We just got back– well, 5 days ago, I guess– from Portland, Oregon. We were attending the Far West Nursery Trade Show, and getting together with colleagues to discuss the future of the Independent Garden Center. And we took two extra days to play tourist. One day we hiked in the Columbia River Gorge, and one day we bummed our way around downtown Portland, visiting, among other places, Powell Books, which claims to be the largest bookstore in the country. And after browsing through floor after floor of books, I believe it!
The Trade Show portion of our trip included visits to our current Pacific Northwest tree and shrub suppliers, and a scouting expedition to seek out more. The vacation portion included some awesome waterfalls in the Gorge and a beautiful view of the Columbia River as we drove along Marine Highway and the Historic Columbia River Highway. The local folks warned us about the “winding and hilly roads”, but we just laughed. It’s obvious they haven’t travelled along the winding and hilly roads in the Ohio Valley!
Written by Lynn on the slope of Teasel Hill on a sultry summer-ish night.
