This afternoon we took a break from work and headed south to Cottage Grove with our bikes to get in another good ride. We decided on part of the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway, starting in Cottage Grove and taking the Row River Trail out past Dorena Lake and back. ("Row" is pronounced to rhyme with "cow," supposedly after a quarrel between two neighbors along the river.)
Dorena Lake:
The trail in through the trees:
Riding alongside the Dorena Lake on the way back:
Here's our ride (32.7 miles):
We started near Main Street in Cottage Grove and took the trail all the way out to where it ends at Culp Creek, and then turned around and rode back. There's an option (slightly longer) to go back another way on the other side of the lake, coming back on roads through town (and I think two or three more covered bridges) but the trail was so nice and uncrowded, we made it an out and back. (Plus, I'm not sure I really could have stayed on that saddle another 6 miles. My bike (and consequently, my Brooks saddle) now has over 220 miles on it, and they say it takes about 200 miles to break in a Brooks, but I'm not so sure how long it will take to break in my butt!)
Dinner tonight will be seared sea scallops, arugula and parmesan salad, and some fingerling potatoes. Last night I made us a Salad Niçoise (tuna, green beans, tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, potatoes, butter lettuce, and olives, with a dijon viniagrette…with anchovies and capers, even!). It was nice and light and delicious. Here's the recipe I sort of followed. (Sorry, I forgot to take photos! I'll try to get better about that.)
