Trip Report
May 20 was the first day trip for bus-riding Obsidians. The sun was out, everyone was dressed for the day, carrying lunch box and maybe a camera or binoculars. All anticipating a great day. We welcomed a number of first-time trip riders. Clair Cooley directed our driver on many back roads. No one could say they didn’t see new countryside! The first leg of our trip was through the Mohawk Valley with all its glorious scenery, animals, farms and wildflowers. Nestled back off the road we found the Wendling and Ernst covered bridges. Each bridge was well inspected, walked and photographed before we moved on to the next one. Fragments of bridge history were told along the way. We by-passed the Crawfordsville bridge as it was under renovation. Our morning break was at the Weddle Bridge, relocated in a Sweet Home park (originally on Thomas Creek). We took a short detour to the Foster Dam lookout point, then back through Sweet Home and on more back roads to LaComb, over the Shiminek bridge (the only red and white bridge seen) and the Larwood bridge, which spans Crabtree Creek. Nearby, the Roaring River flows into Crabtree Creek, the only place where a river flows into a creek.
Our lunch stop and afternoon tour were scheduled for a special place - Bird Haven, owned by Tony & Betty Koch. For many it was a second visit, but a lot warmer and drier. The valley view was spectacular. The telescope was focused on an osprey and her nest. The birds were flying everywhere. One special bird, Tony assured us, wouldn’t mind, so he opened her nest box for all to see the six little eggs. After a lecture, we returned to the bus and headed out to find our last bridge of the day. The Hannah bridge was complete with log truck traffic and dust. We had our ice cream fix at Brownsville on our way home. "Obsidian trips are teaching me about Oregon," said one rider and it was echoed by others. Another successful trip was recorded.
Participants were: Ethel Allen, Ewart & Margaret Baldwin, Ingrid & Judy Carmichael, William Eaton, Bette Hack, Flora & Herman Hendershott, Ray Jensen, Rosella Jones, Dodie Leppmann, Helen Liguori, John & Lenore McManigal, Cleora Mersdorf, Frances Newsom, Edna Robertson, Betty & Harvey Speck, Jean Teague, Louise Thurber Paula Vehrs, Doreen Waggoner, Margee Wright, and trip leaders Liz Reanier and Clair Cooley.
