So, you want to move to Portland?
 

This is why you might want to change your mind...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aZC64NGL2w

I was in Portland in 2006. As I got on the interstate to get to my hotel I figured there was a wreck up ahead. Nope, just crazy traffic. It would take an hour to go a few miles at almost any time of day. I figured the people don't have a house, they just drive around on the interstate. It was nucking futz, and that was 11 & 1/2 years ago. Just insane.

This sounds like a disinformation campaign to discourage people from moving to Portland: what are you trying to hide?

You could always move North & find out for yourself..

Since decent service for the old 911S was my only reason for going there, the traffic did factor into my decision to get rid of the car.

I presume this is a comic piece so I will give my tongue in cheek comical response:

10. Crowded? Pfft! I'm from Los Angeles!
9. VooDoo donuts was always over hyped, many Portlanders think it is a joke, it has been and now even more so a tourist trap (like there is no place else to get a donut in Portland?)
8. Yes it is probably the birthplace of hipsters, I would rather be surrounded by hipsters than homeless people. (see #10)
7. Powell's, seemed overpriced when I visited years ago... that is what Amazon is for.
6. Pioneer square, cool place but don't need to go there
5. Breakfast, you can wait in long lines for breakfast here too... if you have to go to the latest hip/cool breakfast joint you saw on food network, I'm sure they have Denny's in Portland. I mean how much can you do with eggs, bacon, and hash browns?
4. Hipsters fad is dying... and this is bad how?
3. Pubic transit, have to admit that sucks, I love riding the light rail when I'm there.
2. Public resistance, fewer public protests? (see #4)
1. Cost of living (see #1)

Disclaimer: I have been to VooDoo donut, I was there on a rainy day mid-morning middle of the week and there were only three or four people in line so I figured what the heck. Yes, they are good but come on, it is fried dough and sugar... what is not to like? Besides other donut shops have caught on and are copying their crazy donuts.
Also been to Powell's, very cool place, hope they can hang on.
Pioneer square is cool too but don't see any reason I need to go there, so many cool parks in Portland to hang out if you want to be outdoors.

Note: My wife and I did the long distant thing for three years when she lived Beaverton (suburb of Portand). I would fly into Portland early Friday while she was at work,catch the train into town and have my own private pub crawl (the stop at VooDoo, I got off the train at Kell's for breakfast and Irish coffee and then headed up to Stumptown passing Voodoo).

I know this is a comic piece because they left out the real #1 reason not to move to Portland (and the only thing keeping us from doing it) THE WEATHER!

With Tom McCall assisting from the hereafter ...

_

wait..you had a 911?

hahah..just kidding. voodoo donuts are embarrassing. i went there, stood in line and ordered a glazed donut. the person, looked at me sideways.."glazed?"
"yup, its the only way i'll find out if you guys are any good"

he actually looked nervous handing it to me. it tasted like a decent grocery store donut.

I actually had a glazed too, but mine was humongous Texas size donut... it was actually pretty good (maybe it was because it was cold and I ate inside Stumptown with a mug of good coffee.) I texted my wife and picked a couple of the crazy donuts for her and her daughter.

I have heard meth use is a major problem in Portland.

Odd no mention of the homelessness plague.
Other wise most everything listed is the same crap ruinning all the other once nice cities to live in, San Francisco, L.A to name a couple.

i had a meeting in Oakland today. it was shocking the magnitude of the homeless problem. it put ANYTHING i have seen in the short history called my life to shame. entire blocks, the sidewalks just buried under the shanty towns they built up. the city put porta potties and hand wash stations at every one.

it felt odd pausing to snap a pic,..but it dropped my jaw wide opened.

that is a good cup of coffee. i like that place.

and back on track..i could live in Portland. i like that place. it's like where i live, but with more "stuff"

Its spreading.... they're starting to appear down here in south OC. Someday, all of California will have the issue. Probably not too far from now.

I here property taxes are cheap there

The death of hipsterism would be a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, it isn't true just yet. I see them daily.

This is a goofy video. Probably made by some transplant / newcomer. His voice didn't sound home grown.

Most Oregonians will tell you that they aren't particularly excited about people moving in. It has been that way for as long as I remember.

Lots of reasons not to move here. Lots of reasons to live here. I find 9 months of overcast gloom to be a bit much come May.

Speaking of Cape Town in your other thread today, maybe shanty towns will start appearing in major US cities due to high housing costs.

No surprise it is all over downtown where I work, shanty town setup under every freeway overpass... they clear them out every few months but they just move down the block and return to the overpass a few day later.

My hometown of San Pedro has a huge homeless problem also.

I fear someday it will turn into the zombie apocalypse... except with homeless people:confused:

Yep, the only possibility is like the video said they are starting to commercialize the hipster style which may slowly kill off the movement... kinda like the punk rock movement.

In the shadow of Anaheim Stadium, along the Santa Ana river, a fraction of the encampment.
https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-c...-1560x1040.jpg

I get the feeling that fella doesn't travel much,

Because he's describing everywhere.

^^^Yes. Other than the donuts.

Well, we even have those disgusting donuts here. :)

Actually the little voodoo men are good.

If I was homeless and living in Wisconsin or Michigan, I’d make a B line for California. The homeless aren’t stupid, why should you freeze in the winter when you could live in Cali (or Portland).

Not exactly warm in Portland right now...snow predicted tonight.

You gotta be pretty intrepid to be homeless around here. I knew of a homeless woman who literally lived year round in a cardboard box under the boardwalk along the river.

She was a nice energetic lady. Then one day something in her brain broke.

Blue Star donuts are tons better than Voodoo's!

Yep, we are bordering on having homeless towns.

Hmmm, I'm going to Portland next month... mainly for hiking and scenery, but I do know I'll be potentially eating at a few places like Screen Door and Tasty & Sons... not sure if I can stomach the hours long wait for food though.

Most waits are nothing. Check out online reviews. Screen door is fine, nothing spectacular. The food in Portland really is outstanding. Cheap too.

Don't believe you need to wait for anything in Portland. Don't dress up either.

If I were planing on being homeless (I'm not) I would head to Hawaii.

Portland is great but the winters are not warm or dry.

Are you planing on going up the gorge (along the Columbia river)? If not you should, couple of nice restaurants and pubs in the town of Hood river.

^^^^ Also, there is great hiking in the Gorge, not far from PDX. I don't know how the fires affected vegetation and access, but over by Multnomah Falls we would go hiking. There was one loop (look up Horseshoe Falls) where we'd see 3 or 4 waterfalls, including one where the trail goes behind the waterfall. Then we'd head over to the Lodge at Multnomah Falls for Sunday brunch.

Also some hikes out by Mt Hood, but then you have to drive 60-90 min to get there.

The Eagle Creek fire affected access greatly, and hiking in the gorge is severely curtailed. You WILL be fined if you're caught in the forbidden zones and there's a pretty good chance you will be caught. People who live in the gorge and the authorities are not taking this issue lightly.

If you hike or ski on Mt Hood, make sure you get your access pass.

And, if you're in Hood River on the weekend, be prepared to sit in traffic while you circle around looking for a place to park.

(It's not as much fun to live in the Portland area as it used to be.)

I'm planning on going to the gorge, will be at Mt Hood. I actually have a lot of hikes planned, but I will not be able to do them all in one weekend. I know many hikes are also closed for winter or due to the fire.

Some of the hikes and places I've got planned to visit are:
Cleetwood Cove Trail
Garfield Peak
Crater Lake
Toketee Falls
Cannon Beach
Hay Stack Rock
Multnomah Falls
Bridal Veil Falls
Elowah Falls
Mt Hood
Sahalie & Koosah Falls
Ponytail Falls
Lookout Mountain to High Prarie Trailhead
Abiqua Falls Trailhead
The Grotto
Portland City Grill

I'll probably be picking and choosing my list here. If anything is a must visit, or if you have any other suggestions, please let me know! I will also have to make it to Tualatin to visit a old friend.

Ahh yes, the lady friend did mention something about seeing a few waterfalls on a trail, I'll do some more investigation! I don't mind the driving too much, but if it's horrible like being in Los Angeles, that may change things! Thanks for the suggestions, and if there's any must see places, feel free to post them!

Yikes, Looks like I'll have to get to Hood River at Sunrise and hope for the best! Yeah, I know the fires closed a whole bunch of access to trails so that was a bummer. Hopefully I'm able to check out some of the other places when I come back next time. Are there any less popular hiking areas where I can get away from the tourists in Portland still?

Yes. :)

Note he said "on the weekend", it has been 8-9 years since my last visit but I think if you can visit the town of Hood River mid-week it will probably be not as crowded.
There are (were) some very nice restaurants and pubs in and around the town.

Yeah, unfortunately I will be going this as a weekend getaway this time. Best thing I can do is get there early as possible!

In that case you might want to skip Hood river, if you haven't already PM
herr_oberst. Portland is surrounded by forest there are bound to other less popular but just as beautiful places to go hiking.

There is a nice hike on a little peninsula that sticks out into the ocean a little south of Tillamook. I can't remember the name of it.

Also, for eating: Pok Pok!!

Hmmm, could it be Bayocean Peninsula Park near Cape Meares Lighthouse?

I remember having Pok Pok on the food list! I'm allergic to seafood though, so I'd probably have to pass on their wings.

The coast is about a two hour drive, just saying.