Finally, Summer!

Taken on 07/05/12

One of the biggest culture shocks I encountered after moving to the Portland area was that summer typically begins on July 5. Ask anyone on the street what the first day of summer is and July 5 is what they will invariably say. Granted, there are usually a few days here and there of full fledged sun before that, but no one counts on a clear weather forecast for more than a day or two until some time in July (and even then there can be an unpleasant surprise or two). However, this year is living up to the norm and summer is here.

When the sun comes out, so does Portland in all its pasty splendor. Everyone comes creeping out of their homes, eyes all squinty, wondering what that great shiny orb is in the sky giving off something that feels very much like heat. Oh yes, we all say, I remember seeing something very much like that about nine months  ago. I can't remember exactly what it's called but it starts with an "s." You may think I'm kidding but after about eight months of mostly cloudy skies (ever notice how weather forecasters go with partly sunny instead of mostly cloudy?) and a fair amount of rain, everyone in town wants to be outside as much as possible.

Fortunately, today was no exception to the sunshine rule and most of the city was out and about enjoying mostly sunny weather, although a few clouds did creep in, for much of the day. It was a perfect day for a walk along the Willamette River. There's a lovely river walk in Portland that can be reached on either the west or east side and makes a fairly decent loop and includes a walk on top of or below a bridge or two. 


At Waterfront Park there are always geese strutting along the grass. Head north along the sidewalk and to the stairs that will take you to the top of the Hawthorne Bridge. Like most bridges in Portland, this one can be raised to allow ships/boats to pass underneath. Instead of pavement, cars drive along what looks like glorified chicken wire. The tires on the metal make a curious humming sound. There are wide sidewalks on both sides to allow pedestrians and bicyclists room to maneuver past each other. After crossing the bridge to the east side of the river, continue heading north along what is known as the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade. 


The Esplanade also goes south to OMSI, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, but that will be for another adventure. It's a very pleasant walk along the river, always keeping in mind that a jogger or cyclist might pass by at any moment. The Esplanade has stair access at the Burnside and Steel Bridge and actually goes along the bottom part of the Steel Bridge, giving a birds eye view of well, birds. The Max train runs along the top of the bridge and on the bottom level it isn't unusual to have the BNSF running along less than 10 feet away.                            

This morning there was quite a long wait for the train to go by. When the arms finally lifted, a horde of foot and bike traffic streamed across the track. Continuing north on this side of the river puts you within blocks of the Pearl District, Old Town, and China Town. The Fremont and Broadway Bridge are just visible from this vantage point. I continued on until the sidewalk ended (sounds like a good name for a poem) and then headed to China Town. In China Town, all the street signs are bright red and have both English and Chinese characters. At this point I continued south and soon found my way in the more familiar territory of Pioneer Square and Pioneer Courthouse. A few miles more will take you back through the heart of downtown, along a pedestrian trail, and back over the freeway. There are a number of places to park for excursions like this that are free and have no time restrictions on weekends, if you don't mind walking a bit extra. And on days like this, there's nothing else I'd rather do.