Eugene: Like a smaller version of L.A.?

Al Martinez, L.A. Times

"Listen to what Eugene's Register-Guard columnist Bob Welch wrote about it in a paean to his city: "I love that it's not pretentious. We aren't distinguished by loud, power-hungry politicians or in-your-face wealth. At the Butte to Butte race, there's Andy Vobora, one of LTD's [Lane Transit District] head honchos, happily helping load buses. At Humble Bagel, there's Mayor Kitty Piercy holding one of her monthly one-on-one sessions with whoever shows up."

He loves the town's quirkiness, its autumn chill, its convenience and its folksiness. "I love that people are passionate about this place," he writes. And: "But, mainly, we love it for another reason: Because it's ours.""