Celebrate Peaches with a Ride in the Waldo Hills this Weekend

Early Crawfords seemed to have disappeared (August 25th, 1919)
See the OSU pamphlet "Selecting Peach and Nectarine Varieties"
for current popular choices in commercial orchards

Have you been eating peaches this summer? Aren't they great this year?! It hasn't been hot, just warm, and rounds of Springcrest, Canadian Harmony, and Suncrest have all been luscious with good flavor and refreshing acidity. Rarely have the different varieties offered such consistent pleasure across the whole season. It's a glorious peach summer! (Maybe the grapes too like this consistent and not-too-hot sun.)

The Salem Bicycle Club's Peach of a Century Ride is this weekend, and if you are looking for a fun, but long, ride through the rolling Waldo Hills, the weather looks terrific - upper 70s with a few clouds.

Day-of-Ride registration (for $60) starts at 7:30am on Sunday the 25th. (Full description and links to maps and forms here.)

Each route starts and ends at Chemeketa Community College. The Full Century route is challenging with some steep hills. The 75-Mile route also involves a significant of amount climbing. The Metric Century route offers flat to rolling terrain with some moderate hills....The routes follow low-volume roads past the farm fields of the Willamette Valley, through forested foothills and rural communities east of Salem....

There are three rest stops on the 100-Mile route and two on the 66 and 76-Mile routes. All rest stops have food, water, sports drink, restrooms and friendly volunteers. The weather is typically mild to warm in the late summer although we have experienced rain during past events. Bring extra layers just in case. The 100-Mile route goes through Jefferson, Stayton, Sublimity, and Silverton. The Metric Century and 76-Mile routes visit Jefferson and Stayton. All riders must finish by 6:00 p.m. A sag vehicle will sweep both courses at day's end.

Last week the Club celebrated their 50th anniversary with cake, ice cream, and a couple of rides out to Willamette Mission State Park. If you are not a member, and long rides are your thing, consider joining them and keeping things going for another 50 years.

Historical Addendum

Well, it turns out "Indian Hill Farm" is a little interesting!

James Davidson's claim on the 1852 Survey Map

September 4th, 1874

James Davidson is one of the Veterans of the War of 1812 buried in Pioneer Cemetery. He settled opposite Fabritus Smith's claim, on the east side of what is now 12th Street, very near Morningside Elementary School at Madrona. His descendants operated the farm and orchard.

The peach orchard was probably on the east-facing hillside, looking out over Pringle Creek and the valley.

We may come back to Davidson as a significant early Salemite about whom little seems to have been written. He crops up in multiple topics!

• An interesting note on geology from 1874 that discusses "deposits of the glaceo-aqueous era" on his and Fabritus Smith's farms.
• An opinion piece on the problems for farmers caused by railroads in 1872. The ways the RRs evaded and externalized costs sounds familiar!
• His obituary in 1876.

T. L. Davidson
as County Judge in 1890
(Salem Library Historic Photos)

Either his son, Thomas Luther Davidson, or grandson, Thomas Leon Davidson, could be the proprietor referenced in the 1919 ad for peaches. As early as the geology note in 1874 it was called "T.L. Davidson's" farm. The son, Thomas Luther, was Marion County Judge and later known as "Judge Davidson."

Addendum 2

Here are the monuments in the Pioneer Cemetery. James and the Thomases are not in the same plot.

Both are under trees, and it will be easier in winter or late fall, after the leaves have fallen, to get the angle of the sun for good contrast in the lettering.

The Thomases

James - Fought in the war of 1812!