some wicked weed. Hope to get back there someday.
Phil from England (just a little to the right of Ireland)
Ta ta.
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Posted by Hppy Killer on 2005-09-18 10:12:30
My Score:
Comment: FUCK YOU ALL NASTY ASS POT SMOKIN'' HIPPY RASTA WANNABEES!
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Posted by Brookelynd on 2005-09-06 06:53:21
My Score:
Comment: After reading many of these reviews of Eugene I felt like I should give other people my opinion of Eugene. I was born and raised here and spent the last 7 years living all over the country. Now instead of focusing on the bad here are some great aspects of Eugene. Eugene has the best city bus system that I have ever seen. Where ever you need to be chances are you get get to it by bus within an hour. It has some of the best schools in the country. There is no better place to raise your kids. The most potent pot is smoked here. So if you like that kind of thing you will not be disappointed. Now as for the people here. YES we are WEIRD. You may run into the snobs but it is also likely that you find your best friend here. I have often called the people in here "Eugene''s local wildlife". But that is what makes it so great. People need to stop complaining about the traffic! We should be thankful that we don''t have traffic like Seattle or Washington DC. And for anybody who is thinking about moving here give it a chance. The majority of Eugene is filled with hard working decent down to earth people.
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Posted by Shamus James on 2005-09-02 09:45:39
My Score:
Comment: Eugene,
we are all here,
''cause we not all there.
saw it on a t-shirt at last year''s hoilday market. Last years market was pretty cool. A better offering of vendors.
I''ve lived here for just shy of ten years. I just read over this whole tread. If your thinking of coming here, to live think you will find the comments below mine to be a true testement to the peopling of this town.
It''s a nice place to retire or raise up some kids. People seem to forget about North Eugene, and Springfield as center of growth for the community. It''s the only real center of growth in the area. It''s a town just like Springfield, it will only be a city when the two communities, join together. If our tallest buildings are only around twenty stories tall your not really a city.
For a start it would be nice if MLK extend to Mohawk instead of stoping at the only discerable land mark seperating two good communities, I-5 North and South. That''s some b.s. if you ask me. My only problem being a white guy who grew up on the end of D.C. is there are too many damned white people here, this community needs some color. Big up''s to Mos Fade, for giving a brotha a proper fade. There are only two soul food rest. in the whole area. And they both owned by the same man.
That an''t right. :-)
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Posted by Stretch on 2005-08-31 02:40:18
My Score:
Comment: Yeah...Like others have said Eugene is just one big neighboorhod. Everyone knows each other, and if some one wants to call you out they will...It was a lot cooler back in the 90''s when 13th street was still alive, and before the dowtown was renovated. **FYI** dont get caught trippin on LSD in Eugene...LOL...their drops are for real...and you will feel like a fuckin rat in a maze. Peace to Rick, Larry..and the rest of the wrekin crew.
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Posted by eugenian on 2005-08-29 00:32:27
My Score:
Comment: Hello, I have lived in Eugene my entire life. I have traveled and moved several times (only for a few months), but I always made it back. I use to hate Eugene, but that was when I was younger and didn''t realize what a great place it really was. It''s not large enough to call it a city and it''s too small to be a town, so I call it a place... A wonderful place where people don''t live in fear on a daily basis.
We have great rivers, beautiful parks, nice trails, fun family based shops, and excellent concerts. I hope that all you not enjoying eugene will open your eyes and realize that there is no other place like this out there.
I am happy that I can say hello and smile and stranger everyday and I know they will smile back, because we live in eugene.
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Posted by Gesper on 2005-08-16 00:06:43
My Score:
Comment: I find it very amusing reading posts by dipshit 20 year olds who believe they know something of the world. Go out, see a little a of the world, get a standard for comparison, then when your opinion actually means something spill your guts. I have lived in 39 of our 50 states and 9 different countries. Eugene Oregon with all its faults and quirks and annoyances is where I choose to live. I am not a hippy, yuppie, druggy, freak, or white trash. I am a very mild mannered ex - military non commissioned officer. I dont want any trouble with or from anyone and I find that most of this town shares that viewpoint. Eugene does not have the best mall in America this is true, oh god what will we do without a mall? oh! maybe...have a life? People here float the river on the weekends, find a bike trail, go fishing, or play frisbee in the only jesus knows how many miles of parks we have. Climb skinners butte the list goes on boys and girls. If you cant see why people like it here then leave. I beg of you and give the rest of us what we want...a little more space.
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Posted by Son of eugene on 2005-08-09 08:33:11
My Score:
Comment: Anyone who is dissing my town needs to look on the brighter side and accept the town for what it is. It''s true that there are alot of bad things about eugene but I think the good outways the bad. Also the counterculture movment in eugene is making giant changes in this world. So if you have never been to eugene or have been here and don''t like it, give it a chance because it will give you one
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Posted by dominic on 2005-07-27 18:18:22
My Score:
Comment: only been to eugene twice, for two or three days both times. not a lot of hippies, i thought. seemed to be mostly college kids and yuppies with computer jobs. the hippies there were pretty lame, trying to force their chincy bags on us, being like "hey, fat sacks." the nature around it is nice.
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Posted by Jay on 2005-07-14 20:27:07
My Score:
Comment: I went to Springfield Middle and High school with Jesse Compton. I remember that, he was a total loser back then. Yeah, they like burned that kid with electrical cords and stuff... horrible. just horrible. Dont worry, he''ll get his in prison.
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Posted by jennifer on 2005-07-14 03:36:58
My Score:
Comment: hi everyone. the only thing that i would like to add is that on june
1997 a 3 year old girl was tortured to death by her mother and mothers boyfriend in springfield oregon. there were numerous people who witnessed the horror of this child and did absolutely nothing. if you are one of those people who witnessed such horrors on a child. then i want you to know that you should feel guilty for the rest of you life for not doing anything. you should also rot in hell with jessee compton and stella kiser. good. now i feel better.
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Posted by Gratefully Dead on 2005-07-14 02:12:16
My Score:
Comment: yeah, the country fair is pretty much a get together of people who are stuck in the 60''s (or wish they were alive in the 60''s). They dig out their dusty hippy clothes that probably lay in a box right below their Gap sweaters and Abercrombie And Fitch shirts hanging in their closet and pretend to be open minded and one with nature. Their idea of being open minded is accepting your point of view as long as they agree with it. The OCF has become such a joke beginning about 12 years ago. It actually used to be cool, but its just plain stupid now.
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Posted by Gratefully Dead on 2005-07-13 22:12:33
My Score:
Comment: I''ve lived in Eugene for 25 years now. I am 26 years old. I am probably the only person in the world who has a legitimate reason for suicide. Im surrounded by liberal dirtbags who think they know everything and for god''s sake, if I hear another Grateful Dead song, I''m going over to the "grassy knoll" downtown...
JERRY IS DEAD, GET OVER IT. AND IT ISN''T 1969 NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU WANT IT TO BE. oh and one more thing... KERRY LOST, GET OVER THAT TOO
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Posted by Sumyunguy on 2005-07-11 01:38:29
My Score:
Comment: Totally right, we didn''t see any cops. Now I know why. I did see some guy in a black suite and a wire on his ear, a secret agent? Maybe just some guy pretending to be one. He really stood out.
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Posted by M on 2005-06-19 06:16:48
My Score:
Comment: I moved to Eugene 9 mths ago to attend UO (NOT by choice!). Obviously I hated Eugene in the beginning. Now I am disliking it less. Good points: nice summer weather; fun to bike around in; good running trails; decent bus system. My advice: find the good in it and focus on it. You bet I will not be here the minute after I graduate, but I am trying to enjoy to casual, small-town lifestyle. Sort of like living in the suburbs, in the sense that you''re basically safe (in the areas near the UO--anywhere else: 100% white trash!!! omg) and the streets are small, little traffic. The shopping here SUCKS! NO fashionable clothes and the mall is TINY. I have never seen so many people who do drugs--very little self respect. All those other comments referring to Eugene as being stuck in the 60s, a place for people who don''t want to work hard, few jobs/sucky economy--they were 100% right. Avoid at all costs unless you need in-state tuition--then try to make the best of it. Or of course if you are white trash, a druggie, a bum, or some sort of other loser. You''ll fit in. But only if you''re white. The irony of such a "PC, diverse" town is that they are only "open" to particular views. It''s a joke.
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Posted by Rose on 2005-06-09 22:21:05
My Score:
Comment: I am not exactly sure about the town, but I am from a really painfully small town in Kansas (Eudora anyone?) and I am looking for a bit of relaxation for college. A friend recommended Oregon, but I am not having a good time searching for "hip colleges" does anybody know which colleges are relaxed, tolerant of different lifestyles, and have hippies in abundance? Thanks- SkipperMcJoJo@aol.com, i don''''t check this much.
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Posted by Jon Miler on 2005-05-24 12:43:18
My Score:
Comment: I used to live in Springfield better known as tweakerville. I made a lot of great friends in the Eugene area. But I do notice a lot of upity snotty people who think they are know it alls.
The main reason I lived in tweakerville is because I could not afford the ungodly rent Eugene askes for! Geez get a clue and being stuck with a deadend job I could never afford living in Eugene.
While living in tweakerville the people next door all where tweakers. tweakers suck. They steal all your crap and then think they are innocent and some other joker tweaker stole your stuff.
They always lie to get their next damn fix.
My boss was the nicest boss I ever had though and I did a real good job dispite the situation I was under. Unfortunatly I hade to relocate back to redneck jesusland Lakeview, Oregon because I could not afford even the rent in tweakerville.
tweakers suck!
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Posted by disgusted on 2005-05-18 22:28:51
My Score:
Comment: Ive been here for 9 months, and I can''t wait to get back to portland. I haven''t seen the diversity everyone is talking about. Eugene is very racist against blacks (espically the police). Someone wrote something to the extent of "no niggers allowed" on the driveway of a black family having recently moved to springfield. The woman elected to promote diversity in the city ended up quitting and moving away.
The location is laughable. Eugene is one giant suburb. The down town area is a joke. There is hardly any culture left, due to the oppening of the valley river mall, causing a lot of focus to move from the streets of down town and closer to the mall. Ive never seen so many wal marts and targets so close to eachother. There are a few good stores left, including those located in the 5th street public market, but a lot of local places are closing because of the idiots who would rather shop at wall mart
This is a hippie town? There are hardly any liberals left, mostly right winged, suv driving jesus freaks. And who said something about great concerts? Yeah, if you consider "bowling for soup" a great concert.
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Posted by dude on 2005-05-18 12:07:03
My Score:
Comment: I''ve lived all over the US and in several college towns, from Honolulu to Gainesvile, FL, to Boulder, CO.
1. Eugene is not ethnically diverse. Period. Go to Honolulu, you''ll finally understand the meaning of the words, plus no de facto segregation. Its a true melting pot. In Eugene its an abstract value, not a reality. Nothin you can do about that.
2. Weather is fine with me. Love changing seasons, cold weather, and rain. Summer becomes a release. Just don''t let the winter''s get you down.
3. Eugene has a serious sprawl problem. Growth should have been capped a long time ago and they should repeal the city building height cap. First rule to having a vibrant thriving downtown is population density. why do you think inner cities decline? Build up, not out, and the downtown economy will follow. Don''t like chains/coporations, have the county/city deny their charter locally. Fill the down town with local business. The empty windows and streets can be filled.
4. As for the people, they seem nice, but I haven''t meet many people. Definitely a hippie town, for the most part. New age and knee jerk liberals abound. Little critique and logic. The conservative christians surrounding Eugene are no better. Dogmatic, hypocritical, and self-righteous. No one thinks in terms of policy consequences or really makes an informed vote anymore.
5. As for the economy, the minimum wage is $7.25 and rent is some of the cheapest I have seen. If you want higher pay, get a degree in computer science or the medical profession. Liberal arts is fantastic, but very few technical skills are learned. Growth in the US and in Oregon will be high.
6. Overall, Eugene is a great town. I really enjoy the atmosphere, the food, bars, and there are plenty of activities to occupy your time if you have the desire. It is also a relatively safe town and a good place to raise children. It has a thriving music and art scene, and b/c of UO there are a lot of intellectual activies as well.
Eugene has a lot to offer and I am glad I have ended up here. It has character, is unique, and has potential for getting better.
My only pet peeve is the smoking ban. It sucks and unfortunately is based on second hand smoke data that is, "not satistically significant." Two inconclusive studies and a few well funded self righteous people and there you go, second hand smoke hysteria is sweeping the nation. It''s happening everywhere I move. There are so many things in this world that we know kill, but are allowed to remain legal, so why second hand smoke? Know how many people die in car accidents?
Another pet peeve: gambling. Allowing gambling, even small parlors in bars, is such a bad idea. Don''t people realize that it only sucks more money out the community. It only works for Vegas and Atlantic city because they have millions of tourists who come there every year to spend money on gambling. Politicians have suckered voters in to giving up more money by extolling the virtues of gambling revenue. If you want more money for education then remind the State that they used to spend 20% of revenue on schools and now spend about 12%.
Enough....Eugene is a great place, but full of political obfuscation and non-logical policies. But, what city isn''t.
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Posted by bobb on 2005-04-07 00:48:18
My Score:
Comment: In defense of Eugene (sorta) Yes, it can be tough to get started here, but, you''re here. Negative comments would be better directed to the one who put a gun to your head and forced you out of where you were happiest. There are temp and seasonal jobs, definitely not "living wage", but better than begging. Don''t try the "will work for food" sign". we know that''s a lie. I''m not fond of the "disabled vet" signs either.
(ever here of the "fuck-you" lizard)? I''ve traveled Europe,Asia and the U.S. from east coast to west, from Quebec to Brownsville, and I''ve never been to broke to leave town. Try it, we,ll like you better.
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Posted by Steve James on 2005-04-04 00:56:36
My Score:
Comment: I''ve lived in Eugene for 18 years, so let me set the record straight - Eugene is a quiet little backwater pretending to be a city and perfect for those people who don''t have enough ambition to make it in a larger market. Eugene is where people come to try their hand at starting their own business - this leads to a lot of arts and crafters making stuff that is all going to be relegated to someone''s attic in short order. It also leads to the most astounding array of crappy restaurants that has ever been assembled in one town. Eugene used to have the distinction of having more restaurants per capita than any town in America - maybe this is still the case - but this is nothing to be proud of considering what passes for food in most of these establishments. If you like huge burritos or greasy Thai food, you will love Eugene, but if you want to go out and have a meal that is better than you could whip up at home in 15 minutes, your choices are slim indeed.
It never ceases to amaze me how little this town has changed in the 2 decades I have been here, yes there are some new buildings, but our streets are falling apart - it is an embarressment the poor condition our roads are in. This is because the city spends its limited funds on building a never-ending array of "traffic calming devices" to slow traffic down everywhere - speed bumps, center islands, round-abouts, choke points - you name it, the city has built them, to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars. There was no need for all these obstructions, because the roads are now in such shitty condition that you can''t drive fast anyway.
Eugene is a great place to live if you want to coast along and not be challanged by a vibrant economy and ambitious people. Unfortunetly, living here does not prepare you to live anywhere else - I have seen many people move away to SF or LA, only to abandon their dreams and move back in a few years because they couldn''t be successful in the competitive environment of a larger city. There are A LOT of people on government assisstance in this town, some deservedly so, but many just trying to scrape by while doing as little as possible - I know several people like this so I am not making unfounded generalizations. There are a lot of people leading very stagnant lives in this town, scratching out a threadbare existence and proud of it. I''m all for "living simply so others may live", but there are an awful lot of people living simple not by choice, but by default.
Steve
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Posted by Going Nuts in Eugene on 2005-03-25 10:10:14
My Score:
Comment: Damn freakin'' hippies. I''ve got to get back to Seattle.
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Posted by Grateful Ed on 2005-03-09 23:58:57
My Score:
Comment: Eugene Rocks! I grew up in SoCal, Los Angeles/OC...and am super stoked to be up here with people that actually care more about each other than each other''s cars. So..on that note...if you dig a cool lifestyle and wouldn''t mind tooling around town in VW than Eugene is your place. The weather can be tough, but the summer is worth 10 nasty winters. Cool bands come through town often and there is a high "deadhead" population. Being a deadhead - this totally rocks!
Anyways...tweakers suck, but every town has its community methlab and I know for certain that I knew way more tweakers in the OC than in Eugene.
Country Fair is a one-of-a-kind dealie-o and you gotta go if you''ve never been. Its kind of a PacNW tradition.
Grateful to be here and not down there.
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Posted by Dawn Dancing Feather on 2005-02-18 23:25:16
My Score:
Comment: Yo dude who wrote the top comment, youre tripping/factually wrong on the Country Fair there. There are no new owners or old owners. Eugene is the best alternative community in the world, and the Oregon Country Fair is magical! You have totally missed it. I am an owner, as are thousands of other participants be they volunteers, crafters, or entertainers.
We are a nonprofit community organization with an elected board, 4 paid employees, and 3000 volunteers that put it on each year. Three thousand! The land was originally bought with the help of the Kesey family and the Grateful Dead playing a benefit out there in 72 and paid off by another Dead show benefit in 82 (I was a young 22 year old flowerchild, it was my second Dead show and so beautiful, and after they let in everyone with tickets they let the rest of the people in the parking lot in for free, ya dig? Thats the fair for you. You just have to be a giver, not a taker. Its all about making magic happen cooperatively.)
If you really want to get involved, go to http://www.oregoncountryfair.org and find out when the Community Village meetings are starting up in winter and get involved! There are also ways to join crews like construction, deconstruction, recycling, traffic, security, vegemanics, each of which have 100''s of members, but it takes a year round dedication to make this amazing magical thing happen. As Stephen Gaskin said recently upon coming for the first and not the last time, "I cant believe something this amazing and hip happens and I dont even have to do anything to make it happen!" So...show up some weekend in late spring and jump in on a work crew and you will make connections quick. Expect to work hard and have lots of fun! Peace!
Oh, about the cops, as in any counterculture event of thousands they are there undercover to make sure no illegal activities are going on, and of course none are. We are very protective of the land, and have been threatened in the past with seizure and forfiture by the county sheriff if illegal activites are allowed. So we make sure such things dont. And you know? Its nice not to have scammy ripoffs and no drunks, too. As far as undercovers, no one is "allowing" them in, they of course are allowed by virtue of laws many of us disagree with. However, we do our own internal security and there is no presence and no need of presence of any uniformed law enforcement folks, which is pretty amazing considering for one weekend in July we are one of the larger cities in Oregon.
Here in Eugene we have had 35 years of alternative culture developing alternative community institutions like the Country Fair, the WOW Hall, Saturday Market, coop businesses, etc, and we have developed ongoing and good relationships with all the different aspects of our city, the second largest metro area in Oregon, including the powers that be. We finally have elected a hip progressive mayor, woo hoo! This is an amazing town, and any flippant judgments reveal to me more a lack of understanding of what hipness really is. Sheesh....give me a break! Peace and love, everyone...
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Posted by Dawn Dancing Feather on 2005-02-18 23:15:03
My Score:
Comment: Yo dude who wrote the top comment, youre tripping/factually wrong on the Country Fair there. Eugene is the best alternative community in the world, and the Oregon Country Fair is magical! You have totally missed it. I am an owner, as are thousands of other participants be they volunteers, crafters, or entertainers. We are a nonprofit community organization with an elected board, 4 paid employees, and 3000 volunteers that put it on each year. Three thousand! If you really want to get involved, go to http://www.oregoncountryfair.org and find out when the Community Village meetings are starting up in winter and get involved! There are ways to join crews like construction, deconstruction, recycling, traffic, security, vegemanics, each of which have 100''s of members, but it takes a year round dedication to make this amazing magical thing happen. As Stephen Gaskin said recently upon coming for the first and not the last time, "I cant believe something this amazing and hip happens and I dont even have to do anything to make it happen!" So...show up some weekend in late spring and jump in on a work crew and you will make connections quick. Peace!
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Posted by Eugene resident on 2005-02-18 01:06:47
My Score:
Comment: After reading the other posts I had to post my opinion about Eugene and the people here. I have lived here for 3 years. I do like Eugene, but I don''t love it.
GOOD:
1.location
2.weather,not to harsh winter or summer
3.alternative life style;not to bible belt
4.political awarness;except for the extremists on both sides
5.If you bi,gay or carpet muncher
6.bike paths or BIG SUVs,depends what side your on
7. Small resturants,bars with live music,if your a trust-a-farean/dreddie
8.We don''t call it Ugreen for nothen
9. Once a year all the wanna be hippies leave Eugene for the COUNTRY FAIR
BAD:
1.drivers;can''t merge, "no after you, no after you" braking all of the basic driving laws trying to be nice
2.job market; not many good paying jobs. no matter what type of job they all seem to drug test(because there are so many crack junkies here)
3.People here say they are diverse but still VERY clickish
4.Bumper stickers; everyone wants to tell you how & what you need to believe in but ,yet they say they are open to everyone.ONLY if you believe what they believe
5.Poor overall state;schools closing, no sales tax, high state tax
6.TWEEKERS,TWEEKERS,TWEEKERS
7.Suger coating everything;never give a straight answser, always trying to be PC
8.Don''t like GOV. but will stand in line to collect food stamps or other assistance.
9. Did I mention TWEEKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10.Mountainbillies & wanna be 60''s hippies trying to cohabit
11.Springfield or spunfield is close
WE ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALL THERE!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by realdeal on 2005-02-04 23:26:34
My Score:
Comment: yeah, eugene. there''s no such thing a free lunch, and there''s no such thing as utopia. but eugene is still an amazing and underrated place. it''s not a place to get rich, or lead a glamorous lifestyle, but it''s a place to be cool.
Diversity. what does that mean? I think it''s just a polite euphemism for multi-racial, and if that''s what you want, know this: there are two racial groups in Eugene, white and Latino (30,000 Latinos in Lane County, out of 250,000 overall, and 110,00 people in Eugene). That''s not racial diversity, no. But in terms of acceptance of eccentricity and difference, Eugene has more diversity than Chicago, where I''m from originally, and LA, the only other large, multiracial city I''ve lived in.
Jobs. Yeah, there aren''t many. but you have to poke around and figure something out. You might have to work at a deli, or work on a construction crew, but so what? that''s the trade-off. if you have gumption and captial, start your own business, but try to reach the market outside of eugene; there''s only so much money going around in town.
People. There are jerks, maybe just as many as else-where. But the non-jerks? Wow, what a bunch of open, friendly cool people. Post-ironic, post-cynical, post-jaded, ready to see the beauty of the simple things in other people and in their neighborhood.
Food. Very good. Let''s not get carried away -- large cities do have better food overall. But I defy anyone to name a college town with as good and well-rounded a selection as Eugene. And as for groceries? The best in the United States, period. The best, least expensive organic food available.
Yoga. Eugene has real yoga teachers and a true Yoga community. If that''s your thing, there is no better place.
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Posted by Jessica on 2005-02-04 15:38:15
My Score:
Comment: Oh yes...if you have any comments ...my e-mail address is kgrlzrck@aol.com. I read my "nubain" brother''s post...no I am not a fat dyke! Believe it are not I wear make up and was Homecoming Queen. (But, with out the Homecoming Queen attitude) I love people who can think for themselves...and not based on their religious up bringing...yes I am an atheist...NON-Judgemental...
Thanks again...
I you know the school system and the right area''s to live in Eugene...please e-mail
Peace Be With Us All...We need it...
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Posted by Kin Lane on 2005-01-29 08:42:59
My Score:
Comment: You guys are too funny......great comments on Eugene. Well I will throw in my 3 cents....
Eugene ain''t perfect. But it is very nice. Nice diversity..not as much as the city...but enough. Fun watching all the College Students. People are accepting enough of others.....yeah some uptight hippies....but lots of real down to earth people if you get to know people.
I run a business building web sites for artists, crafts people, and micro businesses....ain''t ever going to get rich...but I pay the bills. Job scene is hot and cold....depends on what time of the year.....college students take all the entry jobs. Sometimes we are poor as dirt...other times we do alright.
Have 2 kids.....one goes to school....the school system is amazing compared to rural school....or in the big city.
People are nice....their are bike paths....good food....live music. Good vibes overall. The standard of living isn''t well off like elsewhere in the country....but you can eat good organic food and live well.
Come to Eugene..
Kin Lane - Original Web Solutions - http://www.originalwebsolutions.com
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Posted by patricimo on 2005-01-05 21:47:33
My Score:
Comment: gettin ready to hop a train to eugene from the florida panhandle. i am fortunate to have long time friends already living there. barely have any money, just enough for the train ticket. can''t seem to find a dread friendly employer down here so i am seeking in eugene, maybe eureeka very soon. trouble with much of the south, save new orleans, is that if you dont have a shaved head and clean shaven face, no one wants to hire you, with the exception of a few rare birds. regardless of the range of knowledge and experience a person can possess, we are still judged by appearance and politics. i am hoping eugene is not like this, but i am moving with an open mind and am simply trying to change my scenery. have experience with organic gardening and a degree in environmental studies from west florida, is there room for me? a job? also am a dedicated boardrider and find great comfort in staring into space, contemplating the mysteries and blessings of life on this planet. unfortunately people in the south are trying to develop the last great open spaces for want of lots of money, suvs, and bush tax breaks. they love the fruit but hate the tree. does eugene love both? i am wondering? play hand percussion? i''ll be looking for you! hahahahahaha!!!
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Posted by Alaska Bob on 2004-12-15 07:37:40
My Score:
Comment: What''s the pussy situation in Eugene?, I be looking for a little trim. Enough of those stripper skanks in Anchorage, damn whores.
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Posted by Another Thing on 2004-12-14 05:07:35
My Score:
Comment: Don''t tell me about Eugene and diversity. WHo are you kidding? This is the whitest fucking place i''ve ever seen. You get some brothers hitting up on your women and hanging and banging downtown, and then you can tell me about diversity. Hispanics are mostly relegated to field workers around here, Asians, not many. Okay there are a lot of big old Dykes here,who gives a shit.
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Posted by More from Wade on 2004-12-14 05:02:47
My Score:
Comment: There are actually two types of people in Eugene.
The hippies-usually have roots in Northern California. The earmark of the older, upper middle class hippie types is on guys some lame pony tail, (along with their balding dome) and no clue on how to dress-a white shirt and tie and blue jeans-gee how fucking 1978. The women still think they are hot, way past their prime, (hey babe we''re looking at your daughter not you), and dress like old whores at the fair. The other type is the hick Oregonian, who has noi clue about anything outside of the North West, hates anyone from another state, is fat, dumb, and lazy.
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Posted by Wade Collins on 2004-12-14 04:55:02
My Score:
Comment: Eugene sucks. I''ve lived all over the country and this is by far the most limp wristed, lethargic bunch of assholes I''ve ever met in their life. Do you Oregonians realize what an unfriendly and dull bunch you are. I know how exciting your life and pace is, you don''t even know how to merge on a freeway. The rain fogs your brains obviously. As far as the fair, its nothing especially in comparison to the shit that goes on every weekend at Venice Beach. Better pussy, food, items for sale, music, and more interesting people. All you fucks do is smoke dope or drink coffee or piss beer brewed by some turd at home. Your food is garbage, especially any of that vegan shit.
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Posted by yellow-winged fairy girl on 2004-11-30 04:50:16
My Score:
Comment: My boyfriend and I have just moved to Oregon from BC. Any advice on a fun town with jobs for dreadies would be helpful. We''re almost broke and aren''t having any luck in job search so far. We''ve been trying ski realted towns but are up for anything. Does anyone think we''ll have luck in Eugene? A job is crucial and cheap rent for us and a dog is essential. Tahnx to all
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Posted by mojeecat on 2004-11-18 19:41:41
My Score:
Comment: there can''t be too many gwb supporters tere. kerry took oregon. remember?
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Posted by Annie on 2004-11-17 21:15:20
My Score:
Comment: By the way does anyone know of any sort of summer job i could get in oregon? i want to visit there, but since my mom is paying for my school right now she won''t let me go anywhere unless i''m making money.
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Posted by missing eugene on 2004-11-02 07:53:00
My Score:
Comment: eugene, words sometimes escape me when i remember my life in eugene.it was wet and sometimes cold ,my dinner plate was often empty,but my bowl was always full! had two dogs great pals they were. some sad times there were, i watched the towers fall while living in a yuppie hole, i chopped off all my hair ,beautiful dreads they were,but , least of all i lost my car . i just left it there. but the good times were also there!!!!!! beautiful sights to see, mountains to climb, ocean air to breathe,and the rock slides , man i really miss those.!!! evening bus rides on the 40 to sneak into the macdonald, or my most favorite of all ......seeing the moody blues for free while chillin under a tree in alton baker park. dont get me wrong , i love to love but i have so much hate . you may think iam a hippie , gypsy , or waste but time has shown that isnt the case. all iam is me and wherever iam thats all i shall be...... but while i was in eugene it usually felt good to be me. still trying to get home and that eugene you see. to my daughter this place is where she was concevied and where i carried her to so much more than just a seed and as she knows that me as her my loves her so, iwant her to know the love that is eugene also.
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Posted by chris on 2004-10-11 18:36:37
My Score:
Comment: i''m moving to eugene, i visited it for a week and i thought it was the best place i''ve ever been, i currently live in arkansas and i can tell you it hardcore blows, everyones a redneck except about 20 out of 500 and in eugene everyones awesome, cant wait to sell our house and move
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Posted by Maura on 2004-10-06 19:06:35
My Score:
Comment: As someone who has worked at the OCF for 20 years I can assure everyone who is curious that it is run in the same way that it has been run for its entire lifetime... that is, by an elected board. And I can also assure you, due to the scrutiny of drug use by the Reagan administration and since, there have been undercover officers there every year for as long as I have been there. To think that there have not been police coming into an open event that is known for drug use would be naive. Discretion when breaking the law is always advised no matter where you are, whether one agrees with the law or not. I work with the Vaudeville crew and keep coming back because some of the highest and most innovative work shows up there annually.
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Posted by jimmyinspace on 2004-09-29 16:45:05
My Score:
Comment: hee-hee. skippy , dippy.. did I mention that alot of good looking people live here and you have access to anything you want, even the rainforest, mountians, ocean, organic food, topless women, and best of all just about everything grows here. If you cannot find a job then go to Venture Data.. Duh, every hipster knows that...did I mention good beer, everyone is friendly, lesbians, a river, topless women, and the freedom of medical mary and the right to die as needed..did I say topless women and rain, skippy dippy.. hee-hee
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Posted by jimmyinspace on 2004-09-28 01:05:12
My Score:
Comment: Eugenes slogan::::We all ended up here, because we were not all there
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Posted by jimmyinspace on 2004-09-28 01:03:23
My Score:
Comment: DONT TELL ME THIS TOWN AINT GOT NO HEART
YOU JUST GOTTA POKE AROUND
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Posted by jimmyinspace on 2004-09-28 01:02:01
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is the best town in America to raise children. I traveled with The Phaded PHish and Phil and all his Phriends for about six years emersed in your most hardcore of hippiness. Then I ended up in Eugene with my 8 month pregs girlfriend. After every town up and down the east and west. Eugene got me on my feet and has allowed me the space I needed to grow up but still be a kid.
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Posted by Sarah Mattocks on 2004-09-23 07:45:47
My Score:
Comment: While Eugene is what, I suppose, you could call, the heart of "hippie-dom" in most likely the U.S., the state of mind is most certainly not restricted to Eugene. Infact, I would say that within the last few years, Eugene has taken itself in the complete and opposite direction, which I feel is sad because that earthy, home-grown feel is what gives the mid-valley it''s flavor. However, several locations surrounding Eugene (i.e. Veneta, Goshen, and Prineville which is in central Oregon) are just as related to this culture and way of life as Eugene. Infact, I have never been to one city in Oregon, save for Springfield because that has been officially re-named Springtucky and there is a HUGE difference between hippie and redneck, that is not just as laid back and casual as our topic city of choice. Anywhere you could possibly visit in Oregon has, in some respect or another, gleaned some of it''s tradition and culture from the greatness that is hippie and as it''s centerfold:Eugene.
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Posted by Nancy Fierra on 2004-09-13 12:53:06
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is a wonderful town for the environmentally conscious and people needing to live in a tolerant community. It is very friendly to off beat folks and is a lesvbian haven. Chris Williamson lives outside of town on the wonderful Mackenzie River
It is very busy with traffic, which is a bummer, but there are many wonderful activities including a parade each year that parodies the Rose Parade and is a complete hoot. They also have the Eugene Celebration each year and the activites for this have appeal to mostly everyone.
However, your list missed a very big, friendly and diverse city, which is Portland, Oregon. It is simply a wonderful place to live if you like big city life. Many wonderful little districts that are friendly and many excellent brewries and coffee shops. Don''t miss the Bagdad Cafe in the Hawthorne district!
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Posted by emily on 2004-09-05 08:05:18
My Score:
Comment: Just wanted to comment on what Todd wrote, Right on !! I don''t know what you do for a living, but if your not a writer you should be. What you wrote was wonderful, your comments about "the east" couldn''t be more correct (easterner too) can''t wait to visit Eugene, its sounds like the type of community my hubby and I can breathe in!
Thanks for your posting. Peace to ya!
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Posted by emily on 2004-09-05 07:33:26
My Score:
Comment: I am writing in response to noah. What was written was a very good observation about the races. I am a predominately black american women who has a lot of culture in my family and married out of my so called race. Over the years I have become rather obsessed with demographics and race simply because usually an area that is well represented culturally is acceptant of inter-racial relationships. I have found that white folks seem more threatend about the loss of their "race" and this causes them to act real ignorant. My husband experienced first hand the looks I received by folks as we drove cross country. People looked at me as if i were alien! Its a trip. Unfortunately, the places I want to live are too expensive even for wealthy people (California bay area) this area seems to have gotten the diversity thing. Its seems to be a live and let live thing here and because realstate is so high people have a sense of having a piece of the pie. It seems a lot of folks out here bought homes several years ago and now they are worth 4X what they paid. Any way if this makes sense its just another perspective is all. I grew up in an ivory tower community in CT, and though things have change a little its just nice to live or be in a place where, if people aren''t culturally diverse, I will settle for educated or at least tolerant. Its a terrible feeling having to be stared at or called so bull**** racial slur that puts you back to 1950''s United States.
Peace to you.
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Posted by John on 2004-09-01 18:59:12
My Score:
Comment: Hello, is anyone in the Eugene area looking for a cheap, classic, old 1964 Hippie Van? if so, please send e-mail for full details to: Custom541@aol.com
,thank you.
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Posted by noah on 2004-07-25 00:07:09
My Score:
Comment: This is about DIVERSITY and RACE in general. I have lived for about 20 years in Atlanta Georgia. This city is about 60% BLACK. My schools were generally about 50% black students.
DIVERISTY IS OVERATED!!!! Why is it so important to have "Diversity"???
Blacks and whites got along a lot of the time in my schools and in the city. But they often also had cultural conflicts.
My experience is that because blacks have been so enslaved for centuries they are so poor that they are infatuated to some degree with the joys of new wealth. To many of them a nice car and an education are the topic of the day. In effect, many of them are living as though in the 50''s (when america became more aflluent after a period of poverty).
That is not to say that black folks are backwards. Actually I think they are noble for what they have been through. White southerners can be extremely ignorant, evil, and generally retarded about their relationship and abuse of african americans.
But why is it neccessary to have blacks or other minorities living with whites? In my experience white people often have a different outlook and focus in their life that other races. Especially hippy, new age, or alternative minded people.
So of course don''t exclude minorities. And also I love all the races. But this idea that minorities should be shipped from somewhere else is ridiculous. Why is it such a problem if a place is all white? White folks dominate in the northwest because only white folks had the money and social acceptance to make the move. Blacks simply stayed where was home to them: the east.
Also, in my experience other minorities (asians, latinos) CAN be stuck in the past too to some degree. A lot of them are even more patriarchal and male dominated than white rednecks. Its just more subtle.
Honestly, it seems like no big deal that its mostly white folks up there in the NW. And if there are lots of white hippies thats really great because there aren''t many places in the US like that.
Honestly, I would love to leave Atlanta for a place that isn''t just white redneck rebels and black gangsta wannabees. If all that nonsense isn''t a part of where you live then count your blessings.
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Posted by Todd Edman on 2004-07-19 22:21:31
My Score:
Comment: Ahh Eugene. *smiles*. If you''ve read the reviews and information on these pages yet, you might be starting to get the idea.....
People hate it people love it. Its covered in Hippies, and W''04 bumper stickers. The Country Fair is great fun and supports a counter culture, and a total sell out. Its got a tons of homless, alot of social services, and is home to some of the wealthist people in the world. Its a city of deviersity with few minorities. Everyone has an opnion, in a city ridden with apathy. The only people who live here are Retirees and College students. It has a public library that is amazing, only becasue the old one was so bad. And people still think it was a waste of money.
There is desert an hour away. And Rainforest. As well as the beach and some of the most beautiful mountian ranges you''ll see anywhere. In the winter you think it will never stop raining. And in the summer you get 4 of the most beuatiful months of weather that you can possiably imagine.
I''ve lived in New Jersy, I''ve lived in a van. I backpacked, and written computer software that allows one of the biggest coperations in America to send more junk mail to the box infront of my house. I found Jesus and now I simply sit quitely on my floor with my eyes closed worshiping no god. I''m a cocky jerk, and one of the most compassionate people you''ll meet.
What do I say? I love this town and all its contrasts. I try to make it a better place if I can, and strangly enough, that seems to be what most of the people who live here are trying to do. Some of them so passionatly so they believe they know how you should do it to. Are there better places to live? Its possiable. Though for me I can''t think of any. Are there more interesting places to live? Possiably, though I haven''t seen them.
The only think I can say for certian, is you might like it here, and you might not, but I seriously doubt you''ll think the experience a forgetable one.
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Posted by Dylan on 2004-07-09 10:38:49
My Score:
Comment: I''ve been to the Oregon Country Fair three times now.
It''s been progressing towards bad, which is not how
I expected the fair to be, but something just isnt right
anymore.
Here''s my own story:
2002: "Whoah, cool!"
First time was really neat, since i''d never been exposed to
so much hippy crap all at once. I took lots of pictures,
and met a few freaky people.
I was working with one of the entertainment crews before,
during, and after the fair. This particular group had been
there for a long time (almost as old as the fair I think) so
they had an established presence and many rights to various
free passes for the staff on the crew. I myself just had daytime
passes, but being how cool I thought the fair was I wished I could
have gotten a camping pass too. "maybe next time" I thought.
2003: "Yep, cool."
Second time was more of the same, but I started to become
a little unsettled by the freakish quantity of people that filtered
through the place during the day. It''s startling to learn just
how many people go through each day, and how many more people
are on the staff. This time through the expirience was less enjoyable (not to say it still wasnt pleasant); I was seeing the
same things and hearing the same sounds, but something seemed
so thin about it. Like as if everybody was trying to be different
or unique, but all ending up the same. Kinda like how dumping
lots of different colored paints together turns gray.
As for my daytime duties on the forementioned entertainment
crew, i''d discovered just how irritating it is not to get the
right kinds of passes for the right days, or even the right sections
on the fair. For I got stopped and grilled by the security crew a
few times that weekend because my pass wasnt "right", although
I still got through eventually after insisting I knew who I was with
and where I was going. I''m rambling a bit, but basically what I
started to see was a complicated, intricate system which the entire
fair ran on that hindered the feeling of a open, free-love kind of event which it so desperately tried to emulate.
That year was still cool, but it didn''t seem right.
2004: "Hmm, this is getting annoying"
I have yet to actually attend the public-version of the fair
this year, since it doesn''t start but in 10 hours. (midnight now)
But even so, the whole mess is getting in the way when I
just want to do my job.
If only I hadn''t been working behind the scenes.
I probably would have just attended the fair like a good little
paying member of the public and always wondered why the
event looked so happy and free, but seemed somehow fake and ironic.
However, I suppose if i ever manage to make friends with a person
on the fair staff who was high up enough, I could just obtain
all the passes I need, be one with the elite VIPs,
and party all night after the annoying, stinky,
excessively wealthy and evil conserative S.U.V. driving
public are kicked out.
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Posted by Moved away on 2004-07-07 23:38:01
My Score:
Comment: I lived in Eugene and left, b/c there were so few jobs. While Eugene does have many wonderful qualities; hiking, biking, and so forth, it definitely has its negatives. It is very pretentious-many of its inhabitants do prance around thinking they are morally righteous. I once was driving around in my friends car w/Illinois plates, and I slowed down at an intersection with a "yield" sign and some guy literally follows me for 3 blocks honking his horn yelling out his window, "We Oregonians STOP at yield signs".
Then, on another occasion, I once asked this 20 something woman who was working in a bookstore if Safeway was open (it was 11 pm at the time), and she put her nose in the air and stated, "I wouldn''t know, because I don''t shop at Safeway". Obviously she is too good to shop there, and snubs those who do. Personally, my experience living there was both good and bad. I did meet some cool people, those who shared similar interests. However, the job market is pretty non-existent, as one person commented on. I think that if you get lucky and find a good job then living in Eugene would be alright. But, often you find typical college mentality;very politically correct, preaching diversity when there are about 4 black people on the whole campus, and acting as if they know everything when they isolate themselves from the rest of society and refuse to watch TV or read newspapers. I find the general attitude complacent and apathetic. The worst kinds of people to run into there are the onoes who only wear organic cotton and only buy organic. There are so many spoiled rich people out there-I mean, who else could afford to live in a place like Eugene and work at a health food store and drive around in an SUV?
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Posted by Brokentarot on 2004-06-30 19:47:09
My Score:
Comment: My comment is in response to Todd''s comment. Thank you Todd, your entry was the most informative I''ve read on the comment boards for the places I am planning to visit. If you have any good tips that people may not want posted on the website (such as places to pitch my tent or get good cheap food, im from Maine and now have less than $200 in my pocket and i just reached Utah.) I would greatly appreciate getting an Email from you, brokentarot@netscape.net And if I dont hear from you, thanks for posting your message.
- Joe Grey
"Reverse the first four letters and EVOLVE"
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Posted by Mr. Enthusiasm on 2004-06-30 09:34:12
My Score:
Comment: I''m writing this from Eugene, which I think is the one place in the US empire where almost everyone you meet (except people from the suburbs) are questioning, searching and seeking meaning in life. From the countless incredible festivals and markets to the bicycle-friendly infrastructure, to the thousands of non-profits trying to make a difference here and everywhere, Eugene is only boring if you haven''t an idealistic bone in your body. In which case, you''re probably not a hippy.
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Posted by Todd on 2004-06-17 01:55:13
My Score:
Comment: I''m in my early 30''s and have lived in Eugene for about 5 years. After reading the other comments posted I felt compelled to add my own 2 cents worth. I grew up on the east coast in PA.. When I turned 25, I grew tired of the ''rat-race'' that chews on the fabric of human moral, understanding & compassion etc. (better known as "the east") I packed my shit and hit the Appalachian trail for a bit and then bused my way to Charlotte, N.C. and then Asheville. Asheville, N.C. is considered by some to be the ''Eugene, Oregon" of the east...or south or...well you decide. I call it the south. I actually met a few people from Eugene while I was in Asheville. They all praised Eugene over Asheville. Through what I consider to be a twist of fate, I ended up moving to Eugene, Oregon in 1999.
Most other people (in their review on this page) focus on every negative aspect of Eugene. In my opinion, this ''type'' of person is the exact reason for the downfall of many small cities/large towns, which is what Eugene is. Although the traffic is bad like most places in this country, Eugene is not what I would call a big bustling metropolis like Chicago, Philadelphia or New York which, in my experience, tend to be composed mostly of judgemental, self-righteous, self-involved, GREEDY individuals that never have enough for themselves. So what do these people do? I think they move to towns like Eugene. Once there, they somehow (slowly but surely) infect the town like a disease, attracting others like themselves to impose (perhaps unknowingly) their ingrained "city-life" on the town. If you notice people like this are very pre-occupied with themselves and what THEY want (like a job). How many people in how many states in this country need a job?...Raise your hand? In a town like Eugene one tends to appreciate the roof over their head a little more because of the seemingly large number of transients seen on this and that corner around town. Now how many people move to a town without researching the job situation? Many people get the job before they move, right?....''cause it''s the smart thing to do I suppose, right? Anyway, I DID research before I moved here and with the exception that Mt. Hood has not erupted on schedule, I have to say my expectations have been fullfilled. The location can''t be beat. 1hr. from pristine coastline, 1hr. from mountains and beautiful wilderness, 1hr. from the desert, (this state is LOADED with natural wonders) approx. 2 hrs. from Portland (a fantastic city full of cool places, cool times and cool people, Eugene itself is well developed, offering all the modern conveniences of any other city. It''s not too spread out so you can get anywhere in 15 minutes or less EVEN ON A BIKE, which brings me to the main attraction of this town.....parks, parks and more parks. This town without a doubt, is geared toward the outdoor loving, health-concious individual. There are miles upon miles of bike paths. On this impressive, well-kept network of asphault and cement you can easily travel to any location in and around town. Want to ride to work in the morning?...You will probably get to work faster on your bike! Want to spend your days off cruising along the river bank through beautiful parks....NO PROBLEM! You can literally ride from one city limit to the other without putting one ..uh...tire in the street. I have not been to a place that even comes close to what Eugene can offer for health, excercise, and good old outdoors R&R! The weekend market is perhaps the oldest in the nation and despite the fact you can''t just walk around smoking pot everywhere(where can you do that anyway?), you CAN check out all the cool local artist''s stands which are fantastic and the fresh produce are always a good thing and you can lounge around listening to live musicians or maybe just bring a drum or guitar and jam with some others hanging out around the market. Cops?...who cares man....puff or drink before you come...trust me....there''s no need to be paranoid if you keep it discreet. After all, one man''s poison is another mans medicine... you know? That goes for others...not just YOU. Another cool thing about Eugene is the fact that despite the inevitable invasion of Wal-Mart, there are more small, cool, privately owned business here than many places. Eugene and Porland excel in this category, compared to the rest of corporate run America. The people here ARE generally more friendly, helpful and kind than many places I''ve been. The Country Fair....well it''s just one of many festivals and events in this area like the "Bach Festival" and "Eugene Celebration".....I personally think the Country Fair is good for the entertainment and change of environment but the real fun is hanging out with your friends and camping out overnight on one of the many surrounding properties (I prefer to do that in one of the many 100''s of other great campsites and parks in the state) ...that is unless you can manage to stay inside the festival overnight. Apparently that is when the real freaks come out and all the fun happens! By the way.... when I say "freaks" I mean it most affectionately. Freaks, Hippies and people who don''t fit the typical cookie cutter "greedy, fat, glutonous American" mold would be most happy here in Eugene....more happy than they would be in most cities and towns I''ve seen. Let''s not forget that the word "Hippy" meant and still means just that..."being or doing what is hip" which is, as far as I can see, simply being yourself, trying not to judge others for their differences (like others posted here do) maybe being good to the planet in big or small ways and the rest is pretty wide open. I don''t recall any guidelines ever being set by the...ummm....."original" hippys..? The bottome line is ...over-all Eugene is a great little town with one big problem....people that move here that don''t respect THE TOWNS personality. It''s a melting pot of white and blue collars, jocks and hippies, gays, transients and transvestites, anarchists, and conservatives, loud and soft-spoken mouths and apparently a handful of dipshits that moved here from just plain crappy towns and cities who don''t know a good thing when it''s served on a silver platter! We all get along and respect each others differences more than is so in your average American town. However Eugene is fragile like most places it''s size (or smaller). I hope that as more people move here, these newcombers RESPECT Eugene as I do, for what it is (one of the few remaining places in this country that still has a personality of it''s own) and NOT EXPECT Eugene to become what THEY wish it to be.
I love Eugene, I''m happy to call it my "home". Peace, T.
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Posted by Tamara on 2004-05-19 21:04:14
My Score:
Comment: I noticed that my comment I had entered her about 6 months ago had bben removed from the website!! Nice sensorship!
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Posted by Stoner_Boy420 on 2004-05-15 01:32:02
My Score:
Comment: Eugene has some of the best places to go toke. Spencers Butte, Skinners Butte, and a whole lot of forrest and places to go and just chill. Usually people don''t even care if they see you smoking weed, but there are some assholes that will call the cops. I like Eugene because most of the people are really nice. I''ve lived here for 5 years and I only plan to leave because I''m joining the Air Force.
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Posted by disappointed in Eugene on 2004-01-30 07:39:52
My Score:
Comment: My girlfriend and I just moved to Eugene a few months ago. Based on what I had been told about the place by a few of my friends who had lived here years ago I was expecting to find a community full of open minded, caring people. What I found instead was a town full of people who are pissed off that I would assume they would be open minded and caring and lots off, Bush Inc. supporting, 4x4 driving, flag waving close minded assholes. The rest were either new age latte sipping wanna be''s or ultra radical, army boot wearing, I''ll kick your ass if you disagree with me feminist, environmentalist etc.etc.
Being a carpenter by trade I didn''t think that I would have any problem finding a job once I got here. Wrong again. Apparently unless you have 35 years of experience, can singlehandedly build a house by yourself and are willing to work for free you can''t get a job as a carpenter. Hell I can''t even get anyone to return my phone call in response to the ad THEY PUT IN THE PAPER. Everyone bitching about the economy and throwing more bumper stickers on their import.
Maybe my opinion will change once spring arrives and I''ve found a job. I realize that not everyone here is as I''ve just described but if you are looking for a Mecca for free spirits and open mindedness Eugene IS NOT IT.
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Posted by Rock the Casbah on 2003-11-13 16:20:17
My Score:
Comment: Eugene is just a town like any other, filled with people, buildings and cars. Many of the people are more open-minded than in other parts of the country, and some are not. Many of the buildings are more interesting than in other parts of the country, and many are not. Some of the cars are more interesting than in other parts of the country, and most are not.
It''s also an hour away from the coast, an hour from dense temperate rainforest, a couple of hours away from big mountains, and several hours away from the desert. Within all of these areas are many beautiful rivers, lakes, and other wonderful features.
Along with some of the people and buildings, these are the things that make Eugene a really special place.
Anyone who spends their time bitching about what a town was, is, or could have been is in need of a new fucking life.
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Posted by eugenius on 2003-11-11 15:41:44
My Score:
Comment: Every town has all types of people. The country fair is an open event, meaning it gets all types too. But it is the product of many dedicated volunteers that have put lots of work into it for years.
People are a little more closed than they used to me. It is prudent when you are running an event that most of the straight world would like to shut down. But after reading the negative reviews posted here, it seems no wonder that there is a bad vibe going around.
Just remember you reap what you sow. Throwing out negative vibes in response to other bad vibes, just continues the cycle. Self-fulfilling prophesies are everywhere and each of us is responsible for our own experience.
Eugene is no different than anywhere else, a few enlightened citizens try to hold back the Wal-mart tide.
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Posted by Eugene is for jerks on 2003-09-03 19:18:23
My Score:
Comment: I lived in Eugene for 3 years just to get away from Chicago and to attend the University-which is about the only thing Eugene has going for it, along w/the farmers market. Finding a job there was extremely discouraging, people got hired and fired for no reason, employers took advantage of you, and overall the job market sucked. I got sick and tired of the phony new age losers who thought they they only people on the planet. And people around there tend to be unsure about their political beliefs-and their values.They were extremely judgemental-despite its hippie facade. It is a stuck place-the majority of the people there hate change and cant deal that it isnt 1967 anymore-They prefer a sedentary lifestyle of smoking pot and eating raw vegetables and putting other people down who dont buy organic produce. The oregon Country Fair is just a bunch of these people concentrated in a smaller area-mostly these are White people who feel disenfranchised from the larger society.
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Posted by crazyquilt on 2003-02-20 17:18:20
My Score:
Comment: I have to agree with that last review. Eugene has a lot of great things going for it but the whole area has been spoiled to a certain extent by events that have led to police walking around harrasing people in riot gear.... city officials spending money on fencing in tree sitters when they can barely keep their schools open...and undercover cops at the fair.
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Posted by Oops on 2002-12-16 14:26:17
My Score:
Comment: I only meant to make the entry once, but the website was having one of its periodic technical problems (I don''t know if this occurs on PCs, I own a WebTV).
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Posted by Ben on 2002-12-16 14:22:28
My Score:
Comment: I went to the Oregon Country Fair once, back in 1995, and I thought the event was a big load of shit. And I was really disappointed in that, because I was expecting a whole lot more because it was a major hippie/countercultural fair and I was expecting wonderful people, great vibes, and possibly someone offering me a hit off their bong. But that''s not what I got. I found the event overcrowded, and there were just way too many bad vibes and too many fakes and wannabe hippies. I did met a couple of nice people, but they seemed few and far between. Many people operating the booths were total assholes (one of them was selling flutes, and he was being an asshole because I was playing the flutes, and I''ve been to other events where the vendors had no problem with you trying out the flutes before you buy it). That''s too bad, because I could tell the Oregon Country Fair was probably a way cool event years ago that I would very highly recommend. If it was bad in 1995, I hate to know what it''s like now.
As for the person below who said Eugene was full of fakes, well, I can''t disagree with that. Too many times I met people wearing tie-dyes and they don''t seem to act very hippie (it''s almost like it''s now a fashion statement). I think Eugene has the curse of the "trust-fund" types these days (Ashland has them too, which I found way irritating). As for the town being snobby, that I can''t disagree with either. Many of them, as well, pretending to be hippie/counterculture. I was buying some records at Record Garden, there was this girl, likely college age, when I wanted to talk to her, she acted as she was wondering why I was talking to her, giving me that condescending silent treatment (no wonder Record Garden''s reputation has gone down the shitter). This town has become one of those "Hey, look at my nose ring" type of towns. Eugene was paradise, if you were living there ten years ago or more. If there are towns I recommend these days, I need to do a little more exploring to find out (unfortunately I like in a conservative shithole in Eastern Oregon known as Lakeview).
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Posted by Ben on 2002-12-16 14:20:49
My Score:
Comment: I went to the Oregon Country Fair once, back in 1995, and I thought the event was a big load of shit. And I was really disappointed in that, because I was expecting a whole lot more because it was a major hippie/countercultural fair and I was expecting wonderful people, great vibes, and possibly someone offering me a hit off their bong. But that''s not what I got. I found the event overcrowded, and there were just way too many bad vibes and too many fakes and wannabe hippies. Many people operating the booths were total assholes (one of them was selling flutes, and he was being an asshole because I was playing the flutes, and I''ve been to other events where the vendors had no problem with you trying out the flutes before you buy it). That''s too bad, because I could tell the Oregon Country Fair was probably a way cool event years ago that I would very highly recommend. If it was bad in 1995, I hate to know what it''s like now.
As for the person below who said Eugene was full of fakes, well, I can''t disagree with that. Too many times I met people wearing tie-dyes and they don''t seem to act very hippie (it''s almost like it''s now a fashion statement). I think Eugene has the curse of the "trust-fund" types these days (Ashland has them too, which I found way irritating). As for the town being snobby, that I can''t disagree with either. Many of them, as well, pretending to be hippie/counterculture. I was buying some records at Record Garden, there was this girl, likely college age, when I wanted to talk to her, she acted as she was wondering why I was talking to her, giving me that condescending silent treatment (no wonder Record Garden''s reputation has gone down the shitter). This town has become one of those "Hey, look at my nose ring" type of towns. Eugene was paradise, if you were living there ten years ago or more. If there are towns I recommend these days, I need to do a little more exploring to find out (unfortunately I like in a conservative shithole in Eastern Oregon known as Lakeview).
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Posted by Ben on 2002-12-16 14:20:42
My Score:
Comment: I went to the Oregon Country Fair once, back in 1995, and I thought the event was a big load of shit. And I was really disappointed in that, because I was expecting a whole lot more because it was a major hippie/countercultural fair and I was expecting wonderful people, great vibes, and possibly someone offering me a hit off their bong. But that''s not what I got. I found the event overcrowded, and there were just way too many bad vibes and too many fakes and wannabe hippies. Many people operating the booths were total assholes (one of them was selling flutes, and he was being an asshole because I was playing the flutes, and I''ve been to other events where the vendors had no problem with you trying out the flutes before you buy it). That''s too bad, because I could tell the Oregon Country Fair was probably a way cool event years ago that I would very highly recommend. If it was bad in 1995, I hate to know what it''s like now.
As for the person below who said Eugene was full of fakes, well, I can''t disagree with that. Too many times I met people wearing tie-dyes and they don''t seem to act very hippie (it''s almost like it''s now a fashion statement). I think Eugene has the curse of the "trust-fund" types these days (Ashland has them too, which I found way irritating). As for the town being snobby, that I can''t disagree with either. Many of them, as well, pretending to be hippie/counterculture. I was buying some records at Record Garden, there was this girl, likely college age, when I wanted to talk to her, she acted as she was wondering why I was talking to her, giving me that condescending silent treatment (no wonder Record Garden''s reputation has gone down the shitter). This town has become one of those "Hey, look at my nose ring" type of towns. Eugene was paradise, if you were living there ten years ago or more. If there are towns I recommend these days, I need to do a little more exploring to find out (unfortunately I like in a conservative shithole in Eastern Oregon known as Lakeview).
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Posted by fragles on 2002-10-14 21:45:53
My Score:
Comment: yep its now beat here just snobs tweek and schwill bums. A lot of fake people and kesey is dead. Lets not even get started on the state of the fair. Saturday market is still cool but probly not for long. Downtown is filled with sketch balls and drain bows.
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Posted by Ben on 2002-07-22 12:31:28
My Score:
Comment: Me again, I finally got to go back to Eugene, but unfortunately it was because my grandfather just died, so I had to bring my mother over to Eugene to watch over my grandmother as things get sorted out. Anyway, my visit there has been rather disappointing, compared to earlier visits (and during the time I used to live there from the late 1970s to the mid 1980s). Looks like Corporate America is taking over. Ugly strip malls on W. 11th going out of town what used to be nice green fields (and a drive-in theatre, which is long history). City limits are now stretched westward to Green Hill Rd., which used to be a road of farms, is now a road with ugly new housing developments. Two Wal-Marts have came to town, as well as a Target. Luckily the strip malls aren''t as big and unsightly as those found in Medford some 150 miles south on I-5... so far. Many new apartments and condos springing up, but not too many new shops to cater to hippies. Record stores have been really became lame (Record Garden changed from imports to used CDs, LPs and cassettes). Eugene''s much more conservative neighbor, Springfield, known for redneck bars and auto repair shops is getting to look a lot more like how Eugene used to look, minus the countercultural vibe. On the plus side, I was rather amazed at all the environmental, leftist, and feminist bumperstickers I seen on the backs of cars in Eugene. Not to mention the Darwin and Pagan Fish is a normal sight there too. In my town (conservative Lakeview, Oregon), you''ll only find a Jesus Fish, a "Jesus Saves" or a "Save a logger, eat an owl" bumperstickers on the back of cars. The VW Microbus, even the pre-1967 split-window variety is still a common sight in Eugene. Plus there''s still the 5th Street Public Market where you can shop for exotic and unusual goods (even if a Nike Store moved in), sit down at a table by a fountain and talk to a friend or look at the shops. Hendricks Park is the most amazing city park I''ve ever been too! You''ll forget you''re in the city, unless you happened to be paying attention to the traffic of Franklin Blvd. which is a few blocks away. I don''t recall Seattle having a park like Hendricks. And if you really want the ultimate wilderness experience but not go far, try Spencer Butte, just on the edge of town south on Willamette St. Although the good is still there, I''m afraid the countercultural scene in Eugene is going the way of the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey.
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Posted by Wandering Bear on 2002-06-25 15:24:41
My Score:
Comment: Ah yes. The long time battle between the Hippies and the Corperate Conservitive has been going on for a long time in Eugene.Thats nothing new. Despite that Eugene Still remains the Hippie Mecca of the U.S.
downtown has been over run by the corperates lately. So the Hippies have taken to the outskirts and small towns surrounding Eugene.But their still there.
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Posted by Ben on 2002-03-08 10:48:48
My Score:
Comment: I lived in Eugene for eight years as a kid, and I frequented Eugene many years later when I had the misfortune of living in that redneck dump 60 miles to the west on the coast, Florence (since the lack of diversity and limited and narrow views of its locals was getting me depressed). The difference between Florence and Eugene was staggering, I couldn''t believe it. When I started visiting Eugene again to revisit my childhood, I was put in a culture shock. I seen lots of hippies, different kinds of craft stores, people who have more broad views on life than the limited, often bigoted and xenophobic views Florence had. The Grateful Dead frequented Eugene, until Garcia''s death, that is, and Ken Kesey lived in neigboring Pleasant Hill (unfortunately Kesey is no longer with us, he passed away a few months ago). You got to remember this was a while ago when I was last in Eugene, I hear that the Eugene police are rather intrusive, they seem hellbent on getting rid of "undesirables" (you know, hippies and anarchists) which often lead to riots, but I had been left alone by the police, believe it or not. I have no idea how Eugene is like now, but hopefully I will return back to check it out. Several things I loved of Eugene is no urban sprawl (they did a good job keeping most of the population within the city limits) and no ugly, ultra-modern strip malls (something you can''t say of Tacoma, try driving down on I-5 through that town, and you''ll get depressed real fast), you get lots of great wilderness, particularly to the east, west, and south (the north is mostly flat). The biggest drawback of Eugene, besides their police, was the last time I was there, their downtown was dying, many businesses had went out of business and there were a disproportionate amount of vacant buildings.
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Posted by Ted the Karate Man on 2002-03-07 12:28:07
My Score:
Comment: HMMM , I grew up in Eugene and gotta say -Beware.
Ya the old owner is dead no -Sorry MR.K I am sure it was a fun trip for ya. Ya the town has gone back toward it''s old small town ways but, is not being a hippy just so close to being a real red neck any how. Hey they poth grow pot and want the G -Man off thier land. Just that the red neck may own the land not just the tent.??????
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