Kyle’s Blog

More and more I publish my blogs and realize after 6 years of being out of school how much shit I’ve forgot. Simple grammar, punctuation and all… I need an editor. This serves as a sort of immunity clause for all blogs to come… write that down.

I left the cloudy Inland Empire around 9 am two days ago up north. Nearly choked to death on smog holding on desperately to the surrounding mountains of the San Fernando valley, but manage to escape only to be plummeted into the vast wasteland that is central California. My directions thankfully took me to the 101 for a much cooler (temperature wise) and scenic drive until I stopped for the night a few miles north of San Fransisco to visit my sister in Sonoma County. Between Super Mario All Stars, a trip to the Russian River Brewery, and putting up with her crazy cat I retired fairly early exhausted and looking forward to getting further north. My plans to visit Oregon were scrapped as my friend in Astoria had a wedding to attend, so I said the hell with directions anyway, got on the 101 going the only direction I knew would take me in the vicinity of where I needed to be. Passed through Eureka for a late lunch at an inconspicuous establishment known only at the Six Rivers Brewery where I devoured a mediocre burger and a pint of their Sasquatch Strong Ale which was a formidable pint to take down on a very empty stomach weighing in at 8%. From there I cut east away from the central California coast nearly consumed by very low clouds for an all around gloomy and mysterious day. Powering through the 199 interstate ensuring my speedometer read only 3 to 5 miles above the speed limit (typically on cruise control) to avoid the speed Nazis aka Oregon State Police who have probably paved at least a quarter mile of the 5 freeway  simply on the speeding tickets I’ve managed to earn in the last 4 years. Back on the uneventful 5 freeway I received a phone call from my good friend Matt (who’s blog link in in the ol’ blogroll) who had recently arrived to Seattle after his four month dive school in Florida. Long story short he suggested we meet up in Portland, he’d make the hotel reservation, we’d reunite, and finally share a pint as friends are likely to do. We both arrived in PDX (as the cool kids call it) around 10pm and had said beer(s) at the Deshute’s Brewery, exchanged stories in an overall giddy mood as we are both good friends and glad to be in each others company. 

Arose this morning feeling groggy and overcome by itchy eyes and irritability due to said condition. I thanked myself for obtaining allergy meds upon arrival to Virginia during my post deployment screening. Got some coffee from the lobby and took a deep breath realizing that I was indeed in the great Pacific Northwest, that it was good to be back, that Portland had remained weird, and that damn it felt good to have leave for another month. 

A quick breakfast at Mother’s Bistro, a visit to the Portland Saturday market, a pint at the Rouge tap house, 2 pints at the Blue Moon public house which serves McMennamins brewed beer, a stop in at REI, and a few other errands. At the end of the day I’ve compiled a good amount of photos on the new Olympus SLR, an iPhone in conjunction with a new service provider, multiple smiles, a slight sunburn, and a continually growing civil war general beard (think an entire beard with the middle of my chin shaved. 

Cheers, to adventure. I can’t wait to get to Seattle and see everyone. This trip is going so damn well… would upload pictures, but guess who forgot their usb cord?