Monday, August 14, 2017

Willamette Valley of Oregon

     Determined to avoid traffic congestion along Oregon's coastal road, I meandered from Portland to Eugene. Most drivers and truckers choose Interstate Highway 5 (click here for map). But I had fun looking for alternative roads. Photo below is one of those alternative roads.



     Most of the time I had the road to myself and could stop on the road and take a photo. I even took a photo of nearby Interstate Highway 5 (below)! See the RV on the road?



     Most of the scenery was clear-cut tree plantations on mountains, hayfields, orchards, hazelnut groves, and crops under irrigation. As well as smoke from nearby forest fires.



     Seems like every mile along the road there was a sign beckoning me to visit wineries, vineyards and taste rooms (676 wineries in this region as of three years ago). Maybe someone can enlighten me; would I be obliged to buy a bottle if I sample all their wines? I noticed lots of signs advertising medical and recreational marijuana, too.
     Later I researched this unique area via Wikipedia and discovered it is called "The Willamette Valley" because the Willamette River runs through this area. Click here for Wikipedia's spot-on description of the extensive mountain logging (the entire state appears to me as a tree plantation, dotted with clear-cut mountains everywhere), plus info about the winery and agriculture businesses (lots of hazelnuts for example). 


     Made a quick stop on the outskirts of Eugene to bike their Riverbank Path which parallels the Willamette River on both sides. There's a paved trail for bikes and unpaved trails for joggers and walkers.


Lots of folks out and about enjoying a Saturday afternoon.


Talking on the phone and biking isn't illegal (yet).



A playground along the way.



Dogs get to run and have fun along the Willamette River, too.



Under and near the noisy highway. . . . 


was a huge grove of blackberries (many thorns too).



I ate as many as I could!


Stopped at the Owen Rose Garden (above and below photos).


The tree above is the largest cherry tree in Oregon.


     See the forest fire (above)? When it got increasingly smoky, I took a right turn out of the Willamette Valley. I'll take my chances and head toward the coast again. Maybe California's coast won't be as congested as Oregon's coast?

2 comments:

  1. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
    And sorry I could not travel both
    And be one traveler, long I stood
    And looked down one as far as I could
    To where it bent in the undergrowth;

    I shall be telling this with a sigh
    Somewhere ages and ages hence:
    Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
    I took the one less traveled by,
    And that has made all the difference.”
    Bobby Frost,

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  2. Ah yes, I'll remember this area :)

    ReplyDelete