Thursday we headed (once again) to Skinner Butte for our daily walk-hike. There’s usually something up there to make worth fishing out my iPhone out of my pocket, and I was not disappointed. In fact, it was decidedly better than average, starting with this fine pairing of early 80s mobiles, and quite contrasting ones at that.
The Subaru hatchback is a 1985, according to Carfax. i would have guesses it was earlier, with the round headlights that were used on the low-end version. Subaru also used dual rectangular and quad rectangular headlights in this generation.
The Ford camper conversion van is called “Sun Sport”. I can’t find anything on the web with that name, so it was one of so many smaller outfits that kept springing up when the economy was good and then disappeared when the next recession hit. Those days are over though, as the RV industry has consolidated into just a few giants, although they use a number of brands each.
That wasn’t all. A VW Vanagon and Volvo 740 wagon share the stage here, pointing towards the Southwest of Eugene.
And here’s an eclectic two-some; an Infiniti g20 and a 90s Cadillac. So why do folks come up here? A few come for the views, but this is a popular spot for kids to smoke pot. It has been for some years, and now that recreational pot is legal, it’s even more popular. It’s legal, yes, but technically one can’t just smoke it in public, so kids who live in apartments seem to head for certain spots, like this one. Puffs of smoke can be seen emitting from the open windows.
Me? I come for the older cars, as well as the exercise. It’s a 5 mile round trip from our house, and after a day of physical work, it’s just the ticket! Until the last few blocks, that is…
. . . and a PT Cruiser with a factory roof rack, soon to be a CC COAL (coming to you this summer).
Oh, too new? Despite all the internet contempt, I feel the PT was the best of the three Chrysler products that I have owned. I know, some say that’s not a high bar.
Just got back from a 4 mile one hour walk with Debbie. It’s hot and humid here today; I suspect Eugene is a bit cooler. And dryer.
Vigorous walking is a great exercise.
A very nice assortment today indeed! You should market them as a “Skinner’s Sampler”, just like a box of chocolates. I’ve also found it odd that Subaru continued on with the round-eyed bottom of the line offering with a different grille while the same body received rectangular (still sealed-beam) headlights on higher-end versions.
Also, I’ve officially placed Skinner Butte on my Top Ten list of places I still need to visit sometime in my lifetime.
That Subaru base model is pretty neat to see, I wouldn’t mind having that even though it’s only FWD. The better looking round lights just make it all the more Japanesey.
I’m still staggered to see rust-free examples of cars plying the highways of Oregon that i’ve not seen on a northesastern road in decades.
And I’m willing to bet the owners of the Class C and the Vanagon are actually living in those vehicles, as it seems to be becoming a popular trend again.
They probably do live in them. “The rent is too damn high”
I would have guessed 83/4 for the Baru, there was a rare three door model around here a while ago round lights and 1800cc 4WD in yellow probably a used import I dont remember the two door style here new or in OZ when I moved there in 84.
We never got that body style here in Oz. Pity.
Campers are not my thing, but that one with its add-ons looks not bad.
Nice eclectic selection of vehicles there. When I visited Skinner Butte during Super Bowl Weekend the pickings were slim. I know WA, CA, ID, and NV are not that far of a drive, but it is still neat to see rarer and/or older vehicles like that Infiniti G20 who make the trek a ways from home. The OLCC is also making it hard on people who smoke Pot since they frown upon smoking lounges that serve booze.
A lovely view up there .
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I’m one of those dufus’ who likes to stop for an hour or more every time I see a nice view anywhere I’m driving .
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America has so many places like this , many have interesting local history too .
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-Nate
As a native and 44 year resident of Eugene before I left in 2000 for greener pastures (aka a paying job) I have to ask: when did Skinner’s Butte lose its possessive?
We never called it Skinner Butte. We learned all about Eugene Skinner, saw the replica of his log cabin in the north face, climbed the basalt rocks at the west, drove to the top to make out by the light of the giant concrete and neon cross, but it was always Skinner’s butte. (Oddly, the one south of town was always Spencer Butte. Also named for a guy named Eugene.)
I saw a Subaru of that body style and vintage a year or two ago. Quite unusual, as I hadn’t seen another in ages. The one I saw might have been AWD as it appeared to be riding high, but I couldn’t get close enough to tell. It was odd to look at a Subaru catalog in the mid 80’s, as they were selling both the Loyale-based vehicles, as well as these older ones as the value propositions. Two generations side by side. I think by the time the Legacy debuted these guys were gone though.
The view from Skinner(‘s) Butte circa 1946.