DUNES CITY, Ore. – An Oregon “Duck” football player -- whose had a taste of the good life with the Ducks recent Rose Bowl victory – said he’s taking his girl to Woahink Lake near Dunes City for a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway.
“Check this out,” says an Oregon “Duck” football player when sharing photos of a cabin hideaway that he’s booked to “get the romance on,” with overnight getaway plans on Valentine’s Day for him and his girlfriend. “You know what; I can’t feel romantic and all that on Valentine’s Day if I’m stuck inside. What’s happening inside – nothing,” he quips; while pointing to his “crib” in nearby Eugene that can offer guest his big screen TV, computer and a cramped living room. In turn, the “Duck” explains that his eyes got wide open when down in southern California recently for the Rose Bowl. “This dude from Dunes City told me about his cabin on Lake Woahink with fishing, sailing, hiking trails and vehicles to ride on the dunes,” said the football player. “It made sense to me that I needed something different for my gal on Valentine’s Day, and we’re both stoked about getting out of dodge and heading to the coast.”
Dunes City type places all around if you just look
While Dunes City is a sort of remote central Oregon coastal community – amongst trees and sparkling lakes in the heart of Oregon’s National Dunes Recreation Area – there are many beautiful places around the nation that romantic Valentine’s Day folks can also take advantage of if they just do one thing on Feb. 14; and that’s turn off the screen and get a life outside where real life, and real love is happening.
In turn, this lucky Duck football player and his girlfriend will be enjoying a private cabin on Woahink Lake that is largely a spring-fed, deep water lake that locals say is “great for sailing and fishing.”
However, most people will think you’re crazy if you “disconnect” your tether to those smartphones.
“I’ve already sent my girl a funny e-mail with dancing hearts,” explains Phil, a 22-year-old Safeway worker in Dunes City who said “it would be great to do something outside on Valentine’s Day, but you can’t eat the scenery, if you know what I mean. I have to work on Tuesday, and maybe I’ll get her a candy heart but that’s it with my budget.”
When asked about taking a romantic walk around the Dunes City lakes, Phil quips back “I didn’t think of that. A walk?”
In turn, Phil says, “I know what you’re thinking – this guy is a real dud. Maybe, but I’m not sure that my girlfriend would like a simple walk on Valentine’s Day. I think she’s more into sipping a drink at a club in Eugene or something. Do you really think she’d like a ‘romantic’ walk?”
Romance lost on the digital generation
Unfortunately, the “real scene” for most digital generation youth is tied to “viewing” life on small screens over actually going outside to play and enjoy nature.
In turn, there’s folks such as “Baby Boomer” Monty who says he feels nostalgia for his dating days; “when Valentine’s Day meant to went out somewhere.”
“We never Tweeted, or sent a text message about having fun on a day like Valentine’s Day. I’d just cruse by her house with my ride and beep the horn to “come on baby, let’s roll, and it was always an adventure. Do the kids today know about adventure,” asks Monty. “No, I don’t think so with their eyes glued to those phones. I really think romance is lost on this digital generation because they’re not really living, are they?”
At the same time, Monty – who’s a grandfather and someone who sells real estate online – thinks that the problem with today’s digital generation (when it comes to romance) is “they view all this fireworks online and in the movies and what’s happening in their own life pales when comparing it to some celebrity’s lifestyle. They forget that we all get 24 hours in a day and we can be just as romantic as anyone out there in Hollywood or wherever.”
Also, Monty says there are a lot of people – such as these kids’ mothers and fathers – who learned how to be romantic on Valentine’s Day by simply talking, hugging, kissing and being with their boyfriends and girlfriends. You just can’t do any of that if you’re online all the time.”
Monty then repeats what he told his sons and daughters on Valentine’s Day before they got married. “I said it’s a pain in the butt to get all cleaned up; you put on your best glad rags, you make sure the car is clean and ready with some good music, you pick her up and head somewhere – anywhere but inside watching the tube – and you spend money on dinner, drinks, a movie, whatever. And, if you’re lucky, you will have a super time on Valentine’s Day.”
All you need is love
Meanwhile, the Duck football player who’s busy making plans for a lake cabin getaway on Valentine’s Day, said he’s learned to “be cool” with technology getting in the way of romance.
In turn, he still intends on bringing his boom box “with his tunes” along to the Woahink Lake cabin because “there’s no TV, no phone, no nothing but nature. That’s sweet, because all I need is my lady and I,” he adds with a wry smile; while then sucking his mouth into a rosette. “Who knows, maybe we’ll get engaged?”
In turn, the “player” has selected John Lennon’s song “Real Love” as his “secret weapon,” to get his girlfriend in the mood.
During a recent Huliq interview at the Woahink Lake cabin – that’s situated in a private, quiet and beautiful setting near Dunes City – his eyes squinted in embarrassment as he read the lines of the song Real Love that he copied “by hand” in a card that he plans to give his girl on Valentine’s Day.
“All my little plans and schemes
Lost like some forgotten dreams
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you
Don’t need to be alone
No need to be alone
It’s real love
It’s real, yes it’s real, yes it’s real love
It’s real
From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for love.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he’s ready to say.
Image source of Woahink Lake near Dunes City, Oregon, on a bright winter day with no technology anywhere to be found. Photo by Dave Masko
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