When I'm not travelling around or skiing, this is home. In the summer it's not too bad, since all the rain the rest of the year keeps it nice and green. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot to do here. With an hour or so of driving, though, you can find lots of things. Smith Rock is almost three hours away in my bus, so if I have a day, I go to one of the nearby crags, Flagstone.
With climbs ranging from 5.5 to .13a, Flagstone has much to offer. Everything from mellow slabs to steep, blocky overhangs await. The only thing missing are the climbers; even on weekends there's nobody here, probably because of the long gravel road approach.
Even closer to Eugene is The Columns, a tiny crag with a big history, right in downtown. The west end of Skinner's Butte used to be a gravel quarry, until about the 1930's. Since the '50's it's been a training ground for some of climbing's pioneers, preparing for Yosemite and Smith Rock. There are over fifty routes packed into about 200' of cliff, and some of them are really good.
Also, there's no way I could afford to do this without help from my Mom. She lets me store all my junk in her garage, and even feeds me when I'm in town. When it's time to take off, I know that all my toys will still be there when I return. Even now, I'm sitting around her house working on this website thing every day while I wait for snow and my Ski Patrol job. I suppose someday things will have to change, but I'm in no hurry.