February 14: My Baby - My Valentine

Whisking myself away for an early morning ferry ride across the swollen banks of the Willamette and following the shoreline west, I reveled in the embrace of the moss-covered tree branches gently reaching out into the somber sky above as I made my way along backroads to the beach – a perfect Valentine’s Day escape for me and My Baby.

Leaving West Linn this morning and crossing the Oregon City Bridge, I stopped to take in the view of the thundering waters of Willamette Falls, with large white sheets of glassy water cascading off the rocky ledges above, tumbling onto the river waters below, and sending up large sprays of mist.

Continuing on highway 99 East to Canby, I breathed in the wet morning air, pulled back on the throttle, and gazed at the silvery still water reaching out in front of me, providing perfect reflections of the thick strands of towering trees along the banks.

Turning north on Territorial Road and then Holly Street I made my way to the South Canby Ferry stop, waiting only a few minutes before boarding the boat for the short but enchanting ride over to Wilsonville, giddy with delight at the prospect of another day on the road with My Baby.

Heading west along Wilsonville Road and then highway 18, I barreled up and over hills and around curves, passing Christmas tree farms, nut orchards, vineyards, and small farming communities on my way to Grand Ronde, turning off shortly before Lincoln City to visit the Drift Creek Covered Bridge.

After spending some time at the 66-foot rustic red historic Wood-Howe truss structure, I continued west, singing to myself in the rain, “Roses are red, Violets are blue, Riding with My Baby to a red covered bridge too.”

Stopping at Roads End State Recreation Site, I admired the far-reaching vista of the Pacific Ocean, with rolling white frothy waves seamlessly meeting the thick grey streaked skies in the horizon. What a great day on the bike!