July 7, 2023 to July 8, 2023
Thirty-five!
Friday
We’re fast running down our four week stay in Portland. With the stressful passport renewal ordeal behind us (hopefully!), we’re entering a shutdown mode. Today it’s a last coffee date with Bruce, dinner with Elizabeth, and a bit of exercise. For Rachael, ‘a bit of exercise’ translates as a 48 mile ride out to Oregon City, which will leave her wondering afterwards why she’s feeling tired and achy. 48 seems to be Rocky’s new magic number, and today is the third time in the last week she’s ridden that far.
For myself, a bit of exercise begins with the ride over to Clinton Street to meet Bruce. It’s overcast and cooler this morning, and feels refreshing as I bike south along the waterfront to Tilikum Crossing. Along the way I’m surprised to find another new bike path I haven’t seen before, connecting Tom McCall Park with Tilikum Crossing, following right along the water on grounds recently opened by the former Zidell Yards. It’s still pretty bare and drab, but I’m sure will blossom into a fine addition to the riverfront scene within a few years.
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Afterwards, I hop on the Rodriguez and head north to the Columbia Slough, thinking I’ll take one last chance at seeing the cliff swallows that nest under the footbridge there. No cliff swallows and no new species today, so that’s a disappointment. The bald eagle makes it worth the trip out though, and conditions are excellent - it must be almost 15 degrees cooler than yesterday.
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Anniversary date
Thirty-five years ago Rachael and I shared our vows in a simple ceremony before a JP while our friends the Farriers stood up for us, with Shawn standing beside. Afterwards we all retired to Geppetto’s on Lancaster Drive for a Chicago style deep-dish pizza and then Shawn, my new bride and I drove up Santiam Pass for a backpacking overnight at Duffy Lake at the foot of Mount Jefferson.
Thinking back now, I get mixed up on what our ‘real’ honeymoon was. I think it was a four night bike tour in the San Juan Islands we took a few weeks later, the newlyweds memorably spending one of their honeymoon nights in a tugboat in the bay at the foot of Mount Constitution, which we climbed the next day. The tugboat was a poor choice under the circumstances, since our cramped cabin included a narrow, single-person bunk bed. We did our best, hauling the two mattresses down to the floor and cramming them together so we could sleep next to each other.
Or it could have been our excursion to Stehekin up in the North Cascades, which happened at about the same time. If you’re familiar with Stehekin, it’s up at the north end of long, finger-like Lake Chelan. We got there by riding the ferry, the Lady of the Lake, which we caught at the ferry landing in Chelan at the south end of the lake, reaching it after a very long after-work drive up from Salem. We arrived well after dark, and crammed ourselves into the back of Rachael’s Ford Escort hatchback to sleep until the morning departure. Sometime in the middle of the night we were awakened by the flashlight of a security officer checking in on us, but fortunately he let us stay and get a few more hours of fitful rest. Again though, not an ideal way for newlyweds to pass one of their first nights.
And Rachael reminds me of a highlight of our stay in Stehekin - I forgot my glasses about two miles up the mountain on an afternoon hike. We didn’t realize this until we were back at our cabin, and immediately rushed back up the slope to find them. We did, but it was nearly dark by the time we made it back.
So this has been going on a long time. I should have been keeping a log of lost glasses episodes, but it’s surely in the double figures by now.
On the one hand, it’s so hard to believe it’s really been 35 years. On the other hand though of course it’s been so long, as we look back on at all the adventures and travels we’ve shared together. I’m such a lucky man.
We celebrate in the best way possible: with a 44 mile ride out to the Troutdale Airport and back followed by a light Italian dinner sitting outdoors at Via Delizia, and closed out with a live music concert in an intimate outdoor setting.
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https://gonefroggin.com/2020/01/30/pacific-tree-frog-pseudacris-regilla/
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Today's ride: 74 miles (119 km)
Total: 581 miles (935 km)
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