ROADS LESS TRAVELED
IN NORTHWEST OREGON
by Steve Arndt
WOODBURN, Oregon -- From the foothills of the Cascade Range to the banks of coastal rivers, the northwest corner of Oregon is laced with miles of back roads that lead to new worlds of quiet adventures. Now Roads Less Traveled in Northwest Oregon shows modern explorers seven routes to follow through the region and explains what they'll find along the way.
"As a young boy growing up in Independence," says author Steve Arndt of Woodburn, "I became fascinated by our state's history, its culture and, particularly, its smaller, out of the way, once-thriving communities."
With this boyhood interest fueled by frequent road trips taken with his uncle along Oregon's numerous back roads and byways, Arndt wondered why some of the state's communities thrived while others declined, even died. "Why did Salem grow and prosper," he asks, "and not Falls City or Buena Vista?"
Searching for the answers turned into a lifelong passion for exploring what he calls "Roads Less Traveled," borrowing a phrase from a Robert Frost poem. The results of those journeys help form the foundation for this book, a traveler's companion that outlines descriptions of routes, points of interest, histories of communities, and other information about what Arndt calls "some of Oregon's almost forgotten paths."
"The beauty and the wonder of our state," says Arndt, who is chairman of Warner Pacific College's teacher education department, "are frequently missed because of the frenetic pace we experience in our lives."
His recommendation for travelers is to slow down so they can see Oregon with a new perspective. "Always take the roads less traveled," he says. "It could make all the difference."
Published by Bear Creek Press of Wallowa, Oregon, Roads Less Traveled in Northwest Oregon is available for $17.00 at bookstores throughout the region, or from Bear Creek Press at 1-800-355-2554 or www.bearcreekpress.com.