Portland was soon in my sights. 5 hours and a couple of smokeys on the sidelines gave me some close calls. Good thing my cop watch was in full effect cause I was fortunate enough to eliminate some potential hazards.
When I pulled into Portland my first stop was my buddy Kearys shop on 11th and Sandy on the east side. I rolled up on the sidewalk took my hat off and cruised in to get my first glimpse of the place. I was greeted by a lovely store gal who was aware of my expected arrival and told me Keary had just stepped out for food and would be right back. Upon realizing that this could possibly take days I called up my friend Nicole, wanting to make the most of all gaps in social opportunities and thus swiftly proceeded to her place. After all I figured it would be most important to connect with her as soon as possible upon my arrival since it was planned that I'd be spending the next few nights of my visit at hers. We ran off to some surplus and adventure stores to look for some rock-climbing shoes, and then we ran over to Kearys shop cause I wanted him to meet my friend. When we rolled up on the bike there were a bunch of people, drinks in hand, food, a good spirits going around. We hung partied out on the corner for a few hours and then Nicole and I ran off to go party at some ladies event down the street in the industrial district on the east side.
The night was nice. The place had a few neat nooks and crannies and what felt like a dark pirate balcony. I recall funky go-go dancers, lots of girls, a bathroom photoshoot and celebrating my birthday trip arrival in Portland. After we shut the club down we headed for the infamous food courts where the food is expensive, cooked in trailers, and surrounded by late night suppliers of demand. I ate a hand held peach cobbler hot pocket thingy. Sure it was good, tart, and came highly recommended by Nicole. "Gobble gobble" went the food court patrons and soon the beer stopped flowing, the grills stopped sizzling, and the hatches on the sheds were battened. So the full-bellied roaches scattered into the night. Oh might I add that my rear light cover had fallen off in the road somewhere between the club and the food court and our friends following us were clever enough to have seen it fall off and picked it up which upon return we taped the light housing back on the molds with good old scotch tape, which is still there and working its tackily aesthetic charm.
Sauvie: My third day in town I went to a nude beach on Sauvie Island with Nicole. It was a beautiful country drive from pdx through peninsula countryside farmland. When we reached the gravel road to the beach I slowed down a bit to save my weary front tire from all the rocky abuse. A biker on the side waved us down and asked us for tools. Not only was this dude riding a giant bagger, but he had absolute no tools on him. I kinda gave him a friendly lecture on the importance of carrying tools and proceeded to wrench away on his bike to help him get to a set of keys that had fallen deep into the chassis of the bike. After a few cuts and sweat beads a key was retrieved, and so we headed on down the gravely road to our skinnying delights. Once parked and geared up and on the swampy wooded trail between the road and beach I stopped to shoot a photo which quickly proved itself to be a disasterous idea. Within seconds I was swarmed by mosquitos. I had no idea how bad it would be. I threw my camera in my pocket and started running down the trail which to no avail the mosquitos were relentless. Was I infact the first blood pumping creature this desolate island had seen in ages? The mosquitos sure acted like it. I even made it out of the woods and 50 yards to the beach, into the water, in the sun, and they were still swarming my body. I was appalled. At some point the vampires had melted in the sun and we were able to go on with our plan of nude public awakenings. The beach had lovely white sands and delicate trees creating a small tree line of privacy and shade. We got to behold the filming of some amature vixen superhero brawl in the waters off the shore not far from where we were camped. Very interesting indeed. That's going to be some editing job. Not moments after my clothes disembark my being, we spot and are spotted by some friendly fire. A nearby trio of nice looking gals made their way over to make acquaintances. Life long friendships is more like it, cause little did I know at that moment that we'd be all rafting a river together two days later. Behold the power of social connectedness. Well the day wore on and the sun cooled down so it was time to pack up and head home. We had dinner plans that we needed to make by 8:30. We got suited up and armored on to beat the wooded trenches of the vampire zombie death swarms. We headed in. Poor Nicole was getting dive bombed and bullied by 20 easy. Even after we emerged from the thicket they swarmed us all the way to the moto, and relentless to get a suckle of blood. As Nicole kept up the squaking chicken arm flailing dance, I started the bike, and let it idle while I helped swat death and get Nicole suited for the ride. It was teamwork to say the least. I rode by and she jumped on just like in the movies where the desperate couple escapes the zombies, someone drives by and without stopping the other one jumpes on and they ride off safely into the sunset. "Phew" (wipes brow in exasperated manner). That night we dined at a 5 star restaurant called "A Cena" which means 'come to dinner' or 'come eat'. The food was exquisitely gourmet. The atmosphere of the sidewalk table, candle lit, warm Portland night was just epic. Savoring every bite and enjoying every bit of my company and conversation, the day had been perfect. So when dinner was all said and done, every plate licked clean, to top off an already beautiful and funfilled day, we decide to dine our bodies on some moonlighting at the city park pool with a couple dozen other pdx locals all looking to vet the midnight craziness after hours. Tecate in hand, clothes in the other I approached the warm waters and got in. The pool was full of fun people of all ages all there to have a little late night trespassing fun. We met some sweet people and shared some laughs. About an hour into the splashing around, a park truck came around and kindly asked us to move along. We gladly put on our wares and planned our next assault on the city...the strip club. Mobbing to the end of town to a gravel parkinglot on a corner block under the interstate we roll up to a patron getting escorted out. Always fun. Once inside we watched some neat dancing, had a few rounds, and made nice with the ladies. After a few hours of that we sobered and saddled up to head back to Nicoles for movies on the big screen and a slumber party.
Shooting rapids on a pool floatie: Wednesday in Portland proved quite an adventure. Per the request and acceptance on my part to meet Tina (one of the girls from the nude beach two days before) at 9:30 am to go rafting down a river all day, I set my alarm for 8, debated calling in sick, then decided to just suck it up and go anyway. Enroute to the meeting spot I rode to southern pdx out by Milwaukie, or, no...wait...even further down in BFE southern pdx, where I found a Dollar Bell (breakfast) and took it to a house where I met up with 4 new peeps, jumped in a car, and rolled 30 minutes out to a leg of the Clackamas river. Note that it was overcast when I woke up and still hadn't cleared by the time we arrived at the river, and we were still going to get in the water, freezing and the whole shebang. Sucking it up we did. Rafts looped together, life vest on, we began the float. Equipped with a semi-pro inflatable kayak, an inflatable dingy, a ski innertube, and my floatie: the recliner pool floatie complete with arm rests, back rest, and no sidewalls for protection. Needless to say I was handed the life vest.
Floating the smooth green waters and bobbing along the rapids we made our way down 4 hours of the Clackamas river, pulling over for important things like rock jumping, rope swinging, and flashing other patrons of the river route. Oh what a day. When we got back to the house Tina jumped on my bike, Courney drove the pace car, and led us to a delicious burrito spot up on Harrison St. In fact I'm starving just thinking of it. That afternoon after Tina and Courtney jumped in the car and headed back south, I continued north to visit my Couch St. fam for some family dinner and down time.
Road to Lynden, Washington: So it was time to plan the rest of my route north on my journey to Canada. My friend Stephanie had just contacted me and said she was in Washington along my route so I decided to plod all day from Portland all the way to the tip of Washington, one mile from the Canadian border. The 5 was fast. More epic greenery, pastures, forests, and good weather let me to my last leg off the 5 and throuh some serious farmland to Stephanies girlfriends moms house where she'd been living for about a month now. Bottled up in podunk, I was the first sight of refreshing farmiliar humanity aside from the country folk and a mother in law that she'd seen in a long time. Can you say cabin fever? We had a great little visit my first night, and in the morning she took me to a cute little town where we had the best hashbrown breakfast ever!!! I have got to go back. 
In the morning we had a delicious home cooked breakfast (eggs, Canadian hash browns, pancakes, strawberries and blueberries). Dyke march was about to begin so I jumped on my bike and headed out to the park where I was going to meet up with the crew who had taken a taxi. I was going to march with them, but I didn't see them so I decided to ride with the other bikers and police escorts for the march. It was slow, and loud, not really my scene. But I did get to ride without my helmet and thats always a personal favorite. We ended up at a nice park in a cute neighborhood. There was a performance stage where different acts and musicians performed all afternoon. There were refreshment and food booths. But I was more concerned with the shady cool spot where we were powowing. I ended up finding my crew after walking around the park with one of the other riders and we found a nice spot to chill and enjoy the day. The day before Stephanie and I had discussed her comin up for the day, she said she'd wear this Asian parisol so I could find her. So after a while of sitting down and park getting packed Mitch said she was going to go walk around, to which I said "hey if you see a tall hot chick wih an Asian parisol ask hermit her name is Stephanie, and if it is bring her back to our spot.". No shitting you, 10 minutes later mitch walks back with Stephanie. Hahahaha. Great the crew was now complete. We found ourselves having an amazing time. Vacuums, mixed drinks, trips to the beer store, dank German beer, climbing of elephant statues, backyard parties, big burgers, and new peeps. The day was great. Wash, rinse, repeat. Sunday I got talked into staying the whole day, and night. Oh how bout add some neat ingredients to the day and you climb walls, get in trucks, jump on the backs of city buses, lose friends in parks, topless cartwheels, climb trellis outside clubs you wait to open, and rubber duckies are a good addition to any party. Then you somehow get home. Monday we woke up and headed out to breakfast and the nude beach next to the university. What a great way to wrap up my adventure in Canada frolicking freely in the foreign surf. I was officially a happy Jack. After the beach Sam and Seth headed off to catch a plane to San Francisco. Meanwhile, I gave Mitch a ride on the moto back to the pad and then I jumped on the 1 and headed down back to my little border jump into Lynden, Washington.Keep checking in everyday cause I'm adding story as I remember it...and when I have energy to sit on here for hours writing.
Birthdays, bars, parks, bbq's, losing friends in parks. (hahaha) so let me tell you this: I will come back and elaborate on this last 7 days of my adventure when I get more time to think, reminisce, and I'm not hungover and underslept.
Just didn't want you to think I had forgotten all about my blog.
But oh, do I have some stories for you so stay tuned.
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