Eugene to Corvallis, Oregon

We started riding at 8:30 AM today, late for us. The ride was short, just over 40 miles. We wanted to avoid the chilly temperatures and Monday morning traffic. Once we left the congestion of Eugene behind, we turned onto LaSalle and 3rd Street and Peoria Road with light traffic and beautiful views of farms and pastures. Today was flat riding, so different from what we have been doing. We past fields freshly turned over, soil very fine and without rocks in it. Sheep were grazing, lambs were running to the barn for breakfast. There were blueberry, pear, apple, and hazelnut trees. The Mennonite school was being cleaned for the upcoming school year and little girls in long pink dresses played on the swing sets. Every yard seemed to be lovingly tended with manicured lawns and lots of flowers and vegetable gardens.

We had a slight headwind but my friend Mary and I moved along and soon found ourselves on the road away from the rest of the pack. We only needed one sag stop to refill our water bottles and follow the Willamette River into Corvallis, home of the Oregon State Beavers. We stopped for lunch and then rode along the Willamette River on a bike and pedestrian path. We took the path to where the college was located, saw there big football stadium, and looped back to our EconoLodge Rodeway Inn for the night. Tomorrow is a long day 80 miles so I am resting up for our trek toward the coast. Today's stats:47.52 miles, 3hrs. 33min., fastest 22 miles, avg. 13.4