If you think literally, this blog is named after Portland’s airport. I can’t think of another city that identifies with its airport code like we do. DFW sounds like a traffic infraction. SFO sounds like an abbreviated apartment listing. PHO Live? That sounds like a Dirty Dining segment. And yet, everybody refers to Portland as PDX. I’m not here to raise issue with that, I think it’s fine. But, after six months or so, I believe it’s time to address the 250 lb gorilla in the room:

Our PDX, Portland’s airport.

After a series of emotionally draining personal incidents, I felt the need to get away. As the city grows, there are fewer places to find solitude. After the Airport MAX opened, I discovered the wide open spaces at the Mt Hood stop. Its a MAX stop in the middle of nowhere, rarely does anyone get off or catch the train there. I can sit there as long as my bladder will allow, watching planes come and go, flocks of birds, the occasional coyote wandering through the wetlands.

I have a friend who works at PDX. I used to visit her a lot, we’d play Scrabble on her breaks between flights. A few years back, you could find me haunting the airport any given weekend. I was fascinated with its dynamic, and loved the people-watching. Throw in conversation with a pretty girl, what’s not to love?

Time marches on, and we don’t see each other like we used to. (She got married and had a kid, sorta squelched the pursuit.) But we are still close, so I called her and told her I was coming for a visit.

The airport hadn’t changed much. When I was visiting regularly, construction was wrapping up on the big expansion/remodel. There was a new spot to plane-watch. It was the things that hadn’t changed that pleased me.

Hark! There’s still a Coffee People at the airport! My friend used to know all the baristas, and we got lots of deals on caffeine. I resisted spending $5 on coffee for nostalgia’s sake. I know Starbucks owns them now, so I knew it was more marketing gimmick than anything. (Especially when I saw the backward Coffee People sign at the Starbucks by the escalators.) If I were to drop any money, it would be at the Powell’s store. They always have something cheap that catches my eye.

I sat at the northern security entrance for a while. I used to wait there for my friend. People disembark from planes, and this is where the family meets them. It’s touching to watch the young lovers rushing to each other. The soldiers returning home to a hero’s welcome. The embarrassed teenager awkwardly dodging his mother’s kiss because “People are watching, Mom!”

I’m not wearing sunglasses because I’m trying to look cool. If I’ve had a couple of adult beverages, it’s impossible not to get misty.

What shocked me most were all the stores at Cascade Station. Um, hello? Pardon my questioning demeanor, I acknowledge I’m no fookin’ genius, but wasn’t the original idea of putting an airport way the hell “out there” so if an airplane falls out of the sky it won’t hit anything bigger than a couple trees and a cow or two? I must question the logic of putting a huge strip mall at the end of an airport runway.

Do we really need a Mattress World there? “Ooh, honey! I *knew* I forgot to pack something.” I look forward to someday seeing someone hauling a box springs onto the MAX…

Of course, if the terrorists want to ‘kill whitey’, all they have to do is take out the IKEA. What in the hell are all those people doing buying furniture on a Sunday night? Must be some mighty fine meatballs…

The Mt Hood stop will not be a quiet spot much longer. Either offices or condos are being built a stone’s throw away. I saw less wildlife than before, and the fog was such that I couldn’t watch planes for more than a few seconds. I had a brief but wonderful visit with my friend, revisited memories of days past, and witnessed progress in action.

Maybe next weekend I’ll go back, get a mocha at the Coffee People and get my ass kicked at Scrabble.

On Sunday, I went on a nice day trip to Champoeg State Park. It’s really nice this time of year. The crowds are gone, and the fall colors are resplendent.

Old street sign from town destroyed by flooding

Oregon’s first provisional government was formed there in 1843. In addition to the Native Americans, there were only a handful of European trappers and burly mountain men in the area at that time. They knew that a large influx of people would soon be arriving from back East, and that unless they formed a government, their claims to the land could be at risk. The town thrived until 1861, when a large flood on the Willamette River inundated the settlement.

I wandered the trails, stared at the historical sites, and just enjoyed the scenery. I saw a blue heron, a kestrel, and a red-tailed hawk. The park also features a museum, visitor center, disc golf, boat dock, and camping facilities (including yurts).

What are some of your favorite places to visit around Portland this time of year?

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Did you notice a peculiar locomotive today? Wondering WTF was up with a locomotive painted with the name of our 41st president? As a railfan and a photographer, I’m always on the looking to point my camera in the direction of interesting railroad subjects. While out and about yesterday morning I heard through the grapevine that this locomotive was in town and if I got on the road, I might be able to catch it for a photo before it headed south.

This is Union Pacific locomotive 4141, painted in 2005 into a special color scheme (inspired by the colors of Air Force One) for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. It’s one of a kind, and it’s a rare catch in this part of the country since this unit is typically in service in the southern part of the country.

No, our rails haven’t been taken over by ex-presidents. Despite the fact that the elder George Bush wasn’t a big fan of Portland, I found this to be a refreshing treat from the usual motive power seen on northwest rails. I shot this photo at Willsburg Junction, between Brooklyn and Milwaukie.

Snow?
Originally uploaded by dieselboi

I know I spent all my waking hours in the basement of my work Saturday, but I was following Twitter.

No one told me we got enough snow for snowmen.

Seen on N Vancouver.

I got the bug.

I have a hearty immune system, and have pretty good luck avoiding the social disease of the day. (And by social disease, I’m referring to colds, flu and such; not the diseases that are fun to catch.) On the morning of my first day off, I woke up with shivers and a burning throat. After coughing up a tennis ball, I popped a couple of ibuprofen and went back to bed. I’ve been sleeping great, and it’s going away slowly. I’m still sniffly, but feel guilty.

Why? Because it’s such a beautiful day outside. The golden sunset, the few rusty leaves still on the trees. Exercise always makes me feel better. I’d vowed to at least go for a walk, and I still might. Killing time waiting for the bus, I started watching the Apple Cup. This is where my ambition started to wane.

I normally have Sundays off, and get my football fix then. I won’t skip doing something fun to watch football, unless the football is really, really good. I get into following the Ducks and Beavers this time of year, building up the adrenaline for the Civil War. I know this sounds flaky, but I root for both. I didn’t attend either school, but spent some time on both campuses as a teenager. The Beavers can get to the Rose Bowl, I just wish they didn’t have to hurt the Ducks to do it. If the game is close, and the Ducks are trailing and threatening with a few minutes left? I’ll put my Oregon tee shirt on.

Hell, I may wear my U of O shirt and my Beavers hat at the same time. I’ll walk down 82nd and watch the jock’s heads explode.

I scanned the TV listings and couldn’t find a Ducks game today. Google tells me this is a BYE week for the Ducks, but not for the Beavers. I checked the usual TV channels, and couldn’t find them. Why aren’t they on?

The Apple Cup went on long enough that I missed another bus. I won’t say who won, because it’s being rerun later. It had a great finish, and I didn’t mind missing the bus. It gave me enough time to find the Beavers game. As I scanned the channels, I found it on the Vs. Channel. (32 on Comcast Cable in Portland.) They are playing the Arizona Wildcats and the game has kicked off.

After that, the Blazers play the Phoenix Suns. Man, I gotta watch Shaq school Oden…

I shouldn’t go out and infect the rest of the world with this awful cold, should I? I mean, it’s for the good of my fellow man that I sit in my room with the window wide open, breathing the fresh air and root-root-rooting for one of my many home teams.

I’ll watch the sunset during commercials.