Sometimes the shift in “vibe” from being in the solace of a remote location, then immersing myself into a big city and back again can cause me to feel discord. I attribute this mostly to my work situation, and to the fact that I am trying to treat this odyssey as “life” rather than “vacation.” One wouldn’t typically go from building Excel Pivot charts in the middle of the woods one week, to the middle of a new bustling city the next “in real life.” Not that I would have it any other way. I am having the time of my life!  But sometimes, it can take me a bit of time to adapt to the shift, making for a bit of a bumpy-feeling ride. I went from being surrounded by walls of green Fir trees in the Oregon State Parks to no walls whatsoever in Astoria, just a view of the wide expanse of river out my bedroom window.  From there, I move to looking at walls of concrete and white fiberglass in the city of Portland. I knew it would be a difficult transition, but I wasn’t quite prepared for this:

View out my front door.

View from my “back alley”

The Columbia River RV Park couldn’t be in a better location for taking care of business in Portland. I needed to have my 40,000 mile service done in the Winnie, and McCoy Freightliner is just a few miles from the RV Park.

And the Tracker was starting to make a crunching sound when I hit the brakes. I had somehow bypassed the usual chirping warning sound and gone “metal to metal.” I had known since my last inspection that my rear brakes were leaking fluid as well, so having close proximity to mechanics made for good timing.

And since Oregon has no sales tax, it makes a great location to stock up. There are plenty Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and New Seasons Markets to replenish supplies. And thanks to Hans and Lisa at Metamorphosis Road, who tipped me off to the Columbia clothing outlet, I did my part in stimulating the local economy.

The RV Park is easy on / easy off to I-5 to get downtown, or across the river to Vancouver. And it is within minutes of NW 33rd Avenue which leads to a plethora of cool restaurants in eclectic neighborhoods. Its location, literally right across Marine Drive from the Columbia River and the Portland Yacht Club, makes it possible to walk a mile in either direction and find a venue to enjoy the river.

To the west is “The Deck,” a floating bar and restaurant right on the water, where one can sit and soak up the sun, sip cold beers, and watch the sailboats glide by.

The DeckBar and Restaurant is at the end of this dock

To the east (walk the scenic NE Bridgeton Rd along the water, not the busy Marine Drive) you can stroll for a mile enjoying views of the adorable floating homes to find a coffee shop with live Friday night music on the deck. Or cross back over Marine Drive for some of the best Thai food I have had in months at the Pon Thai restaurant. (Thanks again to Nina at Wheelinit for this tip.) If you are not up to walking the docks, they delivah!

The scenic route to the Pon Thai Restaurant

Cute little coffee shop is open late on Fridays with live music from the deck.

One only needs ride the harrowing bike lane of Marine Drive for under a mile until it connects with a dedicated bike path that runs right along Portland Airport (clocking your speed against Alaska Airlines is kinda fun.) It crosses over Marine Drive (bikes have the right of way!) and travels along the Columbia River for miles, with an incredible view of Mount Hood in your sights.

View of Mt Hood is gorgeous in real life…appears much closer than in the photos.

And, if you can sleep through the noise, it makes a pretty cool place to watch the fireworks, too! Just a few yards down is a grassy bank of the river where you can take a blanket or a lawn chair and watch the riverbank of Vancouver light up in celebration. Since fireworks are legal in both states, it can be quite a show as far as you can see up and down the river!  (I am still laughing about the fire works stand named the “Ill Eagle.”)

Palm trees?? But what about those Oregon winters??

So should you come to Portland in your RV, make your reservations early. At $168 a week, the Columbia River RV Park books up fast. I think I saw 2 spaces empty the whole time I was there.

Take a deep breath. Don’t choke from claustrophobia, or lack of green. Don’t duck when you hear the jets roaring overhead. Don’t panic over the list of rules you are handed when you check in, stating that if your 20 year old car leaks oil in their concrete pad, you will be towed. No, instead, make friends with your neighbors, look beyond the walls, rummage through the recycle bins and find some cardboard for your oil-incontinent vehicle should you have one….and enjoy the close proximity to all that Portland has to offer!