Pacific Northwest - Portland to Eugene?

I'm looking at two different routes for a one day ride from Portland to Eugene.

One is mostly the Willamette Valley bike corridor, at least between Champoeg and Corvallis: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/641592

The other is more of a straight shot with less climbing and shorter distance all around: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39253948

Is the bike corridor pretty enough along the Willamette to warrant the extra mileage and climbing?

I've done the Champoeg <> Corvallis portion of the WVSB, you're mostly out in farmland on nice wide roads with low traffic. The only 'choke-point' is as you leave Salem. I didn't notice the climbing at all.

Have you considered an alternate route between Lake Oswego and Canby? I've ridden those roads many times and they're always unpleasant. Narrow, no shoulder, and relatively high-speed traffic. And that climb up McVey sucks.

I just rode the second route you listed a couple of weeks ago while my neighbors (two adults with four children aged 5-10 on two triples) rode the WVSB route. When we compared notes, they felt they had more traffic on the portion near Salem than I had skirting that mess to the east. However, make sure you have your hammer ready for the stretch between Stayton and Jefferson and do choose the time you arrive in that region with care. There is no shoulder, but most of the day the traffic is so light that it is a non-issue. Still, the faster you are moving along there the better. Thankfully, the bridge between Marion and Jefferson was rebuilt a few years back. That used to be a narrow, double-blind bridge; now it is a nice, wide surface.

There is a similar issue along Peoria Rd/Coburg Rd. Peoria has a nice shoulder and great surface while Coburg Rd. has new chipseal and a slightly too narrow shoulder. Both are fine, even great, except when the Eugene to Corvallis commuters are racing to work or home. For some reason, the Corvallis to Eugene commuters are much more considerate.

Have fun.

I've done the Champoeg <> Corvallis portion of the WVSB, you're mostly out in farmland on nice wide roads with low traffic. The only 'choke-point' is as you leave Salem. I didn't notice the climbing at all.

Have you considered an alternate route between Lake Oswego and Canby? I've ridden those roads many times and they're always unpleasant. Narrow, no shoulder, and relatively high-speed traffic. And that climb up McVey sucks.
What is a better alternative between Canby and Lake Oswego (Ugh)? While the traffic wasn't too bad for me on McVey, I did have one cell phone zombie give me a blood pressure test. Strangely enough, when I caught up to him at a light (not too hard during rush hour), he hung up and very sincerely apologized. I nearly needed CPR I was so shocked. If this mess is avoidable via a better road I sure would like to know the better route.

What is a better alternative between Canby and Lake Oswego (Ugh)?

I don't have it mapped out but I generally do something similar to the following:
Hop on Barbur Blvd (99W) in downtown Portland > L @ Hall Blvd > L @ Durham Rd > R @ SW Upper Boones Ferry > R @ SW 95th Ave > L @ SW Boeckman Rd > R @ SW Boberg Rd > L @ SW Barber St. > R @ SW Boones Ferry Rd then hop onto I-5 and take that over the Boone Bridge and from there either into Canby or Champoeg & the WVSB.

This route has a definite bike lane pretty much the entire way, just a short (< 1 mile maybe?) section on SW Boones Ferry before you get to SW 95th.

Getting on I5 isn't as scary as it sounds :twitchy:, it's a slight downhill and you generally have a tail-wind, the shoulders are real wide but can be cluttered with debris depending on the time of the year and how long it's been since they swept. And yes, it is legal.

I don't have it mapped out but I generally do something similar to the following:
Hop on Barbur Blvd (99W) in downtown Portland > L @ Hall Blvd > L @ Durham Rd > R @ SW Upper Boones Ferry > R @ SW 95th Ave > L @ SW Boeckman Rd > R @ SW Boberg Rd > L @ SW Barber St. > R @ SW Boones Ferry Rd then hop onto I-5 and take that over the Boone Bridge and from there either into Canby or Champoeg & the WVSB.

This route has a definite bike lane pretty much the entire way, just a short (< 1 mile maybe?) section on SW Boones Ferry before you get to SW 95th.

Getting on I5 isn't as scary as it sounds :twitchy:, it's a slight downhill and you generally have a tail-wind, the shoulders are real wide but can be cluttered with debris depending on the time of the year and how long it's been since they swept. And yes, it is legal.

+1. I commute from downtown PDX to Tualatin/Stafford a couple days a week. Barbur/99W to Hall is my route rather than anything around 43 or McVey/Stafford Road. You can also ride straight through Durham Road to Cook Park which connects to Tualatin Park via a new (MUP) bridge. Boones Bridge over I-5 isn't too bad.