Doorway out of Portland
Leaving Portland. Sam loved Lewis and Clark College and I had some good meetings. The restorative effects of Powell’s Bookstore and Stumptown Coffee have left residual impressions on both of us. The drive to Tacoma is full of trees on both sides of the road. Bridges takes us over cold darkening water as the sun starts to set at 4:30 in the afternoon. Â We are listening to The Doors 1st record loud enough that if we wanted to talk, the volume would have to be turned down. But we don’t talk much. We let Ray Manzarek’s quirky rythmic organ solo get engulfed by Jim Morrison’s howling vocals. I think abut wolves and bears hunting for food on this early December afternoon. I think to myself that if Jim Morrison played the guitar he probably never would have gotten into trouble at that Miami concert in 1969. Break on through to the other side…we are half way to Tacoma.
Aloha Friday #3 (chasing rainbows)
Mt. Hood Rainbow
Well yeah, it’s a rainbow off to the right of  Mt. Hood. If  you look closely you can almost see it. It’s small. We finish our shoot on Mt. Hood and wind our way down the hill to spend the night in Portland. That means Stumptown Coffee and dinner at Clyde Common.
Stumptown Espresso
I’m on the plane now. Hawaiian Airlines flight 25 to Honolulu. Â Got an upgraded bulkhead aisle seat with lots of leg room and I’m dozing in and out of sleep even before we take off. Once in the air, an announcement comes over the P.A. system that we should lower out tray tables becomes food and drink service is about to commence. I almost forgot what food service was on an airplane. It’s just a turkey sandwich with potato chips and cookies but I enjoy it none the less.
Sam catching a rainbow
So I’m back. I’m greeted with seared ahi and grilled mahi- mahi. Debbie’s gives me a beautiful ukulele for my birthday and I find myself falling back into summer strumming it around a bond fire at the beach with my family and friends.
Slippery Simon
