Navigating the streets? (Portland, Donald: apartments, buying, restaurant)

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by gavigan

Okay, move to Hawthorne successful! So far, the place actually seems pretty quiet, so I'm hoping for the best.

I start work tomorrow and am embarrassed to admit how lost I manage to get driving around here every time I try. I'm hoping to bike part of the time, but I don't think I can quite manage the SE Portland - to - Vancouver route every day yet. Does anyone know of a good resource to learn the roads around here? Or are there shortcuts/back routes between here and Vancouver you might be willing to suggest? I'll have the reverse commute, but I'd still like to know how to avoid using 84 & I5 the whole time. It figures, I only just managed to get all of my own city's streets down after several years, and now I have to start over. Thanks much!

At least you are in SE - most of that area is a rectangular grid.

Have you tried a combo of bike and bus pass?

Seems that a lot of Tri-met buses hang a bike rack on the front last time I checked.

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by gavigan

Thanks, PNW!

I moved from Seattle for a job. I like Portland quite a bit already. My next task is to find some friends.

Eventually, I do want to go home -- all the friends and family are there, and I love my hometown despite its skyrocketing cost of living. If you need any suggestions about relocating on the fly, let me know: I had three weeks to do it all, which was entertaining to say the least...

There are entire threads devoted to the alleged "stand-off-ishness" of Northwesterners, but a lot if it is that everyone I know is pretty busy, between work, family, home and outside interests. I know there are people who just hang out in coffee shops all day, but I don't actually know any of them. The best bet is to find an outside interest and meet people that way.

If you like to bicycle, try Rivercity Bicycles over on MLK just north of Morrison (it has the iron bicycle sculpture on the roof). There are ride groups, both on- and off-road. Not all of the rides are absolute endurance type things, some of them are much more leisurely.

[gavigan]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

There are entire threads devoted to the alleged "stand-off-ishness" of Northwesterners, but a lot if it is that everyone I know is pretty busy, between work, family, home and outside interests. I know there are people who just hang out in coffee shops all day, but I don't actually know any of them. The best bet is to find an outside interest and meet people that way.

If you like to bicycle, try Rivercity Bicycles over on MLK just north of Morrison (it has the iron bicycle sculpture on the roof). There are ride groups, both on- and off-road. Not all of the rides are absolute endurance type things, some of them are much more leisurely.

Yeah, I know about the standoffishness stereotype. We get it all the time up north, too. The only time I ever got to hang out in coffeehouses was when I was studying as a college student. Kinda miss that...

I'll check out Rivercity. Thanks for the tip! I have a Trek 520 and used to do some pretty decent urban cycling, so hopefully I'll be able to gear up for some real rides one of these days. I'm debating a relocation a bit further north before too long, too, since it does seem like the NE would be a bit more convenient for where I have to work We'll see, anyway.

[gavigan]

Originally Posted by mdvaden

At least you are in SE - most of that area is a rectangular grid.

Have you tried a combo of bike and bus pass?

Seems that a lot of Tri-met buses hang a bike rack on the front last time I checked.

I'm looking into it now. Part of the thing is that my job actually requires driving some days. We do a lot of public outreach all over the place, and we really can't get where we need to go with all of our equipment sans car. After years of bike-and-bus only life, I'm a little frustrated by it...but not much I can do right now.

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by gavigan

I'm looking into it now. Part of the thing is that my job actually requires driving some days. We do a lot of public outreach all over the place, and we really can't get where we need to go with all of our equipment sans car. After years of bike-and-bus only life, I'm a little frustrated by it...but not much I can do right now.

Why not a small motorcycle then?

Is it because non-motorized vehicles can't go where you need to take bikes?

How about putting a bike rack on something small like a Yugo

[gavigan]

Ok, seriously, I biked everywhere for four years until recently, so it's not that I don't want to bike. I now have to haul approximately 50 to 80 pounds of equipment and don't really want to go back and forth across the bridge with them in a bike trailer! Plus, we run events all over PDX/Vancouver, as well as further to the north, west, and east. My vehicle gets excellent mileage, and I'm not in a situation where I can purchase a motorbike. Apart from work, I walk or bike everywhere. That's as much as I can do right now.

[babycoleslaw]

Originally Posted by gavigan

Okay, move to Hawthorne successful! So far, the place actually seems pretty quiet, so I'm hoping for the best.

I start work tomorrow and am embarrassed to admit how lost I manage to get driving around here every time I try. I'm hoping to bike part of the time, but I don't think I can quite manage the SE Portland - to - Vancouver route every day yet. Does anyone know of a good resource to learn the roads around here? Or are there shortcuts/back routes between here and Vancouver you might be willing to suggest? I'll have the reverse commute, but I'd still like to know how to avoid using 84 & I5 the whole time. It figures, I only just managed to get all of my own city's streets down after several years, and now I have to start over. Thanks much!

If you have $199 to spend, go buy the Mio GPS system from Best Buy. Can be used walking/biking/driving and we used it while there this weekend and it's practically flawless.....we're moving there next month and warranted the cost just to save the headache of learning a new city. Good luck!

[5chevin5]

Good advise babycoleslaw...Those GPS things are in every car in Tokyo...but you should see the spaghetti (or should I say ramen) mess of streets here....zoinks!!!

I think because the O.P is against the "normal" commute patterns of suburbs into downtown in the morning and out in the evening I recommend using the freeways as much as possible. The banfield (84)can get nutty sometimes (like the sunset (26)...for no reason)...but its not usually at a complete stop...just painfully slow!!

Its not too bad in PDX....so just give yourself a few extra minutes...
Gambate

[babycoleslaw]

Originally Posted by 5chevin5

Good advise babycoleslaw...Those GPS things are in every car in Tokyo...but you should see the spaghetti (or should I say ramen) mess of streets here....zoinks!!!

I think because the O.P is against the "normal" commute patterns of suburbs into downtown in the morning and out in the evening I recommend using the freeways as much as possible. The banfield (84)can get nutty sometimes (like the sunset (26)...for no reason)...but its not usually at a complete stop...just painfully slow!!

Its not too bad in PDX....so just give yourself a few extra minutes...
Gambate

Great analogy! Especially since my husband and I joke we're going to need to exist on ramen for a year to afford our new mortgage!

[5chevin5]

Well babycoleslaw...I must say that living off ramen is not a bad thing (especially in Japan)!! Its when you add free ketchup packets from Mc Donalds to make spaghetti...Then you are in jeopardy of burning in food hell!!! (see struggling musician cookbook for more)

Fortunately, though I have been an executive chef for the better part of twenty years...I enjoy good honest and cheap food when Im not slinging the foie gras and caviar. Portland has some of the best cheap...yet quality restuarants of anywhere.. Willamette Week (the local weekly guide to everything cool in town...a must have, though slightly biased...(check out website) Has a "cheap eats" guide that will keep you and hubby in culinary bliss. I could ramble and rant about some of my favorites, but, perhaps if you are interested, just send me a private message. If anybody on this site would like to hear some of my thoughts on restaurants....just let me know. even the food trucks (formally known as "roach coaches") whip up AWESOME food in Portland....very good quality and believe it or not very sanitary. There are some restaurants that arent worth their weight in salt....but, thats in every town.

Portland has a great food scene for its size, very international and creative.
There are many wonderful chefs that take very seriously their craft, and their relationship with the local farmers and artisans. Truly a food/wine mecca these days....Bon appetit...