fitness · traveling

Catherine travels to Portland OR from Boston MA, with pictures

catherine w

I’m not an early-morning flier. 11am is a perfect takeoff time for me, as airports usually are in a lull by then and I’ve had time to make coffee for myself at home and get to my gate without being sleep-deprived.

That didn’t happen today. Oh no. I had a 7:25am flight (I know I know, that’s not even so early, but it is FOR ME) from Boston to Seattle, connecting to a quick hop from Seattle to Portland, Oregon. Then I would board a shuttle bus for a 2.5 hour drive to Corvallis, where I’m attending this conference. I’ll be reporting in Sunday’s post about some of the cool talks on preparing, eating, growing, producing and theorizing about food. But before analyzing the merits of the destination, a bit about the journey.

My flight from Boston to Seattle was delayed because of mechanical problems with the plane. They got us a better one, but it took some time. Fair enough. However, I missed my connecting flight and had an extra 2 hours to kill in Seattle. I love it that airports often embed cool things in their terrazzo tile flooring. Here are some fish:

I love it that airports often embed cool things in their terrazzo tile flooring. This floor featured bronze-ish fish seemingly swimming upstream to the nearby water fountain.
This floor featured bronze-ish fish seemingly swimming upstream to the nearby water fountain.
Here's a school of tiny ish making their way towards baggage claim.
Some tiny fish making their way towards baggage claim.

After the requisite 2 hours of walking, sitting, standing, milling, and repeating, I got on my short hop flight to Portland. There I found many airport sights to see:

What an atrium! What trees! Portland is looking snazzy.
What an atrium! What trees! Portland is looking snazzy.
What swirly terrazzo flooring! Loving Portland so far.
What swirly terrazzo flooring! Loving Portland so far.

But that wasn’t all.

To the side of the grand wood ceiling was a grand video of some grand rocks.
To the side of the grand wood ceiling was a grand video of some grand rocks.
They even have bleachers in case someone is playing a high school basketball game or doing a play.
They even have bleachers in case someone is playing a high school basketball game or doing a play.

Eventually I had to leave the airport to pick up my next travel leg– a 2.5 hour shuttle bus to Corvallis, OR. Sadly, even though I was in time for the 3:30 shuttle (having missed the 1:30 shuttle I had originally planned), it was about full. There was only one seat left, and three of us vying for it. One woman immediately opted out, leaving two of us. I suggested doing rock/paper/scissors for the seat, but she didn’t know how it was played. I tried teaching her, but the shuttle bus driver was (understandably) getting impatient. So we flipped a coin. I lost the toss, so waited at the outside-the-airport bus stop for another hour. Here were the sights I was treated to:

Over my head was a cool walkway with glass and steel all around.
Over my head was a cool walkway with glass and steel all around.
At eye level, the bus stop, and the lemon poppyseed muffin I had bought 12 hours ago.
At eye level, the bus stop, and the lemon poppyseed muffin I had bought 12 hours ago.

I ate the muffin, or at least what I didn’t spill on me and the pavement.

At last, the 4:30 bus arrived, a bit after 4:30pm (but I’m splitting hairs at this point). 16 of us crowded into the shuttle and rode for 2.5+ hours through the Oregon suburbs and countryside, at last arriving at my hotel. I got a lot-a-lot of steps in, chatted with many people I don’t know, didn’t waste the breakfast muffin I bought, and enjoyed airport sights.

All in all, not a bad (if very long) day. Hope your Tuesday was nice, too. See you on Sunday.

Published by catherine w

I'm a feminist public health ethicist (yes, that's a thing). I'm interested in heath behavior change, particularly around eating and activity, and how things other than knowledge affect our health decisions.I'm also a cyclist (road, sort-of-off-road, commuter), regular yoga-doer, occasional swimmer and kayaker and leisurely social walker.

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