One reason old Albany’s Willamette Neighborhood makes for a great place to ride a bike — besides not much traffic — is that nature is close at hand.
On Monday I stopped for a minute where Water Avenue crosses Periwinkle Creek. Upstream and downstream from the street crossing, the creek canyon or valley remains more or less in what I assume is its natural state.
Like streams in cities everywhere, this waterway probably suffers from “urban stream syndrome.” It’s a term scientists use for creeks affected by the kind of pollution that usually finds its way into waterways from storm drains and other sources. The effects include poor water quality and less variety in wildlife…