Beginning the Journey in Klamath Falls
On a rare rainy August morning, we began our journey by heading to the train station in Klamath Falls. When we arrived there were just a few cars waiting for the station to open. We decided to drive around a bit and see downtown Klamath Falls. Upon our return to the station there were more cars in the parking lot. The Coast Starlight approached the station and within minutes we had boarded and were off on our journey. We made our way to the lounge car in front of us. It was filled with couches, tables and chairs facing outward inside a glass observation car with excellent viewing opportunities. We chose two chairs that had been paired up and faced the observation window looking outside. We stayed here for the remainder of the journey. The cafe below us in the lounge car opened and we had a breakfast sandwich and omelette cups. We passed by Klamath lake and the rural areas adjacent to Klamath Falls. The only stop on this route before reaching our destination of Eugene was the small town of Chemult. We had a very brief stop there and were on our way again. The 4 hour and 45 minute sheduled travel time was adjusted when we had to pull over for passing freight trains. It was filled with mountain views, hidden waterfalls and beautiful scenery in all directions. The total time on the train was about 6 hours for this leg of the trip.
Arriving in Eugene
When we arrived in Eugene and stepped off of the train, the sky was dark with clouds. The rain started so we prepared. We put on our rain coats and put up our umbrellas and made the 5 block walk to our hotel. Of course as soon as we arrived at the hotel, it stopped raining. After getting settled we walked to the local grocery store and gathered our food supplies for the trip. We then went down to the Fifth Street Public Market and found the important stops like the ice cream and chocolate shops. The market is a collection of shops and eateries with outside courtyards to relax in and enjoy the local treats. At one end, there was a small collection of indoor food vendors and a small arcade. Across the street there were more shops and eateries. We stopped at Silver Falls Brewery for a bite and a flight. This was coincidentally next to the railroad tracks, where we enjoyed a freight train pass by (always the train geek). We walked through 5th street one more time, where there was a weekend festival going on with music, food, vendors and kids entertainment. The rain had other ideas for this event and the crowds were minimal.
Exploring Eugene
Our lodging for the night, Timbers Inn came with a convenient breakfast to start the day. It was located only 5 blocks from the train station and centrally located with respect to the University of Oregon and the downtown. We then unlocked a couple of the PeaceHealth Rides bike share bikes that the city of Eugene has throughout the downtown area and began our bicycling journey. Our goal was to ride as much of the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System which included multiple places to cross the river by bike or foot. We meandered through the city toward the university campus through a maze of construction and finally found a place to cross the river. Our ride continued and crossed again to visit the Owen Rose Garden located right along the bicycle and pedestrian path. We explored the city by bike, with our final destination being the Fisherman’s Market which we had previously selected for lunch based on a recommendation of the city’s best fish & chips. Once we arrived, we locked our bikes in the conveniently placed PeaceHealth Rides Hub right behind the market. Our lunch choice did not disappoint us. We enjoyed fish & chips made with salmon and cod, while the clam chowder was top notch. Once we finished lunch, we walked the eight blocks to the Eugene Saturday Market, a weekly showcase for local handicrafts. The market was multiple blocks long with too many vendors to count. It was hard to believe that this was set up and taken down every Saturday, but it was. We also wandered through the farmer’s market across the street, which boasted an excellent selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, breads and more.
Heading Back to Klamath Falls
Our next stop was back at the 5th Street Public Market area, where we stumbled on to the 5th annual Market Fest. This free festival had entertainment with music, dancing, local vendors and of course more ice cream. This is where we would hang out until our time of departure on the train as station was only a few blocks away. We made our way toward the train station about 30 minutes before departure time. The train rolled in within a few minutes of the scheduled time and we boarded the train quickly and easily. This time we walked right past our assigned seats and made our way to the lounge car and chose a spot with a comfortable booth. We decide to have a healthy snack-like dinner, so the table was handy. We also played cards while reading and sight-seeing. This leg of the train trip was quick with no unannounced stops for freight trains to pass. We decided to return to our assigned seats which reclined to sleep (or in my case, rest a bit before we arrived back at Klamath Falls in the dark. The train actually pulled in to the station before the scheduled arrival time which was a pleasant surprise. It turned out to be a great overnight trip with plenty of time at our destination of Eugene. The train ride was scenic and relaxing. The price for 2 travelers there and back was about $200 for coach, $50 each way per person. That’s about $10 per hour of relaxing travel with a professional driver, bathrooms, cafe car and access to a glass roofed viewing car with cozy lounge-type seating. Is there a better way to travel? I think not. It’s about the journey, not just the destination.
Tim by Train, Founder of Travel by Train – email: timbytrains@gmail.com