Yost Family Vacation: Eugene Saturday Market

We couldn't check-in at our coast house until mid-afternoon, so we took advantage of the free Saturday morning to hit up the infamous Eugene Saturday Market.  It's always an entertaining event and guaranteed good people-watching! 

It was the first time we all rode in our rental van, so we were still figuring out how to fit everyone comfortably.  For this first run, Mom was a good sport and volunteered to sit in the trunk space :)

Cooper knows how to fit in with the hippies!

We got some lunch right away and ate it on the lawn before we walked around.

Cooper's serious look.

There's that smile!

After lunch, we walked over to the drum circle to watch the people playing and dancing around.

Interesting outfit...

Ella was intrigued by the dancers, so she and Auntie Anne joined them!

Tom, Laura (w/Cooper), Mom & Tom

Anne & Ella still dancing!!!

Like I said about the people-watching...

Fresh produce area!

The dancing queen also got to know some buskers (they were really good, actually!)

Little drummer girl.

And she played hula-hoops with a new friend...

And yet another friend - the painted statue-man.  He held out a lollipop for Ella to take.  She didn't know what to think at first...

...but then she figured he was OK :)

Yost Family Vacation: Hangin' Out Together in Eugene

After Dad and I finished up our Bike Friday tour, we headed home where Tom & Laura and the kids had arrived!  That afternoon/evening we just hung out at the apartment, ate homemade pizza (thank you, Brian!) and had some celebratory/welcoming cake and enjoyed some visits from friends who came over the hang out and meet the fam...

(the back of Ella's head), Laura, Anne w/ Cooper

Nice to meet you, Cooper!!

Brian, Tom & Dad went on a beer run, with one of the stops at Bier Stein: a local hotspot for beer drinkers!

Dad & Ella had fun playing with the camera :)

Cooper gets a little lap-time with Opa

Yummy!  I'll kiss the cook, too! :)

Ella was so excited for the cake.  When she got a taste of the icing (from Auntie Anne), she said, "Cut it! Cut it!" :)

To celebrate Mom & Dad's 36th anniversary, and to welcome everyone to Oregon for the first time!

Ella enjoys a little story-time with Opa :)

Ella helped Auntie Anne finally get the cake-eating started!

Up next, Eugene Saturday Market and then off to the coast!

Yost Family Vacation: Bike Friday Tour

While Dad was finished with his massage, and waiting for Mom's massage to wrap up, he sat at a local coffee shop to kill some time.  During that time, he got his hands on a Eugene Weekly and read about the local bike shop, Bike Friday, which builds bikes that fold-up into the size of a briefcase.  This also happens to be the same bike shop where our friends, Damon &  Michael, work.  Seeing that they give free tours, Dad was intrigued, so the next day he and Anne rode bikes over to check it out.   

It was only a 15-20 minute bike ride from our apartment to the shop.

This bike is about $1500, give or take some...

This is how it looks folded up.  Commuters can just fold it up and take it onto the bus, train, plane, etc.

That's Kirk, the master salesman who did a great job giving info and answering questions.

To travel by plane with your Bike Friday, here's a luggage case to take through the airport.

Tandems!

All that empty space on the rack means bikes have been built.  To the bottom left, all those are "orders" waiting to be built.

A shot of the "line"

Our tour guide, Aaron

The spoke master, wearing a utilikilt!

There's Michael, hard at work!

Time for a test ride...

All in all, some cool Father-Daughter time :)

Yost Family Vacation 2011 - Part I...of many

Part of Anne's family came out to Oregon at the end of July for a first-time visit to the Northwest!  First, Anne's parents came to visit in Eugene for a couple days, and then Tom & Laura and their kiddos, Ella (2 1/2) and Cooper (3 mos.) arrived later.

While Brian was hard at work on a pre-vacation dissertation push, Anne took advantage of the time and took the 'rents on a hike up Spencer's Butte!

Mom & Anne, at the start of the trail

I love all the green in this photo!

On a clear day, we could've seen all of Eugene and the Cascades and Coast range....but today wasn't one of those days.   We were still happy to be at the top!

Mom & Dad, married for 36 years this past July...I don't know how many hikes that equals, but it's a lot!

Beautiful Oregon landscape: lush, green & full of life!

After the hike, Mom & Dad both enjoyed a massage from our new favorite massage therapist in town, Jody Green.  They loved it so much, they re-booked for the following weekend before they left town!