June 6 - Running to the Sun near Crow

Well, you can’t change the weather but sometimes you can get lucky and outrun it! It was forecasted to rain for most of the day in my area, so I decided to head south to Eugene for a little sun and some time on the bike. I hoped to do a pre-ride for a group ride I am tentatively leading there on June 19th. The sun wasn’t the only bright spot in my day today – I also meant one of the friendliest couples ever!

I decided to head straight south on I-5 to Eugene so that I could eat at the Creswell Bakery sooner vs. later. I typically have very good luck with dining out, but my last two weekend outings included forays into culinary adventure that did not go well. I knew I could count on the bakery to literally deliver the goods!

I had just parked my bike at the bakery when the couple parked next to me asked “Do you ride that bike a lot?” Their question delighted me because I do indeed LOVE riding my bike and in fact put in over 26,000 miles on it last year. I briefly told them a little about my story and mentioned my book. They got their phones out and purchased it on the spot! I was so encouraged by their kindness, their support, and their affirmation. Jim and Susan followed up with a positive text message later, thanking me for the time together and urging me to keep traveling. It was an honor and a privilege to meet them.

Determined to rectify the food situation, I not only ordered my typical ciabatta bacon breakfast sandwich and fruit tart but also got two loaves of bread and two bags of granola to go. The sandwich and tart were absolutely scrumptious, and I am looking forward to eating the bread for breakfast and the granola while I am on the road this summer.

I am so grateful that I did the pre-ride out on Camas Swale road and then left on Territorial Road as it turns out there is road construction there and the road is now loose gravel! Since I was on my own and the road looked particularly troublesome, I decided to turn my bike around and explore in the other direction. I did find a beautiful new loop up and around through a town called “Crow,” but it took me back through Eugene on the way to the dealership. So, I will be heading down to Eugene again next weekend to try an alternate loop on the east side of I-5.

Finished with my research for the day, I took the long way home through Brownsville, Stayton, and Scio. I never tire of the pastures, farmlands, farm animals, and rolling hills on that way back. I am looking forward to going back soon to explore more of the beautiful roads around Creswell.