Sunday we picked a closer-to-the-city hike because we’re limited on time and we have been wanting to explore Sauvie Island. It’s a funny place with all its house boats.
The problem is that everyone else probably wants to do the same on this 70 degree day. We shortened our morning routine by eating PB&HJ (peanut butter and huckleberry jam) sandwiches. Usually we cook breakfast. Mike’s been making savory Cream of Wheat lately. Yesterday, he used chives from the garden and topped it with a fried egg. It was delicious.
We are hoping that shortening our morning will get us out of here in good time so we can beat the crowds. Just like my dad used to do when we’d leave Sunday mass earlier than everyone else so we wouldn’t get stuck in the long lines of people piling out of the parking lot onto Indian Head Rd.
Maybe Portlanders are all doing their Sunday brunch thing and they are stuck in line at Tin Shed or Cup & Saucer.
So, we got there at 11 AM (not as early as we wanted) and hiked for only a few hours (until 1:45). We went to Oak Island, which appears to be more of a peninsula on Sauvie Island. It was really nice to have the change of scenery being in a long flat meadow rather than a steep Pine or Alder forest.
Of course we needed to go off trail which winded up being an hour-and-a-half detour because we got turned around and found ourselves following some kind of animal trail through red huckleberry, blackberry, nettles, and oregon grape.
Ouch! Of course I wore a sleeveless shirt so my arms are scratched puffy red. On the way back we stopped for a 30 minute hike through Forest Park to check out a mushroom spot.
We passed through and around St. Johns several times hoping to find that perfect lunch spot. Kristen never called us back so we almost gave up hope, but then we saw the enticing sign for Leisure Public House, and its “Great Food”. I liked the atmosphere and the food.
