It’s getting to be that time of year here in Oregon, when the days get short and good riding weather becomes rare. I have not been riding much this year regardless, so I decided to take this mostly nice day to ride one last time and top off the tank in preparation for winter storage.
I have a long term ambition of familiarizing myself with all cemeteries in the Portland area, and in that spirit one of my favorite destinations when I’m riding is to find a cemetery I have never visited. Today’s destination was Mountain View Corbett Cemetery, and let me tell you, I believe this may be my latest favorite.
Mountain View Corbett Cemetery
Situated in Corbett with breathtaking views of Mount Hood and the Washington Cascades, surrounded by vegetable farms, vineyards, and orchards, this cemetery is remote and peaceful. Perched on top of a small grassy rise, the cemetery offers stunning views and has been standing since 1880. You can read more about it’s history here.
The day I visited was a real treat. Besides getting the first glimpse of fall colors for the season, there were gorgeous mushrooms growing all over. I had to laugh, it was almost exactly like the mushroom-strewn cemetery I created on my Animal Crossing island. I even got to see my first variety that has storybook-level red caps and white stalks!
It was an unbearably windy day, so of course the day I chose to ride my light little bike and get blown all over the road in order to visit a cemetery on top of a rise where the wind intensified even further. I do like making things hard for myself apparently. Fortunately, there were some posts along the entrance and I was able to keep my bike from getting blown over by wedging him between a post and his kickstand. At least it was a memorable last ride!
Unique Engravings
What caught my attention about this cemetery, beyond the incredible view, was the variety of engravings and personalization on the gravestones. Unlike many other cemeteries where you might see a combination of flowers, religious symbols, and etched headshots, this one stood out. I came across unique engravings, from dogs to pianos to whales, of all things! It surprised me how much it humanized the place and gave me a sense of the people buried there, more than the numerous inscriptions, songs, and poems I’ve read on other gravestones. I suppose it makes sense, given how visually oriented I am.
Gravestones with Character
In addition to the diverse engravings, the gravestones themselves had unique shapes. While there were the usual polished, shaped gravestones and standard rectangular ground insets, there were also appealing rough-cut, more natural stones. One gravestone, in particular, caught me off guard – a simple, rectangular slab with a thick coil sitting on top. The base bore the inscription “may the circle be unbroken.” I tried to decipher its meaning and what the coil might represent but only found references to “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” – a popular Christian hymn. However, this didn’t provide clarity on the coil and wasn’t an exact match.
I suppose this will just have to be another mysterious significance placed on something by someone no longer there to explain it. It’s honestly one of my favorite bittersweet aspects of death to ponder when visiting cemeteries.
Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.
Isaac Asimov
