PORTLAND POTPOURRI

July, 2021

We had the chance to spend time visiting some of the treasures found in Portland – Voodoo Donuts, Hippo Hardware and Powell’s Book Store. But these sights were teasers thought up by our buddies at Atlas Obscura and The McGibbon Tour Guide Company…they failed to tell us that the weird side of Portland was a treasure in and of itself that would keep giving and giving and giving. And they failed to mention too that there were yet some beautiful locations to explore.

Andy and Bax “opened it’s doors in 1945 just after the end of World War II under the original name of “Grand – Hawthorne Surplus” selling wartime surplus, guns, ammo, tarps, rubber life rafts and just about anything one could think of. “In 1956 they began converting old military rubber rafts into white water boats, and during the seventies and eighties helped build the white water rafting scene in the Pacific Northwest.” Today Andy and Bax continues to bring new and used military, white water rafting and camping gear to the greater Portland area (and so tastefully displayed as well!).

Guess a quick donut stop was necessary! Delicious Donuts were indeed delicious, but Voodoo Donut remained a consensus #1 in our hearts and minds and in our bellies. The owner of Delicious Donuts has had a brilliant idea taking left-over day-old donuts and making donut bread pudding – Brian certainly thought it was a great product and most tasty.

Portland is home to Mill Ends Park, which at 452 square inches is thought to be the world’s smallest park and is rumored to be home to Portland’s leprechaun clan. Our search for The Park was for nought – it had been removed for road repairs – certainly most disappointing. However, on 01/22/2022 Mill Ends Park was re-dedicated. This picture was taken by Mick Hangland-Skill/Portland Parks & Recreation at the re-dedication.

Made by Oregonian sculptor Keith Jellum the whimsical statue of an 11-foot salmon swimming through a seafood restaurant can be ironically found on – you guessed it Salmon Street!

Matt Groening is one of Portland’s most famous citizens, and a short distance from Salmon Street he had etched a likeness of Bart Simpson into the concrete near one of the City’s high schools. Due to the construction of a new high school across the street, the etching has been “permanently” removed to a place unknown. Cowabunga!

Like Austin, Texas, Portland abounds with food trucks.

Annually over 3.5 million people visit the City’s 410-acre Washington Park. It is home to the Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, Portland Children’s Museum, Hoyt Arboretum, International Rose Test Garden, and the Portland Japanese Garden. We had the good fortune to visit when the Rose Test Garden was in full bloom. The variety and depth of color was astounding…

The McGibbon Tour Guide Company has a special (familial) connection to the Japanese outdoor supplier Snow Peak… their son, Jason, is a vice-president with the company so a visit to his “home” Portland store was a must. Founded in 1958, Snow Peak is a company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of outdoor-style goods, mainly providing high-end camping supplies and climbing gear, as well as apparel and urban outdoor products, such as garden furniture. All of their outdoor products carry a life-time guarantee! 

The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum is an oddities museum, art gallery, ice cream parlor and gift shop all rolled into one awesome destination. They pride themselves on helping to keep Portland weird.

Leaving the City for the time-being we headed east and found a short hike to the top of Beacon Rock that afforded another view of the spectacular Columbia River Gorge.

Did you know how much Barbara likes apple butter? Nah-neither did Brian until we ran across The Apple Valley Country Store and walked away with a couple of jars of the stuff. Not sure the first jar of apple butter lasted a week. Yeah- it was that good.

And as long as we were in the neighborhood, and of course it was happy hour somewhere, it seemed that a stop at the Wy’east Vineyard was necessary. If you’re ever in the neighborhood or bump into the vineyard’s label pick up a bottle or 2 or 3 of a very fine syrah.

The Dalles is 80 miles or so east of the metropolitan area, and is the largest city along the Oregon side of the Columbia River outside of Portland. The population is near about 16,000 souls, but the downtown maintains that small town feel.,,

But why were we in The Dalles? The National Neon Sign Museum! It is found inside a restored Elks Lodge in downtown The Dalles, and presents a comprehensive history of light and signs. The project is headed up by David Benko, Rocket City Neon, Camas, WA, who has collected more than 10,000 neon signs and related items including catalogs, books, photos, salesman samples and neon-making equipment.

The upstairs floating ballroom is surrounded by a recreated mid-century setup of a downtown area complete with storefronts, historical signage, and window displays.

Barbara had done extensive homework about the number and location of Oregon’s waterfalls. She warned Brian that he might just get tired of the (with apologies to Chris Berman) stumbling, bumbling, tumbling cascading water. On a westbound trip along the Columbia River Highway, and on the way back from The Dalles there are 5 waterfalls easily visited. We had already spent time at Multnomah Falls…

A little of this, a little of that, unusual spots and beautiful scenery. The Portland area and Columbia River Gorge are generous in offering a seemingly unlimited amount of perfectly wonderful adventures. Sure, there may be a major problem with a 6-8 month (really!) rainy season that begins during the fall and ceases its daily watering of city and countryside alike sometime in June or so, but here we are in July and have fallen in serious like with this part of the world.

More to come!

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau