A bargain breakfast

August 13, 2023

There must be a roosting tree nearby, because around five thirty I’m wakened up by the crows preparing for liftoff. There’s no sense going back to bed at this point so I’m up early, with Caffe Umbria not opening until seven. Then I remember about JoLa Cafe, the place we met up with Barry and Janice earlier this summer. If I remember right, they open up at six or six thirty. I check the hours and confirm that they open at six, seven days of the week.

Perfect. I’ve had a pair of free coffee coupons burning a hole in my pocket ever since then, acquired when the servers lost Barry’s order and gave him the coupons as atonement. The Branhams won’t be in Portland again any time soon, so Barry handed them off to me.

So that’s good. Also good is that it got me out the door and down to the waterfront not long past six, almost in time to catch the best of the sunrise.

I really should get out early more often.

My thinking was that I’d bike to JoLa Cafe more or less directly, have breakfast, and then bike north to the Columbia Slough. Biking along the river though, I decide there’s a better plan. I should take advantage of the best hour of the day and take the long way there, looping down Springwater to the Sellwood Bridge and then back to the cafe.

Crossing Tilikum Crossing, I’m happy with my decision when I snare one of my favorite shots of the bridge. It’s always photogenic, but the light on it is especially nice this morning.

It really is remarkable how much differently things can look in different lights.

Crossing the bridge though I stop to look back, and capture an even better shot. Amazing to see the railings look like gold.

Amazing. I’ve never seen it look like this. The man in the middle is just standing there, watching the sunrise.

Just past the bridge, I’m reminded that last night was one of the two signature events on the Portland biking calendar: the World Naked Ride. I’m reminded of this when I see two unshapely middle-aged men standing beside the road in all their glory, presumably still in their unattire from last night.

You can thank me for skipping past that and taking a photo of the new cycling mural instead.

Just past the bridge is this new mural. I saw work just beginning on it earlier in the year - only a small patch in the lower right was completed when I passed the artist at work. Today is the first I’ve seen the completed work, and realized it’s the wall of a new bike shop.

I arrive at JoLa just past 7, redeem a coupon, and check out the pastries. Nothing looks more appealing than an almond croissant, so I ask for one. And that’s a bargain too: they’re a day old so I get one for $1.50.

Today’s breakfast sets me back $1.50. Thanks, Barry!

I don’t stay as long as I normally might, because I forgot to charge my iPad last night and it dies soon after the first cup of coffee. Just as well - it’s due to get hot, and I’m better off getting my miles in early. I’m not back on the bike again for longwhen I’m reminded that today’s the day for the other big cycling event: the Providence Bridge Pedal. This is major event - a mass group ride across the Willamette on a number of the city’s bridges. It’s the one time of the year when you can bike across the Fremont Bridge (I-405) and the Marquam Bridge (I-5), among others. We’ve never ridden this, mostly because we don’t like biking in crowds, but as long as it’s on and I’m here it’s fun to watch the parade.

It takes awhile for me to find a gap in this parade so I can make it across Macadam.

Maybe we’ll try this some year. It might be worth it to stop and stare off the top of the Marquam and Fremont Bridges.

I’m thinking I might be forced to come up with a new ride plan, but it works out fine. The event’s route is easy enough to avoid, but I get close enough to it for a few shots along the way. And in Willamette Park I’m tickled when a gang of bushtits passes through. They’re such funny and cute little birds - I’ve seen them described as feathered ping pong balls - and they’re hard to get a shot of because they’re in perpetual motion.

Not bad! I’ve never gotten a good enough shot before to notice that their outer tail feathers are whitish.

On the Ross Island Bridge. This one is always open to bikers, but it’s not advised - it’s suicidal unless you stay on the narrow, exposed sidewalk. I did it once just because, and walked most of the way across.

On the Marquam Bridge. I agree, that does look like fun.

The Hawthorne Bridge. Zoom in and you’ll see there’a a steady procession.

Advancing toward the Steel Bridge. We’re at the end of the line now - all the big numbers passed through earlier and we’re down to the final stragglers.

So that’s most of the interest in the ride, really. Most of my miles are still ahead, but we’ve seen the Columbia Slough many times here so I’ll just drop in a few pictures, mostly to note that I’ve never seen so many great egrets here. It’s normal to see one or two in the summer but today there are about twenty of them flying up and down the channel.

So that’s pretty special. Also worth noting though is that a second gang of bushtits flitted through. I’m sure I’ve never seen them twice on the same day before.

Unusual. I’ve never seen them in large numbers here before. Also note there’s a great blue heron in the crowd, looking not particularly great in comparison.

Oh, one other thing about the day: it began with a bargain, and it ended with bargain. I made my way down to Lucky Lab again for a slice and a pint, but one became two when the management decided I needed a second slice because the first seemed on the small side. It looked normal to me but I didn’t object.

Today's ride: 28 miles (45 km)
Total: 1,256 miles (2,021 km)

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Susan CarpenterA bountiful and serendipitous day
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8 months ago