18th Leg: St. Johns to Northwest Library

Date of run: May 5, 2014
Time: 4:05 pm
Temp: 61 degrees F (feels like 61)
Conditions: Partly cloudy, wind 7 mph
Distance: 6 miles out, 6.1 miles back (12.1 miles total)

Ships, Trains & Automobiles

Twelve miles! Okay, so I walked about a third of this, and I did take a 15 minute "downpour" break, but 12 miles and no cramps or pulled muscles. So, WIN.



First fun sight: One of those "art cows" that populate the city in various locations (like at the Childrens Museum near the Oregon Zoo), as well as a nice clock in St. Johns to remind me it was getting late in the afternoon.





Soon, I was headed over the majestic St. Johns Bridge, pausing to look up at one of the impressive 408 foot gothic towers, and then looking down to my left toward the road to northwest Portland (aka "Hipster Paradise, West version).







To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to the long slog down heavily trafficked (and under-sidewalked) St. Helens Road, and would much rather have taken a slight right up Firelane 7A, toward one of the best Forest Park Trails there is. But today was a "Library Run" day and it had to be done, so on I went through industrial Portland, with lots of cars whizzing by at 50 miles per hour, and quite a few trains (with ships parked nearby). Somewhat surprising, as I'd never noticed, there were a few residential houses dotted along the main road. These people must sleep with earplugs!







After a few miles of this, the skies suddenly darkened and it started to pour. I had been an optimist and left without rain gear (or more importantly, a plastic bag for my iPhone), so I ducked under an awning of a Subway sandwich shop. (I almost felt like I should go in and buy something as a gesture of thanks for being there, but didn't.)



After about 20 minutes, the skies gradually cleared enough for moderately soak-free running, and I was soon in northwest Portland, where I passed this neighborly wall mural, and soon spotted the attractive and aged-just-right building of the Northwest Portland Branch Library.





Today must have been "Left Side Face Day," because I was drawn to these two albums, one by Yaz (aka Yazoo in the UK), a new wave duo who released this live comeback album in 2010, and Charles Mingus, highly regarded jazz master from the 1950s through the 1970s. Jazz! Because, variety is good!



Heading back out, I came across - Oh no, not this - a French bakery. Well, impossible not to stop in at this one. Why fight it? I did compromise and only got a mini-sized Chaussons aux Pommes. ("Item in picture is smaller than it appears.") So small, but so good...



But then, after some fun twisty stairs, it was back to St. Johns, up the long lonely road with more views of electric grids and such industrial things, until I viewed once again the welcome sight of the big green suspension bridge.











I will always have fond memories of this bridge, from crossing it 2010 en route to completing my first marathon (all walking). Ah, how the years flow by, and I find myself somewhere down the lazy river...




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LAST WEEK'S MUSIC

Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble, Plastic Bag In A Tree (2007)

Love the album title, fitting for an artist now residing (I believe) in recycling-minded Portland, Oregon. I don't know how this slipped under my radar, but this one-off album by multi-insrumentalist Chris Funk (Decemberists) was a must-hear when I spotted it at the St. Johns Library. The music on the CD is split, one-half folksy acoustic, and one-half progressive/weird, with synthesizer flourishes, like the ones featured on this track. Overall, a really pleasant listen:



The album also features a very nice cover of the Fleetwood Mac gem "That's All For Everyone." I would have included the Ensemble's cover, but couldn't find a link on the 'net. Bummer, guess you'll just have to buy it! :-)


Family, It's Only A Movie (1973)

This band started as a psychedelic outfit in the late 60's, then evolved into a prog-rock band led by singer/bassist John Wetton (later of mid-70's King Crimson fame), then finished up with this album, more of a blues rock effort. I'd heard much of their earlier stuff but hadn't caught up with this one until I spotted it on the rack due to the eye catching humorous gunfighter pose on the cover. This lead track is more representative of their earlier work, but it's easily my favorite on the album, so there you go. It's also very much like early work of 10cc (later know for the FM hit "The Things We Do For Love"). Sonically busy, quirky, musically adventurous. Oh, I wish there were more stuff like this going on today!