Biking in Portland – Dear Liza

Bike Adventure

Dear Liza,

This past weekend was so warm and sunny, we just needed to get out for a bike ride! Grandpa Nelson didn’t feel like going, but Auntie Bridgett and I picked out a destination, put some air in the tires, and headed out.

We followed a route that was on streets designated as Portland Greenways. These are neighborhood streets with low speed limits and less car traffic, so they are safer and less stressful for nervous bicyclists like me. There was a lot of bike traffic, but it’s not scary!

We rode along in the dappled shade of trees that can be a hundred years old, enjoying the sight and smell of roses as we zipped along.

And in just two and a half miles, we found ourselves at Rain or Shine Coffee, on the shoulder of our local volcano, Mt. Tabor. We weren’t even out of breath!

I knew right away we would like the place… their bike racks are made out of old bike frames! Thematic recycling is very cool, quirky and welcoming.

Inside, we found art that had so many pop culture references that my head was dancing. Beetlejuice, He-man, Star Trek, they were all there, like old friends.

And the treats were yummy.

Bridgett had a gluten free bagel with cream cheese and coffee. I enjoyed a Marionberry empanada and a cold Kambucha.

While we were eating, we enjoyed watching folks, their dogs, and their skateboards come and go. It was busy, but not crowded. A perfect spot to enjoy some Portland spirit.

We rode back on a different set of quiet streets and got home in time to watch the Giants game. (They can’t always win…)

Love,

Grandma Judy

Tom, Dot’s and la Fete de la Bastille

Dear Liza,

As I said before, Summer days are incredibly busy here in Portland.

This past Saturday we went all over town! First, I watered my growing veggies and pulled out the under-performing radishes. I will plant some carrots in that spot this week and hope for better things.

Then we rode our bikes down to the Clinton neighborhood for brunch with our dear friend Tom! He and I taught together for about 15 years at University Park, and in moving to Portland, I accidentally moved to his hometown. Though he lives mostly in New Mexico now, he still has a house here.

We met him at Dot’s, about two miles from our place. It is a neighborhood classic, but we have never been there. It was delightful! Bright outdoor seating, wacky 1960s indoor decor, friendly service and tasty food all made for a great time.

After we ate, we headed down to Auntie Katie’s Books with Pictures to show Tom the ’new’ shop. Tom has known Katie since she was five years old, and was happy to see her being so successful!

We talked, bought some books, and then all headed off in our own directions.

We had to get to Jameson Square in northwest Portland, where the Bastille Day celebration was on. It was smaller than the previous ‘Fete’ (French for Festival) in 2019. Like everything else, it is still coming back after being shuttered for two years due to Covid.

But the fountain was there, full of happy kids. The wine and Cognac were there, delicious and cold. Beautiful handmade clothes were offered by June, and hung in the shade, allowing us all to feel rich and pretty.

And the music was there, delightful French tunes sung to the accompaniment of an accordion. We sat and listened until the music ended, then caught the bus home.

The day ended with the Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski hitting a walk-off Grand Slam to beat the Brewers! Hooray! And then off to bed.

Love,

Grandma Judy

First Bicycle Adventure of the Year

Dear Liza,

With warm and sunny weather in the forecast, it was only a matter of time before someone said, “We should go out for a bike ride.” This year, it was Auntie Bridgett.

So we did! There was some time spent pumping up tires and untangling bungee cords, but very soon we were off! Grandpa Nelson and Bridgett wore shorts, but I don’t own any! I wore jeans.

We decided to stay on “Greenways”, which are regular streets, but designated as “Bikes have the right of way”, and on special bikes-only paths. This means we didn’t have to worry about getting run over by cars. Always a good thing.

We headed down 34th to the Clinton neighborhood. I thought we were going for ice cream, but we kept going and going. We crossed the railroad tracks using the overpass, and the elevator was surprisingly working! It was very cool.

Not so surprisingly, we found ourselves at Grandpa Nelson’s favorite place : The Tilikum Bridge.

We hopped off the bikes and enjoyed the views of the river right below us and Mount Hood, covered in snow almost a hundred miles away. We were being watched over by a light fixture that looks like something from Star Wars.

But we were feeling the miles and the sun, and decided to head back towards home and find some nourishment. We found another branch of Broder, the Scandinavian restaurant we have enjoyed in the Mississippi neighborhood. Not needing lunch but desperate for sugar and hydration, we ordered ableskivers, lemonade, and cucumber soda. What a treat!

Ableskivers are a Danish speciality, round-like-the-globe doughnutty pieces of fabulousness, and are served with lemon curd and lingonberry jam. We stuffed ourselves and slurped the sweet sodas. It was wonderful.

Eventually, though, we did need to start back. I was dreading going back up the hill, but once I figured out my gearshift ( I have to re-learn it every year) I was fine.

We pulled in, parked the bikes, drank more water, and pretty much crashed. We had only done four miles, but with muscles that hadn’t been used in more than two years.

We will get out for another ride soon, I hope!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Home Again, Home Again…

Dear Liza,

It was really warm the day Grandpa Nelson and I walked to Mt. Tabor. The grass in the park was golden brown from our unusually dry summer. Even the breeze felt more Southern Californian than Southern Portland.

California-golden grass And Grandpa Nelson

We enjoyed watching the people come and go. The cinder cone that is Mt. Tabor is a favorite for hikers and bikers looking for an in-town challenge. They are resolute going up and joyous coming down.

Not everyone is equally enthusiastic, however. One young fellow who was cycling with his mom kept up a steady stream of complaints as he rode up the hill. “Mom, you said we were just going to the park!” … “Mom, I don’t want to go all the way up!” … “Mom…” But Mom wisely kept riding and eventually he followed her up.

It was hot and dry, but the Pacific Northwest is where I developed my love of moss and lichen, and I was not disappointed. I wandered into some usually- shady spots and found several kinds of lichen flourishing on pine branches. The scaly bits will wait patiently until the rains return.

Once we had caught our breath, we headed down the hill for hot dogs and fries at Zach’s Shack. A sparsely populated, shady patio and a Chicago dog put me right again, with the thirteen eyes of the weird mural watching over us.

Heading home we found new garden delights. Someone has created this hand-hammered, pomegranate shaped metal fire pit and placed it among blackberries and roses. I imagine it is wonderful on chilly September evenings, glowing in the greenery.

And just a few blocks from home, we found this carefully tended tunnel of bushes and vines, making a cool passage on the by-now really hot afternoon. We appreciated it and headed home for water and a rest.

Five and a quarter miles, and well worth the sweat!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Going to the Circus!

Dear Liza,

Here in Portland, lots of people use their bicycles more than cars to get around town. Since the move, our bikes have been buried in the very-full garage, but yesterday, Grandpa Nelson and I unburied them, got the tires pumped up, and rode two miles to see Cousin Jasper and Cousin Kestrel be in a circus.

The ride was fun and not scary because we rode on the “bike throughway” on 29th, then turned onto Salmon. We only had to cross one busy street and most cars stopped when they saw us. I hadn’t ridden that far in years, but I was comfortable.

The circus was at an old church that has been turned into a public arts venue called Taborspace. There are lots of summer camps, classes and other activities there. It sits on the side of Mount Tabor, an extinct volcano right here in town, so the bike ride had some serious uphill the end, but when I got tired, I just got off and pushed my bike to the top.

The circus was the final day of Circus Cascadia summer camp. It is a not for profit group that teaches kids self-confidence, skills, cooperation and fun! Under a real circus tent out of the hot sun, we sat on bright red benches. There were about 12 kids in the camp, from six year old cousin Kestrel to thirteen year old Milo, who had been in the camp before and knew lots of skills.

Cousin Jasper being a clown

Lots of parents, grandparents and friends came to see the show. The ringmaster was Paul, a very funny and patient man from England. He gave directions for what the performers should do next. We watched as they performed on Chinese stilts with ribbons, rings, and flower sticks, juggling, tossing, balancing and (sometimes) dropping things. The best thing I heard all day was Lizzy, one of Paul’s assistants, yell “Celebrate your drops! They are your friends!” The focus on the positive and improving as you went along was just wonderful to see.

They also did acrobatics, balancing on a big ball, and balancing on each other to make pyramids. At last there were clown acts, where the kids would do skits they had practiced. If they got it wrong, they didn’t give up but did it again, even a few more times, and we got to see them improve.

Cousin Kestrel on a pyramid

At the end of the circus I got to visit with some of the folks and give cookies to Jasper and Kestrel. Then we rode home. It sure was easier coming down the mountain than going up!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Klickitat Street

Dear Liza,

The other day I told you about our busy day at Pip’s Doughnuts, IKEA and Costco. There was another exciting part of that day. We drove down Klickitat Street!

I know you haven’t read them yet, but there is a wonderful series of books by Beverly Cleary that all happen on Klickitat Street. Henry Huggins, his dog Ribsy and neighbors Beezus and Ramona Quimby have lots of adventures. For many years I didn’t know that it was a real street in a real place, but it sure is!

Beverly Cleary herself grew up in this northeast section of Portland, on 37th Street just down a bit. She was labeled a low reader in first grade, and as she said, “To be in the Blackbird group was to be disgraced.” Her own school librarian encouraged her and she had caught up by third grade, and was told by her sixth grade teacher that she should be an author. Mrs. Cleary grew up to be a children’s librarian who was frustrated because there weren’t enough books that really interested children. She began writing and published her first book, “Henry Huggins”, in 1950. That is six years before I was even born!

Beverly Cleary used her own childhood as a model for her stories, which deal with the everyday joys and dilemmas of childhood. They are funny for children and adults and feel very real in their approach to family life. She liked the name Klickitat because it reminded her of the sound of knitting needles.

Today, Klickitat Street is still in the middle of a pretty part of the city, a neighborhood called Roseway, far enough out from Downtown to be quiet but still very busy. The street is one of the most heavily used of the “Bicycle Throughways” in Portland, roads that are signed for bikes and where car traffic is discouraged. These throughways make biking much safer and more fun.

Today I have been writing letters to friends, reading one of my favorite books, Robert Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land”, and listening to the crows. This afternoon Grandpa Nelson and I will ride our bikes to see cousins Jasper and Kestrel be in a circus from their summer camp. I am sure enjoying life up here in Portland!

Love,

Grandma Judy