Nov 8, 2009 - Portland - Reunited with Gary and Vicki

Reunited in Portland with friends Gary and Vicki...

 So great to see them both again, and to find them loving the life here.
I'd been looking forward to visiting them since I left Alaska.  Hard to believe I'm here, in Oregon,...wasn't it just yesterday I was planning my route south down Vancouver Island and Washington's Olympic Peninsula to reach here....

I seem to be going against my best cycling touring instincts these days.....and my ride into Portland is no exception.  I call Vicki in the morning, she gives me their address.  I arrive on the outskirts of Portland after dark, pedalling under St. Johns Bridge and into downtown; Inquiring at a bike shop about a route into Beaverton, the proprietor advises I take Lovejoy/Cornell Rd over the hill: A 4 mile climb, with tunnels, no shoulder, lots of traffic...in the dark....sounds great!  Why I didn't hold up outside the city at a campground, I cannot say.

Instead, I grunted up the climb, though I was feeling pretty cooked already....bonking three quarters of the way up the climb, I pulled over, dug an apple and some nuts out of my handlebar bag, and stood there on the roadside, my legs shaking, cramming food in.

 Once descended from the top of the hill into Beaverton, I make my way to Gary and Vicki's place. They give me a warm welcome, feed me manicotti and a delicious insalata pomodorri. The last time we were together was in Cherokee, N.C., after having ridden for 9 days together along the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway.   

The Gunnar gets some much-needed TLC - cleaning and lube.  Gary's and his son Brian's arsenal of bicycles in the background.....

Sunday morning, Gary and friend Allan give me a "fixie" escort out of town.

Thank you Gary and Vicki, for everything: For the helmet, the lovely dinner at Pastini, and most of all, for your friendship.  I look forward to our next meeting....