About midway through Alexander Payne’s widely celebrated 2004 comedy “Sideways,” the four central characters sit down in the middle of a vineyard after a long day of winetasting to enjoy a good old-fashioned picnic. As the sun sets behind them, the quartet of adults seems to forget about life issues in favor of laughter, conversation and one of life’s most genuine simple pleasures.
Sure, the red-and-white checkered cliché of Saturday afternoons in the park spent dining from a woven basket with the family is undeniable. Yet few activities as basic as a picnic can top the uncomplicated joy that comes from sitting down with friends for an outdoor meal. Locally, there are several spots quite suitable for such a worthy activity. Three local places provide places where friends, family and romantic interests can bust out that basket, lay a blanket on the grass and enjoy one another’s company.
Hendricks Park, just southeast
of the University off Fairmount Boulevard, is a shady, wooden paradise populated most notably with greenery and dog-walkers. Worry not; there are many picnic tables scattered among the towering trees
and webbed moss, just waiting to be used.
“It’s hard to get that kind of peaceful silence anywhere else,” said sophomore Andrew Childers, who regrets not taking advantage of this neighboring opportunity.
“Spring is here, though,” he said, adding that once it stops raining
so much, he plans to picnic in the park often.
Psychology major Vanessa Porter has a favorite picnic spot where she ventures with friends to catch up on lost time or take in the surroundings. Mount Pisgah can be accessed via a short drive down 30th Avenue past Lane Community College.
“It has a fantastic view up top, and there are at least three different trails of more mileage and easier hiking conditions, so it doesn’t always have to be a workout,” Porter said. “You can take your time, … but even if you’re sweating by the time you get up there, you won’t care. It’s beautiful.”
Porter also added that the prototypical wooden baskets usually
associated with picnics are not
always necessary.
“I just throw some supplies into my backpack and head on up. Sandwiches, crackers and cheese, lots of fruit, and of course, a bottle of wine. … I don’t personally own a picnic basket, so that makes a difference,” she said. “But if I did, you know I’d be taking it up there.”
Another excellent picnic spot is located just across Franklin Boulevard and under the railroad tracks. A right turn off the paved passageway and up over a small gravel trail gives way to a vast pasture, which sits just above the south bank of the Willamette River.
The sound of flowing water provides a soothing ambiance, assisted by the echo of breeze through surrounding trees. The field’s flat
expanse is a welcome respite for those in search of a picnicking place, yet one must be prepared for the occasional interruption by a passing train, as tracks serve as the
pasture’s southern border.
Payne depicted picnics as being composed of an ideal location, delicious food, good friends, a carefully selected bottle of wine, great conversation and a mellow, yellow sunset. These tenets of the perfect picnic might serve as the perfect scratch for the itch of spring.
