Welcome to Portland

Yes, we made it out here,and what a great time we have been having. Its going to be tough leaving . Everyone we have met has been so nice and interested in our trip,and the city itself is very bike friendly.
Our hosts met us at the airport and immediately gave us a mini tour of the area. We stopped off at a restored grammar school for lunch. This school was essentially abandoned, the neighborhood decaying ,and by luck a builder saw potential . The interior was restored to reflect its former life,and anyone visiting it who was once a student would feel like they were back in first grade. No plastic chairs or steel lockers in this place, wood was the medium used back then. It now is a
B&B, theater ,and restaurant,and nostalgia runs rampant as you walk the halls.
I was ready to get busy assembling the bike, so imagine my surprise when I found it ready to go when we got to Dan's home. That was a treat that was greatly appreciated . And then neighbors and friends stopped by and cooked up a wonderful dinner, providing great conversation and encouragement . We managed to stay up to midnight east coast time,and were ready for a good nights sleep.
On Tuesday Janet and Dan had big plans to introduce us to their fine city . We rode over the rather long uphill leading into town,and when there marveled at the network of bike lanes that bicyclists love. We had a 11 am tour slot to meet , a new business called Portland Bicycle Tours was about to give their first tandem tour. For 2 hours our two tandems were lead around the city by Evan who gave us a up close look of the parks,buildings and bridges that Portland is noted for.We ended up at Pearl Bakery for lunch, a good thing too ,because Dan took over as tour guide after that and the calories were needed for the climbing he had in mind. We enjoyed the Rose Gardens, a Shay Locomotive,and finally the top of Council Crest Park where we got to see Mt. Abrams and Mt. St. Helen's . It took 40 miles ,a lot of climbing,but we did make it back home ,a great introduction to the city and a fitting tune up for what is to come.