First Impressions (Portland, Eugene, Salem: travel, work, new home)

[jiffin4java]

So my family and I are staying with our family in northern CA while we find a place to live near Portland (where hubby will be working) and we drove up to OR yesterday to look at a couple houses and have a little fun scouting things out. Here's what I think so far...

I think I'm in love!!! LOL!

Okay. Granted, I've only seen OR at night and we stopped for the night in Roseburg, but still! I loved how the city lights were laid out along the side of the hills like a blanket. Very cool and I've never seen city lights look that pretty anywhere else I've traveled (and I'm not talking BIG city lights). Maybe it's not quite as pretty during the day, but it definitely put a smile on my face when we drove through last night. Lots and lots of trees along the highway! Also not something I've seen much of anywhere else! I can't wait to drive through the mountains during the day. I know it's ten times as beautiful! We're heading up to the Portland area today and I can't wait to share with you guys what I think!

(If you're one of the few people who have been following my family's little adventure these last few months you know how excited I am! Like a kid on Christmas morning! )

[FoxyKnox]

I'm so glad you like it thus far! Too bad it's rainy today... You'll probably get this once you're through there, but the stretch of I-5 between Eugene and Salem is the longest, flatest, straightest stretch of freeway in the world. Also along I-5 in Salem, you'll cross the 45th Parallel--halfway between the N pole and the Equater. I think the sign is kind of overgrown Just some fun freeway facts for you--see how cool Oregon is!?

I just love it here, glad you think you will too!

[Tesaje]

Originally Posted by FoxyKnox

but the stretch of I-5 between Eugene and Salem is the longest, flatest, straightest stretch of freeway in the world.

Never drove on I-5 down the CA central valley, huh?

[jiffin4java]

I was completely expecting to see flat, bare land coming out of the mountains like we have in CA. That didn't happen! Oregon is beautiful and I'm so excited! We found a house in Sandy and we drove to Portland to make sure the commute to the airport wouldn't be too bad. We drove through the airport and the kids were excited to see where Daddy will be working. Then we drove from there to Yamhill where we have friends. It was very cloudy and rainy yesterday and I loved it. I love how green everything is and how beautiful the trees are. I can't wait to get moved in! No matter where we drove it was a nice, pretty drive. Yep, I'm in love.

[tiffela74]

Hey Yeahh!!!!!! Im so excited for you!! Its terrific to hear about how much you like your new home here in Oregon! See, I KNEW we'd draw you in from the "other side" lol Now we're just starting to get into spring, just wait til you see everything in bloom. Its incredible! Youre gonna love summertime, no extreme temps that keep you hiding indoors for weeks on end. Then the glory of fall, color changes and crisp air....and I bet you'll really enjoy winter too...Sandy can get about the best amount of snow, enough to really enjoy it, building snowmen, having snowball fights, taht kinda stuff, but not so much that youre barricaded indoors for again, weeks on end.
I cant wait to hear more and more updates from you!
WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tiff

[FoxyKnox]

Originally Posted by Tesaje

Never drove on I-5 down the CA central valley, huh?

Nope, never have. Does it turn my fact into a myth?

[Tesaje]

Originally Posted by FoxyKnox

Nope, never have. Does it turn my fact into a myth?

Afraid so. No place in OR is as flat as the long expanse of I5 in CA central valley, especially the San Joaquin valley. It's natural state is as an inland sea during the rainy months so the salvaged land from the levees makes it very flat. CA has its beauties, but not so much the Central Valley. Parts of the Willamette valley are lake bottom flat but it is much smaller and greener.

[jiffin4java]

Thank you, Tiff!!! I FEEL like I'm home! We are heading down I-5 back to the Sacramento area where our family is. I-5 in CA is really boring and flat. It's a draining drive. I-5 in Oregon may be flat and straight, but it doesn't matter because it's surrounded by beautiful hills and trees. Definitely a much nicer drive. Passing through the mountains was breathtaking. And you can see Mt. Hood all the way from Salem! At least, today you could. We couldn't see it heading in because it was cloudy/rainy. But today is clear and it was amazing.

We spent the day in Yamhill with friends yesterday and we took the kids to the park despite the light rain (the kids were excited about the idea of getting to play in the rain. LOL!). The sun peeked through the clouds for a few minutes and revealed the brightest, most beautiful FULL rainbow I've ever seen....the first of many, I'm sure. I've been all smiles the past four days and I only wish it wasn't going to be 3 1/2 weeks before we can move into our house.

God has blessed us beyond measure.

[bobmulk]

Jiffin: What a refreshing read!! So glad you're coming to Oregon. You are exactly the type of people we want here! Now if we could get rid of some of the malcontents!

Welcome to Oregon!

[jiffin4java]

Thanks so much, bobmulk! My husband and I have always wanted to live in Oregon. We've been all over! It's finally come true and he's got a great career to go with it! Proud to be Oregonian!