Hip

After a successful stint of  “urban camping” in Seattle, we decided to see if Portland would be equally hospitable.  Early Monday morning we drove downtown and found a parking lot close to a great coffee shop (Stumptown Coffee), the best deal of a burrito (kiosk on the corner – Bean & Cheese – $2.99)  and the best doughnuts (Voodoo Doughnuts – “The Magic is in the Hole”)  in town.  This would be a fine place to park Frank for a few days.

When we asked the parking lot attendant if he minded if we stayed overnight, he immediately welcomed us.  After some fare negotiation, he directed us to the corner of the lot.  We didn’t realize the commitment we’d made.  This parking lot wasn’t usual.  By 10 am we surrounded by cars in every direction.  There was no question that we’d be staying the night.  We weren’t going anywhere.

No Way Out

With Frank temporarily out of commission, we toured the town using the preferred mode of transportation – bikes.  Portland truly earns it’s nickname of “Friendliest Bike City in the World”.  Bike lanes are everywhere, even on the narrowest of streets.

Bike Friendly Portlan

With living quarters and transportation figured out, we decided the best way to see the Best of Portland was to turn to Lonely Planet.  In one of our many guidebooks that have served us well throughout the Pacific Northwest, we had a tour called “48 Hours in Portland”.  It was our mission to hit as many sights as we could while still working throughout the day.

Our first introduction to the city was a trip to Stumptown Coffee.  Here we discovered the Hipster phenomenon. According to UrbanDictionary.com, hipsters are:

A subculture of men and women typically in their 20’s and 30’s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.

In addition to bike lanes and beer, Portland is known for its Hipsters.  And Hipsters like Stumptown Coffee.   We spent our first day in the city working and people watching (and eating Voodoo doughnuts of course).  It was fascinating.

That evening it was time to experience another side of Portland, its many bridges.  According to Lonely Planet, “if you understand Portland’s 8 bridges, you understand Portland”.  Well, we decided, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but we had to admit when you walk out over the Willamette River on the Morrison Bridge, it is indeed beautiful.

Willamette River and Portland Bridges

After a restful night in our downtown digs, we moved to the East Side of town to meet our friend Casey and his girlfriend Katelyn.  We hadn’t seen Casey since a 8 day trip down Cataract Canyon 3 years earlier, but it was easy to catch up.  After a few local pints at the (hip) Gold Dust Meridian, it was time to experience another phenomenon that Portland is famous for.  The strip clubs.  Again Lonely Planet assured us that these were no ordinary strip clubs.   In Portland it’s as normal to go to a club with a date and get a great steak as it is to go to the movies.   Casey led the way and we got a tour of Portland’s finest tasteful edgy entertainment.

Union Jack's, Lonely Planet's Highest Rated Strip Club

Both life and Lonely Planet advocate balance.  Our next Portland night was spent seeing an entirely different side of the city.  In the hills, surrounded by forest, lies a very unique church.  The Grotto is a Catholic shrine and botanical garden which exudes serenity.  Despite it’s location in the middle of East Portland, it is a peaceful retreat from the city.

The Grotto

After the sunset at the Grotto, we ventured to another Portland landmark – the Bagdad Theater. It’s a classic old school grand Hollywood theater with a beautiful balcony, mosaics on the ceilings and true to Portland style, Pizza and Beer served while you enjoy your movie. We settled into the recliner seats with slices and pints for Dinner with Schmucks.  Now this is living.

Dinner and a Movie at the Bagdad Theater

Saturday was a big day for us in Portland.  While we’d been touring the town, Tim had also been doing research.  In a town as bike friendly as Portland, we knew there would be some great bike shops.  This was the place to find his new ride.  He test rode bike after bike, but none were exactly right.  It wasn’t until we ran an errand to REI that it all clicked.

For those who know REI, you know that it’s the place to get awesome clothes, terrific camping and outdoor gear, climbing paraphernalia, and countless other items.  But high end mountain bikes are not it’s specialty.  That is why we were shocked to walk into REI in Tigard and see a $5,000 dual suspension Ellsworth gleaming on a bike stand.  What was even more shocking was to see it marked 40% off.   Apparently someone had special ordered two of the bikes not knowing which size would be right.  He returned one and 9 months later it still remained unsold.

It was love at first sight.

Tim took it for a test spin.  It was the best fitting bike he’d ever ridden and Saturday September 25th, 2010, he became a mountain biker again.  We celebrated with a trip back to town and of course, a ride.  We rode up to Portland’s Forest Park, the largest city park in the US.  Though no single track, the miles of rolling gravel pathways were just enough to bring Mrs. Ellsworth into the family.

Ellsworth Evolve 29'er

Our final Portland “must-do” was a trip to the Saturday Market where hundreds of vendors sell arts and crafts along the waterfront.  We found a great shop which sold jewelry made from bicycle bits.  We couldn’t help ourselves and bought some thank you gifts for the friends who had treated us so well on this trip.  It was a terrific send off from this very hip town.

Capitalism is alive and well