“I want the biggest coldest drink you have.”
So I’m drinking an iced chai, double-fisted with water, while my body temperature comes back to normal, while I eat thick savory potato chips and greens and a grilled cheesy sandwich with tomatoes and artichoke heart, while I listen to nirvana’s mtv unplugged album and hum along to “man who sold the world,” which brings back a time that seems just outside of my memories and Myke, who always reminds me of those days in Portland in the spring of ’93…
And ye gods it’s a gorgeous warm day. Rode from Powell’s out into the industrial zone of NW Portland, to discover that the Lumber Liquidators didn’t even have any cork in for me to look at, then finagled my way back across, somehow, and to be honest I’m not quite sure what the hell route I took, but it was adventuresome rolling, even if I nearly took a tumble in a less-than-even spot where it turned out to be safer to ride in the street than in the abandoned railroad bed.
Bridges, a riverside promenade, and dozens of cyclists; again I have to say that I’m boggled by the volume of cyclists. Finally found a bridge I could figure out how to cross.
The person I was hoping to meet for lunch at Free Geek wasn’t there, but I took the tour. So. much. chaos. Like the FGOly attic, but (a) magnified 1000x and (b) with a discernable underlying order. I don’t have much specific to bring back, only a sense of the possible. (eBay, for example)
On my way up toward the convention center, I found a bike shop that carries townie parts! Got _that_ close to buying a frame pouch, but I don’t think it’ll fit with where my waterbottle is attached. Besides, I want to get panniers or a trunk to go on my new rack. One of the guys at the shop said that they’ve sold quite a few townies, so of course I waxed enthusiastic, with my usual story of “I didn’t know how to ride a bike before this….”
More fancy footwork in continuing north: Portland seems to have a grid, but between the hills, the river, and the freeways, it’s sort of erratic. Cruised along bike lanes and sidewalks fairly interchangeably, with a few forays into street riding. I just don’t know Portland well enough, and I’m not a bold enough rider, to be totally comfortable riding in traffic.
This travelogue brought to you by the fine folks at “J Cafe”:http://www.jcafeportland.com/ where the wifi is free, the power outlet is convenient, and the food is *amazing*. Okay, so I was really hungry, thirsty, and hot, but it’s still super-tasty. Might have to come back for lunch tomorrow, too.