February 19: Anything But Brown: to Brownsville and Creswell

What a colorful day! Today’s ride from West Linn to Brownsville and Creswell was anything but brown – rolling green hills, white cloud speckled blue skies, and grey, tan, and white herds of livestock in the fields around me as I swooped up and down and around the curves.

One of the best things about a three-day weekend is having the time to get important errands done AND go for a great ride. Much of yesterday was spent organizing the gear for my new baby (CB500x) and taking him to the dealership to get outfitted with engine guards, a skid plate, handlebar risers, and multiple ports for my jump start kit, electric gear, and navigation system (iPhone).  

With the new baby in good hands with Chance at Bob Lanphere’s Beaverton Motorcycle, I set today aside for a leisurely ride through the countryside to my favorite bakery. Heading west on 99 East I drank in the views of the gently flowing Willamette River and the frothing sheet of white water cascading down Willamette Falls.

Heading south on Ivy street and then the Canby-Marquam Highway, I passed vineyards, nurseries, orchards, fields, and farmlands as I swooped up and down hills, and back and forth along s-shaped curves admiring flocks of grey and tan sheep, herds of white, brown, and black cows, and even a herd of white alpacas. I continued south on highway 213 through Silverton and Stayton, and highway 226 to Scio passing numerous red, blue, and grey barns as well as fields of yellow, green, and amber.

From Scio I headed south on highway 20 and west on highway 228, cresting a variety of hills and admiring views of the patchwork of far-reaching yellow, green, and brown crops laid out before me. From Brownsville it was just a half hour south to the Creswell Bakery where I thoroughly enjoyed both a bacon-ciabatta breakfast sandwich and a cranberry-blackberry almond tart. After packing three loaves of multigrain sourdough bread on the bike I headed home. What a great day!