Last days in US

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Geo: 34.0533, -118.245

Sunday morning Peter went with friends on a 100km bike ride. This is an annual event he participates in. While he was away we relaxed at his place, catching up on blogs, email and Facebook. It was very relaxing. Peter returned a little later than he expected as his back wheel buckled and he couldn't complete the ride.

Once he had showered we headed out to find some lunch. We returned to Glenwood where we had lunched during the championships and once again sat outside. This was busy, even though it was nearly 2pm as families enjoyed a Sunday lunch/late breakfast. Peter had the scrambled eggs while Fletcher tried the teriyaki chicken and I had an enormous but very tasty Chicken roll.

Well sated, Peter drove us to Cottage Grove, not far from Eugene. This is an historic part of Oregon having been settled in the 1880s by pioneers coming across the continent in covered waggons. We got a brochure from the local information office which provided a guide to seeing the covered bridges of the area.These varied in size and structure but were interesting and attractive remnants of mainly early 20th century building.

We started in the town at the Centennial Bridge. This had been built in 1987 to commemorate the centenary of the town . This is small and only for pedestrians but is typical of the constructions. We then drove a short way to a Swing Bridge. This is not covered but was built for pedestrians to cross the river. This is a suspension bridge which is very bouncy .Peter had to take photos of us walking over and walking back so we felt the bridge moving considerably. A little further along the road was an enormous bridge built for the railway. This has been fully restored, as lately as 2011. Inside it soars like a cathedral with timber cross beams and wide slabs on the side. Next to this was an interesting history of, not only the bridge, but the surrounding area. It is very well done and kept us interested for a while.

The next stop was at the Mosby Creek Bridge. This was closed at the moment for restorative work but is still in use. It spans the river and under it is a swimming hole which is supposed to be the deepest on this river. This bridge is a work in progress but still rather pretty. We then drove along the side of Lake Dorena. This is very scenic with many locals using it for water sports of all kinds. It is lined by the ubiquitous pine trees and we could only catch glimpses of the water through the trees. However, Peter pulled in to Baker Bay which provides access for the public to the boat ramp and beach.

We then came to Dorena Bridge. This was the prettiest of the lot with shuttered windows and easy access. The brochure said it is a popular venue for weddings and I could see why. It is now a dead end but it is possible to walk from one end to another. We took a lot of photos here. Then back along the other side of the lake to the last one on the list, the Currin Bridge. Similar to the others it is distinguished by having white portals but red sides. It is also a little narrower than the rest.

Peter drove us back to Eugene but we went to the Whiteaker area to the Oakside Brewery for a drink. These boutique breweries are very popular here and this was a modern structure with a spacious bar/tasting room. I settled for a pilsener while Fletcher tasted four different beers in small tasting glasses. It was now about 7pm and the sun was a red ball. There had been what Peter called a "smoke intrusion", smoke from wildfires in Washington and California drifting over Oregon. The hazy sky covered the sun making it a red/gold colour as it was setting.

We returned to Peter's town house where he made a great salmon salad for dinner, accompanied by new potatoes and we drank some very nice wine. A lovely way to spend our last evening in Eugene.

This morning Fletcher wanted to spend more time in the Library so Peter took him in there. He had to also take his bike to be fixed. I packed and relaxed. They returned at 12-15 and we left for the airport about 1pm.After checking in we had a final drink. It has been a great 3 weeks with Peter, a gracious and generous host, reaffirming our friendship. Hopefully we will return and we are expecting him to be back in Adelaide soon!

The 2 hour flight to LA was uneventful and we transferred through Terminal 4 to the Tom Bradley Terminal smoothly. We are now in the new One World Lounge which is a vast improvement on not only the old one but leaves American airlines lounges for dead. With a 6 hour wait , the food, wine and use of Wi-Fi is very much appreciated. Looking forward to coming home but not enjoying the thought of returning to winter.

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