Day 5: Lebanon to Sublimity

June 24, 2022

Today will be the longest day of the tour, so I got up at 7:43 and was pleased to have very fast breakfast service at the diner next door. On the road at 8:55 AM. Early for this trip, but I used to start earlier.

Today is truly a "treasure hunt" day, wandering extensively to see 6 covered bridges in the vicinity of Scio which promotes itself as the "Covered Bridge Capital of the West".

Today has complex navigation. I missed a turn from the get-go, pedaling through downtown Lebanon instead of turning right to cross the river. That added 2 miles to today's plan.

Today's first covered bridge is Hoffman Bridge southwest of Scio. It's on a very low traffic country road, so I can hang out on the bridge without obstructing traffic.

Hoffman Covered Bridge has two windows on each side. The windows are an unusual vertical keystone shape. Other covered bridge windows are wider than they are tall.

Hoffman Covered Bridge has two unusual Keystone shaped windows on each side.

The windows have a good view of Crabtree creek which is a relatively minor creek. The bridge is in a wide open flat valley.

Crabtree creek from Hoffman Covered Bridge.

North of Hoffman Covered Bridge I detoured a couple blocks to look at the tiny village of Crabtree. It was built around a railroad track that still appears to be in operation but is not the main Union Pacific track.

Tiny railside village of Crabtree. 1909 Christian church.

This morning's route is in the open flat valley with many farms. Some farms have dilapidated old farm houses. A few farms have extremely fancy and well maintained farm houses.

I passed many hazelnut orchards. They are a common sight in the Willamette Valley. Turkey produces 62% of the world's hazelnuts, but Oregon is the largest hazelnut producer in North America.

I saw many hazelnut orchards in the Willamette Valley.

West of Scio I stopped to see Gilkey Covered Bridge. It's the first of 3 covered bridges I will see today that cross Thomas Creek.

Gilkey Covered bridge has open sides. I like the open view and bright light.

Thomas Creek from Gilkey Covered Bridge.

Gilkey Covered Bridge is only a few feet downstream from a railroad trestle that was also once a covered bridge. I trespassed onto the trestle to get a good view of the covered bridge.

A railroad trestle is adjacent to Gilkey Covered Bridge.

See-thru view of Gilkey Covered Bridge from the railroad trestle.

After Gilkey Covered Bridge I pedaled east to Scio and stopped for lunch at the Covered Bridge Cafe. I was surprised to learn that Scio is a Mennonite town. At the cafe, several employees and customers had the traditional dresses and hairstyles. Mennonites aren't like the Amish, though. Mennonites drive cars, use cell phones, etc.

3 miles east of Scio I turned right to begin a 15 mile out and back detour southeast to Larwood Covered Bridge. It was the tour's longest detour for one covered bridge.

Larwood Covered Bridge is another no-walls covered bridge.

Larwood Covered Bridge is in a very wet and verdant setting. One side of the bridge is a county park on an island surrounded by the Roaring River. The park is surprisingly popular considering the remote location.

Roaring River and Larwood covered bridge.

I enjoyed the shady rest stop surrounded by the Roaring river. The middle of the Willamette Valley doesn't have a lot of shade because it's mostly open farm fields.

Shady rest stop on an island park surrounded by the Roaring River.

Then I backtracked north and continued east up Thomas creek to Hannah Covered Bridge. I like this bridge a lot because of the open sides and the deep swimming hole underneath.

The last two covered bridges both have deep swimming holes underneath. No other covered bridges had good swimming underneath because the streams are too shallow and often fenced.

Hannah and Larwood bridges were the only covered bridges with good swimming holes underneath.

Then I backtracked west several miles to see Shimanek Covered Bridge. I missed the turn on Shimanek road and ended up on the south side of the bridge which is closed for restoration. Signs said it wasn't possible to cross the creek there, so I backtracked to Shimanek road, adding 4 flat miles to today's route.

I got to the north side of Shimanek Covered Bridge at 5:30 PM. There were no construction workers around to tell me to leave. I discovered that it is possible for a bicycle to cross Thomas creek on the newly installed wood roadway, assuming nobody tells you to leave.

Shimanek Covered Bridge and Thomas creek.

The main trusses of the covered bridge have been moved onto land for restoration. The roof and exterior cladding have been removed and will be replaced with new wood. When restoring a covered bridge, all the wood exposed to the weather is replaced. The roadway boards are also replaced. The giant truss beams are typically the only remaining original wood after a restoration.

The big trusses have been moved onto land for restoration.

I was glad to be free to walk on the bridge while it's under construction. That's one advantage to be out very late in the day. If I was a couple hours earlier, construction workers probably would have stopped me from walking out on the roadway that is not intended to be safe for visitors.

Shimanek Covered Bridge has huge windows, huge skylights, and a flimsy guard rail. ;-)

North of Shimanek Bridge the route crosses a big steep hill, climbing 200 feet at 9% grade. Steepest grade of the tour, at the end of the longest day. There were more big steep rolling hills afterwards. It was a shock after pedaling in the flat valley all day.

Just south of Stayton I crossed the North Santiam river. My only view of that stream.

My only view of the North Santiam river south of Stayton.

In Stayton I pedaled city streets for several blocks to find the day's last covered bridge. Stayton is a charming town, seems more prosperous than Sweet Home and Lebanon.

The covered bridge in Stayton crosses a minor creek in a city park. A sign says it was the first full size covered bridge to be dismantled and re-built in a different location.

Jordan Covered Bridge. Built in 1937. Dismantled and moved to Stayton in 1986. Burned in 1994. New bridge built in 1998.

Jordan Covered Bridge is actually a replica of the original bridge that burned in 1994. I think it's the only replica bridge that I saw during this tour. All the other covered bridges have at least some of the original wood.

Jordan Covered Bridge is in a city park in Stayton.

Jordan Covered Bridge was the first full size covered bridge to be disassembled and moved.

Downtown Stayton looks good. Unfortunately Stayton doesn't have a motel. I stayed at Bridgeway Inn 1.5 miles north in the town of Sublimity. I arrived at 7:10 PM. The motel is at a freeway exit with no stores or restaurants nearby. So I pedaled still another 3 unplanned miles south to have dinner at the Covered Bridge Cafe in downtown Stayton. I ate just before their 8 PM closing time.

Note that I ate lunch at the Covered Bridge Cafe in Scio, then had dinner at the Covered Bridge Cafe in Stayton. Covered bridges are a big part of this region's identity.

Star Theatre after dinner in Stayton. Still not dark enough for good neon at 8:30 PM. Days are too long in late June.

Today was very long. Missed turns and a dinner excursion added 9 miles to the plan. Fortunately most days of this tour are less challenging.

Today had great weather. Blue sky all day, high of 84F (28C). It's getting warmer. The northwest wind was a headwind most of the day.

Distance: 68.2 mi. (109 km)
Average Speed: 9.5 mph (15.2 km/h)
Ascent/Descent: +1536/-1284 ft. (+468/-391 m)

Today's ride: 68 miles (109 km)
Total: 234 miles (377 km)

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