The Airbnb (Virtual) Experience: Explore the Curbsides of Eugene – Friendly Street Area, Part 1

I just had a brilliant idea. We have an Airbnb studio over the garage, which is highly rated, very popular, and a good little earner. I’ve noticed that Airbnb has been pushing “Experiences” lately. And I see that in Eugene the current choices are Foraging for Wild Mushrooms, an Astrology Workshop, and a Eugene Bike Tour. How about a Curbside Classic Foraging Hunt? Why didn’t I think of this before?

I don’t know why I’m doing this, but I’m going to give you loyal readers a free sneak preview (albeit virtual). Well, you do put up with the obnoxious ads, so I owe you one. This is not CC cherry-picking, I just started shooting everything I see in the driveways and at the curbs on my morning neighborhood dog walks a week or so ago, so now you can pretend to walk along with me and Little Man. And you decide how many stars it’s worth. Or how much I should charge for the real thing.

Let’s start with one of my favorite driveways; this guy loves him some vintage Japanese iron.

A pop-top Toyota van; an Eastfalia, in other words. The only one I’ve ever seen.

He was working on it just then, so we’ll excuse the mess.

Oh, that’s a VW Corrado behind the Tercel. I guess he like vintage German iron too.

And this guy loves him some vintage Swedish steel. No less than two 240 Turbos, and a 780 Coupe.

 

And a 240 2-door in the driveway with a For Sale sign. Let’s take a closer look.

Looks pretty nice.

If you’re interested…

He’s also had this BMW 635i for years. I wrote it up ages ago. And what’s that in the foreground? Oh no; that’s too good to give away for free. You need to sign up for the genuine Adventure tour for that. Or maybe wait for a full write-up.

One of my favorite cars in the ‘hood: the last Colt still in regular service. Sadly, it seems to have lost its grille recently.

 

I know its days are probably numbered; the first major issue that comes up will end its working life.

 

I will be sorry to see it go.

 

Here’s an odd one: a swb Colorado flat bed.

The shortest new flat bed one can buy?

A typical international melange.

Next door is a car you’re going to see a lot of.

This makes the second Tercel of this vintage. I’ve been familiar with this one for over 20 years, as it used to belong to a neighbor down the street, but she is very hard core about her environmental concerns, and sold it to a friend a few blocks away. She only rides her bike now, or when this friend gives her a ride in her former Tercel.  Welcome to my neighborhood…

And along with the Corollas, your going to be seeing a lot of Prii. Prepare yourselves. And more than one (or two) Eurovans.

As well as just a lot of Toyotas.

Here’s a Prius Prime plugged in and ready to deliver its 25 miles of electric-only range.

A not uncommon pairing.

As I said, I’m not just cherry-picking. Yes, there a few domestic cars here too.

Oh, and lots of Subarus. But you already knew that.

Another Prius Prime and a delectable 2002, which has been sitting outside in our healing rains since we moved here in 1993. It still looks fab.

Across the street, a gen1 Forester. These were once way too common, but they’re thinning out some now.

For today’s finale, we’ll walk past the funkiest house in the neighborhood. Roof peeling off, or tarps, or something. the daily driver is an old Buick.

In the driveway sits a forlorn Taurus. but the really good stuff is behind the fence in the back yard.

That Firebird in the foreground sat up on jack stands in the driveway for about ten years, but has now found its way into the backyard graveyard, along with a couple of FWD Cadillacs and an early Falcon.

Another angle.

And up front there’s a 60’s Dodge pickup and a mid-’70s LTD. Quite the collection. I’m just waiting for when this all ends, and the house gets a major do-over by a flipper and is put on the market for $350k. That’s without the cars; $375k if you want the cars to stay.