Powell Butte

Getting back to town, I re-organized and laundered, but was in serious need of a geographic re-calibration. So off I went to Powell Butte, though it was a little cold and threatening rain. It is in a not-so-great corner of Portland (Powell and 162nd). The entrance to the park abuts a trailer park and I saw more than one working girl out that sunday morning. But once I was into the park, I never would have guessed I was in a city and it was great for a meandering 2.5 hour hike. And I wasn't even expecting it, but when I got to the top of the butte, i had an amazing view of the surrounding river valleys, which were packed with low thick clouds. And on the horizon, five mountains: Hood, St. Helens, Rainier, Adams and the tippy top of Jefferson. People were riding around on mountain bikes and horses, but most of the trails I was on were just for people feet. After I worked myself up, I went to Best Baguette, a vietnamese $3.00 french bread sandwich place that is tucked away out in deep SE.

And this is two-thirds of the way to being a funny joke.