Most people think of Oregon as totally green and rainy. Not so! Only the regions west of the Cascade Mountains fit that description — most of the state is actually dry, brown desert.
Loren and Suzie had a wonderful wedding in Medford this weekend, which also gave me a chance to see some friends and check out the area. Below is an excerpt from an email I wrote to a friend about Medford: Continue reading »
This is my 4th time in Portland, Oregon, almost spending an entire week here. Everytime I come (at least in summer), I am reminded how much I like this city. Alas, it is imperfect and I am not a large city type of guy, but of the larger metropolitan areas (>500,00 people), this has to rank among my favorites.
At last, here is the full report. Continue reading »
The 10th annual Providence Bridge Ride makes a good counterpart to Portland’s other signature event running that same weekend, Bite of Oregon. This is because both give something of a taste of Portland, if in only a fairly small way. During the Bite of Oregon, one could try out some of the local delicacies here (like scampi), but just as worth going to see was Little Richard, the self-proclaimed “inventor of rock ‘n’ roll” (my friends and I were unconvinced but we certainly enjoyed his show). Similarly, during the Bridge Ride one could ride over up to 10 of Portland’s main bridges and get some great views of the city, but just as worth going for was hanging out with friends and checking out all of the different bicycles. Continue reading »
Take a drive east from Portland through the northernmost part of Oregon and your eyes will be captivated by two geological features that are the most recognizable icons in the entire state: Mt. Hood and the Columbia Gorge River. The former — shaped like an upside-down sugar cone glazed with white powder — towers over ponderosa pine forests, while the latter — maybe a mile wide — rushes downstream towards the heart of America, or at the very least, the center part of Oregon. These two icons define what is the city of Hood River. Continue reading »
As a last stop in the Bend, Oregon area, I stopped by the small town of Sisters. Sisters is 22 miles northwest of Bend, with a population of 1,462 (2005). Now, the tiny number people there alone would make me rule out living there full-time, but it is a cute lil’ town worthy of some impressions. Continue reading »
