PDX

10/22/08

Today was one of those days that just never seemed to end. And I mean that in a good way.

It took me all of about 30 sec to enter Oregon once I hit the road. I had researched a disc golf course that looked promising over in Pier Park on the west side of Portland. I arrived before it got too congested, which was nice because, being unfamiliar with the layout of the course, I was moving pretty slow. The course was build into a fairly old-growth forest. There were plenty of large, moss-covered trees surrounding me, and some nice elevation changes as well.

I headed back to the van after finishing my 18 holes to discover that the course was getting pretty busy. There was even a street meat vendor that had showed up. I ended up talking to him for a while and after telling him what I had been up to for the past few weeks and where I was headed, he advised me to visit the Breitenbush Hot Springs. He also happened to have a small pro shop with him and as I was in the market for a new driver, I bought one to go along with my Italian Sausage.

Heading back into the downtown area, I pulled up to the Rogue Ales Distillery & Public House. This is my new favorite Bar. They have approximately 40 beers on tap, about 35 of which they brew themselves. I found a seat at the bar and went to work on an Independence Hop Ale. This is a fresh hopped brew made from hops grown by Rogue. It didn’t take long before I was talking to the guy next me about my favorite subject. He was from Florida and happen to be here for a week with the sole purpose of trying as many beers and breweries as possible. As he was nearly finished with his tour of duty, he had more information and good advice than I could possibly digest. This would come in handy tomorrow…

The seat to the left of me had just been occupied by a woman named Rebecca. She didn’t stay for too long, but was kind enough to recommend an entire itinerary for the next few days of my trip. She was also kind enough to give me her card and to call if I had any other questions or problems while I was in the area. West Coast people are really stacking up the brownie points quickly.

After Rebecca left, a couple sat in the two empty seats to my left. Jen and Travis were recently married, and were out on the west coast on their honeymoon. I talk with them for wuite a while. They’re both very friendly and anxious to meet new people. They even invited me to join them over at a concert they were heading to around the corner. A band called The Waybacks was playing and they were both huge fans. They left to go get in line and I stayed for a while debating whether or not to take in the show.

Curiosity would eventually win out, and I headed over to McMenamins Mission Theater to meet up with the newlyweds. Despite the name, this place was also a haven for micro brew fans. The locals seemed to be tending towards the Terminator Stout, so I followed the fold and was not disappointed.

The band was outstanding! While they originated as a bluegrass group, they’ve incorporated folk, country, and rock into their sound and even gave us tastes of classical, jazz, and Cajun to go along with the lightning fast flat-picking, killer fiddle playing and occasional three and four part harmonies. By the end of the night every person in the room seemed to be in the best of moods. This music is not a sound that is common in the Michigan area, but I think they would sell out a venue at The Ark in Ann Arbor.

I started to fade fast after the concert let out. I had said goodbye to Jen and Travis and thanked them for inviting me along to the show. I got back to the van and slept right where it where it was parked – right across from Rogue as you can see from the picture above.