Greetings from the Rose City

It is good to commiserate with you again, fearless readers.  I have been in Portland, OR for a week and half now, so I'd say it's time to launch a new blog.  I gotta stay connected after all!  Also, I went with this particular title because it was a clever pun.  If anyone is offended by it, I will change it.  I am not Dan Snyder.  I will pay attention to your concerns.

This blog will generally be about the difference in lifestyle between living in Montgomery County, MD near D.C. and Portland, OR.  I've already noticed enough differences to post three or four different entries already.  Anyway, that's the angle.  Also, please note the sidebars.  My intention is to compel you to come and visit me by describing awesome watering holes and hangout spots.  IT'S GOING TO WORK.

This first entry will just be to update you on my travels and my status up to this point.  Consider this a catch-up episode.  Like Game of Thrones last week.

The drive out was the most uneventful road trip I have ever taken.  Lee, who was nice enough to drive out with me and mapped out the entire route, and I hit our time frames perfectly.  We intended to make it to Portland in 3.5 days, and we did it with stops.  We only hit one "snag".  That was when my "maintenance required" light came on.  We pulled into a gas station, looked up how to reset it on youtube, and went on our merry way.  It was a total of a 10 minute delay.  This was our path:

Night 1 - Milwaukee, WI.  I had never been to Milwaukee, and I heard Miller Park, where the Brewers play, was a great ballpark.  It was a great ballpark because it was a rainy night and there was a retractable roof there.  A very laid back environment.  The Brewers were conveniently playing my beloved Orioles.  Had it not been for a crappy bullpen, I may have witnessed a road victory that night.  Also, I ran into a former summer swimming teammate I hadn't seen in a dozen years.  In Milwaukee.  At a baseball game.  Wow.

Night 2 - Rapid City, SD/Mt. Rushmore.  I thought it would be a good idea to see Mt. Rushmore since we were driving across country after Lee initially mentioned it.  Once you hit the Dakotas, the country just becomes a different landscape.  There's more green, more terrain, and just more land.  Once we crossed into South Dakota from Minnesota we really needed gas.  We pulled off on an exit that clearly indicated there would be gas for us.  A quaint little place called Canistota.  It turns out the gas station is five miles away in a town where the inbreds from Hills Have Eyes live.  We were afraid we would run out of gas.  We finally pulled up to civilization - in the form of a Best Western where hookers go to die.  It was another four or five twists and turns until we found the actual town of Canistota.  It was bizarrrrrre, man.  But I will say it was the only place in South Dakota where there were any citizens that spoke in the Bobby's World Dakota accent.  That was the only thing that made it gratifying.  We couldn't get out of there fast enough.  It turned out that 2 miles further was a full service rest stop to fill all our fueling needs.  Oh well.  Anyway, Mt. Rushmore was NOT overrated in my opinion.  I thought it was a cool sight to see.  It's a national landmark, and it's remarkable to see what these people built back in the 1930s.  The museum was very informative as well.  If you like sculptures and/or presidents, I suggest going.  Also, it's a beautiful area.  It'd be worth your time.

Night 3 - Spokane, WA.  The home of the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  The campus itself is on the fringe of the city.  I think that's because it's probably an oasis in an otherwise forgettable city.  It's the only big metropolis in the eastern part of the state.  Okay, I don't actually know that, but according to a map that's what it looks like.  The best part about arriving in Spokane is driving through South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.  I-90 West.  It has to be one of the most scenic routes in the country.  You are driving around, towards, and through mountains.  Trees as far as the eye can see.  And cows.  Lots of cows.  Don't worry, people, there will always be beef.  Driving a scenic route makes the time in the car not nearly as bad.  Anyway, Spokane is only five hours from Portland so it was a perfect perch for the evening.  I'm glad we stayed there because as drab as the city itself was, I ate the best breakfast I have ever eaten at Frank's Diner.  It used to be a train car.  Now it is a majestic food service vessel.

And after a few twists and turns on the beautiful Columbia River, we finally arrived in Portland during rush hour.  Make no mistake the rush hour here is very bad.  It's just usually you are not going all that far to get caught in an hour long traffic jam.  I'm sure I've just doomed myself.  But it was exciting and new and crazy and fun and scary and yada yada yada.  I STILL haven't completely rid this apartment of all my boxes yet (though they are small and not taking up much space).  It's a good thing Janae is here or else I'd probably be an emotional wreck.  So far so good.  I'm inching my way into "fitting in".  Minus the skinny jeans and general hatred for things that are bad for you.  For now I will leave you with that.  It's nice to get back in the swing, wouldn'tcha say?  Until next time, fearless readers.  If you'll excuse me.  I have to go install an HD DVR box.  There are some sacrifices a man refuses to make.

Here are some pictures from the trip:

Inside Miller Park

Roadside attractions in SD

At Mt. Rushmore

A view from a mountain in SD

somewhere in Montana

Along Columbia River