Yes. It sat at the riverside corner of Commercial and Trade, just south of downtown - basically just east of the new bridge. That whole area where the bridge is now was pretty much an industrial waste area. You might have noticed a large orb painted to look like the planet Earth just before you reach the bridge. It’s the former acid ball from the plant, a giant cooker for converting wood chips into pulp.

You made the right strategic choice for the day in my opinion. The ride down the east side of the river is much quieter and more enjoyable than the west unless you get farther from the river and start climbing the steep backroads through the vineyards.

Did you notice if Taylor’s Fountain is still open and serving? It’s another place we would break rides at with a snack or ice cream break, but they closed years ago. It looks like the town is really experiencing a renaissance.

Thanks for the historical perspective. Was the Boise Cascade mill at Riverfront Park? Fascinating to know that the beautiful park was recently an industrial brownfield.

This is amazing to me. It looks like it opened about three years ago. I’ve always liked Independence but there was never any reasonable place to stay here, and not many choices for getting a meal either. There’s great cycling down around Independence, on both sides of the river. We may have to make a trip down there when we’re back in the region.

This bridge and associated waterfront developments were a revolutionary change in Salem, bringing Minto Island right to the edge of downtown. This was all part of the old Boise Cascade plantation until the mill was torn down about a decade ago and opened up much of the waterfront for redevelopment. The bridge opened five years ago. Before that it was a five mile ride through the outskirts of town and down River Road to reach Minto.

Making me homesick. Rachael and I would ride an after work loop out to here every other week in season for years.

You’re right, parts of this trail are underwater at least many winters. I remember one winter my six year old son coasted down a slope on his skateboard, got stranded in the middle of a seasonal lake, and started bawling to be rescued.

I lived in Germany in 1970-1973 while my father was stationed there. We traveled quite a bit in Bavaria. I remember the clock shops, onion domed Catholic churches, beer culture. We didn't travel very much in the Schwarzwald but I vividly remember the cuckoo clocks and the wood houses that resemble cuckoo clocks. I'm glad I don't have a cuckoo clock. The Westminster chime in my wall clock is more than enough. It's made in the Amana, Iowa clock factory that was founded in 1860. Probably by Bavarian craftsmen.
Of course the Bavarian buildings in Mount Angel are modern and contrived. The historic structures aren't built in a Bavarian style.

I concur that clocks are a Bavarian thing. Many of the Bahnhofs (maybe all, for all I know) have a clock tower - I used the Weisbaden Bahnhof for short commutes and the clock tower is quite prominent. In 2019 I shipped 4 cuckoo clocks home for family members - if you visit the Black Forest area of southern Germany cuckoo clocks are a thing.

The Glockenspiel appears to be a ready-made boutique hotel. I would like to stay there.

This looks like a lovely hotel - I hope it reopens.

We are headed to Woodland tomorrow. They have a restaurant - the Woodland Biscuit Company. It is open only 9-noon on Saturday. That is it.

How do they pay the electric bill, on three hours a week? Forget the rest of their expenses.

Luckily, our B&B suite has a kitchen. We will be cooking.

Evergreen Church of God in Christ Mennonite has 140 members in a town of 1068 people. So it's probably a little bit of exaggeration to call Scio a Mennonite town. But there are many Mennonites in town.
https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Evergreen_Church_of_God_in_Christ_Mennonite_Church_(Scio,_Oregon,_USA)

Built in 2000. It's not very visible from the main street because the roof of the bridge is at about street level. It is a bridge with a covering, but the structure is all metal. So it's hard to put it in the same category as a historic covered bridge made almost entirely of wood.