Portland Escape | Part One

It's early, and I'm awake. Having gotten my work schedule completely wrong, I showed up at 6am when I don't have to be there until noon. So, I'm taking that as a sign. As though the universe is saying, "Here. Have a few hours and write that damn blog post you've been promising your dad for months now." So, here goes.

While my life here in Seattle involves much less international travel than wonderful Grenoble life, I've still been taking some awesome trips. I spent the week of July 4th down in Portland yet again. I'm starting to think this is a yearly tradition I'd like to maintain.

Going down to Portland means serious time with great friends, damn good food, plenty of drinking, and time with a family that has adopted me as their own. I've definitely found a home away from home in the Rose City.

I spent a whole week in Thea and Al's (you'll remember them from many a post) adorable and super tiny house in NE. Almost every morning, I drank my coffee in Thea's garden, among the poppies and happy little bees, soaking up the morning sun.

If I do say so myself, they've got a pretty awesome home gallery going. With some art by yours truly.

 I arrived in Portland around 10pm and bussed up to their neighborhood. I, seriously misunderstanding some texts (that seems to be a theme lately), walked 15 blocks to the house, just to realize I was meant to meet them at a bar only four blocks from the bus stop. So that was a fun walk. At least it was gorgeous and warm out. There was a birthday happening that I got to join and I had a great time meeting some of Thea's coworkers and friends.

The next morning, while everyone was away at work, I putzed around the house and read. I really needed a day of nothing to do and nowhere to be. Once everyone was back that afternoon, we packed up the car and headed to Mt. Hood National Forest to camp for the night. Our destination was Bagby Hot Springs.

One of my favorite views

We spent the night among massive trees and constantly pestering mosquitoes after hours of fireside hilarity. In the morning we "hiked" to the hot springs. I guess I would call it more a walk or a lazy jaunt along a large, flat trail. The trail followed the weaving Clackamas river, so our walk was accompanied by the sound of the rushing water and gorgeous sights. 

Bagby Hot Springs

Our hot spring timing could have been better- there was a lot of waiting for kids who kept turning on the water to refill the tub they had splashed all the water out of- but it was awesome nonetheless. The tubs were either large and made with planks or smaller (like the one above) and carved out of a single log. And the hot, slightly sulfurous water flowed from the source, steadily making its way to our tub were we sat for hours.

Dillinger Dogs - popular dish of seasoned outlaws and weekend campers alike

 Once we were all warm and snuggly and refreshed, we made our way back to camp and started working on breakfast. What you see above does not look like much but it's actually a fine Al/Thea invention: Dillinger Dogs. Sausage and blueberries in a mess of pancake batter. Deliciously sweet and savory (maple syrup necessary).

Fun camping tidbits:
Thea was the only one who could build a fire in a steady and brisk manner;
Al is really, genuinely scared of bears (like, more so than I realized);
Turning off the flashlight and looking up is probably one of my favorite things to do;
Root beer and whiskey is a fantastic combination and we plan on trying floats of this variety very soon.

Heading in to the forest near sundown 

We got back into town the next day with enough time to unload the car, wash off some of that campfire, and head to a 4th of July party at some friends' house. Food, music, and fireworks combined for a good time somewhere in Portland. We ate too much, danced, and watched the fireworks from the roof. I'm only realizing now that I don't have any pictures from the party, so my words will have to be enough. 

Strawberries from Thea's garden