Oregon Top Ten

Recently I had the pleasure of traveling via Southwest Airlines from Rochester, NY to Portland, Oregon to visit family members. Here are the top ten things I learned on this trip;

1. Portland Sourdough bread is the best! I even brought a loaf home in my backpack and ate three slices before work today.
2. The Portland area has some of the best microbrews in the country. Why can't NY stores sell 20 ounce bottles of brew? That size is great for two people to taste a new beer (if you share).
3. The Pacific coast in Oregon is beautiful, we had the pleasure of staying there for two nights.
4. Running on the hard-packed beach after the tide goes out is fun.

5. Southwest doesn't have assigned seats, even with checking in early it can be tough to get one of the better (roomier) seats. Southwest is still much more likely to be on time than United though, and the flight crew are friendlier.
6. My 18 month old granddaughter is adorable and has boundless energy, but I already knew that.
7. Beaverton/Portland traffic can be insanely busy. My 25 minutes Rochester commute would be 40+ in Oregon.
8. Bicyclists, runners, mass transit is everywhere, rain or shine.
9. Coffee is on every street corner. Really, this is not an exaggeration.
10. I can't visit the Beaverton area without running at least once around the Nike campus on their wood chip trail. But I do always feel a twinge of guilt since the last few years I have been wearing mostly Brooks clothing and running shoes! I keep waiting for Alberto Salazar to pop out and say how much he would like to coach me or Shalane Flanagan wanting to run a bit together, but no such luck.