Grave Creek: More than just a cool covered bridge

There is a covered bridge you can see from I-5 in southern Oregon, so while driving home from an epic “Troll Quest” near Seattle last month, I stopped to walk through the bridge shortly after sunrise.

That was cool. And the perfect way to end a perfectly awesome road trip.

First, as one friend pointed out, the bridge perfectly fit the theme of my quest to see all five Thomas Dambo Trolls near Seattle, an ambitious/silly dream that she described as “wandering around in search of wooden sculptures.” But also, the bridge’s name, Grave Creek, made it an even more appropriate stop for my trip.

Because the bridge was named after a teenager who died nearby while on a very different quest, one that was far more ambitious than mine, and not the least bit silly. Because she was part of a wagon train, heading west in the 1840s in search of a better life, when she fell ill and died at 16. 

The girl was buried near a large oak tree, and when the tree was later removed to build a road, the nearby waterway and bridge above it were named Grave Creek in honor of her resting place.

Learning her story made me even more grateful I had completed my quest, because the night before I stopped at the bridge, I learned that a family member was in the hospital after a nasty fall earlier that day, and likely would never go on another adventure again.

So walking across that bridge the next morning, all I could think about was how much that family member would like to be walking. And that no matter how silly the quests we dream about seem to others, we should all strive to complete all the adventures we can while still alive and able-bodied.

I say as long as you can get out of bed and walk, ride or drive, head out to chase down whatever you’ve been dreaming about, be it trolls or covered bridges.

Why do so many of us love covered bridges?

I know I’m definitely not the only one who loves covered bridges, but I don’t know why people are so drawn to them. A friend suggested that a lot of us fell in love with them because of the movie “The Bridges of Madison County,” but I've been infatuated with covered bridges since before the movie or the novel came out, maybe because there was a neat one in my hometown.

One of the first things I asked my father when he started teaching me to drive was if we could go through the covered bridge, though it was narrow and rickety, only supporting one car at a time.

The bridge led into a shopping center that I never needed to visit, but I often planned my drives around that bridge, because it made me smile every time I drove through it.

And so did the bridge at Grave Creek, though I didn’t drive through it, just walked back and forth with the sun peeking through the windows, admiring the super cool windows and cool wood forming the ceiling.

You can walk through it with me here:

Movies I saw in August: F1, Naked Gun, Thelma & Louise.

The movies I saw in August were all about sexy people in their 50s and 60s — yes, they do exist! And while most of those still given screen time were men, I’m pleased to report that there were at least two actresses allowed to prove that life as the most interesting woman in the room doesn't have to end at menopause.

FI: The Movie (8/12, in the theater) Grade: A-. My favorite things about this movie were Brad Pitt, whose effortless charm helps us care about yet another washed-up phenom given another chance at glory, and when the audience is put behind the wheel of a race car, offering us nearly all of the adrenaline rush with none of the danger. Much like how “Gravity” was the closest I ever want to get to outer space, F1 is the closest I ever want to get to a racetrack, let alone to driving 200 miles an hour next to people who are actively trying to get me to crash.

Pitt, who at 61 is obviously drinking the same “how-to-keep-your-boyish-grin juice” as Robert Redford, is still gorgeous, and having at least half the scenes featuring sexy men over 55 (Javier Bardem, Kim Bodnia and Pitt) was another plus for me. And while this movie recycled plenty from other racing and flying movies such as Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Point Break, and Ford vs. Ferrari, it was extremely competent reworking, even with at least 20 unnecessary minutes. Because unless those 20 minutes included more banter between Bardem and Pitt in the laundromat, more spats between Bodnia and Pitt on the track, or even simply Pitt driving on a beach (something I hardly ever endorse, by the way), then I didn’t need them.

Thelma & Louise (8/15, on my well-loved DVD) Grade: A+. No, I wasn't inspired to watch this 1991 classic again because of seeing Brad Pitt in F1. Another hunky guy named Michael Madsen (who died in July at age 67) is why I broke out my DVD of this movie, though it does feature Pitt in what I still believe is his best role. And I do apologize for this Mr. Pitt, so maybe picture these words being spoken with a soft twang under a cowboy hat to help ease their sting, because I know you feel you've done much more admirable acting in the past 34 years, but that shirtless scene where you made Thelma, and a good portion of the human population, fall in lust with you? That will always be your finest work.

Of course, the true stars of this movie are Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis and that teal Thunderbird they blast through the Southwest in. I remember smiling for days after I first saw this movie, loving that two smart, sassy and sexy women were finally front and center in a buddy road trip/crime spree movie. And while they did not (or did they?) survive their grand adventure, I loved having filmmakers decide that Bonnie and Clyde could not only be two women, but that we didn't need to see them, and that beautiful Ford, get shot to pieces.

Nobody 2 (8/17/2025, in the theater) Grade: C-. I really liked the first Nobody movie, but did not enjoy this sequel much at all, and am only giving it a passing grade because of some fun performances, especially the delicious big bad played by Sharon Stone, who was great to watch having a great time being evil, even getting to do a nice nod to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker dance. It also features the best use of an amusement park in a finale since Zombieland.

The Naked Gun (8/26/2025, in the theater). Grade: C+. Speaking of sexy people in their 50s, it was nice seeing Pamela Anderson still getting to play the not-so-dumb blonde at nearly 60, and I loved learning that she looks even better in a brunette bob than her platinum mane. As Liam Neeson's sidekick, she outperformed him in every category -- looks, comedic timing and pratfalls -- though he was better at putting down the “I-don’t -have-time-to-crack-even-a-quarter-of-a-smile” face than I thought.

Overall, Anderson and Neeson were fun goofballs to hang out with, but despite one inspired scene involving an emergency bathroom visit after a chili dog that still has me laughing, I didn't find the movie all that funny.

Movies I saw in July: Megan 2, Jurassic World Rebirth

And, finally, here are the movies my grandmother saw in August of 1995:

8/2/1995: To show in Aptos, “The Net.” Sandra Bullock.

8/4/1995: To show, “Something to Talk About,” Julia Roberts, Dennis Quaid.

8/6/1995: Watched “Survive the Savage Sea,” Robert Urich. True story of family sailing from Australia to Tahiti. Whale hits boat, it sinks, they 38 days on raft.

8/8/1995 Watched “Mona Lisa,” still can't make out Bob Hoskins.

8/15/1995 To show, “The Indian in the Cupboard.” Morals.

8/17/1995 To show, “Apollo 13.” Well-done.

8/26/1995 To show “Belle de Jour,” Catherine Deneuve.

8/29/1995 To show in Aptos, “Desperado.” Almost comic book atmosphere.