Well, today was a welcome relief from the past two day's arduous climbs. We left Sandy at 8:30 and soon reached a most beautiful bike path, the Springwater Corridor. This path travels through several small towns outside of Portland and was part of a commuter train line that was abandoned in the '50s and turned into a fine walking and cycling trail. The trail proceeds for more than 20 miles with nearly no housing, businesses, or other distractions to take away from the beauty of the trail.
For much of the trail, each side of the path has abundent blackberrys, Marionberrys, and raspberries. Unfortunately, we were a little early in the year for picking them otherwise our bellies would have been full.
Near the terminus of the trail was a gourmet cake shop that was highly recommended. Needless to say, we availed ourselves of the tempting treats!
Soon after the sweet stop, we found ourselves near downtown Portland again. We crossed two major bridges over the Willamette and Columbia. We traveled along a vibrant downtown area with many public parks, shipping, and lumbering activities.
After a brief lunch (Micky D's -- how good junk food tastes sometimes), we continued on to our motel in St. Helens not too far from the infamous mountain sharing its name.
As we gratefully arrived early today, a hot tub and shower felt great.
Ride for today: 58 miles and a modest 300 feet of elevation gain
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