Oregon in 48 hours

Portland State was a mixed bag. The school advertises that its the largest in Oregon, but look at the fine print and you’ll discover that more than 2/3’s of their students are part time. Its a massive commuter school that is trying hard to compete with the other research universities in Oregon. From what I can gather they’re only sort of accomplishing this.

After negotiating a grim parking situation I arrived at the small business office housed just outside of downtown Portland. The admissions coordinator whom I had set a meeting with was out sick, so they set up a meeting with two other individuals, who made very clear that they were scrambling to cover for their sick colleague. The plan was simple. They didn’t really have one. We talked and I offered up my concerns about the large disparity in cost now that UO had offered a scholarship. The team quickly responded to this with an offer of a Graduate Assistantship position (They pay my whole tuition and I do 10 hours/week of remedial administrative work - i.e. sit at a desk and study). Not a bad deal.

The rest of the day was pretty straight forward. I crashed an accounting class that was actually fairly impressed. The professor was obviously making an effort to moisten the dry playing field that is corporate accounting. After class we set off on a quick tour of the nearby campus buildings including the brand new Rec center which was decked out with all the essentials and a 30 ft climbing wall that I’m told was designed after Smith Rock. You know, jugs everywhere - just like Smith. I was also treated to lunch at one of the many food stalls that litter Portland’s streets. For five or six bucks one can get a big old plate of just about any ethnic creation imaginable. That’s something to brag about. In the end, Portland State’s real appeal is Portland. Even the school clings to this as their main marketing theme. For some, the thrill and excitement of the city is enough to reel them in.

My plan was to get out of Portland Tuesday evening, but before leaving checked out the theatre I discovered across the street from Clyde Common. The Living Room is one of those new hip spots that sports a full bar and restaurant in the front of the house. Patrons can catch a pre, post or mid film meal at a reasonable price. I arrived during happy hour so was able to enjoy more than one local brew before plopping my crippled ass down on a comfy couch where I mowed into a plate of cured meats and a massive salad, while a hard to find showing of the The North Face lit up the screen. It’s been about 40 years since someone made a decent feature film about climbing, but The North Face might have ended the slump, and yes, I was just as surprised as you are. But think of it this way: It’s in German. It’s about the Eiger. Its a true story. And the ending doesn’t suck. Now, this is no Eiger Sanction (training scenes yes, but no George or Oly so ....?), but the story has some similar twists.

In the few days they had to plan, UO slapped together a full day of class visits, meetings and touring. Also, I had the pleasure of meeting another fine gentlemen who was checking out the program named Sergio. We hit it off right away. Born in Mexico, he’s spent the last few years working for GE as an accountant. With a history of knee problems his love for soccer has been transformed into a cycling addiction. I enjoyed hearing about his adventures riding across most of Europe. After three meetings, two classes, lunch and a short tour of campus an offer to meet up with a number of students and faculty at the local watering hole was one that the two of us weren’t gonna turn down.

Not too surprisingly, the four hours spent drinking at the pub were some of the most productive hours of the day. Yes, the beer was tasty, but the numerous people I was able to chat with gave a great feel for what UO and its business program are all about. We also got some great beta for dinner. Sergio and I were quick to jump on the suggestion to eat at Papa’s Soul Kitchen. Jerk chicken and collard greens? Sold. Of course good food motivated a few more stops, and not too long after midnight both of us were slowing down after a long day on our feet (or foot). As I was organizing all the shit from the day, and idea popped into my head. I did want to spend Thursday exploring the Oregon coast and taking the long way back to Portland. “Why not drive to the coast tonight so I can have the whole day to check things out?” It was only two hours away and I had some leftover coffee.

I arrived at the coast around 3 am and the coffee’s effects were fading fast. Of course it was also dark, and I had no idea where I was, or what the supposed towns up ahead were like. So one can’t really fault me for pulling off the road, parking behind a large bush and attempting to catch some shut eye till the morning. Even if I found one, I sure as shit wasn’t gonna pay $50 for a few hours in a motel.

Well... not five minutes after relaxing into the back seat, I awoke to headlights in my face. Yep. Cops. They hassled me for more than a short while with all the usual late night cop questions. Along the way I learned that I was more or less shredding. Although the previous 100 miles of road were completely remote, not a half mile up the road a small coastal town actually existed. So my park and camp was not much different than pulling off the 154 just outside of Los Olivos. Whoops. I spent the next 45 minutes searching the nearby area for a campground, eventually found it and passed out immediately.

At dawn I awoke, very cold and not exactly energized by the nights sleep.
When I tell me people in Santa Barbara that I’m planning on moving to Oregon, they usually respond with some concern about the “terrible weather” that haunts the Pacific Northwest. Sure, it rains... allot, but after a quarter lifetime’s worth of 72 and clear skies, I’d like to get a taste for real weather. Thursday morning, the Oregon coast did not disappoint. For the entirety of the 250 some odd miles of the 101 I covered on my way back to Portland, I was treated to a showing of at least part of the coast’s potential. Rain, wind and more wind followed by more rain. In fact, during one attempted photo shoot my crutches were literally blown away and I had to hop after them. Hey, at least I wasn’t fighting the crowds at all the good viewpoints.

Back at Portland airport I made an interesting discovery. After crutching my luggage from the rental car return to the check in counter, and being called “a real pain in the ass” by the slightly bitter security check women. I sat down for a pint of beer and a sandwich. My bill: $7.75. At an airport. Fantastic. Turns out this establishment has made a good business out of charging legitimate prices for drinks and food. Next time I’ll arrive the prescribed two hours early.