“Keep Portland Weird” is a popular slogan that appears on bumper stickers, signs, and public buildings throughout Portland, Oregon and its surrounding metro area.  The slogan has been called the unofficial motto of Portland.

My kind of town – the ‘city’ version of Boulder.

Flannel fashion, inventive chefs, hippie homeless.  ‘Live & Let Live’ friendly (the American West standard, ZERO tolerance for discrimination).  Environmentally minded: NO plastic bags (outlawed/entire county); NO new highways – voted to manage growth thru expanded/improved public transportation.  $5 rail ticket, my ride to the Airport.

One of City’s downtown landmarks – Powell’s City of Books.  Page turning?  9am-11pm, 7 days a week.

Covering an entire city block, Powell’s City of Books is more than a great bookstore: It’s a microcosm of Portland, packed with smart and eclectic offerings, passionate people and, naturally, its own coffee shop. And, just like Portland, it’s open 365 days a year!

 

It’s the largest independent chain of bookstores in the world, and when you visit the aptly named flagship shop, Powell’s City of Books, you’ll need a map to find your way around (the store provides one).  Powell’s enormity is a measure of how much Portlanders love books.  Cruise the aisles, grab some coffee and enjoy the lost art of thumbing through bound paper stamped with words.

Portland FOOD.  Post-hike gorged at Ned Ludd’s Friday nite.  Met & talked with its Food Network chef (Jason French, a former Boulderite).  Three courses, dinner entrée: whole roasted trout.  WOW!  Head & a backbone, only remnants on my plate.  Brunched Saturday, another Portland staple.  Hipster beignets – not necessarily Creole, but served on a bed of chocolate.

Sunday, RUN day.  [Remember when EVERY day was a run day – HA!  #2017runfail]

LOVE LOVED staying at the Hilton, the Portland Marathon’s host hotel.  Bib pickup literally downstairs, booked early & secured the runner’s room rate, walked 2 blocks to this morning’s Start.  Couldn’t be more convenient.

Big City race, my first in eons.  Full/Half combined start – sooooo many runners, not in Okoboji today 🙂   Heard today’s 7am Start waiting patiently in Corral C, 12 minutes back.  Two 11-minute miles, before the field thinned/run became manageable.

Cool morning temp, overcast sky – GREAT running weather.  If only I had remembered ‘portion control’ during my big FAT foodie holiday (I gots no ‘off’ switch); two days of ‘Rose City’ gluttony.  Appreciated the porta-potties at mile 8.  ‘Nuf said.

Mostly flat course, gradual incline miles 5-9.  Crossed St. Johns Bridge at mile 10.  Portland’s tallest bridge (built in 1931) spans the Willamette River (crossed back at mile 18).  Beautiful panorama, slightly foggy.  Reminiscent of San Francisco 2 years ago.

Drizzle just past the Bridge, but never a steady rain.  Again, couldn’t have asked for better conditions.

Incline blip at mile 22.  da Truth: walked it, nothing left in the tank.  excuse Time [’cause ya’ll know I got ’em]: Body’s tired.  Running so often (21^st marathon of 2017), find myself lacking late in the year.  Frustrating, but it is what it is.

Mile marker 25.  PUSH, PUSH, PUSH.  Late burst of reserve, FINAL STRETCH of downtown city street.  Marathon SUCCESS!  Surprise, surprise – this day, medal AND a rose.  Super classy.  BIG thanks, City of Roses🌹  Great memory.

Paid the extra $25 for a 1pm check-out.  It’s the Hilton, choose your battles (but as host hotel, could’ve been a bit more generous).

Sit-down lunch, sit-down movie (The Mountain Between Us), window-napped on my Southwest flight home.

On the runway in Denver – SNOW – first of the season, LOVE LOVE my Colorado life! ❤