Visiting Eugene: a few questions.... (Portland, Tualatin: rental car, rental, neighborhoods)

[joe_obody999]

COUGAR HOT SPRINGS. We plan to get over to Cougar hot springs and soak naked in the pools. Any tips on what we can do to be able to keep our car keys and wallet, I mean what do people do about that? Should i buy one of those waterproof floating plastic containers for cameras/wallets/phones on amazon and bring it with, string that around my neck while soaking in the hot springs?

SAND. We plan to go to Florence on the coast and try sandboarding and ride dune buggies. I figure we will get sand everywhere on and in us. How do not get sand in the rental car, hmm? Should we bring a change of close and could we casually go naked and brush the sand off and then put on new clothes, would that be frowned upon, or tolerated, being that open expression and public nudity is allowed in Oregon? I don't want to get sand all over in the rental car, and certainly not in the vacation rental when we return to Eugene. What do people do? Or is there an outdoor shower or something like that where one rents the sandboards/buggies?

TRAIN. We want to take the train from Eugene to Portland one day, early, return late. Anybody know if we can park our rental car free in the train station lot? I know where my brother lives in Geneva IL there is a free parking lot by the commuter train station for parking and riding the train into Chicago. Wondering if Eugene has a setup like that, how we will be able to park and ride the train?

SPEED LIMIT, TURNS. Any special speed limits I should be aware of cruising around Eugene neighborhoods? For example where i live the speed limit is 30mph but across the river here in a different town the speed limits is 20mph. Also in MN where I live it is legal to turn right on a red light after a stop but before a green light-- is that also legal to do in Oregon/Eugene?

[crazyme4878]

Forget about trying to keep sand out of the car. It just gets EVERYWHERE. Spend a dollar or two at the car wash's vacuum on your way out of town. There are showers in different campgrounds, but really, it is still going to get everywhere.

Make sure to go north a short ways to see Cape Perpetua, Heceta Head, and maybe Hobbit Beach. Cape Perpetua has a nice trail to an extremely large Sitka spruce, but I also like the Siltcoos trail south of town (4 mile loop) or Gwen Creek Trail (linear, but can connect to other trails for long hikes) to see some big trees.

[bler144]

Cougar - there's high theft from the parking lot because it's well out of sight of the pools. Thieves can steal and be gone before anyone could get over there. At the pools, imo, theft is pretty rare. At most you'll be 10 feet from your stuff. But getting a waterproof pouch isn't the worst idea.

Sand - I'm not sure there's anywhere in the civil code that says nudity is allowed. Female toplessness is allowed in some locales, and there are instances where the police don't bother enforcing it (organized nude bike rides) but you're gambling a bit by going al fresco at the coast, particularly in one of the parking lots. If you wear a skirt or carefully wrapped towel, you can change underwear/pants without actually showing off your junk.

Train - there is a lot at the Eugene Amtrak station. Believe it's free, but only has about 25 spots. There's a parking garage not too far away, worst case scenario.

Traffic - Speed limit- it's signed pretty well around town. Biggest difference is that it's legal to make a left turn onto a 1-way at a red light if not specifically prohibited by sign. But not everyone does, so generally people won't even honk if you just wait. If you drive like you do in MN you'll likely be fine.

[joe_obody999]

Originally Posted by bler144

Sand - I'm not sure there's anywhere in the civil code that says nudity is allowed. .......

I might be wrong, not being a native of Oregon or Eugene. My understanding has been that public nudity in Oregon was legal as long as there was no intent to arouse viewers?
TIL public nudity in oregon is legal as long as you're not aroused. : todayilearned

"Oregon prohibits only nudity 'with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of the person or another person.' In other words, public nudity is OK, as long as the nakedness isn’t designed to make others think of sex."
Ref: Why is public nudity illegal? The offense principle, the Bible, and taboos.

I am a photographer and have done some emails with a young female model who is a Eugene native and she has done full nude modeling or photographers right in the city park of Eugene, and against buildings in downtown Eugene. She says it is not a problem.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by joe_obody999

I might be wrong, not being a native of Oregon or Eugene. My understanding has been that public nudity in Oregon was legal as long as there was no intent to arouse viewers?
TIL public nudity in oregon is legal as long as you're not aroused. : todayilearned

We're both half right and half wrong. The state sets a general umbrella ordinance, as you describe, but some cities/towns have local ordinances. Eugene's says:

4.760 Prohibited Nudity. It shall be unlawful for any person eight years of age or older to expose their genitalia while in a public place or place visible from a public place, if the public place is open or available to persons of the opposite sex.
(Section 4.760 added by Ordinance No. 16626, enacted September 25, 1972, amended by
Ordinance No. 19462, enacted April 13, 1987; and administratively amended by Ordinance No.
20113, enacted April 6, 1998, effective May 6, 1998.)

Note that it says genitalia specifically, so breasts are kosher. Tualatin's is more strict, and even prohibits some clothing if it displays a turgid male member underneath. Your modeling friend may get away with no ticket only because the state seems to view nude art as falling within the realm of free speech - which is the same basis for the nude bike rides in Pdx.

I'd still be cautious about being nude in a oceanside parking lot unless you've specifically researched the charter of whatever town you're going to.

[crazyme4878]

Why would you need to be naked anyhow? There are restrooms to change, but again, you will still have sand everywhere even if you change. The stuff is insidious.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by joe_obody999

COUGAR HOT SPRINGS. We plan to get over to Cougar hot springs and soak naked in the pools. ...........

I dunno what would be worse: Getting stuck behind Joe on his terror-filled 15mph drive on the mountain road to Cougar Springs , or having to see his hairy junk after I get there .

[bler144]

Originally Posted by karlsch

I dunno what would be worse: Getting stuck behind Joe on his terror-filled 15mph drive on the mountain road to Cougar Springs , or having to see his hairy junk after I get there .

If you wear glasses, just take them off before getting the pools and you won't have to see anything. Just be careful where you place your feet/hands.

If you've never been, everyone is nekkid, and let's just say there's a pretty wide range of attractiveness regardless of gender.