I called a friend and asked to spend a few days, she had to check with her husband. I felt some pressure to find a place, so I called my neighbors. They just finished their new
AIR B & B apartment. This was one of the best places I stayed in the past year.
I WORKED IN TRADE FOR MY ACCOMMODATIONS (Thank You Alex, Sara and Caitlin)
MY LITTLE GEO METRO
There are many reasons to love America and just as many to hate it. My first day driving in my Geo Metro I was tailgated within 2 meters (6 ft.) by no other than a Hummer. There are so many needs in the world and the planet can’t absorb anymore excessive living. The American Hummer is an example of one of the many capitalistic excesses that makes me hate America. There’s a saying “If you want to drive a Hummer, join the Army”
HUMMER-BUMMER
I have season tickets to Portland’s NBA team the Portland Trail Blazers. I made the last game of the season and the Blazers made the playoffs for the first time in years!, more games.
It’s fun to go to games with the other Steve too!
My accommodations were across the street from my house. My house was being occupied for 2 more weeks. This gave me an opportunity to power wash, do weeding, trimming and mowing.
The garden is huge and requires a lot of work. I have apple trees, fig, plums, kiwi, pears, lots of blueberries, strawberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes. Plus there’s a huge vegetable garden area. It’s been a great opportunity to take a break for all the responsibility of a house and yard, (to be continued).
I wrote a story about having a cyst on my testical last Sept. They said it would go away on it’s own, nope. So I opted for surgery, a two-fer: remove the cyst & a vasectomy.
Since the plane landed in America I’ve been working 8-10-12 hour days, everyday. I didn’t have time to even meet people for coffee, sorry. I was able to attend several Blazer games. The Blazers hadn’t been in the 2nd round of the playoffs in 14 years. This amazing shot by Damian Lillard is unforgettable and put them in the second round (facing the Spurs)(Spurs won the championship).
How do I pay for all of this? I own 4 apartments, bought 25 years ago, with that and cheap living, the party is on. Still there is no “free” money. Apartments require maintenance and lots of it. I power washed, painted, fixed plumbing and sealed the driveway. Since I was only going to be in America for 6 weeks, I had to kick ass!
But when one of your good friends is Matt, you have an awesome worker and things get done.
NATASA COMES TO AMERICA
My friend Hans, hooked us up with Delta Buddy Passes, that made it possible for her to come visit.
She said she wanted to help.
I think I over worked her? she couldn’t even walk by the end of the day.
DIAGNOSIS: Too much plane riding and sleeping on airport couches. She’ll recover.
Natasa had never had Sushi, so we must visit Takahashi
mine and my good friend Mike Nealy’s favorite place.
We go visit WASHINGTON PARK ROSE GARDEN after dinner.
If your visiting Portland, you must have desert at PAPA HAYDN. The owners use to be my customers, I ate here all the time.
Friends have been asking Natasa “have you done anything fun? what have you seen?” We’ve been working hard, “work first, play later?.” Were having a BBQ party to meet Natasa on Saturday, we better do something fun, NOW.
We start with,
BREAKFAST AT TIMBERLINE LODGE ON MT. HOOD.
I’ve skied and snowboarded here the past 20 years. Lot’s of great memories.
After a filling breakfast, we headed to Parkdale to visit the HUTSON MUSEUM. The Hutson family donated a lifetime of collecting and rocks was one of their favorite things to collect and mine too.
It was quite entertaining watching all the pick-up trucks, all had dogs on board when they drove by.
Then we headed to LOST LAKE, one of my favorite places to bike tour to in Oregon.
We brought the bicycles with us, so I guess we have to ride them. We ride the Mosier Tunnels that follows the Columbia Gorge.
We then head to Oregon’s number one “natural” tourist attraction, MULTNOMAH FALLS.
It’s getting dark, but there’s still enough light to visit the VISTA HOUSE ON CROWN POINT
It’s time for some Mexican food. After 14 hours of being a tourist, now Natasa has seen some parts of Oregon. Were ready for the BBQ party now, with stories.
We head down to Portland’s Farmers Market. to buy supplies for the BBQ party.
My friends want to meet Nastasa so the BBQ party is an all in one, food, fun and friends.
The party was great fun, thank you to all of those who were able to attend.
The next day it’s a beautiful day in Portland and there’s no better way to see Portland (and the world), than by bicycle. I was a bicycle tour guide in Portland and took Natasa on my City Tour.
I really wanted to take Natasa on one of my favorite rides, the BANKS-VERNONIA TRAIL. Due to time constraints (or working too much) there wasn’t time to ride the trail. I thought visiting Vernonia by car then heading to the coast gave us an opportunity to do 2 fun things.
I knew the people who ran the museum and got them to open it up, just for us.
After breakfast and coffee at the Black Bear Cafe, we head to the Oregon Coast.
The first place we visit is the ASTORIA COLUMN.
We bought wooden airplanes that you can throw off from the top.
We had our bicycles (again), so we headed to FORT STEVENS BIKE PATHS If you visit the Oregon Coast be sure to visit Fort Stevens, it’s a full day of activities. We didn’t see everything, so we’ll be back.
We head down to Seaside (tourist beach town) then to Cannon Beach and see the famous HAYSTACK ROCK.
Another 14 hour day of sightseeing and adventures. We have one last party, Strawberries and Ice Cream.
PHOTOS
Thanks for reading
Jeff
NEST? WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING IN SKOFJA LOKA?
