September 19 - Creswell Bakery and Backroads Through Lebanon

What an unexpected pleasure! I wasn’t even sure if I was going to ride today as it was forecasted to rain much of the afternoon. But after getting a good night’s sleep I decided to take the bike to church and go on a ride from there. I have to say it was one of my favorite local rides ever -- great food, tons of sunshine, dips and curves, and a covered bridge as I took myself the long way home on backroads after enjoying a wonderful lunch.

After seeing the sun peeking through the clouds this morning and noticing I was down to a few precious slices of multigrain sourdough bread in the freezer, I decided a trip to the Creswell Bakery was in order. I took the bike to church so I could make it to the bakery before they closed at 3pm. I was surprised to find that most of my ride down was in the sun and very much enjoyed seeing the blue sky and green meadows.

Fortunately, the bakery had lots of bread left and I picked up four loaves. I also filled up on their delicious meat pie – a savory concoction of locally-raised beef, potatoes, and savory spices all wrapped in a buttery, flaky pie shell.

Emboldened by the sun on my way down I decided to take the long way home through Brownsville, Crawfordsville, Liberty, Lebanon, and Stayton. My phone directed me through a variety of backroads, some of which I had never been on before. I was able to enjoy beautiful views of the South Santiam River, fields, and farmlands. Traveling down Richardson Gap Road, I was delighted to discover that my route was taking me through the Shimanek Bridge and across Thomas Creek.

The ride home through Stayton was filled with huge dips in the road and many curves. It was so freeing to be riding on my own, having the time of my life, and enjoying such beautiful vistas and riding conditions. I came back feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the responsibilities of the week ahead. God is good!