Silverton, Oregon

After two days in Season and Lee's yard in Stayton, we moved to nearby (18 miles away) Silver Spur RV Park in Silverton, Oregon. Big RV park, plenty of room to walk the dogs, and other than terrible signage it worked for us. 

Silverton is a great small town. We were there three days and barely scratched the surface of things to see and do. We'll go back next time we visit Season and her family.  

Day One we hiked a trail at Silver Falls State Park with Season, Lee and their boys. The park allows dogs on some trails, so we took Arlo and Maddie.  Day Two, Jim and I explored Silverton which has lots of antique and second hand shops. I bought a pin for $3 and earrings for $2.  Day Three we toured the Oregon Garden, a beautiful 80-acre botanical garden -- which again allowed dogs -- and includes a Frank Lloyd Wright house. Over the two days we went to two brew pubs: Silver Falls and Seven Brides -- we liked Silver Falls the best.  Better food, better beer, better atmosphere.  For us, anyway. 

We did a three-mile hike at Silver Falls State Park near Silverton with, L to R: grandson Owen, daughter Season, grandson Connor, SIL Lee, Jim and Arlo.  Silver Falls is Oregon's largest state park and has a 177-foot waterfall that you can walk behind.  We didn't get to the waterfall this time -- next time we will.

A scene from the Oregon Garden, which is pet friendly.  They had us bring our dogs through the gift shop, which seemed a little odd, but no gifts were destroyed by anyone's tail.  

Jim and Arlo at the conifer area of the Oregon Garden.  Including the conifer area, there are 20 specialty gardens.

You can barely see Jim, but he's in the middle of this Oregon Garden photo going up steps with Arlo.

A downtown Silverton memorial to "Bobbie," a dog who was lost by his Silverton family while they were visiting relatives in Indiana in 1923.  Per the story, Bobbie found his way back to his family's home and became a celebrity once his story got out.  People who said they saw/fed/cared for Bobbie on his journey wrote to the family.  From these letters it was determined that Bobbie may have traveled 3,000 miles.

When my Mom sees photos like these she says "Did you really eat that much food?"  Yes, Mom.  We did. But my grilled cheese sandwich and Jim's sliders at the Silver Falls Brewery were both lunch and dinner that day.

This Frank Loyd Wright-designed home is part of the Oregon Garden.  It was designed in 1957  and completed in 1963, four years after Wright's death.  It was one of his last designs meant for "working class" Americans.

Like a lot of town we visit, Silverton has murals painted on building walls.  This one honors NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who was raised in Silverton,  traveled twice to the international space station, and per NASA's web site is still an active astronaut.