PCT 2015 Day 123: Portland, OR

• Start: 2,149.3
• End: 2,149.3
• Miles: 0
• Camp: Cascade Locks

The Columbia Area Transit runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so we called to reserve a spot on the bus to Portland for today. We had to visit some outdoor stores to get some warmer gear, and figured that we could probably get a better lunch and resupply in Portland than the tiny town of Cascade Locks.

After purchasing an Ursack Minor to protect my food from the Washington squeaks (the mice are meant to be particularly crafty) we headed to a Next Adventure which I had been told was an excellent place for new and used gear. As it turned out they didn’t have anything I wanted, either new or used. No pole tips, no pillow and no waterproof gloves. So REI wins the day again. No pillow but everything else got sorted, allowing us to wander down to the food cart pod for lunch. Munching on a banh mi and summer rolls, I walked around deciding on what to eat for lunch (in addition to the banh mi and summer rolls). Eventually I went for curry, as it’s one of the things that is hard to find in trail towns. Even in large towns. It’s not a thing here, apparently.

We also came upon some good luck, when the owner of the motel in Cascade Locks called us to say she had lent her car to another hiker to drive to Portland, and to ask if we could drive it back. After we met Sean and drove him back to his hotel (he’d been unable to navigate Portland’s excellent public transport system) we had the whole afternoon to explore the city. 

The first stop was Powell’s bookstore, where I lost at least an hour browsing through just the new releases and bestsellers. Then Por Que No in the Mississippi district for dinner and margaritas. On the way back, I could see the Multnomah Falls from the freeway, and wondered at the country which has drive through everything it seems.

Washington tomorrow.