Trip Report

Twenty Nine Bus riders left Eugene under overcast skies for a day in Portland. Our first touring stop was the new OHSU Tram for an eight minute Tram ride - literally having a birds eye view of the downtown waterfront area of Portland. The cloud overcast persisted all day, eliminating a view of Mt. Hood, but Mt. St. Helens was visible as an outline in the overcast skies. A little after 10 a.m., we were found atop the Portland Hills at the Pittock Mansion, enjoying coffee and goodies on the spectacular front lawn and veranda overlooking downtown Portland, the Willamette River and a portion of the Columbia River. We felt as though we had been taken back almost 100 years ago, and were enjoying one of the social afternoons of tea and goodies sponsored by Georgiana Pittock - a common event at the Mansion, to raise money for needy children in the Portland area at that time. Wild dogwood, rhodies, azalias and flowering trees of many species were dotting our trail all through the Portland streets and throughout Washington park, as we made our way to the Japanese Gardens for another breathtaking view of gardens so perfectly manicured and waterfalls with ponds full of very colorful Koi. The walkways of flowers and shrubs, the solitude and peace of the area, made it hard to believe we were really in the heart of a large city with freeways and high rise buildings all around us, and about a million people surrounding the area.

Lunch found us at the SWEET TOMATO - a vegetarian buffet off the freeway Hwy. 26, or Sunset Highway in the Beaverton area. Accommodations were grand and no one left feeling hungry. Another freeway ride through Portland brought us to OMSI at 2:45 p.m. for an exciting movie in the OMNIMAX THEATRE - "The Alps" - the climb of your lifetime. It was a very fitting film to end our day in Portland for Obsidians. A great day was the comment of all who toured on May Day. We invite any of you not experiencing a bus trip yet, to come to join us - leave the driving to Oregon Coachways, relax, and have a great time.

Riders were members: Ewart Baldwin, Pat Bayless, Barbara and Paul Beard (leaders), Paula Beard, Louise Behnke, Mary Lee Cheadle, Kent Christoferson, Robert Eaton, Rosemary Etter, Rachele Fiszman, Virginia Gilbreath, Bette Hack, Donna Halker, Dora Harris, Ben Jeffries, Pat Jeffries, Terri Mason, Barbara Payne, Don Payne, Margaret Prentice, Liz Reanier, Edith Rode, Nola Shurtleff, Paula Sievers and Julie Snell; and nonmembers: Rosalie Bowman, Sharon Clarke and Susan Rienhal.