Westward Ho!

Ok so.....July was spent wrapping things up in Nebraska, I had planned on leaving by mid July anyway, but it would seem that I had to leave at the end of July, due to being bitten by a bat in a coffee shop on Main Street Chadron. (July 2nd) Which resulted in 4 weeks of rabies shots! Day one alone I recived 7 shots; 4 in my hand, (Most painfull shot/needle expreiance EVER) one in each butt cheek (Man my ass was sore!) and one in my arm....bleh. and then again 2 days later and then one every monday for the next 4 weeks. Pain. I was sick with rabies vaccines for a month. Which was annoying. There is (as of yet) no cure for rabies in humans yet once the virus goes active. It will kill humans within 12 days of activation and can lay dormint for up to 7 months. So mid Feb 2008, i shall have a "Bat Bite" party, because I will still be alive.

CDC Notice on Rabies:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/bats_&_rabies/bats&.htm

SO after rabies Vaccines were done (which effected my proposed road trip with my aunt, whom I was planning on driving west with, I ended up flying to PDX) i left on an airoplane for Portlandia, July 25th, 2007. I couch surfed with some awesome people in SE Portland. And landed a fantastic house/dog sitting job in NE Portland. Watching after two hillarious doggies. Izzie and Bodhi;



So I spent from Auguest 9th to September 9th being doggie nanny to these two pups. They were 11 months old and had their year birthdays just before I had to go. (Their owners had gone on a trip in Costa Rica.) It was a lot of fun, test driving other peoples dogs, and playing in the "dog park." I had a great time. I think the doggies did too.

While In portland I had the pleasure of getting to the coast and going hiking. Outdoor bouldering and some fun cycling with Portland Vello. A recreational club that had a ride every day of the week at 9am. it was nice. We rode into washington one day, and up the Louis and Clark gorge another time. it was fun. and the riders were decent.

Portland Velo site and Calendar: http://www.portlandvelo.net/




I enjoyed my time in portland quite a bit, it was routine living for the most part. Wake, eat, ride bike/boulder, walk dogs, eat, sleep, repeat.....there is good coffee and the people are nice. But it seems expensive as far as housing. I mean people are paying a lot for the "hipster" life and lable in portland in a town that really isn't all that "hip." It was pretty white bread, coming from Philadelphia. The last 2 weeks my friend Kt and I discovered a fantasitc maki sushi at out fave sushi place...
Masu Sushi: http://www.masusushi.com/masu-east.html
And ordered Wasabi Tobiko, oh man talk about noes burnning wasabi sensations, this stuff is like drugs!

(I have my second family "The Tittles" to thank for my first intro to the burn of Wasabi, my best friend put some on a pice of Nori and was like....try some it's good. I poped the teaspoon side lump of green in my mouth chewed and promptly grabbed my face and squinted my eyes...."gahhhhh" is the best word for the sensation. Thanks Meg)

And Other than good seafood/sushi and coffee....not a lot to do. You can drink beer, quality and local brewed....Drink Coffee and go to shows......I guess it was nice enough, just not for me. If I wanted to live in the eco-hippie-hipster college beer drinking environ, I would move back to Santa Cruz, at lest SC has an amazing coast line and more local and accessable nature. The Score: Portland....Good, but not for me.

Consequently, I am in Santa Cruz now....no kidding. How did this happpen??