Portland

Thursday, July 10

The Coast Starlight at Chemult, Oregon

It’s a long way from Crater Lake to Portland.   We didn’t measure the miles, but we seemed to average about 40 mpg when we bought gasoline yesterday morning on the eastern side of the mountains, in the village of Chemult, where trains actually do stop for people to get off to go hiking or to the national park.   The train that stopped while we were there goes north to Portland and Seattle and comes up from LA.  One a day.  Quite a train, though.

From there we moved through the mountains, stopping to picnic on the banks of Lake Odell with Diamond Mountain in the distance.   Very pretty place to sit and nibble a banana with yoghurt.

From there we managed to find a lovely little coffee shack in Oakridge, where the barrista said she enjoyed making Ben’s coffee—the first time she had ever done it! She and Ben were having such a good time that she forgot to collect the $3.25 for the cappuccino and when Ben realized this, after we had driven several blocks, we turned around to pay her.  

And to Eugene, and I-5.  It’s the West Coast version of I-95 and it’s worse.   It’s narrow with only two lanes per side, with very heavy truck traffic.  Fortunately there are very few reckless drivers in Oregon and no one speeds!   We got off for a few minutes to visit Ben’s favorite XXX-dry coffee shop in Salem, the Ike Box where we stopped on the way south.   And then to Portland.

Herron Haus, Portland

We are staying at the Heron Haus, a 1902 mansion on the side of a hill overlooking the city.   It’s very grand and very comfortable.   Dormered rooms, parquet floors, interesting owner, a very comfy bed.   The gardens are exquisite.  

It’s within walking distance of a neighborhood loaded with restaurants, nightlife and interesting little shops.  It’s also walking distance to the city street car system.   We will use that today.

We dined outside at a sidewalk café, Café Mingo, an Italian place.   We thoroughly enjoyed our dinners and a lovely Chehalem Vineyard 2011 Pinot Noir.   John started with a smoked trout, grapefruit and butter lettuce salad and followed it with a lovely piece of Italian sausage, spicy sautéed spinach and polenta.   Ben began with crepelle stuffed with shiitake and two or three other kinds of mushrooms over arugula and sprinkled with parmesan, and followed it with a grilled chicken breast on a summer salad of spices, baby tomatoes and cucumbers mixed with cold rice.   Very lovely evening.