I had an hour or so to kill this morning in the Sellwood neighborhood. And instead of driving home or holing up an a coffee shop, I chose to walk along the Springwater Corridor. (For non-Portlanders, this paved path runs alongside the Willamette river and is used for cyclists, runners and a few pedestrians.)
I listened to my library audio book of Uplander, and enjoyed the beauty of the early morning, making sure to keep an ear out for cyclists who like to whizz past as if they’re in the Tour de France.
And best of all, I did not need to join a gym, buy any fancy equipment or travel out of my way to make it all happen.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
First on my to-do list? Get hydrated from one of Portland's famed "Benson Bubblers."
Looking across the Oaks Bottom nature preserve to the highly muraled mausoleum. Note the thick hazy sky that helped to create a weirdly thick and muggy morning.
A very pastoral image within the Portland city limits.
The Oaks Amusement Park sentries stand guard over an empty parking lot.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Are all water fountains “bubblers” there, or just these special ones?
I thought “bubbler” was just a Wisconsin thing!
I think almost all of them are Benson Bubblers.
I thought “bubblers” were just a New England thing, lol! Maybe they’re a Northern thing!
My first thought was “You have bubblers!!! And people know what you’re talking about when you ask where the bubbler is!” We had them all over the place in my home town, when I was a child, but they were taken out and some were replaced with drinking fountains. Not the same thing. I even had a friend in high school who had the nickname “Bubbler”.
Katie, I lived in Racine, and when I worked in Milwaukee, people had no idea what a bubbler was. Less than 30 minutes away. Sad.
Walking is my favorite thing to do. My favorite way to get anywhere. My favorite time to think. My favorite way to kill time. I truly think of walking as a gift.
has the water receded?
Yes, the water has receded, and I was thinking about our recent walk.
Katy
Portland has great walking trails all over the place—love to visit there.
What perfect timing ~ we’ll be in Portland next week for a car-free vacation and I can add the Springwater Corridor to our list of frugal things to check out. Thanks!
P.S. We seriously considered staying in one of your mom’s cottages but the fact that we are coming in on Amtrak and choose not to rent a car swayed us into staying downtown.
I love walking. I walk 3 miles to work daily. I enjoy the peace and calm of being by myself in the morning. It definitely puts me in a better frame of mind to handle my stressful job. I even walk on rainy days and snowy days…then again, I might be slightly mad 😉