The MS Society facilitated an in-service for the staff of an assisted living facility and my mom’s home. Carol Choutka is a program and engagement manager at the MS Society. She helped caregivers understand what MS is and gave them tools to help those living in their facility.
Ride Time Capsule: Sunday City Parks and Cemeteries
I first fell in love with cycling during my college years. My beautiful red Schwinn Cruiser was stolen he day before my first midterms, freshman year. I couldn't believe it, the bike I had since 5th grade, gone. I thought it would be safe, locked in a bike shed. I bought a new bike down in Medford after spring term ended but before summer session. It was another Schwinn, this time a green mountain bike. All the mountain bikes had shock absorbers. I couldn't afford such fanciness and I felt a little ashamed for that. But, I took to taking that bike with me to a different city park every day that I could. Summers in Corvallis are glorious. When I couldn't find a park, I'd make my destination a cemetery. Cemeteries have long been a destination favorite, particularly when cycling alone as they afford quiet, tranquility, and reflection. Now, decades later, I get to enjoy the same things I did then, with new bike paths and improved roads. It is a lucky treat to ride in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Ride to Peavy Arboretum
On the last day in June, I had the grand opportunity to log some training rides in my old stomping grounds. I don't get to ride in Corvallis often, but when I do, I have a lot of fun reminiscing. I rode to Peavy Arboretum. I used to drive out to this place to run on the trails. Can you believe it? I used to run? What was I thinking. I biked here a few times too, in the summer when most of the students were away.
This short ride qualified as epic. Google sent me on a dead end. This wouldn't have been too bad, expect going there required me to cross a busy highway, and I had to cross it again to back track. Then I plowed down the Crescent Valley hill, happy that I wouldn't have to climb up it, only to find the road closed at the bottom. I had to climb up it anyway. Then, at the very end of the ride, I fell off my bike while stopped in the drive way!
I went up a hill, err, mountain, I didn't know existed in Corvallis. Maybe I rode it once and blocked the memory out, I am not sure. Vinyard Mountain is accessed via Concord Drive. There is a Strava segment called grape crush that I crushed! That felt awesome!
