I Love You P-Town

Portland Building
Originally uploaded by stop.down

"Portland, Oregon and a sloe gin fizz, if that ain't love than tell me what is.." -Loretta Lynn and Jack White on "Portland, Oregon" from Van Lear Rose

Just returned from a library conference at Reed College in beautiful Portland. What a fabulous town! Not only does Reed have a gorgeous campus, every bit as nice at its sister school, Sarah Lawrence -but the campus is in a real city (well, at least what I consider a real city!).

Portland has the most spectacular gardens, and the hydrangea were all in glorious bloom in the city yards. The Bluebird Guest House where I stayed was a restored Arts and Crafts-style home with a hostel feel (and prices). It is located in the SE where I got to explore the Belmont District and walk along Division Street. I bought a pound of coffee at Stumptown Coffee and had a lovely spontaneous meal at Pok Pok located just down the street.

What I loved about Portland was the mixture of classy , smart (Powell's independent bookstore), and stylish culture (papaya salad discovered randomly on a walk) mixed with down to earth, laid back, outdoors-y people (they have a Nau location). Just enough hipster ingredients to balance the hippie elements.

Somehow, I think that the gods may want me to end up in the Northwest. I feel it would be some kind of crazy irony to move from the desert to the rainiest place in the U.S. From what I've seen, maybe this is where I was always meant to be. Good things about the Pacific NW: good food, beer, and coffee; bookstores, the Cascades, good people, digital library programs, dog-friendly and progressive. Bad things: expensive, weather, might be too late to buy a house. But I am seriously starting to develop the theory that living in places with bad weather keeps the bad people out. Snowbirds you can have the sun belt!

Good Luck Class of 2007

Goat Rocks
Originally uploaded by chtrailproject

Every year in the spring months, thousands of long-distance hikers hit the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide National Scenic Trails with the hops of going all the way. These would-be hikers always have a fond place in my heart since in 1999 and 2002, when I was one of them.

This year I am here in Las Vegas, getting up every morning, going to work, and fighting the heat. But, I am also lucky because once initiated into this friendly family you remain a member for life. And this year, for the third time, I am volunteering to transcribe a hiker's trail journal so that their family and friends at home can follow along. (Time in town is much better spent eating, eating, doing laundry, and eating.)

My hiker this year is completing the Pacific Crest Trail and has already hiked the Appalachian Trail. I have full confidence she will finish the sections of the trail she needs to piece together to make her hike a thru-hike. I just received the first installment of her journals and I encourage you to read along. It is fascinating to follow each individual hiker's personal and physical journey.

Cucumber Boy (my hiker's trail name) is currently in the Goat Rocks Wilderness Area of Washington, soon to cross into Oregon. This is one of my all-time favorite, most spectacular, and well-loved place in the entire world.

Good luck to Cucumber Boy, all the 2007 thru-hiker hopefuls, and all the hiking family wherever you are. Thanks for the memories and for keeping us desk-bound folks full of hope!