Lebanon, OR - Aug. 29 - Sep. 28, 2010
On August 29 we drove a grueling 15 miles to Mallard Creek Golf and RV Resort, about six miles east of Lebanon, Oregon. This is a lovely RV park with decent size spaces, good amenities and a very pleasant staff. The only drawback is that the majority of the spaces have limited satellite access due to the stately oaks.
If you are a golfer, this is a great place to stay. If you are a fisherman the location will please you. And if you do neither, there is enough biking, hiking and exploring to keep you entertained. Our friends Claudia and George, both avid golfers, were due to meet us at the park a couple of days after our arrival. Bill, George and Claudia golfed nearly everyday during our stay. The three duffers agreed that the golfing was great and the after golf review (Porter's around!) was pleasant. Since there isn't much more to say about golf, other than 'great round', this journal entry will be primarily about Susan's activities.
While the other three were chasing around a little white ball, I went for numerous walks in the countryside, a couple of wonderful hikes and bike rides, explored Albany, Salem and Silverton and drove up to Seattle to visit my friend Sharon.
One of the highlights of my Albany excursion was the Albany Brass Ring Carousel Studio where I watched and chatted with artisans as they carved and painted very creative carousel characters, including unicorns, frogs, giraffes, griffins and bulldogs. The carousel project was started in 2003 and is currently targeted for completion in 2014.
This is truly a labor of love. Each animal has a sponsor that commissions its design and development in commemoration of a loved one or special event. Consequently, each animal is unique and has special meaning. On average, it takes the all-volunteer staff one year to carve each animal, six months to paint it, and another six months to dry before it is taken to a local auto body shop for three clear coats.
I also highly recommend the Oregon Gardens in the historic town of Silverton, just northeast of Salem. Make sure to allow enough time to visit the 20 distinct gardens, enjoy the sounds of the numerous fountains, wander through the woods, marvel at the 400-year-old signature oak, and admire the views of the Willamette Valley.
After feasting your eyes at the Oregon Gardens, satisfy your appetite at one of the many restaurants in Silverton before exploring the town's boutiques and bookshops. Silverton boasts several very fine murals depicting the town's history, commerce and citizens, including Bobbie the Wonder Dog. In 1923, Bobbie was mistakenly left in Indiana during a family road trip. Six months later, Bobbie appeared on their doorstep mangy and scrawny with feet worn to the bone; he showed all the signs of having walked the entire way back alone. During his ordeal he crossed 2,800 miles of plain, desert and mountains in the dead of winter to return home.
After his return, Bobbie became the subject of newspaper articles, including Ripley's Believe It or Not!, books and film. Upon his death in 1927, he was buried with honors at the Oregon Humane Society's pet cemetery. A week later Rin Tin Tin laid a wreath at his grave.
A 'do not miss' place of natural wonder is beautiful Silver Falls State Park. This heavily wooded park offers hiking, biking, picnicking and camping. On an absolutely perfect day I traveled north along the Cascade foothills to the State Park for a breathtaking hike along the aptly named 'Ten Falls Trail'. It was the weekend so I had lots of company, but since I was hiking alone, I figured there was safety in the number of strangers. On the return trip I stopped at a couple of farmers markets to pick up freshly picked apples and vegetables. A perfect day.
While at Mallard Creek, Mt. Angel, a foothill village settled by German pioneers in the 1800's, held its annual Octoberfest. Although my fellow travelers were eager to attend the event, three days of rain dampened all of our enthusiasm. However, a couple of weeks later I visited the town for a quick look around and then trekked up the hill to the gracious and peaceful Benedictine Mount Angel Abbey founded in 1882. Bill and I have visited several abbeys and monasteries during our travels and are always impressed by their serenity. Mount Angel was no exception, but because it is also a seminary it was also quite lively. As I walked among the chapels and seminary, classroom doors suddenly burst forth with young men in soccer uniforms racing to practice, dodging several monks strolling along engaged in lively and animated conversation. So, not only did the place strike me as serene, it also felt joyful.
On September 11th I left the duffers to their golf pursuits and drove up to Redmond, Washington to spend three days with my friend Sharon. We had a wonderful time visiting, shopping, rearranging furniture, trekking south to Puyallap to visit her brand new grandson, Henry, and exploring Seattle. The Seattle area is always an interesting and challenging place to explore, but for some reason GPS gets totally baffled in the area. Maybe it is all the hills and water that confuses the GPS. Maybe it's all that plaid.
We really enjoyed our time our stay at Mallard Creek - the shared dinners, the evening Pinochle games and the laughter. But on September 29th we had an appointment in Eugene to have shocks installed on the Beast so it was time to bid farewell to the folks at Mallard Creek.
