Thursday in Corvallis

Today I worked in Corvallis, home to the Oregon State Beavers. I left the house later than I had planned and almost took the car. I thought it would be a repeat of yesterday which was cool with light rain.  Eighty miles of steady wet weather was not on the to do list today but by the time I got on I-5 and headed south, I was glad I took the bike. It turned out to be a nice dry day.

The first stop was Good Samaritan Hospital. It's an encouraging sign that many hospitals in Oregon are undergoing remodeling including this one.

The next two stops were the school district and the university.  The route I take through campus goes right by the football practice field. I saw some of the players beginning to hit the blocking sleds; getting ready for Arizona State this weekend. Not having a professional football team in the state makes both the Beaver and Duck fans serious about these teams.

This is the Brew Station, a popular coffee and pub spot in the village just off campus. I had to stop and put the bike in line and snap a photo.

 

This is Robnett's Hardware, established in 1853 by J.C. Avery, the founder of Corvallis. I like hardware and I really like old hardware stores. They've bought from our company for many years. The Robnett family has owned it since the 1950's.

 

The wood floor is from the 1920's and makes a nice creaking sound. It's a shame many of these mom-and-pop hardware stores have disappeared. In spite of a Home Depot in town, this one is doing well.

The ride home was on Hwy 99 which runs along the west side of I-5.  I usually ride to Corvallis on 99 and make stops in small towns along the way, but today I reversed it. I wonder if most who ride on two wheels like to take a different way home. It's the anticipation of exploring new roads and scenery that adds to the enjoyment.

Mike