Portland!

So my sister moved to Portland after graduating last May.  That means I did not see her from January of last year until Thanksgiving.  While she was home we talked about me taking a trip out to see her.  I ended up heading out there from the 3rd through the 8th.  It was an awesome trip and I should have headed that way months ago!

Day 1- To the coast!
We started the day by heading into her work (Cyclone Bike Supply) and doing a morning spin.  She has a pretty awesome job as an accountant for them.  She works a lot but it seems like the company culture is great and is really good friends with her co-workers.  When we finished up Ellen and I jumped in the car and headed toward Astoria, Oregon.  It is the most northwest point of the state and right on the coast.  The drive was really beautiful with a little sun, rain and lots of clouds.  After Astoria we headed down the coast through a bunch of small towns and then back into Portland for a night out with Kelsey.

Day 2- Hanging out in Portland
Today started with a run through Forest Park with Kelsey and Ellen.  AMAZING.  It felt like I was running though a rain forest the whole time.  If you are looking for a "one with nature" feeling I would definitely recommend checking this park out.  Later was a quick dip to get some pool yards in.  The rest of the day was dedicated to walking around Portland and soaking it all in.  It was cool to walk through the different districts and see the different landmarks.  For me the best part of it was all of the local restaurants and shops.  It is great to experience new things that you can't find in the Midwest.  We met back up with Kelsey for dinner at a Fondue place that definitely made me want to go run again after the desert came out.

Day 3-The Gorge and Mt. Hood
Started out with a swim today.  We then jumped in the car and decided we would find somewhere to run along the way.  That was a great idea after we found some more trails along the old highway.  After seeing a bunch of waterfalls we headed to Hood River for lunch.  The tiny tourist town definitely knows how to make some good brew!  The next few hours were spent driving around Mt. Hood.  Finally got to experience some winter driving since the Midwest is staying in fall mode right now.  At some point in my life I really want to live in the mountains.

Day 4-Ellen went home/Kelsey and I headed to Washington
Ellen took off for DesMoines early in the AM and then Kelsey and I headed to Washington.  The guy she is currently seeing is from there and she thought it would be fun to go check it out.  It took most of the day to get there and I went for a short ride later in the day.

Day 5-Ride/DSM
We got up and had a run/ride with some of Mike's friends.  The area is GORGEOUS.  Being able to look anywhere and see mountains is something I could get used to.  After a few hours of tearing up the concrete it was back to PDX for my flight.  Ellen picked me up and had some food waiting for me at her place. Such a nice friend ;) !

So how long before I move somewhere out of the Midwest?  Who knows... but its something I look forward to doing someday!