December 6: Gallons of Fun, Not Rain

Waking up this morning and discovering a break in the rain and periwinkle pops of blue poking through the gloomy grey clouds above, I decided to throw my to-do list out the window and hop on the bike for a backroads ride through farmlands to the Gallon House covered bridge.

With flood warnings still showing on my phone, I donned my rain layer and heated gear and headed west along 99E, passing the thundering waters of Willamette Falls before snaking my way along the silvery river through Canby and then south on Ivy Street and the Canby-Marquam Road.

Passing peaceful farmlands, I gazed at horses and cows grazing in their fields, rustic barns nestled beneath gnarly moss-covered tree branches, farmhouses with flags out front, and rolling green hills shrouded in mist.

With almost no traffic, stop signs, or stoplights, I treasured the silence and solitude, breathing in the cool, wet air and relishing the feel of the wind on my face, knowing how busy the next few days would be.

Pulling up to the Gallon House Bridge, I stopped to admire Oregon’s oldest operational bridge in service, just managing to snag a photo of the well preserved white wooden structure before a UPS deliver truck needed to pass through.

Making my way home through Mount Angel and then the Wilsonville Road, I counted my blessings. What a great day on the bike!