Gallivant 2.0: I Heart Portland

Portland is awesome!!! But not for any particular reason, it just seems to be a combination of things that make it a cool and chilled place to hang out.
I stayed longer than I planned and spent my time reading books, wandering and cycling the city, drinking beer, eating donuts and generally being a lazy non-cyclist.

Highlights:

Trying to choose a donut at Voodoo Donuts and having an easier choice at Tonalli's
Cycling around the city, along the waterfront and across the bridges
Spending hours in Powells Books
Trying lots of beer but still not getting to all the breweries.........oh well I will just have to come back
Hot apple cider, Polish food, cool bands, crazy christians and watching people at the Saturday market. Made trying not to buy all the cool stuff a whole lot easier!!! FYI hot apple cider is like hot, spicy apple juice NOT the cider that we all know and love.
Biscuits and mushroom gravy with cheese grits at The Tinshed. First taste of southern food and would not mind some more.

Beer Highlights:

Hazelnut Brown Ale at Rogue Brewery
Tour of the Widmer Brothers Brewery
Black Butte Porter and Chainbreaker White IPA at the Deschutes Brewery
A lowlight would have to be the Bacon Maple Ale. A collaboration between Rogue Brewery and Voodoo Donuts........absolute disgustingness with bacon bits!!!!! ecchhhhh

I am pretty sad to leave Portland as it is a very, very cool place and it has been fun hanging out with the people from the hostel and Anona, Gibs and Jonathan, who is stayed with for three nights. However, the road is calling, time is ticking and the calories that I need to burn off are mounting. So back to the coast and back on the bike. I think the Oregon coast should take me about a week and then I will hit California in all its Redwoods, sunshine and bountiful fruit and vege glory. I hear the drivers are not great there though..........