Calendar

Past Activity

Willamette Queen Dinner Cruise

  • Start date: 12/01/2016

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 12/01/2016

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

The Willamette Queen, a sternwheeler, has been in operation on the Willamette River for over 20 years. Come with us for a great start to your Christmas Holiday season with a ride and dinner afloat this marvelous replica of shipping and travel on the Willamette, an experience that was a must for shipping on the river 100 years ago. We load the bus at 1:45 and leave Shopko parking lot at 2 pm. We will travel I-5 to Salem with a little time to shop and tour the Willamette Heritage Center and historic woolen mills, with gift shop and antiques, another place with fantastic holiday decorations and much history. The grounds where the River Queen is docked is Riverfront Park, with other amenities: the famous carousel. historic homes, the Gilbert House Children’s Museum located to the north of the riverboat. Level, handicapped access to the sternwheeler. Depending on weather and river levels, we will either travel downstream to Independence or upstream to Keizer, all the while enjoying a wonderful dinner. The Captain is very experienced and will have some tales for us. The ship holds 80 people for dinner, is heated and also air-conditioned for everyone’s comfort. After our ride and dinner, before leaving Salem, we will take a short walk around the attorney offices at Liberty and Commercial Streets to view their array of fantastic lights, sipping some hot wassail and snacking on some Christmas cookies before returning to Eugene at approximately 9:30- 10:00pm. Carpooling or taxi is suggested to the Shopko parking area for those not wishing to drive after dark. We hope you will start your holidays on Dec. 1 with Obsidian friends.

Members $98, Nonmembers $100, Payment due November 1
RESERVATIONS AND CHECKS TO: Judy Phelps, .2774 Viewmont Ave., Springfield, 97477 (541) 726-0118
Make checks payable to: Obsidians Bus Trips Account

  • Event Leader: Beard Barbara

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Bus Trips

  • Area Type:

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating:

  • Roundtrip total drive miles:

  • Season: 2016

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required:

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance:

  • Member Fees: 98

  • Elevation Gain:

  • Non-Member Fees: 100

  • Committee: Bus Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Thirty-seven Obsidians and friends plus one of our favorite bus drivers, Augie Bergman, found the Willamette Queen dinner cruise a great way to begin the holiday season. We enjoyed having several new riders join the Bus Group regulars on this relaxing drive to Salem. Our first stop was a short visit to the Willamette Heritage Museum. Here riders were able to view a short movie on the history of the area and the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill; do a little shopping; sample the delicious lemon bars, cookies and coffee drinks made to order; and walk around the grounds as the Christmas lights began to appear. As we drove from the museum to the Willamette Queen we enjoyed views of the State Capitol building, the Old Grand Movie Theater and the Riverfront Park Carousel all lit for the holidays. At the waterfront our stern-wheeler was waiting, decorated from top to bottom with beautiful lights. Swoops of dazzling lights were strung from the mast to the waterline of the hull. The second floor dining room was beautifully decorated in aqua, silver and white with many lights setting up a lovely, relaxed atmosphere. After enjoying a delicious dinner, we had some Christmas music provided by our resident pianist, Paul Beard. The ship’s piano is an old player piano converted to a straight piano, probably from the Roaring 20’s. Leaving the stern-wheeler about 8:00 p.m. we began our trek home down Commercial Street to a most fabulous display of lights imaginable, second I believe to the thousands of lights at Shore Acres on the Oregon Coast. As we walked around the law offices at the corner of Commercial and Liberty Streets – hot wassail and Christmas cookies were enjoyed by all. This was without a doubt a wonderful event to help us into the spirit of Christmas and goodwill to all.

Members & Guests signed-up & waitlisted

No. Status Full name Phone Transportation Needed? Trip Fee # Can Take?
1 Signed-Up Beard, Barbara 541-994-2337 N 98
2 Signed-Up Beard, Paul 541-994-2337 N 98
3 Signed-Up Adamcyk, Judy 541-302-8160 N 98
4 Signed-Up Adamcyk, Thomas 541-302-8160 N 98
5 Signed-Up Allen, Ethel 541-736-0692 N 100
6 Signed-Up Arthur, Bill 541-844-5156 N 100
7 Signed-Up Barnes, Jennifer 541-554-6906 N 98
8 Signed-Up Bruns, Barbara 541-485-7285 N 100
9 Signed-Up Cooper, Carla 541-517-6785 N 98
10 Signed-Up Cooper, David 541-868-5427 N 98
11 Signed-Up Cutsforth, Sharon 541-735-4703 N 98
12 Signed-Up Dark, Pat 541-912-1190 N 98
13 Signed-Up Emlen, Clara 541-746-2181 N 98
14 Signed-Up Gadomski, Sharon 541-896-0936 N 100
15 Signed-Up Greer, Joel 281-701-0205 N 100
16 Signed-Up Greer, Esme 281-701-0206 N 100
17 Signed-Up Jacobsen, Janet 541-206-1251 N 98
18 Signed-Up Marsonette, Vern 541-600-5332 N 98
19 Signed-Up Molitor, Craig 541-521-6773 N 98
20 Signed-Up Northrop, Jim 541-343-3426 N 98
21 Signed-Up Payne, Don 541-452-3617 N 98
22 Signed-Up Prentice, Margaret 541-556-6596 N 98
23 Signed-Up Prouty, Virginia 541-484-1356 N 100
24 Signed-Up Shuraleff, Chris 541-954-4474 N 98
25 Signed-Up Phelps, Judy 541-726-0118 N 100
26 Signed-Up Wallace, Barbara 541-933-3337 N 100
27 Signed-Up White, Cristy 541-687-2305 N 100
28 Signed-Up Marsonette, Sheila 541-285-8547 N 98
29 Signed-Up Molitor, Joanna 541-517-5592 N 100
30 Signed-Up Talkington, Charlene 541-915-9673 N 100
31 Signed-Up Urso, Dennis 541-868-5462 N 100
32 Signed-Up Wilson, Denise 541-614-0293 N 100
33 Signed-Up Witchey, Adaley 541-515-3033 N 100
34 Signed-Up Hayes, Wendy — N 100
35 Signed-Up Kitterman, James — N 100
36 Signed-Up Stenger, Mary — N 100
37 Signed-Up Wages, Marla — N 100