First Month in Portland

Life in Portland is better than expected!

A quick stop during my drive out

I wanted to write up a quick update on what my first Month in Portland has been like.  I arrived here December 30th, managed to find an apartment on the 31st(I finally moved in on January 16th when it was available), and ended up at a party on the 31st with some couchsurfers and had a great night.

WFR Class

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort

So I have not started working yet, officially my job search starts tomorrow.  I have however done a bit of networking and made several contacts.  My plan is to register FTF Automation LLC here in Oregon, and start finding contract engineering work in the area.   I will of course keep everyone posted on my progress, but it looks pretty promising.

Ski Touring with the Mazamas

My first few days here I got a couple days of skiing in on Mt. Hood Meadows, then I spent 10 days taking a Wilderness First Responder Course.  I took this course for two reasons #1 to be better prepared for the worst when I am out in the great outdoors.  #2 I am hoping to do some volunteer with outdoor youth organizations, maybe lead some hikes or camping trips.   Currently I am signed up with an rganization that takes underprivileged teens skiing and snowbooarding.  Since I missed the start of season training for instructors, I can only help out as a photographer, but its a start.

Life in Portland is fantastic! I have joined the mountaineering club and I'm taking a ski mountaineering course through them, I recently completed the Avy 1 certification with the class already and I'm meeting some great people and futture ski / climbing partners.  This Saturday we built snow caves, practiced uphill travel, and self belay and self arresting. It's so great to live somewhere where mountaineering is so popular and so many people share the same passion I do.

I've been keeping busy with the tri club here too. I work out with them about 3 or 4 times a week. Tuesdays they meetg at a track 2 blocks from my house for a workout and then immediatly after we head to the pool (only about 5 blocks from my house) for a 1 hour swim workout that is lead by a guy and his wife that stay on deck and coach us. They provide us with a complete workout each week (usually about 1500 yds) which is good considering i had not been in a pool in over a year before this. Thursday nights we do a boot camp style workout in a nearby park. Then saturdays is a long ride, I have not made it yet due to taking a ski mountaineering class the past few weeks. The club also does long runs on sundays that start at 10, which is very cool because I can still go out saturdays and party like a rockstar the night before.

Decentralized Dance Party

I also get out with the couch surfers from time to time to. They normally meet about once a week or twice a week.  Just yesterday I went to a bar with some couch surfers where there was a Bollywood dance party, pretty cool stuff.  I am really loving the cycling lifestyle that Portland has too. Since I live downtown I rarely ever drive anywhere, I always bike or ride the light rail system. I really feel like I have found a long term home, and feel that this is where I belong.

I just finished a bicycle mechanics course. Its been great, I already volunteered today with a charity bike repair clinic and worked on about 5 different bikes in just a couple hours.   During class, we built and trued a pair of wheels, another day we disassenbled and service a half dozen different style hubs, crankssets, and casettes. We are learning about all the different systems and all of the types out there old and new. I really like and want to start getting a few tools, plus I will be volunteering at a bike coop starting today at a bike tune up clinic as a mechanic, a great way to practice what I just learned.

Volunteering with Bikes 4 Humanity 

Everyone here is super active everyday you literally hundreds of people biking, running or doing whatever else! Instead of being the exception being the crazy guy that runs marathons, I'm more the norm here. I definitely feel like I belong here. The people are also super cool too, everyone I meet is really nice and genuine.  While attending bike mechanics school for I commuted 4 miles everyday to school and back by bike, everyone here rides their bike, it's almost like being in another country.  Drivers are much more aware of cyclists, and there are lots of bike lanes too.  I rode through the core of downtown everyday at rush hour and never felt unsafe, it's great exercise too.  Last week I only drove my car 2 days all week (one was to go to the mountain).  I bike when I go out, to the grocery store and more.  It's a very fun way to live.

I have a season pass to one of the resorts on Mt. Hood and I have been up 4 times already and have plans to go a couple more times next week.

My Living Room

Oh yeah lastly a bit about my apartment.  I found a place just south of PSU, right on the edge of downtown.  It's close to the local light rail system, the river front and some other great running routes.  I rent out the top half of house built in 1895.  I have 2 bedrooms, huge gear closet, attic storage, my own garage and laundry.  The best part though is the view on a clear day.  I can see Mt. Hood, and just off to the side Mt, St, Helen too!  I really could not ask for more.  In addition I love having guests.  So please make plans to come out for a visit!


Stay in touch.

Greg

Kitchen

Gear Room