Portland
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Portland, Oregon, is one of my favorite cities in the world. I first visited Portland when I was a child. My father had a summer cabin near Yakima, Washington. He was a college professor at SF State and had July and August off. We frequently drove through Portland to and from the Bay Area, where we lived in Berkeley.

Later, when I was in graduate school attending the University of Washington, we drove through Portland on the way to the Bay Area. Recently, we spent a day in Portland showing the city to my Korean brother-in-law and his niece, who were visiting us in Medford. We all fell in love with the city, which reminds me of Berkeley, San Francisco, and Seattle. This time we stayed in North Portland in the trendy Alberta neighborhood, which was the center of Black Portland for many years.

Portland is the most multicultural city in Oregon, which is still mostly white. It is the only city in Oregon with a substantial black population as well as an Asian American population. Although the city has become more expensive, it is still somewhat affordable compared to both the Bay Area and Seattle. We spent the night the previous year in Lake Oswego visiting a friend from high school. He is a musician and composer living in Portland.

This trip we toured the city and saw much of the city. We went to the Saturday market downtown and went through Old Town, Chinatown, and the Pearl District. We stopped at Powell's's Books, the biggest bookstore in the world. We drove to Washington Park and the Rose Garden and Japanese Garden but could not see either due to no parking as it was a Saturday. The previous year we went for a walk in Forest Park, the biggest urban park in the country. There are bears in the park, they say.

Portland is a foodie city. We had two great meals in the city. We had clam chowder and fish and chips in downtown, and we had decent Italian in Lake Oswego.

Our itinerary was as follows:
10:00 AM: Start in Portland
You can explore the city's highlights including Washington Park12. This park is home to many of Portland's premier attractions including a zoo, children's museum, Japanese Garden, and the famous International Rose Test Garden1.
2:00 PM: Depart for Medford
The driving time from Portland to Medford is approximately 4 hours and 21 minutes345. The direct drive is 275

Background reading courtesy of Co-Pilot
Certainly! 🌲 Portland, Oregon is a vibrant city nestled in the Pacific Northwest, known for its unique blend of natural beauty, quirky culture, and thriving arts scene. Let's explore some essential information about this captivating city:

2. Essential Links for Portland:
o If you're looking for a comprehensive resource, check out el.com's Essential Links for Portland, Oregon. It covers everything from weather updates to transportation options, entertainment, sports, local businesses, and fun things to do in the city. Whether you're a resident or a visitor, this resource can help you navigate Portland's offerings2. You can find it here.
3. Portland Information Center:
o For a broader overview of Portland, explore the Portland Information Center. It provides insights into local life, travel tips, entertainment, and business-related information. Whether you're curious about events, restaurants, or hidden gems, this center has you covered3. Visit their site here.
4. City of Portland Official Website:
o If you're interested in official city services and information, head over to the City of Portland's official website. It's a reliable source for topics like government services, community resources, and local news. Whether you need to pay utility bills, find public transportation options, or learn about city initiatives, this site has it all4. Explore it here.
Remember, Portland is a city that celebrates individuality, sustainability, and creativity. Whether you're into food carts, lush parks, or indie music, there's something here for everyone. Have a great time exploring the Rose City! 🌹✨

Northwest Poems
.

Seattle UW Blues

I have had a long history
with the city of Seattle
dating back to my grandparents
who met there at UW
and my father who attended UW
and became a student leader
fighting to integrate the University
I first visited the city
when I was a young man
when we spend the summer
in Yakima
where we had a family home
decades later I visited the city
before I went to the Peace corps

Before I went to the Peace Corps
then my wife and I lived there
for four years
while we were attending graduate school
at the University

and we fell under its seductive spell
living and breathing Seattle
falling in love again
with the city

we left the city
and traveled the world
came back twice
once to take and pass the foreign service
oral exam

oral exam
and once decades later
to take a cruise to Alaska

and found that the city
had changed in many ways
but the old Seattle remained
and I wanted to come back
and now my nephew lives there

adding another element to our family's
on-going Seattle family history
why I had been there before

I cannot say, but this much I do know
Seattle remains a part of me
and I a part of its history


Medford Beckons

Once boring, humble Medford Oregon
and I have a long history
dating back to my childhood
when we would drive through there
often spending the night
back and forth to Yakima
from our family home in Berkeley
with my father during our summer vacations

Medford back in the day
was a sleepy little town
but the biggest town around
Ashland was more famous
but Medford grew on me
decades later my wife

Decades later my wife
and I drove through there
as we you go up and down

the coast going from Seattle
where we were graduate students
and Berkeley to visit my family
we bought five pieces of property
in Medford in 1990

and were absentee property owners
for thirty years
coming back every few years
finally coming back in 2016
renovating the property

renovating the property
and now we are spending
our summers there

and preparing to become
Oregonian residents
Medford humble boring Medford
has become a trendy place
we have become part of Medford
and Medford part of our hearts and soul

I am now an Oregonian
complete with beard, no ties, and western shirts

and my love affair with this humble city
will continue to grow
as my life winds down
in Medford city of my soul

Yakima Dessert Blues

Yakima, Washington
The ancestral home of my father's family since 1920
Kept alive in my family's history

Went back and forth like a Yo-Yo between Yakima
and the Bay area, mostly when I was a young man
In 2019, I visited the ghosts at my father's grave

I did not realize how much Yakima had not changed
Ever since I was a child I thought that Yakima
Simply was too much of a desert outpost

Even then I knew why my father had led the town
Rarely did I think that my father would want to return
That he did over and over until the day he died

But for me, the Yakima of my childhood no longer remained
The lesson learned from all of this is Yakima remains in my heart
Until the day I die, I know that my family's history in Yakima
Even now Yakima the desert town of my father will not be
Remains a foreign outpost and is not anymore for me

Strugis

In the modern wild west
Town of Sturgis, South Dakota
A blind chef sat in his restaurant
Chatting with his friend
Jake the biker
Who was there for the rally
,
Putting salt on his biscuits,
And a touch of ginger
His secret recipe


Meanwhile
His friend
Grabs a pen,
Writing in his diary,
Sitting on a cushion,

Lighting a candle,
Turning on the glass,
Lamp on the table,

Plugging in his mobile,
In the wall socket
While drinking a mug
Of hot coffee

That went so well
With the salty ginger biscuits
His friend was making for him

Part of his daily ritual
Going to his friends
Restaurant for coffee
Gossip and biscuits

The man was a biker
And a photographer

Also, a street organ player
With a monkey
To draw the crowds
That was gathering
For the annual biker rally

He put on a carnation,
Waiting for his estranged wife
To come by

He fondled the riffle
Went outside
Rode his bike
Down the street

As if it were a horse
Back in the wild west days
That he so admired

Looking for his wife
In the new
wild west town
Time for someone to die
He thought


Fleeing from the Madman on the Trail in Oregon

One time I went for a hike
In Southern Oregon
Near our summer home
In Medford outside of Ashland

Along Dead Indian highway
In the national forest land
High above the city of Ashland


We drove to the parking lot
For Hobart's Bluff

It was deserted no one was there
As it was mid week.

Then we saw a mad lunatic
Walking down the road
Carrying a shovel

Staring at us
With LSD fueled eyes
Looking as if he could be
A mad killer

We were freaked out
And drove out of there

Abandoning the hike
To the mountain lions
No doubt lurking about

And left before we could become
The madman's latest victim.

1. Wagontire, Oregon 1973, 2016:

Wagontire Oregon 1973, 2016

In 1973, i went on a road trip
With my Father

We left Berkelely to go to Yakima
Where my father had a summer cabin

He was a college professor
And had July and August off
And we spent our summers

Every summer from 68 to 78
In that mountain cabin

Our whole dysfunctional family
Our annual trip to hell and back
And we did not get along at all

We decided to drive through Eastern Oregon
Just my Father and me
Just for the hell of it
The rest of the family was already there

My Father and i shared a travel lust
Loved to go to new places
One of tbe few things we shared

This was one of our best trips
We actually got along
Which was unusual

Normally our relationship
Was fraught with tension
As we were so different

We left Klamath falls
A real noting burg in those days
And headed east along highway 395

As we entered the desert of eastern Oregon
We entered a different world

High mountain desert
Almost no one on the road

Then we saw the sign
Wagontire Oregon
100 miles ahead
99 miles
98 miles

We counted down the signs
Mile after mile
As we drove into the gsthering dusk

We speculated that wagontire
Must be a giant truck stop
An oasis in the desert
In the middle of no where

We pulled into town
Nothing but a gas station
Motel and cafe

We decided to stop
Last gas for 100 miles
According to the highway sign

In the morning
We chasted with the owner
He was the sherrif fire chief

Owner of the motel gas station
The only business in town

And the only place open
For one hundred miles

I noticed a sign outside
Welcome to wagontire, Oregon
Population 2 1/2 humans 10 dogs
200000 sheep

I asked tge sherrif
Who is the half human

He said my idiot son

And we left
200 miles
We finally left eastern Oregon

2016

In 2016 my wife and i drove through eastern Oregon
As part of our epic cross country trip

31 states 100000 miles in three months

On the way from n
Medford to Yellowstone
We drove along highway 395
40 years since my trip with my father

The signs for wagontire were gone
As we drove through the town

The motel was abandoned
Nothing there at all

The motel was in ruins
Just another ghost town

And that sign was gone too
Just a small sign saying
Wagontire Oregon

We speculared about wagontire
And all the other nothing burgs
We drove through that summer

Heart of Trump's forgotten America
Fly over country