Gettin' Goin

Woke up this morning and figured, if I'm going to go and trek about then I ought to just go do it.  With that I slipped into my new leather coat and headed for the Streetcar & Bus stop at 18th and Lovejoy.

Before I could make way with my random adventure I gazed over and noticed the coffee shop I drop by frequently.  They have some of the one of the, if not the, best cappucino in Portland.  With that observation I strolled over and grabbed a few photos of the place before heading out on the Streetcar.  One has to get woken up properly ya know, and a cappucino will do that.

The question that followed was, "so where do I want to go?"  My first gander was to take a ride on the Streetcar down the full length to South Waterfront to see if anything has been done or any right of way has been built up.  A lot of work still has to be completed for South Waterfront, and regardless of my level of enthusiasm it is very interesting watching the buildings, roads, parks, and rails get built up from nothing.

After completing my food intake of toasted Chiabatta Bread and cappucino I walked over to the Streetcar Stop and waited about 2 minutes for it to arrive.  Since I had the ole' laptop with me I had checked via the nextbus system.  If there is anything I dislike it's standing about not knowing where my transit is.  Especially when it's cold and rainy out.  But today I knew when the Streetcar was coming and it was absolutely beautiful out with a decent temperatue.

The Streetcar arrived and I boarded.  With the camera I took seeral pictures of the ensuing trip and the various groups of people that boarded and deboarded.  At one poin a family of four got on that was absolutely wonderful to see.  When a mother and father answer a childs inqueries with answers, or a statement of we'll have to find out, I find great enjoyment in knowing the child has great parents.  A rarity in today's world, even in peaceful Portland.

As the Streetcar made way through the city with the sun shining I clicked off a few more pictures before my blasted battery died.  The car rolled up to the Harrison and 3rd stop where I viewed the Portland Center Apartments with the two northern buildings showing their new colors.  The buildings I must admit look much better than the pasty 60s white that they had before.  The one completed entrance of the north western building was also simplified and basic, yet appeared a strong architectural manner in showing guests and residents into the building.

South Waterfront & the Transient Bum (Redundant?)

As the Streetcar made way toward the waterfront there only remained myself, the family of four, and a regular older bum fella aboard.  Of course not much reason exists for people to ride past the Harrison stops except to check out the few stores at the Riverfront.  With that I wished the family of four a good visit and a fun Streetcar ride back to the city and I left for a walk around the South Waterfront area.

I noticed the southern tracks where almost complete.  The only thing left at this point is catenary and stops.  As I walked a block over toward the street with the north bound tracks I saw there was still quit a way to go toward completion.  I finished my walk through SOWA and jumped back on the north bound Streetcar.  The driver was allowing patrons to board at the rear door as a new rather large and somewhat violent transient was sitting at the stop speaking jibberish to himself.  Within 4 minutes we departed for downtown.

This transient person was one I had seen the night before in hte Pearl District near Solo (A lounge/bar).  I had told my buddy Shannon with Joleen agreeing that one must make themselves noticeable when a transient or bum is sitting at the stop because the Streetcar Drivers won't stop if they see the bums just sitting there.  Some might say it's mean, but I know it's smart not to let them on.  They cause more harm and stink than they're worth.  The poor drivers have to hide the fact that they try to avoid these types though because they have no real policy or legal basis to kick them off or not pick them up.  Fortunately they have the "They didn't walk toward the car when I stopped" (for half a second with the doors shut).  Regardless of this, I'm very glad they make the choice to avoid them.

Without the bum the Streetcar pulled out and made way, arriving timely in PSU and on toward town.  My intention at this point was to complete a few errands and see if I could find any strange and entertaining happenings downtown while grabbing the mail from the PO Box.

The Red Line to Yellow Line Trip

So once I left the Streetcar I walked over and decided I'd buy a day pass since I intended to wonder all over the city today.  So I purchased my $4.25 Subsidized Ticket and boarded the next MAX Light Rail Vehicle to come along.  I rode that Red Line LRV about 3 blocks, getting off in front of the Pioneer Mall stop and walking a block over to grab the mail.  Once I retrieved the mail I walked back to the stop 2 blocks away but beyond the Pioneer Mall stop and boarded a Yellow Line toward the convention center.

As I sat there riding the Yellow Line toward the convention center there where literally hundreds of shoppers boarding and deboarding the light rail vehicles.  With the thousands of bags of merchandise and the flourishing markets abounding in every corner and niche of downtown I wondered how any person could say that the light rail system doesn't add to the sales.  I'm not saying they wouldn't have good sales, but the system definately works to the advantage of downtown and some of the outlying areas during this time of year.

The Yellow Line Vehicle I rode in zipped along as lead of the 2 car consist and we pulled into the Albina/Mississippi stop.  This recently and steadily gentrifying area is looking nicer by the day.  Along with the massive rail yard just north and industry just east it adds a very nice gritty edge to this part of the city.  As the ride continues on to Overlook Park it changes from gritty industrial to rather panache medical and park area.  A little further on it rolls into standard old town style America with less "subsidized" growth.  Being a mixed close in residential area without the bloated and spread apart suburbia cast the area is rather nice.  The immediate area within view of the MAX stations are all nice, and slowly growing beyond what the areas where before light rail construction.  In another 3-5 years this area should be nicely genetrified and reminiscient of old Streetcar line areas where the newly affluent middle class took their lives and changed America from a piddly European resistant country to what would become the world power.  I wonder in this day and age which way these newly affluent people in all these cities with light rail will push and goad America's direction.

The train strolled on and I gandered about for a coffee stop as I needed round two for the day.  Still coffeeless I deboarded the Yellow Line near the Fred Meyers and went questing for some batteries.  With my infinite wisdom shielding me I purchased some rechargeable batteries, then realizing I needed batteries I could use now, turned around not having left the store and purchased some non-rechargeable batteries.  Hmpf - I'm such a dunce sometimes.  With that I popped the new batteries in the camera and immediately clicked some photos of the Yellow Line Stops for the north and south bound LRVs.

The Yellow Line Return to Downtown Portland

I stood and walked around a bit and observed the flow of steady humans to and from the Freds, the nearby game store, chinese food resturant, and other assorted businesses and gas stations.  Between the hundreds of people getting on and off the light rail and the cars and busses swinging in and out of the sprawling parking lot there where hundreds, nearly thousands shopping in this small little area right now.  It's nice to see activity like this taking place.

Per boarding the south bound Yellow Line LRV returning to the city I joined a full car of people.  About 90% of the seats where occupied with quit a few people standing around talking.  Some teenagers boarded and blunty continued their vulgar and to some an offensive and degenerative conversation of superficial and pathetic people.  With the N word being parried about back and forth between the dozens of black people I pondered how the other white people on the train felt with such negative words being used as common parlance among the very people that so despise its usage.  The hypocrisy is abounding and huge.  It makes sense, yet is somewhat rude and offensive toward not just themselves but other also.  But I digress, I'm enjoying the ride regardless of the derogatory banter parrying between the vulgar mouths on the Light Rail Vehicle right now.

With that slight bit of vulgarity and classless discussion still in my mind, with the ironic and oxymoronic discussion continuing unabated the Yellow Line pulled into Rose Quarter and on into downtown.  At Rose Quarter the "vulgar discussion" departed.  With that I had a hectic sneeze and some of the new MAX riders having just boarded stated, "bless you".  Which I was glad to hear.  Being two fold in reason; people in Portland barely ever say such simple and courteous things and two, it was a very nice opposite to the trashy conversation that just got off.  Post my blessing we crossed the Steel Bridge and Old Town Chinatown appreared before us all.  The city with its effervescent shopping and residents walking around in great number awaited the arrival of another MAX train pouring even more into the wonderful chaos of holiday shopping.

Crossing Back to the Streetcar

Upon returning to town with dozens more on and off the LRV I deboarded in preperation for the next south bound Streetcar and Joleen to join me for McDonalds (Just one of those strange urges that comes up every once in a while).  I called and it was deemed I'd make the loop to meet Joleen and then ride from there to PSU and walk that last block to McDs.  With that I went around the loop and retrieved Joleen for McDonalds.  Post our grease intake we then boarded the Streetcar again for the pictures of strange things around town.  Rode through the south park blocks and got off around the Art Museum.  Snapped a few pictures of things such as an orange warning code stuck on top of a walk sign.  Who did that?  Who knows, but it was entertaining.  After few more snaps and a walk east to grab the #14 bus we headed for Hawthorne area.

Hawthorne Shopping and Removal of Rider Rights

So we boarded the #14 and off went a packed bus (standing room only) for Hawthorne.  We made it across the bridge and down onto Hawthorne.  About 25th with a completely packed bus the bus driver announces (per the demands of law? or is it regulation?) that we would have to give up the seat for a wheelchair.  Well there wasn't any room to go.  So simply not only did someone need to give up their seats they had to give up their right to ride the bus.  So Joleen being somewhat pissed at this absolutely ridiculous situation decided to say screw it and jump off.  With that we gave up our seats and 3 others followed us off.  So in total 5 of us lost our riding privileges in a mere matter of ridiculousness.  We strolled down Hawthorne from this point checking out this and that store, me reminescing over some Comic Books, an antique store, a gazed in a few music shops here and there.

Post our Hawthorne adventure, totally about 3 hours of galavanting around and catching a snack, we headed back to downtown.  After boarding the #14 west bound to Portland we made about 20 blocks sitting seperately (once again no seats where available about 2-3 stops after we boarded.  Some deboarded downtown and we snagged a seat together.  The bus stopped for a time point just shy of the MAX so we walked the remaining distance to the MAX and then up to the Streetcar.  With many waiting at the stop and 12+ minutes to wait we started walking.  We made it across Burnside, 3 stops past before the Streetcar finally caught up to us.  We saw it peak the curve and cross Burnside so decided to wait.  After about 2 minutes it arrived and we rode the remainder home.  Upon arriving we prepared for what prospectively would have been attendance of the Black Label Society concert, but alas we decided to reboard the Streetcar and grab some grub at Silk in the Pearl District.  We went, grabbed a good dinner with a great waitress, and while sitting spied the GPS Time Keeper, with 6 minutes pending we went and waited for the north bound Streetcar.  Upon arrival we headed back home, for what was to complete our day of transit usage and enjoying Portland and its offerings.  A good day.

• Total out of pocket cost:  $4.25 (Joleen $2.00, for a grand total of $6.25)
• Vehicle Types Used:  3  (Streetcar, LRV, and Bus)
• People's Rider Rights Removed:  5
• Blocks Walked:  Approximately 46
• Conversations with Strangers:  3
• Conversations I didn't need to hear: 1
• Polite People Interactions: 2+ (Probably dozens, but one loses count in Portland)
• Establishments where $ was spent: 5
• Meals Eaten: 2
• Snacks & Deserts Eaten: 2
• Total Miles on Transit: 30
• Total Miles Walked: 3

...and again that marks up a day's adventures that couldn't be had in a car at what amounts to less total cost (if parking and mileage - or just mileage costs are included).