VISIT WITH FRIENDS MARTI AND NORM IN SPRINGFIELD, OR

September 20 – We left Portland this morning and stopped in Springfield, OR to visit with great Pickleball friends Norm and Marti. There is a vacant lot next to their development where we were able to park the motorhome overnight. That made it really convenient for us to visit.


Last year Norm and Marti bought a house in their hometown, Springfield, OR, right off I-5 heading south.

Here Marti is proudly showing off the well-stocked pantry. She called it their “tornado shelter”

Since it was not raining, we took a little drive along another part of the Willamette River. Marti pointed out it was the only River in the United States (?) that runs North, through Portland!!

We stopped at the Fish Hatchery but no fish today.

We stopped at the Historic Lowell Covered Bridge over the lake where Norm and Marti did a lot of water skiing some years ago.

Marti and I were practicing our photogenic pose. We need more practice! HA HA

After our drive, we joined them for delicious Fajitas and a few exciting games of Euchre. We said our good-byes after a really fun day with old friends. We look forward to seeing them again in Arizona.

September 21 – We left early Tuesday morning, heading for sunny California. As soon as we crossed the Oregon border into California, the sun came out!! Hallelujah!! Driving down I-5 in California, we passed Mt. Shasta. What a spectacular sight!!

A WEEKEND IN PORTLAND, OR - DAY 1

September 18-19 – We were so tired of the cloudy, rainy Oregon coast that we packed up and left Saturday morning. The plan was to head inland and south as far as we could get, but as we approached Portland, it was not raining and the sky was much brighter. Let’s stop in Portland for the weekend. We stayed at the Portland Elks about six miles east of the Willamette River on I-84.

By the time we were set up, a light rain started. We decided to do a little touring anyway. We were told the one thing we must do is see the International Rose Test Garden. It was beautiful, even in the rain.


A rose archway into the garden.

So many beautiful roses!

I got a little wet!!

Did you ever see soooo many petals on a rose?

These roses are so slick from the rain they don't even look like roses at all!!

I took a picture when we first arrived. This is the view we saw.

Here is the picture on the front of their brochure. This is how it should have looked – beautiful grounds, city skyline and Mt. Hood in the background!!

A WEEKEND IN PORTLAND, OR – DAY 2

September 19 – Between showers on Sunday afternoon, I talked Ken into driving me to the waterfront so I could take a walk along the Westside Riverwalk along the Willamette River. It was most amazing – the SUN was shining for about two minutes!!

We parked near the Salmon Street Springs.


Same fountain, different look.


There was some kind of Neptune Festival going on in the Waterfront Park.

The Hawthorne Bridge was in the raised position as I passed under.

The I-5 Bridge seemed to disappear into the tall buildings.

When I returned, going in the other direction, the Hawthorne Bridge was closed after letting this barge pass under.

Portland, the City of Roses.

The Portland Spirit has daily lunch and dinner cruises with magnificent views of the Portland skyline and bridges, but not on a day like today!!

I saw rowers on the river. They didn’t really look like a rowing team so I suspect it was a tourist thing.

There was a Run/Walk Race downtown on Saturday, and a Marathon on Sunday, so it was impossible to navigate the downtown streets this weekend.

The Portland Maritime Museum was an old paddlewheel boat. We would have loved to tour it, but by the time we got there, it had just closed.

The Portland Saturday Market was also open on Sunday, but it was closing time there, too.

The end of my walk was at the Burnside Bridge. How many bridges does Portland have??

I can’t believe it!! It didn’t rain at all for my 90 minute walk along the River!