Everyone who knows anything about me knows that I am completely obsessed about moving to Portland. Ever since my first visit three years ago, I've slowly built a fantasy in my head of a completely romanticized Portland--where it is autumn all year round. Crisp air, shorter days, seasonality that we just don't get in California where it seems to be summer all year round.
I was hoping I'd become disillusioned by my third visit, but I am even more deeply entrenched with the idea than I was before. Or perhaps with just the idea of moving somewhere new and starting over again in a new city.
In any case, we did plenty of hiking on this trip from Forest Park to Mirror Lake after the end of a scenic drive along the Columbia River Gorge. Visiting Oregon has become something of a tradition and one that I hope to keep up in the years to come. Perhaps next year we'll visit and run the Portland Half Marathon. That's certainly something to look forward to. Here's to 26.