There was a thought of heading west. The conclusion was no. We shall wait a few months. The conversation arose again just before just before the 21- and 14- day advanced flight deadlines would pass. The hemming and hawing began. Yes. No. Maybe. No. For sure no.
Fast forward to a random conversation on a trip with friends. You know I really should go. I didn’t think I needed to go, but I now know it’s time to go. I didn’t hesitate. I just booked the trip. No looking back. Five days to prep. Lots of schedules to adjust. Appointments to reschedule. Favors to call in. Just to do something spectacular. An opportunity that won’t pop up again. Off we went to hit the Pacific Northwest on a whim.
We grabbed a friend for a travel buddy. Freshened up the contents of the suitcases. Scurried onto to the airport. Smiles galore. A notebook full of fun adventures to squeeze in while in the grand state of Oregon. So much exploring on the horizon.
Took in some beautiful river scenery while biking in Eugene, Oregon. Through this experience we learned it’s faster to move around town by bike because you avoid all the one-way roads. The biking options, trails and city-friendly atmosphere is amazing. I thought I enjoyed the Pinellas Trail in Florida however this was even better. If you head out west, definitely take a stop in track town. So many paths to choose. So much to see.
My flight landed in Portland, Oregon where I had a chance to eat a quick bite at Cartopia. An interesting little pod of food providers in the city. Interesting setting. Food was good. Just an overall fun and quirky experience to fit into the trip. The down side of Portland was all the homeless. From tent camps to tents on the sidewalk. There just seemed to be the largest concentration of homelessness I’ve ever witnessed. Sad to see and think about the stories of how each became a street dweller. I will never know however I was curious. I should mention the drive from Portland to Eugene is less than noteworthy. Boring would be the word that seems to describe it best.
The photo above is a glimpse of my AirBnb. A cute 2 bed/2 bath unit set in a residential area. Close to the river. Close to the bike paths. Close to the college: just close to all things relevant for my stay. The vibe was amazing. The history of where the neat pieces inside came from added to its appeal. A cool door from an old barn. Reclaimed wood. Doors that were once windows.
There were even a few extra touches that I didn’t expect. The book on local trails by a teacher at the university. The picture book about the history of roadie life in make shift campers. Just a few oddities to add flavor to the overall experience.
Conveyor belt sushi was fun in town. The patisserie offered a sweet treat one afternoon. An eclectic sandwich shop filled our bellies on bike day. Oddly enough no good steak places were in this town. Without steak we opted for a boat-to-table seafood market restaurant. Definitely a staple in the area as it was always crowded and the food was good. We even went twice!
I can’t cram all of my experiences into one post but I will leave this as where my Pacific Northwest adventures began. If I’m feeling fancy I will write again on my coastal experiences that are on the horizon. And will that I will leave you with an amazing sunset photo from my travels.
2 Chicks and a blog 