Exploring Oregon with a motive

[arieshiker]

Another not so recent activity post to drag out a few minutes of escape.

Shortly after I relocated to the Gorge in late 2009, I set two goals for myself beyond exploring all things local within my abilities.

First was to explore Oregon from Brookings to Flora and from Astoria to Jordan Valley. That very SE corner section of Oregon didn’t call me very loudly, so I admit to not having done any of those roads or back roads. The rest - done!

Second was to photograph all the covered bridges and ghost towns I could find. Also - done!

Actually, there are two bridges I didn’t photograph, the old railroad bridge in Cottage Grove, which was a railroad bridge after all, and the bridge on the OSU campus. Just something about it being on the campus turned me against it. A rare form of “bridgeism” perhaps ?

It took close to four years of multiple trips, following inaccurate directions and a few road name changes, but I finally got to the Pengra Bridge, completing my quest of 50 bridges. Most of the bridges are fairly close to I-5, however, once you get off I-5 and into some of the smaller villages, like Clio as one example - you might be a block away from your goal and not find it the first try, especially when you’re solo and have no navigator.

But, for me, it was never about the quest so much as seeing so much of Oregon. In fact, I went back to a few bridges for better shots before I finished the journey.

And what the search for the bridges didn’t show me, adding in the ghost town search was like the scoop of ice cream on the cheesecake.

Most of the ghost towns are in eastern Oregon as one might expect, and a few are even being re-claimed by enterprising, or perhaps desperate?, folk. Places like Cornucopia, just below the Wallowas, required a bit of hiking, so bonus, and the area now even has a resort catering to people wanting to explore the high country from the south. Personally I felt it was out of place, but progress isn’t always perfect for everyone.

Several ghost towns are right along, or just off, Highway 97, which I have to take going towards Bend and such. And of course, just turning east off 97 towards Baker City brings more into play.

I’m obviously not going to add photos of 50 bridges and over two dozen ghost towns with this, but here is a small sampling of what I saw, loved and still can’t get enough of. Doing this encouraged me to later do the same with the old mining/ghost towns of Montana, of which there are close to fifty. I’ve gotten to 35 so far, and a few no longer exist beyond the dirt they were settled upon. Bonus feature: some hiking was required.

[jessbee]

Fun! I find that having lists and projects like this end up inspiring so much more creativity and exploration than at first glance. I've got a few going right now (on pause for now) and in amazed at where they've taken me.

Thank you for sharing.

[Limey]

This is great. I recognized the first picture immediately as I have friends who own property in Granite. I am also very familiar with the Larwood Bridge as my in-laws lived in Lacombe. Love hearing about peoples adventures.