Stumbling out the door

March 15, 2022

With a flight that doesn’t leave until mid-afternoon and essentially all of our prep work complete, we anticipate as relaxed a departure as can be expected for an international flight. We’ll check out from our hotel at noon and catch a taxi to the airport, planning to arrive about three hours before departure - plenty of time to get checked in, make it through security, and find lunch. Rachael’s done the advance work, browsing the PDX website to pick candidates for our last stateside meal for awhile.

That leaves our morning free for the really last minute stuff. The script starts when Rachael’s up early for a trip upstairs to the workout room on the 11th floor, her third stint up there in three days. Not long before she’s due to return I walk back over to Elizabeth’s to pick up the Raven for one last run - we’re combining a last minute trip to the laundromat with breakfast at Stepping Stone Cafe, a nice traditional diner that Rachael’s never been to and I visited once about six years ago on a Coffeeneuring Challenge outing. Afterwards we’ll drop a last few items off at the storage unit, return the Raven to Elizabeth’s tiny parking space, hand her our copy of the keys for safekeeping, and walk back to the hotel to wait for our taxi to arrive.

Pretty simple agenda, nothing complex, plenty for time. What could go wrong? Nothing much, really - nothing show-stopping, but enough to be irritating and make us both feel foolish.

It starts when I’m about a block from Elizabeth’s on my walk over to pick up the car and realize I haven’t brought with me the key to her building so I can’t access the car. I could call her to let me in, but she’s not an early riser and it wouldn’t be reasonable to disturb her sleep for this. Nothing to do but to make an abrupt u-turn and head back to the hotel for a do-over.

I’m back with the car just in time for us to make it to the laundromat at eight, just as it’s opening. She starts two loads of wash (clothes destined for storage that we don’t want to turn foul over the next nine months) and then we head over to nearby Steppingstone Cafe for a great traditional breakfast spread, the sort of morning meal we used to have fairly often but almost never do any more.

At the Stepping Stone Cafe, pondering the fine list of options and modeling her new rain jacket. The fine print on the mug reveals a bit of attitude: “You eat here because we let you.”

It’s hard to interpret this expression, but Rocky was very happy with her scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, hash browns and toast.

Rachael finishes her meal (except for the leftovers she’ll take back to the room for lunch) and then walks back to the laundromat to rotate our loads into the dryer and soon after returns to the cafe. We sit around over a last cup of coffee and then drive back over to the laundromat to pick up the supposedly dry clothes. They’re only half done though - one load is completely dry but the other is nearly as wet as when she loaded it. There’s been no progress because the glass is missing from the door of the drier, so all the heat just drifted out into the room.

Laundromat selfie, and a pro tip - check and make sure the door has glass in it before depositing your quarters. The top unit is the look you’re after.

So that’s finally done, and we’ve still got plenty of time. We’re off to the storage unit, but Rachael hops out by the Safeway to pick up snacks for the flight while I drop off our clean, dry laundry. I’m on Lovejoy waiting for the green when she hops out, with a string of cars waiting behind me. Then, a brief panic when a warning message comes up on the dash: “Alert! Ignition key is not in the car!” We’ve forgotten that Rachael still has the key from when she retrieved something from the car at the laundromat. As a security feature, our smart Raven won’t run if there’s not a key in the immediate vicinity - and Rachael’s rapidly walking away with it and about to leave me stranded with a dead car in the middle of traffic. I honk just as she’s remembered on her own and is turning back, and fortunately she returns and hands in the key just as the light turns and before a chorus of angry horns disturbs the morning.

Back at the room, we’re still in plenty of time to call a cab and then head up to the 11th floor so she can show me the workout room she’s been hiding away in for the last three days and for us to admire the impressive rooftop view.

And the Hampton Inn, a very nice looking new hotel in the district - but not, as we saw a few days ago, the one we booked ourselves into this time.

Rocky wants to be sure you understand this isn’t her standard workout attire. This is for demonstration purposes only.

That’s it for high drama for our departure though. Everything else goes smoothly and as planned. The taxi is on time and has room for storing our small mountain of luggage in its trunk. We arrive at PDX three hours before departure, check in successfully and pass through security without incident. We have our passports, vaccination cards and QR codes for entrance to Spain ready for inspection, and they pass muster. We find an acceptable lunch, if not quite the one Rachael was hoping for - the one she was anticipating is on a different concourse on the far side of a different security gate - and then the first, short hop of our three legged flight leaves us sitting in a stylish lounge in the Vancouver airport an hour and a half later waiting another three hours for the big one, the trans-Atlantic flight to Munich. Uneventful, without even some drunken MAGAmaniac slugging a flight attendant over the mask requirement to spice things up. Just the way we like it.

Oh, wait. There is one interesting thing. Our flight to Vancouver is aboard a Bombadier Q400, a turboprop plane from De Haviland that I’ve never flown on before. I was impressed by how steeply it ascended upon takeoff, and then settled in to hearing the steady, throbbing hum of the left wing engine not far from my window for the next hour. I understand that the letter Q became part of its name because of how quiet it is for a turboprop but I’m not sure I’d describe it just that way myself.

Leaving PDX. There’s just the trace of a faint, flat rainbow arcing above marine drive.

Image not found :( — Looking across the San Juan or Gulf Islands to Vancouver Island.

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Graham FinchLooking forward to seeing how things go in Europe... I won't be far behind you.
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2 years ago

Suzanne GibsonLooks like nothing is going to stop you now!
Stop-over in Munich? Be prepared to see a strange sky. In Barcelona as well, I believe. Sahara dust has been painting the sky a murky, eerie ochre. This happens every once in a while. Quite amazing.
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2 years ago

marilyn swettScott - I had to laugh out loud at all of your drama on your last day in Oregon! It sounded like some of our days. Hope things are a bit smoother in Spain.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonWe’re at the Munich airport looking around. Where are you?
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Graham FinchDoesn’t sound like we’ll cross paths in Wales though, since we’ve reversed our UK itinerary and won’t be there until late August now. We should be in Lincoln around 7/05 though if you head back that way before leaving.
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2 years ago

Graham FinchTo Scott AndersonIs that 7th May or 5th of July?... Brits put the day before the month.

Either way I'll try to be around. I know a few good pubs in Lincoln - surprise surprise!
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2 years ago

Suzanne GibsonTo Scott AndersonIn quarantine! Otherwise, I would have been there waiving to you through the security gate.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Graham FinchOh, of course - July. Assuming we keep to the plan, we’ll land in Dover on June 13th and slowly make our way north. We’re booked in Lincoln for two nights, on July 5th and 6th.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonQuarantine! Oh, no! Hopefully neither of you has gotten infected?
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2 years ago

Suzanne GibsonTo Scott AndersonYes, I have Covid. Today is the 5th day and I'm feeling OK now. Attempting social distancing at home, so far Janos isn't infected.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonOh, Suzanne. I’m so sorry to hear that. Recover quickly, and good luck with Janos staying infection-free!
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2 years ago

Bruce LellmanTwo things:
The Stepping Stone Cafe was my favorite place to eat breakfast in the '80's and '90's. I always got Tichenor's Dilemma which had been on the menu in the '70's but was no more. Ordering it was an immediate 'in' with the staff and they dropped their attitude a bit.

The other thing is that I think I will keep my 34 year old Toyota which I use a key to open the doors and start the engine. Imagine that....a key!

Oh, and a third thing..... Have a Great Trip!!
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2 years ago

Zelda MekTo Bruce LellmanOur old favorite in NW Portland was Wheel of Fortune.The Omelettes were perfect and the person who called out your order had a golden voice.

We have lived all over the East coast, UK, etc. and never found as good of breakfast as that.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Zelda MekThis must have been many years back. I’d never heard of it and I can’t find any reference to it.
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2 years ago

Zelda MekIt was 23rd and maybe Irving. Someone nominated in bygone places here — https://pdx.eater.com/maps/mapping-19-of-portlands-most-missed-restaurants

Perfect breakfast after swimming at Metro Learning Center pool and before work.

More importantly, welcome to these shores and enjoy Spain!
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2 years ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesYou made a passing reference to a QR code for entry to Spain. What was that about?
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2 years ago

Bruce LellmanTo Zelda MekOh yes! I remember the Wheel of Fortune Restaurant. It had all sorts of interesting foods from around the world, not only breakfast type food. And in those days when I had no money it was one of the places I could afford. Thank you for reminding me of that restaurant.

Also gone from that area is Quality Pie. It was one of the only restaurants open possibly all night. One time I went there for a piece of pie late at night and the place was so thick with cigarette smoke that my lungs, not used to smoke, went into spasm and I had to go to the emergency room! Ah, the good old days!
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Steve Miller/GrampiesAt present at least, entrance to Spain requires registering with them, providing your identification, contact and vaccination information. You do it electronically using their application, within 48 hours of your flight departure. It’s an easy registration, and after you complete it you’ll received your QR code in an email. You’re likely to be required to present it when boarding. We had to show it before all three legs of our departure, but not upon arrival in Spain.
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2 years ago

Jen RahnCoffeeneuring, eh?
Bike, coffee, bike, coffee, bike ...
New word and great plan!

Thanks for introducing me to this great excuse for enjoying two favorite activities using one simple verb!
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Jen RahnI’d like to take credit, but it’s not my idea. There’s an organization or group or whatever that announces an annual challenge in the fall to take seven rides to seven venues for coffee and then post about them. The Bicycle Life group on a former website participated for a few years before relocating to Cycle365.
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2 years ago

Jen RahnI will give you full credit as Grumby Educator!

And I can imagine that you likely have more riding miles and coffee shop visits than most other CycleBlazers.
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2 years ago