Portland is a cool town for many reasons. It has a nice, relaxed feel it has 30 something breweries in town and getting outdoors to the coast or the mountains is easy – just grab your North Face jacket, your ethically produce knitwear bobble hat, organic granola bars, the keys to your Subaru and you’re almost there.
After our visit to the coast, a spot of hiking seemed like a good idea so off to dog mountain in the Colombia river gorge. This is a popular hiking spot with spectacular views of the valley and mountains. The path switchbacks its way up the 3000 foot mountain over 3.8 miles of constructed trail. It sounded easy but all that beer and sitting in the car for weeks has taken its toll on the fitness and the relentless grade was a challenge. I regretted bringing several camera lenses and a tripod, we had very little water and food. We consumed all the snacks we had and after about 2 thirds of the route, steff turned around. I was too close to the top to say no so carried on until the snack-energy kicked in and the top was in sight. Have a look at the view on the way up:
The snow started about 3/4 of the way up and made the top a frozen Narnia-like place
After exhausting my legs getting up to the top, i thought the best thing to do was run back down the 3.8mile path and make sure my legs were good and sore for the next day’s cross country skiing trip.
That evening we had dinner at a friend’s house in Portland where the world’s biggest (100lb) Labrador lives.
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