Amazing Grace: Astoria, OR to Portland, OR to Plane

US 30 W, US 101, US 26

A two hour ride to the BMW dealer outside of Portland, OR.  There are two ways from Astoria to Portland: US 30 to I-5 S along the scenic Columbia River.  I decided on US 30 to US 26 E through Clatsop and Tillamook State Forests; an amazing ride - my last mountain drive on this trip.  My last hurrah.

The plan was to take my bike to the dealer to have shipped to Florida.  I was then going to sit in PDX for 9 hours for my red-eye flight to Ft. Lauderdale.  At 2 pm I beckoned for an UBER to the airport.  Lisa, the driver, picked me up and we immediately engaged in conversation.  I told her of my feat and how I was about to sit for 9 hours at PDX.  I asked if she was hungry, since it was lunch time.  She took me to the food trucks in downtown Portland where I bought my UBER driver lunch,.





She then offered to show me the sights around Portland.  She was retired so she had time and no schedule.  Lisa took me to the Columbia River Gorge (Vista House) , Multnomah Falls area, and the Bonneville Fish Hatchery,  We chatted the whole way about life, her family, religion, and approaches to life.

























Lisa dropped me off at the airport at 7 pm.  I only had to wait 3.5 hours before the plane boarded.  So, what was going to be an unbearable 9 hours of sitting around, a spontaneous magical mystery tour was a fitting end to an amazing journey.  Thank you Lisa!  However, this was not the last of a magical day.





I boarded the plane.  I young women, named Erin, sat next to me.  She just had an interview for zookeeper at the Oregon Zoo.  She is presently the zookeeper at Tiger World, just north of Charlotte, NC.  She showed me photos of her hugging a panther and a tiger.  I asked her what her parents thought of her profession.  She said her mother was happy for her; her father was not.  If I were her father, I would not be happy either.  Erin is one of five applicants for head zookeeper at the Oregon Zoo.  An amazing, fearless, person - hope she gets the job.

A fitting end to my listening tour.  People have a lot to say and share.

Janis picked me up at the airport.  She is not wild (putting it mildly) of my beard.  What goes over in Montana is not, apparently, kosher in South Florida.  But it is a part of me - a product of all the people and miles.

Stay tuned in for my overall observations of America.

Comments

  1. Dining Diva of BocaJune 28, 2018 at 7:15 AM

    What a great last day! So glad that you found delight and meaning on your sojourn. Welcome back to Boca.... I bought you a razor :-)))

    ReplyDelete

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