I could ride part of the way up there via Fanno Creek Trail, and then a straight shot down Murray Boulevard on the way back. Simple.
Before I left the Murray-Scholls branch, I took another look at the sign. It was then I noticed that the thick red "line" under "Beaverton" wasn't actually meant to be sloped but that the metal was just dropping a bit. Oh well, sometimes a functional problem can be an aesthetic win.
In the same parking lot, I stopped at a Starbucks to fuel up for the journey, while a melancholy dog looked on.
Not long into the ride, I noticed a "Welcome to Beaverton" sign, population 93,000-plus. Let me think...it was around 18,000 maybe when I was a kid? It's grown quite a lot but is still quite small compared to neighboring Portland.
As I headed into the Fanno Creek Trail in Greenway Park, it suddenly started raining, not too hard but enough to make me remember that I should've brought protection for the iPhone in my pocket.
So, at the other end of the Fanno trail I ducked into a nearby Haggen's market to get a bag for my phone. What's this? A large cow blocking the entrance? But of course, doesn't every grocery have one of these?
Thus equipped, I rode on to Beaverton City Library, where I saw some of the largest planters I've ever seen.
Inside the dry confines of the library, I came upon a music lover's heaven, large aisles of CDs. A huge selection!
I picked out something "known," an album by Goldfrapp (which is actually a duo: singer Allison Goldfrapp and keyboard whiz Will Gregory, Seventh Tree (mesmerizing, beautiful!), and something "unknown," Leon Russell's Live In Japan, which was just released for American audiences in any format for the first time in 2011 (and thus nicely remastered to boot!). This CD really captures Leon at his live performance peak, with a big sound, great backup singers, tight band, and enthusiastic audience. Beyond his hit "Tightrope," I had yet to hear his live act from the 70's. Great stuff!
With CDs in pockets, I rode away from the library and headed down 6th Street, appreciating the large fountain where many kids and parents frolic in the hot summer months.
I passed another two churches on the way back (every ride seems to have at least two): The Baha'i, which expresses a very nice sentiment on its sign, and the Seventh-day Adventist, which is humorous, but I've heard that joke before.
Along Murray, there are many banners hanging from the light poles honoring Beaverton's active military members (at the time I thought maybe it honored the dead but no). It occurred to me that some names are long and some are short...maybe they should hang some of those banners "landscape" style instead of "portrait."
I paused briefly at a hilly section of Murray, at the Sexton Mountain Park, to catch a nice view of Beaverton:
And finally ended up at Murrayhill near the Murray Scholls branch again, with its lovely fountain, benches upon which to rest, and a crane hiding in the man-made pond. All in all, quite a nice little spot.
Next ride: Beaverton City Library to the Shute Park Branch in Hillsboro, at least 11.5 miles each way. Phew. Might be a few weeks before I tackle that!
No comments:
Post a Comment