Zoom, zoom - An American Summer, 2023 - CycleBlaze

July 2, 2023

Zoom, zoom

Hooray!  A normal, mundane day with no drama to speak of.  We both needed that.  Before yesterday’s foobar fiasco, Rachael and I had planned to get up early, take a ride together in the foothills somewhere, and end up on the south waterfront for lunch.  Today though I’m just not into it and need a snoozer so she zooms off on another 48 miler out to Chinook Landing, and I enjoy a lazy cruise along the Willamette with the new zoom camera hoping to add something new to the bird list.  I’d better get going on that one - at the slow rate I’m progressing I won’t break 200.

A late photo, taken in Sellwood when we drove over to pick up the bicycles. I kept Rachael standing around in the hot sun while I shot it, so I might as well paste it in.
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Crossing the Hawthorne Bridge, I pause to check out the Blues Festival that just started today. Not much of a crowd yet, but then the place is still warming up.
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Rich FrasierSerious homesickness now. You're torturing me!
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierThat was pretty insensitive, alright. We’ll post some photos of tent camps soon, which should help.
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1 year ago
So is every day going to look like this here now?
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Keith AdamsIf I remember right last year May and June were wet, wet, wet and then about 3/4 of the way through June poof! just like someone had flipped a switch the clouds disappeared and it was clear and dry for quite a while. I was the beneficiary of the change, having set off on 2 July for my abortive trip home.
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1 year ago
The Ross Island cement plant has been shut down for several years now and is gradually wasting away. I wonder if we’ll see this turn green in my lifetime.
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Not green yet, but definitely getting more colorful.
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There’s a profusion of northwest native inspired art work on the pillars here, some of pretty high quality like this one. I know that’s a raven at the bottom, but what about the top figure - a sculpin?
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Frustrating that I have to relearn every summer that this is spirea.
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Patrick O'HaraAlso known as hardhack!
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Patrick O'HaraHardhack! I’ve never heard that. What an odd name.
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1 year ago
I find the usual suspects clustered around the tadpole pond at Oaks Bottom, but nothing new today. This is likely the same downy woodpecker I spotted here in February.
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Also spotted: this spotted towhee.
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#162: Glaucous-winged gull. At least I think it’s that and not a Western.
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Bill ShaneyfeltGulls... galls me trying to figure out the minuscule differences...
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1 year ago
There’s an odd exotic animal clustering at the corner of 17th and Upshur. On the south side, a gorilla keeps an eye on the traffic.
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And on the opposite side of the street a wall-sized bighorn sheep looks on.
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We enjoy a pleasant outdoor meal at El Toro, celebrating the fact that I haven’t lost my glasses or wallet recently.
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Steve Miller/GrampiesYes, the glasses are right there!
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1 year ago
As promised, here’s a look at Rachael’s new favorite dish: pistachio chicken enchiladas.
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Bill Shaneyfelt... Interesting visual...
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1 year ago
ann and steve maher-wearyLove to know how the pistachio sauce is made.
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo ann and steve maher-wearyTheir website just describes it as a pistachio mole verde, so presumably it’s some secret family recipe starting with pistachios and green moles.
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1 year ago

____________________

2023 Bird List

     162.  Glaucous-winged gull

Today's ride: 23 miles (37 km)
Total: 465 miles (748 km)

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