usbackroads destination--Woodburn Oregon Outlet Mall??

This is NOT your typical usbackroads destination.  But let me explain.  We previously parked the 5th wheel in Eugene once again.  Since we are leaving earlier this year, by a month and a half we could avoid the snow and rain.  Right.  Before we left Wenatchee it snowed.  Then on the trip to Eugene it poured rain.  Everything was wrapped in Rubbermaid containers and plastic garbage bags, including the electric bicycles and only ONE package got partially wet.

Well, back to the outlet mall as a usbackroads destination.

When I was at Forestry school at the University of California at Berkeley there were TWO accepted dress codes for Foresters.  Things were changing rapidly in the Forestry profession, but your choices were limited to two accepted dress codes.   NW logger style with CAN"T BUST EM pants, Filson jackets, and White's Boots from Spokane.    The other style was Rocky Mountain Cowboy Logger complete with Levi's and cowboy boots until you left the truck.  There was a third with three piece suit and dress shoes, but that only happened it you REALLY screwed up your career and ended up in NEW YORK CITY or WASHINGTON, DC.

It being Berkeley, there were many in the Forestry School that were rejecting all dress codes.  Our field clothes were starting to come from the mountainering and backpacking companies that were opening all over Berkeley.  Ski Hut was the establishment.   There was North Face and Sierra Designs as manufacturers.  So many of us "budding" Foresters went there for our field clothes and boots.  White's are exceptional boots, but I never owned a pair.  My field boots were LOWA mountainering boots.  And so it went for the remaining field clothes, except for the mandatory FILSON cruising vest.

So what does this all have to do with an outlet mall in Oregon??

Simple, it has the largest concentration of  outdoor manufacturers in any outlet mall.  However, when you pick the brochure they are all listed under "Designer Fashions, Sportswear".  That explains a lot.  Back in the early 70's the mountaineering clothes worked great in the woods, better than the traditional stuff.  In the 21st century, lots of those clothes are more suited for hiking in the mall than the outdoors so be careful.

I am still partial to Columbia Sportsware.  Their clothes seem much better designed and I have become a fan of OMNI-HEAT line of outdoor clothes and footwear.  Columbia has also had the foresight to name a line of their outdoor clothes after Bugaboo!!  So look for Bugaboo clothes from Columbia, named after a great hunting dog!!

So here in alphabetical order are the stores:  Columbia Sportswear, Helly Hansen, Levi's??, Merrell, The North Face, GoLight and Under Armour.  Shop carefully, it might look like it belongs on a mountain, but just maybe might be more suitable for the mall.  There is also a Shutterbug store.  All that is missing is a good outlet bookstore.

Here is the web link:  Woodburn Mall.

There is an RV Park next to the mall:  Woodburn I-5 RV Park.

We did NOT stay here.  We did stay at the LaQuinta motel across the street and can recommend them.  Picking up the 5th wheel in Eugene and hopefully we will not be "Oh Lord, Stuck in Eugene, again.

However, it is pouring rain and blowing.  Still warm, so snow does not appear to be on the agenda.

This storm did make the national news BEFORE it showed up.  We will be moving on after it moves on.