Sunday 17 June 2018 – Portland

We had a gigantic breakfast at Mother’ which was very popular because of Father’s Day. Great place for a full breakfast.

Then on to the Portland Pride Parade. It was a happening! There were various corporate supporters like Intel and Alaska Airlines plus assorted local groups. And as expected, hecklers. The prominent ones where we were standing were calling themselves Christian, but certainly not representing what we know as Christian values. They were way outnumbered. 

Sign says: Intel Celebrates What’s Inside

The parade marshal at our corner                                              

Hecklers 

To get to Washington Park and our next adventure we tried Uber for the first time and it worked well. We toured the Pittock Mansion, a 1914 house built by Henry Pittock, a Portland publisher. A great view of the city and the latest technological gadgets – thermostats in each room, telephone and electric lights.

Great views from Pittock Mansion

It was possible to hike from the mansion to the International Rose Garden. Besides tons of every type of rose you could think of, they smelled like roses. Not sure what it was, but roses we buy in Tucson look good, but certainly don’t have much aroma.

We figured out the various forms of public transport and used it to get back from the Park on the outskirts of town to Powell’s Book Store and back to our hotel.

Thai at E-San Thai Cuisine was as good or better than Bai Thong.

Saturday 16 June 2018 – Portland

The day started out chilly, cloudy, but soon turned sunny. Our morning destination was the “Saturday Market” near Skidmore Fountain. Breakfast on the way was at Voodoo Doughnuts – lines out the door! I felt guilty the rest of the day. The Market spread towards the waterfront and had some clever/interesting local wood crafts. Otherwise, pretty much the usual stuff.

The main event for the day was a bike tour of the downtown area by Pedal Bicycle Tours. Kirin, our guide, did a nice job, but 13 people in the group was a little too much. We had a few sprinkles, but it was mostly sunny. We learned about the origins of the city on the banks of the Willamette River. Lewis and Clark’s expedition was key to establishing the route and the potential of the area. Two of the founders flipped a coin to decide on the name of the city based on their original hometowns. The guy from Portland, Maine won.

New pedestrian, bike and tram bridge

 No lunch after the doughnuts, but we splurged for dinner at Jake’s Famous Crawfish Restaurant. It features mostly local seafood and old fashioned décor and well-seasoned waiters. Lauve had a shrimp dish, me the steelhead trout – delicious! We topped it off with one piece of tasty, crunchy Upside Down Walnut Apple Pie – yum.

Friday 15 June 2018 – Bend to Portland via Eugene

We visited old friends and principals, Alan and Hanna Scholz, at Bike Friday in Eugene. We got to renew old friendships from 18 years ago when I worked there for the winter of 1999 – 2000. We got a factory tour and to test ride the pakIT model that our friend, Gwen Hyatt, is considering. We think it would be perfect for her planned use as long as she has the 4-speed hub and carbon belt drive.

Then we drove to Portland where we are staying at the AC Marriott downtown. We had dinner with Katie and Chuck, old friends of Lauve’s, at Mother’s Bistro – comfort food.

Some great architecture in Old Town Portland

Katie and Chuck with Burnside Bridge backdrop

Thursday 14 June 2018

Tumalo Falls, directions?

Still Bend - We hiked the popular Tumalo Falls trail just east of Bend. It starts at beautiful falls and goes up past several other falls 4 miles to Hidden Valley at about 7000 ft. It is mostly in the woods, but always near Tumalo Creek. 

Relaxing at another falls on the way

Snow at upper parts

Forest Art

Dinner tonight at the hotel restaurant with our “twofer” ticket. Food’s actually pretty good. Then pack for the trip to Portland tomorrow.

Wednesday 13 June 2018

Bend exploration. We did the Deschutes River path from our hotel to downtown Bend – about 7 miles round trip. The center of town is basically two streets – Wall and Bond. There was a nice variety of shops. Lauve bought a necklace of Czech glass beads – blue, of course. We got a cookie at a farmers’ market in the afternoon and headed back to the hotel for R&R before cocktails overlooking the Deschutes and dinner at Spork – used to be a popular food truck.

Deschutes River

Bottoms Up - Canada geese

Flowers everywhere in parks on the path

Monday 11 June 2018

We drove an hour north to visit Priscilla’s friends Dave and Annie who have rented a cottage on Payette River for the Summer. Dave lead us on a 4-mile hike through the woods before we ate our picnic lunch on their deck overlooking the river. Bald eagle and deer spotted from deck.

Dave & Annie's Cabin

Meadow on the hike

Lunch view

We had happy hour at Priscilla with her friends Linda, Babette and John. They were engaging and had a wide range of experiences and interests. Linda and Babette had spent time in Tucson. Linda was caring for her 90+ year old father. Priscilla has a supportive social network. 

Boise street art

Idaho Capitol

Tuesday 12 June 2018.

We picked up our rental car and made the 6-hour drive to Bend stopping in Burns, OR for lunch – a cute little town in the middle of the prairie on the way. 

Broadway in Burns, OR

Our room at the Riverhouse Inn in Bend overlooks the Deschutes River. Bend is at the eastern base of the Cascade mountains at 4000 feet elevation with a semi-Alpine feel. 

We went to Tucson friends, Kent Jacobs and Cyndy Wicker’s house for cocktails before dinner at Wild Rose, a Thai restaurant – still can’t beat Bai Thong in Tucson. Their place and the setting reminds us of the country club in Pinetop, AZ.

Great gelato shop in Bend

10 June 2018 – Boise

Lauve has been in Boise for a week with her “Wild Women” group and following that I came to Boise to join her for our trip in the Northwest. We are staying with Priscilla, Susie’s sister, who has lived here for 10 years. Today she took us on the Upper Hull's Gulch trail, an ~8-mile hike in the hills just behind her house. Grass was high. Nice to see green! Priscilla found a tick when we got home. Lauve and I were tick-free.

Lauve and Priscilla on the Hull's Gulch Trail

Syringa

We had dinner at home - steelhead trout (looks like salmon) from the Coop.

 

Priscilla's front yard flower garden

On our walk to lunch - "Where's your daddy?"

Saturday 2 June 2018

Wedding Day – Hot and humid, but sunny till the wedding was over. Rain started for the reception.

Lisa Lin and Polly

Jeremiah and parents, Ben & Lisa

Allan and Gavin Faulkner, Fitch Henry

Groom and groomsmen

Bride's maids

After the ceremony cake and punch were served at the church. There must have been 200 people!

 

The reception buffet dinner for a smaller group (~150) was at Mercy Hill Church, Phil’s church. The menu included roasted chicken, mac & cheese, cucumber salad, corn on the cob and rolls. Dessert was smores with the marshmallows roasted over sterno. Everything was delicious.

Very touching and heartfelt toasts were given by Phil, Maggie (maid of honor) and Jeremiah’s best man. All the Lin family members are very musically talented. Jeremiah played the guitar and sang a touching love song to Lydia. Dance music was by a DJ. The party ended around 10. The reception space needed to be reconfigured for church in the morning.

Friday 1 June 2018

The whole family pitched in to finish decorating Mercy Hill Church for the reception dinner on Saturday. It was a budget event, but decorations looked very special. The wedding will be on Saturday at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cherry Hill, NJ where the Henry kid’s youth group meets. While both Jeremiah and Lydia’s dads are pastors, the ceremony will be performed by Pastor Mike who lead some Summer camps the wedding couple attended.

Julia, Lauve, Gavin at Covenant

The rehearsal and dinner were at Covenant.  As the couple rehearsed their vows, they were Hans and Leah Solo so they wouldn't be married at the rehearsal! Ben and Lisa Lin, the groom’s parents, hosted the dinner. They are Taiwanese descendants, so the catered buffet was Chinese – imagine that! Everything was tasty. It was a good chance to get to know the Lin side of the new family. There are quite a few more guests on the Lin side than the Henry side.

Phil and Lydia rehearsing