Day 22: Seaside to Portland, OR

It was pretty drizzly and grey for about half the day. Then the sun came out and it was almost too bright to take pictures. I guess this is normal Northwest weather. I didn't actually get to Portland until around 5pm but still got a good chunk of stuff done. The earlier part of the day I had little stops here and there that took longer than expected. Gas is now the lowest I've seen on this trip: $3.71 -- but you have to let them pump it which I hate. I try to NEVER get gas in NJ because of the same thing. Forced conversation with some stranger asking questions about my dogs barking at him like mad for messing with the van. Ugh.

I was back across the border in Washington for just a couple hours to do Vancouver and a few other stops. Just as I was about to head back into Oregon, I got a goodbye present from a very nice trooper (or whatever you call them here) for speeding: $93. He gave me a break -- citing me for only going 5mph over the speed limit when he radar-ed me at 73 in a 50. It was a trap for sure -- a little bridge with four choices of major highways and I was speeding up to get around a truck to see what I should do less than a mile down the road -- and there the cop was just waiting for some sucker like me.

The dogs got to stretch their legs at the East Delta Park dog park in Portland in the afternoon:
http://www.portlandpooch.com/dogparks/eastdelta.htm

While it is fenced, I'm sure Grem could squeeze through if she really wanted to -- and for a while she was running the perimeter casing it for possibilities even though the area inside was plenty big enough. Then she discovered gopher holes in the middle of the dog park and was satisfied to just dig away at them. She dug out one hole big enough that she was almost sneaking inside. Enough of that -- leash time! The little bugger growled at me when I removed her from the hole. I don't want to know what would happen if she got into one of the tunnels. A fight to the finish I suppose and I don't know who would win. I'm glad we don't have burrowing critters back East.

One thing I really didn't like about the Park was a couple people that were not picking up their dogs' poop. They fully realized their dogs were going and were too arrogant to do anything about it. It was really hard, but I held my New York tongue. I'll try to find another place tomorrow because I really shouldn't have to watch where I step at a dog park -- irresponsible dog owners make me FURIOUS. At home, I'll yell at assholes on the street for not picking up. I've evern yelled out my fourth floor apartment window at them.

Anyhow -- sorry for the digression. Let's get on with the show. I uploaded the painted metal sign to my agilitynut stream:
http://flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/2786565954/
Here's the lesser photo-ed plastic sign as well. The placed burned down earlier this year and you can see the melted corner on this one.



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In Forest Grove, I noticed this neat phone booth with a great plastic sign. Yes, I picked up the receiver and there was a dial tone!



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I picked up another gas station candy that I hadn't seen before: Chick-O-Stick. I checked the label to see if there was chicken in it but no. I give it a B but it's not something I would buy again. This webpage describes the candy a little bit more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick-O-Stick



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I couldn't resist posing my family with this family in Hillsboro. Usually, I pose them without leashes/collars which looks better. But this was right next to a very busy road and I didn't want to risk a squirrel suddenly darting out from somewhere. Grip and Fix look as exhausted as I feel. Whereas Grem and Nik, at the center, look like Day #1.



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This old sign in Camas, WA looks reworked -- but I could be wrong. Regardless, a very pretty little sign and cute cafe on the main street downtown.



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Finally, into Portland as the sun was already getting low. But that's not a bad time to shoot anyway as it can add some nice shadows to neon signs and make even fairy ordinary ones seem special:



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This appears to be an updated old sign:



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The shape of this one is intriguing. Are there pieces missing, did something once revolve?



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I don't know anything about this building on NW 16th Ave & Everett (Allergy Asthma & Dermatology Associates). I can't tell if its spruced up 1960s or contemporary. It appears to be faced with stainless steel.



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And lastly, more on the subject of traffic signs and signals. These "one way" signs in Portland really have a homemade look to me. Notice the font next to the more traditional style of the "No Turn on Red". It's weird to see a sign without a border as well.




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Tonight (since I'm really finishing writing on Friday morning), I'll be getting together with Flickr's Vintageroadside & wife -- two people I've never met. So I'll be taking a well-deserved night off from the Flickr photos & blog and will have to catch up on Saturday night/Sunday morning somehow.