While it’s sweltering in Eugene, the little, little town of Oakridge offers shelter from the same old, same old (out HWY 58).

When it comes to heat, you can take it - or leave it. We left it Saturday for the relief of outdoor fun in the sun and snow. South on I-5 towards Roseburg you can find HWY 58 and a nice gain in elevation which translates to cooler temperatures. There are several interesting turnoffs (that’s interesting terminology!) that provide recreation and procreation - there were shriveled condoms in the hot springs parking lot, hence the very interesting terminology.

If you keep heading up HWY 58 for about 5-miles, there is an even more interesting location - a field of snow! This is a wonderland. The confluence of weather systems here was simply sublime. Sledding, building snowmen, snowball fights and crazed dogs entertained the fortunate few whom had happened upon this wondrous location. Behold the glory of sun and snow!

Heading back down the Cascade Mountains through Oakridge, we stopped at a local cafe that has become one of our favorite eclectic and eccentric emporiums - THE TRAILHEAD COFFEEHOUSE. Here we see bikers, bible-thumpers and bums - an indigenous cross section carrying on age old traditions. And the food is exquisite - prepared by connoisseurs of career-deadlock. Small towns might not offer much in the way of career building - but they offer mightily in the way of character building. THE TRAILHEAD COFFEEHOUSE towers above chain restaurants like a totem of feats & treats, iconically prepared.

At THE TRAILHEAD COFFEEHOUSE everything’s special… nothing’s superficial.

THE TRAILHEAD COFFEEHOUSE
47434 HWY 58
Oakridge,OR 97463
541-782-2223