Pacific Northwest Trip 2017 Day 5 Thursday July 20: Portland, Eugene, Springfield

 LAST UPDATED: December 23, 2025

This is the 5^th of a series of posts dealing with my 2017 trip to Portland, Seattle, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further clarification.  These are indicated by “NOW”.

A few oversights (yesterday the kid distracted me when typing these): after leaving Big Kmart a guy seemed hostile but he said to "tell  your friends" so I knew he wasn't targeting me per se, Then after passing the penitentiary I passed a health centre with a rotating neon sign. One message was about women's health only right behind was a sign for a sports store called Dick's; awkward. On the bus back to Woodinville I entered a strange state where I was strange to dream but was able to keep taking photos even before I caught myself. Then at Mill Ends Park a guy asked "is that it?" I confirmed that it was.

 

[NOW: Big Kmart is now defunct.] 

Woke up at 3:30 but got about six hours sleep. I looked into a matter with the amount I paid at Northwest Portland Hostel. Seems okay but will look further when I'm home and rested. I walked to McDonald's for breakfast; I was before 5 thus drive through entrance, but the doors opened just after I got my food. I walked to Mill Ends Park, then Salmon Street Springs (which were actually on despite it being before 6), then Mill Ends again, then along the water to Bill Naito Legacy fountain.

I crossed Steel Bridge, which has a low level pedestrian walkway, across the Willamette River to the east side and back. I walked towards Union Station but the street turned and I somehow overshot. Decided not to go there; went to Greyhound depot in search of a washroom but it was for ticketed passengers only. Had to run away from another tricky situation, camera related.

I found the BoltBus stop's new location (no signage), recognizing the area from Tuesday. There was a layover at Albany Transit Center, Albany, so I grabbed some schedules etc,. I got off at the BoltBus stop at 5^th Avenue Market, Eugene. I walked to Eugene Station and bought a daypass. All buses in Eugene are Lane Transit. I took a 43 bus to CD World and bought a $3 DVD. The dealer said my main credit card was declining but it worked for larger purchases later. I walked to Blue Moon Books.

[NOW: BoltBus and Blue Moon Books have closed.]

There was a long wait for a bus, so I walked two stops (one a fair distance) and only then waited for a 41 bus to Edge of the World Games. I couldn't find any prices on DVDs so I soon left to catch the soon arriving 43 bus back to Eugene Station.

 

[NOW: Edge of the World Games & Comics has closed.]

I visited Windows Booksellers (hidden away in a building), J Michaels Bookstore (there's a statue of performing turtles nearby, and not far a park I passed after with people playing giant chess), Nostalgia Collectables (comic shop) and the adjacent Smith Family Bookstore, McDonald's (lunch), and, in the same upstairs area, Emerald City Comics and another Smith Family Bookstore.

[NOW: The turtles statue is Turtle Musicians. Emerald City Comics and the second Smith Family Bookstore have closed.]

I took the EmX (Emerald City Express) bus, which has doors on both sides and its own lane, to DragonVine in Springfield. I took another EmX bus back to Eugene after a long layover at Springfield Station, getting off by the University of Oregon and walking across the Willamette River to Ida Baker Park and back. O walked south to check out Silver Screen Video. I knew it didn't open until 4 so I wanted to decide if that would be cutting it close to return at 4. I concluded it would be reluctantly. I walked to Black Moon Books and then Tsunami Books.  I got a pop from Capella Grocery. I took a 23 bus to Eugene Station. I wandered downtown including 5th Avenue Market, then took a bridge across Willamette River to another section of Ida Baker Park which had a pond. I returned downtown, then a brief stop at St Vincent dePaul, then more of the market. The BoltBus was late arriving.

[NOW: Silver Screen Video is now closed.]

On the way back to Portland until I hit Albany the dreaming resumed again. I mostly was able to keep photographing (from front seat both times today and heading to Portland initially by the way). This time my fingers started to stop but I think I got most of the shots. Some were crooked from jolting myself back awake. After Albany I caught my second wind. After we arrived in Portland we weren't let off the bus until the driver used the bus' bathroom. I walked to Powell's (got a couple books), then the McDonald's from this morning for a late dinner, then back to the hostel. No kid but a woman practicing her singing with guitar. Better than the kid.

I quite liked Eugene. If I do another Portland trip I might try Albany to decide which I like more. After that I can either alternate or stick to Eugene as my Boltbus side daytrip of choice.

 

[NOW: I didn't visit either in my only subsequent trip to Portland. If I did, I'd look into FlixBus given BoltBus' demise.] 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2017 Day 4 Wednesday July 19: Portland, Salem, Four Corners, Keizer

 LAST UPDATED: December 23, 2025

This is the 4^th of a series of posts dealing with my 2017 trip to Portland, Seattle, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further clarification.  These are indicated by “NOW”.

Yesterday I was given some breakfast cards. Only I wasn't too keen on previous breakfasts here. Apparently they've renovated that but there's only one day I can schedule a breakfast at Northwest Portland Hostel. But you can also exchange the cards for a little bit of other food. Apparently kids are allowed in the Secret Garden area of the hostel (the drinking area); they just can't drink.

Slept mostly okay, interrupted only by someone turning on the light at 1 am. Woke up around 4/4:30, an hour before I needed to get up. I walked to Providence Park MAX Station and got a TriMet daypass. It wouldn't accept my Scotiabank Visa likely due to strip wear but did accept my old Royal Bank Visa. I took a Blue Line MAX train (TriMet Transit) to Beaverton Station in Beaverton and went for a walk. My sense of direction failed me trying to head back but with the help of a couple of people made it back and on the WES train (TriMet) before it left.

[NOW: The TriMet daypass is only $5.]

I took the WES train to Woodinville Station in Woodinville and walked to the 1x bus (all buses to/from/in Salem Cherriots Transit). I think the coin machine misread coins so had to put in extra fare. The only window seat was on the left side so that might make it harder to catalogue photos later, as signage tends to be on the right side. I took the bus to the McDonald's near the Oregon Capitol and had breakfast there.

The fountains in the nearby park were off. I walk to the Downtown Transit Center and bought a daypass. I crossed Marion Street Bridge over the Willamette River into West Salem, which is part of Salem but in a different county. I noticed that the former Blockbuster was now a Sherman Paints. It's a shame that the entire Blockbuster franchise went under around four years ago so there's absolutely no possible way I could visit a Blockbuster this coming Friday at approximately 10 am.

[NOW: The park is Oregon State Capitol State Park. The Blockbuster I allude to above, in Sandy, has now closed.]

I visited Wallace Park before crossing the Union St pedestrian bridge back to the east side. Returning to the Downtown Transit Center where a Farmer's Market was being set up, I took a 16 bus southeast to Kmart where I got more DVD sets; I think it was on the bus ride that I noticed that $20 was missing. I walked north, than east, then north again. At one point I could have waited for a bus but the stop was across from Oregon State Penitentiary and didn't want to linger. I still made it to my destination, Buybacks, just after opening. I got some DVDs.  I wanted the Blu-ray of Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (I have the DVD) but they wanted $50. I walked north again to f.y.e. where I got more Godzilla blu-rays.

[NOW: Big Kmart is now defunct. I didn’t know it at the time but Buybacks was in Four Corners, not Salem; it has since closed. The f.y.e. was in Salem and has also closed.]

I took 2 back downtown to the Downtown Transit Center and a 19 bus to Keizer. Both my usual places had moved south but the bus only called out some stops not all, so when things seemed overly familiar i had to dash back south about 15 blocks. Along the way I saw that someone had written in chalk on a building, "Trump is President. Deal with it." Actually I think the left is in fact dealing with it the way the right did when Obama was President: via peaceful resistance. I took a photo of the store dog at Tony's Kingdom of Comics. I got some horror DVDs at Mr Video. Impressively since I visited once each in 2013 and 2015, the woman at the till remembered I had been there before.

 

[NOW: Tony's Kingdom of Comics and Mr Video have closed.]

I took a 19 bus back downtown and a 17 bus over Marion St Bridge back to West Salem. I thought someone had rung the bell but maybe I was wrong because it continued on and I had to doubleback to McDonald's for lunch. There was no crosswalk or street light near the street I wanted to get to so it was hard to get to Reader's Choice but I made it. I took the first bridge I was able to find a walkway for, Center St Bridge, back to the east side. I walked to a comics and games store I can't recall the name of (hadn't heard of it before) and Harvest Music, remembering there was something about it I didn't like. The rows were so narrow I couldn't get in to look at them. Yes, that must be it.

 

[NOW: The game store was Wild Things Games. Harvest Music has closed.]

Heading back towards downtown I saw that somewhere in the distance some building was on fire. At Book Bin someone commented on it; was unable to locate the store cat this time.  I visited Ranch Records, then the park near the capitol; only one set of fountains were on; as with in the morning there was a singer in a tent. I walked back to Downtown Transit Center where the 1x was arriving. So after all the delays and backtracks I actually still made my originally intended bus. Daypasses not allowed on the x buses. I took the WES train back to Beaverton Station where I took a Red Line MAX train (TriMet Transit) back to downtown Portland.

[NOW: After Ranch Records I visited Borderland Games. Both have since closed.]

I revisited Mill Ends Park, then Salmon Street Springs, then walked along the waterfront to Bill Naito Legacy Fountain and back. I revisited Mill Ends Park and briefly stopped in at Pioneer Place. I took photos of a few art pieces before and after visiting Director Park, where a woman was giving a speech against the travel ban. I had dinner at a different Subway than yesterday, the one I ate at last year. I got on a Red Link MAX train but there was an announcement of delays due to an apartment fire. I left and walked past a Blue Line train. Both trains passed me before I returned to the hostel. Spent a few minutes trying to find my padlock before turning around and spotting it.

I drank a beer while doing this trip report in the Secret Garden drinking area but the noisy kid from yesterday was back and the mother was again encouraging him/her to  squeal while playing so I finally had to gulp down the beer and finish this closer to my room as it was wreaking havoc with my Asperger's sensitivity to high pitched noises..

I've been also grabbing free papers throughout the trip but haven't bothered with a blow by blow of that.

Pacific Northwest Trip 2017 Day 3 Tuesday July 18: Seattle to Portland; also Vancouver WA and Milwaukie

LAST UPDATED: December 23, 2025

 

This is the 3^rd of a series of posts dealing with my 2017 trip to Portland, Seattle, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further clarification.  These are indicated by “NOW”.

Someone turned the fan on again almost right away. Maybe that's why I woke up at 2:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. I finally gave up and got up around 4:40. I checked about leaving my stuff at the hostel for the next stretch. No luck. I walked to the McDonald's across from Seattle Center for breakfast; the sports balls in poles were gone. I overheard that the remodelling was two years ago, so probably just after my last trip to Seattle.

[NOW: The hostel was City Hostel Seattle, which appears to have closed. That McDonald's has also closed.]

I cut through Seattle and saw the view from Kerry Park. There was just the slightest hint of sunrise in the background so Mt Rainier came in clear. A woman was posing for another woman. I returned to the hostel, checked out, and carried my bags to the International District. There I visited Hing Hay Park and eventually located the Boltbus stop despite there being no signage. One woman arrived just before the bus took off. Someone's cell did that really annoying “text arriving” whistling sometimes.

Arriving in Portland I paid for my room but it was too early to check in. I ate lunch at the nearby McDonald's on Burnside. I got on a 12 bus (TriMet transit) and bought a daypass. The driver looked away when I put my last dollar in but he gave me the benefit of the doubt. It was a short trip east. I could have walked but the bus was there. I switched on at SW 6^th and Pine Station to the Yellow Line MAX train (TriMet) and took it to Delta Park/Vanport Station.

[NOW: The hostel is Northwest Portland Hostel.]

The next bus never showed so it was a half hour instead of 15 minute wait for the 60 bus (C-TRAN, which accepts TriMet passes). I took the bus to downtown Vancouver, WA where I visited Lucky Loan and Cameo Pawn Shop. I walked and took a Vine bus (C-TRAN) to I Like Comics. Too many 50c comics to look through without stalling my trip but I did get a $4 trade.

[NOW: Cameo Man Street Loan and Lucky Loan were on the same block; they have both closed. The trade was Vampire Tales volume 3.]

i took another Vine bus to Vancouver Mall, where I visited f.y.e. I don't think I'd have found anything anywhere but I rushed through when the music got cranked up. In the mall there was also a kid-sized train.

I just missed a Vine bus and then had to wait an additional 10 minutes for the one after next because I got confused on how to enter this specialized bus from a starting location. I made it downtown. Oddly the southbound 60 bus stop was on the northbound side. I took it back to Delta Park/Vanport Station In Portland (the 60 does the opposite of the bus from two years ago, stopping at Jantzen Beach Center on the way south instead of north), where I switched back to the Yellow Line. Now they added a large extension to the train since last time but whereas other trains pass through the downtown core and keep their colour designation, the Yellow Line becomes the Orange Line downtown. No idea why. Anyway I took the Yellow and Orange line to Milwaukie/Main MAX Station in Milwaukie. I visited Things from Another World and saw the exterior of the major comic book publisher Dark Horse Comics. I got a soft drink from a grocery store. I was looking forward to visiting ACME-TV which has some interesting stuff like movies for sale, but the owners are on vacation until after I leave Portland. I passed by the park by the river then took the Orange/Yellow MAX train back to Pioneer Courthouse Square MAX Station.

[NOW: The grocery store is Town Grocery & Deli. The park is Milwaukie Riverfront Park. ACME-TV Movie Classics has closed.]

I briefly visited Director Park then had dinner at a Subway. I visited Mill Ends Park, the world's smallest park. There's a nice green lawn by the river and a potted plant in the middle of the crosswalk. The greenery is not the world's smallest park; I've been to smaller parks than that one. The potted plant in the crosswalk is. Unless it's a different plant, the main plant has crown quite a bit in the last couple years. I attempted a photo of myself with it. I relaxed for a little bit at Salmon Street Springs then walked to Bill Naito Legacy Fountain. Along the way I saw a shirtless guy who, uh, may be a plumber. I wanted to use a washroom near the Naito fountain but there were too many orange drops on the toilet seat and some liquid on the ground. I wanted to visited Powell's anyway so took care of both at the same time.

I bought a Blu-ray at Everyday Music. A group of guys gave me a minor hassle as I walked to Fred Meyer, despite my making a point to scoot around then. I bought some drinks at Fred Meyer, then encountered the same guys who became more confrontational, so I decided I better run away. This is not the first time that I've felt that my life was in danger taking photos in Portland so this may well be my final visit here despite my enjoying a lot of other aspects. Burnside in particular seemed to be a really bad street; in fact there's signing telling people to let pedestrians pass. Fortunately I already made lots of plans for Portland this trip which will keep me away from the greater downtown area so hopefully that will keep me safe. But, and it's a shame since Portland has a lot to recommend it, has some more dangerous street people than the norm.

[NOW: I mean street people in the broad sense, not necessarily homeless. I’m a bit more open now to revisiting Portland eventually, but I did indeed skip Portland in 2018 because I didn’t feel safe in 2017. I had planned to return in 2020 but then the pandemic killed that trip.]

I typed this in the 21+ area of the hostel where people can drink. A woman was playing with her baby; my suspicion is the baby is not yet 21.

Pacific Northwest Trip 2017 Day 2 Monday July 17: Seattle, Renton, Tukwila, Kent, Federal Way, SeaTac

LAST UPDATED: December 23, 2025

 

This is the 2^nd of a series of posts dealing with my 2017 trip to Portland, Seattle, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further clarification.  These are indicated by “NOW”.

Just a reminder that my keyboard on the mini notebook sucks. Not enough hours to proof before sending during trip or else would never sleep.

[NOW: I did of course proofread for this more public version.]

First, from yesterday, forgot to mention that I passed a theatre at Seattle Center; as with last year, Coming Soon and Now Showing both had the same show. Mini-notebook remembered the connection here form two years ago. The big thing with yesterday, though I liked what I saw on my walk, is I should have taken the later ferry to Port Angeles; carrying all my stuff is what wiped me out.

Woke up around 2:30 last night and soon after someone turned on a loud fan; Well, it did muffle the snoring. I got a little more sleep and got up just before 5 I walked to the Westlake Station of the Downtown Transit Tunnel and used money on my ORCA (transit) card to get five daypasses using a machine; I had to "purchase" them one at a time so only said yes to one receipt . Got some money from a Bank of America (Scotiabank affiliated); hope I chose the right option to avoid being dinged. Visited Rachel the Pig(gybank) at Pike Place Market again, getting a photo of "her" and I. I returned to the station, found I just missed a bus, went back up and wandered slowly before heading back down again.

[NOW: If memory serves, I later saw that Bank of America gives you an error message if you are a Canadian with its Scotiabank partner and you choose the wrong option, you just get an error message.]

All buses today King County Metro Transit. I did what I originally planned to do after breakfast and took the 101 bus to Renton. I wandered around, and noticed a comic shop (Comic Hut); maybe I'll visit on a later trip. I saw a statue of the head of Chief Seattle (Sealth) that was also a fountain. I walked to Liberty Park and then to Renton Transit Center, where I took another 101 bus back to Westlake Station in Seattle. Above ground I took a 26 bus back to City Hostel Seattle for breakfast. I took an E Rapidride bus back downtown and re-entered Westlake Station.

 

[NOW: Comic Hut has closed. City Hostel Seattle appears to have closed as well.]

I took a 150 bus to Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, though I didn't enter the mall at first. As I exited the bus, a mom was cursing up a storm to her kids. I visited Barnes and Noble, then Target, then Tukwila Pond Park. While not a big area, the pond is nice for bird watchers. I arrived at Half Price Books just before they opened and bought a couple of DVDs. My credit card stripe is worn down; they didn't have insert or tap and they couldn't type the numbers; used a backup credit card. Finally going to the mall, I bought a Godzilla two-movie blu-ray at f.y.e. (for your entertainment). I caught another 150 bus to Kent. I bought some DVD sets at Big Kmart. My next bus was hourly so I had an early lunch at McDonald's (as curiously happens from time to time at restaurants, the cashier heard an extra word, this time double for my Quarter Pounder, so I had to fix that) before going to Rite Aid and Big Lots. I saw a woman cross the street with a very happy dog to the McDonald's. 

 

[NOW: Big Kmart and Rite Aid defunct. That f.y.e. and that Big Lots have closed.]

The 183 bus took me to Federal Way Transit Center in Federal Way. That city is a great place to see planes approaching landing in SeaTac. I visited Action City Comics and Toys and then the remains of the building that held the Federal Way branch of Al's Music, Video, Games until the building burnt down recently. It looked like something out of a Hollywood disaster movie; Lots of signs still there despite collapsed structures (Al's sign wasn't visible) and the Subway sign was prominent and tilted to the right. Sad that it's gone but amazing that other than adding fencing the remains are pretty much as they looked immediately post fire as far as I can tell.

I visited Barnes & Noble before taking an A Rapidride bus to a block from Angle Lake Station in SeaTac. The Link train (Sound Transit) used to just go from SeaTac Airport to Westlake Station but now goes from Angle Lake Station to University of Washington Station in Seattle so I took the entire ride. The reason I took the Link light rail was for the view and (somewhat) comfort. There are faster ways to get to the U District from Federal Way than the A bus and Link train. Just before the latter station Fare Enforcement got on at the previous station (Capitol Hill) and checked people for tickets and ORCA activation. One guy started with me and I was fine but the guy adjacent to me first ignored the agents and then when he didn't have a ticket, instead of apologizing and trying to get let off with a warning, insisted he shouldn't have to pay. The officer was still talking to him when I got off. When I left he was at citation but I'm betting the police arrested him after.

 

[NOW: The Central Link train is now Line 1.]

The University of Washington Station is right by Husky Stadium (football). I walked to Drumheller Fountain in the university; it had a good stream upward. There was a duck ramp and a duck was sitting watching the water stream. Walking to the shopping area of the U District, I visited Bulldog News; the main U District branch of University Bookstore, Neptune Music, the Seattle branch of Al's Music, Video, Games (got a couple DVDs), the now non-profit world famous Scarecrow Video (more DVDs), and the Dreaming (comics). I took a 71 bus south and then walked the rest of the way past Drumheller Fountain (same? duck lower on ramp) to University of Washington Station. Security got on again. I passed again. Some woman a little out of earshot seemed to have some issue but she cooperated and the guy moved on. 

[NOW: I think the Seattle branch is now the only branch left for Al’s Music, Video, Games. The Tacoma branch has also closed, as has The Dreaming.]

I got off at Capitol Hill Station and it was time to push the button. I walked to the pop machine with all Mystery buttons and tried my luck; it's usually something obscure like some cherry or peach variant, so while it's a pop I liked it was a little anticlimactic to get a regular Pepsi. I visited Phoenix Comics, the Jimi Hendrix station, Elliott Bay Book Company, Everyday Music (more DVDs - two of the DVDs I got this day, here and at Scarecrow were Mystery Science Theater 3000 sets), and the Capitol Hill district of Twice Sold Tales (bookstore known for its cats; I photographed two; one appeared to be a grey Siamese, maybe mixed with Persian). 

 

[NOW: The Mystery Soda Machine has gone missing; its Facebook page indicates it's being repaired due to vandalism. That branch of Everyday Music has closed.]

I took an 8 bus to Seattle Center and got a build your own pizza at Mod Pizza at the Seattle Center Armory; the guy seemed POed about the credit card stripe. I ordered For Here and decided I wanted to go. Luckily the plate was disposable and easily taken to the International Fountain, one of the few places I can "switch off" on a trip. A seagull wanted my food and didn't realize that every time I looked away for a second it was to grab my camera to photograph it coming toward the pizza; it got none though I think it got food from somewhere else, I relaxed there, briefly revisited the armory. I saw I was pretty sure was one of the Olympic Sculpture Park art pieces, Typewriter Eraser, Scale X before briefly leaving Seattle Center to look at the former location of the Silver Platters which moved to 1st Ave S; they finally removed the old signage but it was still empty. I relaxed at the International Fountain again and then returned to the hostel.