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Several weeks back I wrote of a visit to the northerly burg of Glendale. While visiting with their mayor, he’d told me about a 45-mile scenic byway that runs beside Cow Creek and the historic rail line (still in service) from there to Riddle. The number one item on this Monday’s to-do list read explore, so off Lane and I went to seek fresh territory. We admit we’re sometimes lacking in the sense-of-direction department. We cruised Glendale until residents began eying us suspiciously, but we could not find the egress to the byway. Being neighborly in a neighborly town, we stopped to ask a neighbor, who proved willing and helpful. Lane brought his camera for art shots, and I drove Fiona slowly, ready to rein her in when he spied a barn or some promising scene. If you travel in this carefree manner, don’t attempt U-turns on curves where logging trucks are apt to greet you. We met a few. The BLM website recommends spring as wildflower season for the Cow Creek Back Country Byway and fall for autumn color, which hasn’t peaked yet. But the drive was lovely and isolated. Even though I pedaled between 35 and 40 mph most of the time, I impeded no one. A sad site met us as we came upon several acres of the charred stump remains of the 2013 Douglas Complex fire. Heads up — when you see a fork in the road, take it. OK, I need to credit Yogi Berra for that one, but there’s a place of decision — right or left with no prompting, so turn left. Shortly after the turn, a great old trestle bridge sits on the left. As we passed, I noticed three boys standing on it and thought of the coming-of-age movie “Stand by Me.” Historical markers dot the route, describing boom times of placer gold mines and a thriving railroad. A recreational area about halfway provides a pit stop for those not wanting to seek out their own tree. A few picnic tables are available near the creek. This is a leisurely drive with curves, but the road is good, except for a couple minor rock/debris slides. Make sure your tank is full, yours and the car’s, and take all the usual wilderness precautions in case Bigfoot hijacks your vehicle and takes it for a joy ride. As the road straightened, we began seeing more farms and pasture land. We made a right turn at the sign for Riddle and hunted for a sit-down eatery. We chose the Old Sportsman for good sandwiches and chicken soup at extremely fair prices. A humble exterior often camouflages decent meals and great service. Hometown eateries are a vital way of sampling a town’s personality, and are often the social connecting point. Riddle has stories. Its website may say “undergoing renovations,” but a well written account of the town’s history is worth the read to get a feel for what became of so many of our backcountry towns. In 1853, the Riddle homestead was the site of the first-ever treaty in the Oregon Territory with the Cow Creek Indians. The railroad roared through the heart of town in 1882, a vital shipping connection from San Francisco to Portland. Lumber, gold and nickel ore made for a robust economy until train travel began to wane after WWII, and trucks began making the run. When the timber industry all but died during the 1980s, Riddle felt the sting. Today, while Riddle is a shadow of former times, about 1,200 close-knit residents call it home. And there is hope in the rapidly growing agriculture of wine grapes — well suited to the climate and soil there. The lumber industry has revived, and the former Nickel Mine site has been repurposed. The weathered Riddle Hotel, now the Masonic Lodge, stands as proof of a former hub of commerce. I suspect Richard, a man I spoke with on the street, is an example of others there. After the big city, he’s returned to the familiar. Reach freelance writer Peggy Dover at [email protected].