Cottage Grove Anniversary Trip

For weeks now, Larry has been insistent that we try to get away and go somewhere for our anniversary. Since the beginning of our marriage, we agreed not to exchange gifts for the occasion, but, instead, to celebrate by spending time together - sometimes, in our busy lives, easier said than done. Some years, that's meant simply a special meal together, but, if possible, we try to get away alone together and rekindle the spirit that first attracted us to one another.

This has been a very busy summer with lots of travel and guests. All good things (and times), but non-stop. Jeff urged us to go away, offering to stay here with Sarah and Emily - solved that problem for us. The next hurdle to cross was Larry's work schedule. With his Tuesday/Wednesday off-days, and my practice schedule leading up to my recital, we couldn't work out any dates that would work. I finally convinced Larry to trade off with some of his co-workers for Saturday/Sunday off so we could take off on our actual anniversary. It took some finagling, but he finally worked it out at the last minute.

Decision time: where to go? Too late for a beach getaway - all the rooms were filled with last-minute vacationers trying to get in a final trip to the coast before school started. Larry suggested Cottage Grove, OR, and I was underwhelmed. It just seemed like a nondescript little town to me. Larry's research, however, revealed a covered bridge festival there, so, intrigued, we made that our destination. Turns out there are not only seven covered bridges crossing the Row River (so named for a dispute between two farmers over water rights) that cuts through the city, but also a well-developed walking and biking trail alongside the river for miles. Cottage Grove also boasts painted murals on the sides of old buildings all over town. Very unique.



I found a room at the Gray Cat Inn, a Bed and Breakfast conveniently situated near a quaint downtown. We stayed in the Gray Cat Suite, a very spacious upstairs room with a king four-poster bed; a sitting area for reading; lovely antique furnishings; a fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker; and a bathroom and closet under the eaves. There were some nice little extra touches, too: home-baked cookies and chocolates under glass, fluffy robes in the closet to wear if we decided to use the hot tub, a collection of sundries in the bathroom we may have forgotten to pack, and plenty of brochures with suggestions of things to do in town.



We arrived late the afternoon of our anniversary. After checking in at the B&B and getting a recommendation for dinner, we set out to orient ourselves with the town. Not difficult, as it's a pretty small place, and our accommodations were close to everything we might need. We found our first covered bridge, and, just across the street, Stacy's Covered Bridge Restaurant, recommended by our hostess. It was the town's "fancy" restaurant, and a perfect place for our anniversary dinner. Somehow, they must have sensed it was a special occasion when we walked in, because they seated us in "the special room" a little nook, just big enough for a table for two, painted in mural-fashion to look like the interior of a covered bridge. Charming. Our meal was wonderful. I had prawns, sauteed and stuffed with crabmeat and artichokes; Larry had a baked halibut prepared with dill and topped with bay shrimp. We both had nicely-seasoned sauteed vegetables on the side, and sinful Gouda-garlic mashed potatoes. I started with a tasty tomato bisque, and we shared a slice of hazelnut cake for dessert. A gourmet meal at half the price we'd have paid in Portland. Back at the room, we continued our celebration with a special bottle of red wine we'd brought along for the occasion.



Our hostess and host were very laid-back and welcoming, and the breakfasts were marvelous. Egg dishes featured eggs from chickens in the backyard. One morning we had a breakfast casserole with country bacon, pineapple french toast, fresh fruit, and mini lemon cheesecakes for "dessert". The next morning, it was a vegetable omelet with the slightest hint of curry, turkey sausage rounds, zucchini-pineapple bread, more fruit, and berries on a cloud. The "cloud", although rich-tasting, turned out to be cottage cheese pureed and blended with a little brown sugar, ginger, and light whipping cream. I must give it a try sometime.



Sunday we decided to do a self-guided tour of covered bridges. It turns out there are seven in and around Cottage Grove. Most are no longer in use, and sit along the road as a novelty or alongside a newer, more modern bridge.



There are a couple you can still drive across, one of them single-lane and quite rattly-sounding. Kind of freaked me out a little.



The larger of these two is said to be a popular wedding spot. Indeed, it is large enough to hold 100 guests or so! Rather a picturesque setting.



One is an old railroad bridge, and is made with a steel frame.



The bridge we found the night before, right in the heart of town, was actually built as a reproduction in celebration of the town's centennial. It is a pedestrian bridge and is part of a park.



Nearby is a suspension bridge (not "covered", but included in the tour) that was originally built for school children to use to cross the Row River to get to school each day. Very quaint.



We also visited the Western Oregon Exposition underway that weekend, and experienced the feel of a true county fair in a rural community. There were the requisite livestock, food, flower, sewing, and arts and crafts exhibits, but Larry's favorite was the array of antique engines. I was enthralled with the greased pole climbing event - I've always heard of this, but never witnessed it before. One little girl bested the other participants by getting about halfway before her strength gave out. We had to leave before anyone made it to the top.



At the last minute, Larry was called in to work on Sunday night, so left me there to further enjoy the already-rented room, and drove 2 1/2 hours in to Portland to go to work. So sad! Making the most out of the situation, I took my book and the remainder of our opened bottle of wine, and soaked in the hot tub. Ahh! The next morning, while waiting for him to get back, I walked the town and took pictures of the murals. Some are simply ads, but their appearance sparked the idea of taking the mural concept further and in another direction.



Thus, the town council commissioned artists to design and paint murals that show events depicting aspects of Cottage Grove's history.



One depicts a silent movie, "The General", starring Buster Keaton, that was filmed in the area in 1926.



Some are part of beautification efforts.



Others just sprang up on the sides of businesses, reflecting the type of service offered, or the political attitude of the business owner.



I got back from my mural tour just in time to meet Larry as he returned from Portland. We packed the car, picked up some wraps to go, and found a lovely spot on the bank of the river to enjoy our picnic lunch.



When we got home, Jeff, Sarah, and Emily greeted us with sunflowers on the table, and dinner in the making. A perfect ending to a very nice weekend. Happy 28th to us!