Columbia Slough

swallows, swifts, bald eagle
mamma duck and blue heron
paddle columbia

today i went on a 19 (give or take) mile trip down the columbia slough.

it was pretty fantastic. i started the day in a canoe and ended it in a kayak. in my mind summer has officially begun because i got sun burnt.

the slough runs through a heavily industrialized area of north/northeast portland (well, there's no iron smelters or steel mills or anything; but you know- heavily industrialized for the pacific northwest- that's not to say there was a nuclear power plant, but you know what i mean...)

the slough is heavily leveed and the water levels in the upper reaches of it can be completely (well mostly) controlled by the multnomah county drainage district. the lower reach is still attached to the willamette and has a tidal fluctuation to it. i thought that was pretty amazing- 100 miles inland and there's still a tidal response.


over the past ten years or so, the city has invested a large amount of time, money and resources to re-vegetating the slough, and their work has paid off. there was abundant wildlife all along the voyage, including a pair of bald eagles!


the whole day really reminded me of why i love portland so much- such a beautiful natural resource right in the middle of industry. that and the other folks that were on the trip- it was the 8th annual trip and many of the people all worked together either at the bureau of environmental services or on the slough team. everyone was very friendly and was giving me places to look for jobs/network.


in addition to that, one of the people on the trip was a professor from lewis and clark university that i had met earlier this week during an informational interview about oregon and utopia and distopias (it was part of his grant- 'ecotopia revisited') .


it really is crazy how small this town is.


i would have to say, since January, i've really been trying to get out and about; and since march or so, its rare that i go to an event that i don't see someone i've met before....maybe i just move in small circles...

actually one of the students at the interview thingy i had met before!


i'm planning on going to a bike maintenance workshop tomorrow, so we'll see how much my theory plays out....

that is if i get up.

i'm not really that tired; my shoulders/arms are just unbelievably freakin sore!!


and- i'm ashamed to admit, i ate a ton of bad food....they had vodoo donuts, i couldn't resist....i ate one- then immediately regretted it....and i just ate some sushi from fred meyers....also regretting it....

let me explain about the vodoo donuts if you're not familiar- they're crazy!! they make all kinds of weird combinations, like donuts with sugary cereal on top, donuts with bacon on top, a little vodoo doll donut; and they even used to sell a night quil donut. i shit you not.


anyway, part way through the day i got this very uncomfortable feeling; not quite sick; but vaguely ill and just like disconnected....its a feeling i've gotten in the past, and for years, i've tried to isolate the source- and i may have discovered it. sugary donuts. either that or groups of people i don't know....it remains to be seen...

so, today, other than eating that nasty donut, i really didn't have any bad cravings, except for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. ummmmm..... bread.

i think i'm going to start a juice fast tomorrow, and planning on trying to carry it through the week. we'll see how it goes.

i didn't do super hot with the detox phase; but i'm not going to beat myself up over it.


i also applied for a job at hollywood video today. ugh. i really never thought my life would come to this when i graduated college. i really just need it to tide me over till something better comes along....and so that i don't go stir crazy. and i get free rentals. and its right down the street from me. all good reasons, right??


i do know this; when i finally do get a new job, i'm getting a massage and eating a great big sandwich to celebrate.