We continue our journey northeast. We see lots of logging trucks – not unusual, but they were going both north and south…hmmm – guess there are probably more than one sawmill around here since logging is a huge industry. Through a tunnel and into Oregon. Through the Illinois River Valley! Pretty agricultural area…saw a first – a rust colored Banty Rooster in the middle of the highway! Luckily he scooted off the road when Jerry blew his air horns! At Grants Pass, we stop at the Smoke House BBQ – a darling stand-along shed alongside a busy street. Yummy sandwiches for lunch! We had to park in the recycling center parking lot as there wasn’t any big-rig parking….sometimes a problem, but Jerry is pretty creative about parking! LOL We pick up I-5. And quickly climb from low elevation to 2000’ and then down again to about 474 by the time we reached Canyonville where there was a casino and beautiful roses.
We see signs along the road telling us we’re on the Applegate Wagon Trail., so I looked it up when we parked. http://emigranttrailswest.org/virtual-tour/applegate-trail/ “Seeking a safer and more direct wagon route to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Jesse Applegate and Levi Scott led an exploring party in 1846 to the California Trail on the Humboldt River near what was later to be known as Lassen Meadows. From there they guided a wagon train across the Black Rock Desert, through High Rock Canyon, to Goose Lake, and then westward to Oregon and its Willamette Valley. This wagon trail became known as the Applegate Trail or South Road to Oregon. During the Gold Rush years, the Applegate Trail was used also to reach mining towns in northern California. More information on the website above.
We see the Umpqua River Valley and soon we have arrived at the Escapee Park in Sutherlin, OR. It is at the edge of town and is extremely quiet, beautifully landscaped and pleasant. It is called Timber Valley. Many of the people here are permanent residents and they have “duded up” their plots of land with darling gazebos, beautiful flowers and shrubs, etc.
On June 5, we get the BMW out (it’s 85 degrees here) and ride down to Roseburg, a larger town about 13 miles south. We mail a package and get batteries at Batteries +. Then a scenic ride through the countryside. We happen upon the Rochester Covered Bridge, a registered landmark and one of less than 800 in America. Very pretty!
More scenery as we wind our way back…We saw a sign for Tolly’s in Oakdale, a small town 3 miles away…the ice cream soda on the billboard was calling us, but they closed at 4 PM. Darn – will go there some other day.
Stopped at the Umpqua River Dam Fish Ladders Viewing Site just south of Sutherlin. Very very interesting and well done. Not the time of year to view salmon (Sept-Oct) but we did see a huge amount of Steelheads (I think) and some Squawfish who were climbing the ladders upriver.
Home for happy hour and relaxing.
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