Portland Introduction and Trip Background

Portland, Oregon, lives in Multnomah County, a tiny sliver of habitation along the Columbia River to the north and her tributaries that flow through town. North of the Columbia is Washington State, and it wasn't until a few years ago I realized how far north Portland was in the whole scheme of the geography of Oregon.

Portland is the largest city in Oregon, and one of the three major cities in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Vancouver, BC being the other two).

When I was a kid I remember a Clyde Drexler and his black and red uniform with the cool logo design, a logo I couldn't comprehend what it was exactly, but I liked it nonetheless. This was the Portland Trailblazers, the city's lone major professional team, an NBA franchise. The Timbers are the city's soccer team, and the following is wild and fanatic. Someday American pro-soccer will reach an internationally competitive and respectable level, and the Pacific Northwest hotbed will get the recognition it deserves as one of America's centers for soccer interest.

A while back Corrie was thinking of a cool place for us to meet with Tony. Both Tony and I (along with many of our friends) were having a special birthday this year (thirty-five), and since our birthdays are so close together, she thought it would be cool to go out  of town and meet up for a birthday bash.

She chose Portland for a few reasons. One: we've been wanting to visit it for a while; two: it was far enough that most everyone would have to sacrifice, but not too far that the sacrifice would be too painful; and three: there is plenty of adult-style playing available there---basketball games, liquor tasting, beer testing, etc...

The mix of people who made it was very cool. Tony flew in from Louisiana; Audrey from Austin. Lauren and Ruben, our Long Beach friends flew in from the LBC, like us missing the Grand Prix in the process,, and they had friends drive down from Seattle. We too, had people drive down from Seattle: my cousin Mike and our friends Nick and Joe, themselves originally from Upstate New York.

Our dinner on Friday at the fancy place called the Park Kitchen was lively and big.

There are a few things about Portland that should be addressed:

1. There is no sales tax in Oregon, so they nickel and dime many other places.
2. Portland calls itself the "Rose City", and roses make up a significant amount of images in the periphery or centrally in many logos and street signs.
3. The "Faces of Meth" web site---the site dedicated to educating the masses about the horrors of meth-amphetamine through multimedia, with the most popular feature being the progression, through mugshots, of how destructive meth is---was originated and still administered by the Multnomah County Sheriff Department, and centered around meth abuse in Portland.
4. Meth abuse is still visible and rampant in Portland.
5. Portland is very white. 
6. The drive from Portland to Seattle is shorter than the drive from LA to San Luis Obispo.

There will be other things I'll discuss in passing that could have made this list. 

Moving along...