Highlights from the teeming metropolis of Beaverton, Oregon today included the following:
Ashley and I worked on preparations for re-staining the backyard deck. In a joint effort we used a chemical brightener and conditioner on the wood to prepare it for new stain. After the morning project we ate some lunch then got ready for a late afternoon train ride into downtown Portland.
The train took us to within a block of the Oregon Brewer's Festival which is an annual event held for four days the last full weekend of July. It is the largest gathering of craft brewers in the U.S. where a beer from each brewery is represented. There is no judging, simply an opportunity to taste or drink different styled beers from some of the best craft microbreweries in the world along with thousands of other happy beer drinkers. See http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/ for additional information.
Thursday afternoon was the perfect time to go to the festival. Live music was playing and the lines to purchase beer samples were virtually non existent. I had done some downloading of data from their website and sorted the brews available by beer style and also by state. My strategy was to sample the strong ales and Belgian style ales first. With any leftover tokens (I only allowed myself 16 tokens, the equivalent of 4 beers) I planned to try out of Oregon brews. I found myself in a judging mood, and made notes as I sampled each brew. Many of the beers did not fit the category they were identified as representing. Most were very highly hopped, which is typical of the American Pale Ales that are brewed in the Northwest. Oregon is a large producer of hops and it was evident that the breweries like to use lots and lots of their homegrown product.
After the tokens were gone and I had seen enough of the festival for the evening, Ashley and I returned to the burbs, where we picked up some teriyaki bowls and joined Eric at the ranch. The rest of the evening was spent watching the beginning of the third season of 24.
Many of you have asked about the hiker who was sick in Yosemite last week. He was airlifted out by helicopter and then transferred by two ambulances to the a city hospital, where he was treated and released. From there he went to San Diego, his home town, to see an allergist for additional testing to determine the nature and source of his allergic reaction. I am thankful he was rescued and is doing well. You may read his account of his adventure...see my links page and click on Cypress's Trail Journals website and peruse his recent journal entries.
