Exploring the High road: The Joys of a Covered Bridge

Centennial Bridge- built in 1997 by volunteer labor to celebrate Cottage Grove's centennial. Materials came from earlier bridges that had been demolished.

I remember attending a delightful dessert party hosted by a dear friend. When it came time for the coffee service she entered with a tray filled with an eclectic arrangement of delicate china cups and saucers. No two were alike. It was a treat to choose our favorite design from which to sip.
Exploring the small townships in Oregon has been like examining that array of cups and saucers. Though the communities are connected by their northwestern heritage they each offer a unique piece to the picture I have come to identify as Oregon.
I visited another one of these towns recently, Cottage Grove. Cottage Grove is about 25 miles south of Eugene. I came to Cottage Grove because it is "The Covered Bridge Capital" of Oregon and I wanted to see the bridges.

Covered bridges fascinate me. Passing through them is like finding a little hideaway. I love the sound made as you roll over the wooden slates of the bridge. It makes me think of horse and buggy days. I love to stand in the middle and look through the wooden slats at the rushing water below. I love that I can hear the sound of the water flowing over the rocks. I love to breathe deeply and take in the scent of the wood under, over and around me.

I've always identified covered bridges as a symbol of bygone years in New England. But I've learned that the many months of damp weather in Oregon necessitates the covered protection for a long and enduring wooden bridge life.
Most of the covered bridges across Oregon seemed to have been built in the '20's and '30's.