Portland Trip, Part 2

We enjoyed our trip to Portland, Oregon and Lacey, WA. Finishing up from my previous travelogue post, the O'Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON) was a resounding success for FOSSology and FOSSbazaar.

I was able to get a conference badge for Alex. He enjoyed playing with mine so much, I thought he'd like one of his own.

Alex had a lot of fun just playing at the hotel

He tries to fill some big shoes

On Thursday while I was at the conference, my parents and my Aunt Kim took Alex to the Portland Zoo.

At the petting zoo, Alex got to meet the rabbit

Alex was at least as interested in the rabbit's carrot!

The goats didn't have any carrots, but they were pretty interesting anyway

Alex seemed to get the biggest charge out of the aquarium

Grandma and grandpa reported that he just sat there in awe, saying "Ohhhh... Ohhhhh!"

Of course he didn't have to walk the whole time

And he enjoyed sampling his very first snow cone

Before leaving for Lacey, Washington, we stopped at Aunt Regina's for a visit

Here are me, Charlie (the dog), Aunt Regina, Grandpa, Alex, Aunt Kim and Carla mugging for the camera

Then it was off to visit Great Grandma Stangel at her new house at luxurious Panorama City. Alex took a few hours to get used to the change, but he quickly warmed to GG'ma and her comfortable home.

We had several outstanding meals, including traditional irestirits (nobody really knows how to spell that)

Alex discovered Grandma's wheeled suitcase and enjoyed wheeling it around

On Saturday afternoon my Uncle Darrell took me and my Dad out on his sailboat


It was a gorgeous day and fantastic sailing.

We sailed over to Boston Harbor, and past a WW2-vintage Navy tugboat under restoration

Back at Panorama City, Alex leads us on a pleasant walk around the park-like grounds


On Sunday we drove Grandma and Grandpa to the Troutdale Airport before heading back ourselves to PDX. Alex got to inspect Grandpa's plane and have a turn at the controls

Thanks again to everyone who made this trip such a joy! I look forward to doing it again soon.

Portland Trip, Part 1

Alex is fascinated by escalators. He took his first ride on one at DIA before our flight.


Pre-flight, Alex points out the plane we'll be flying on. "Thissss."

Alex enjoyed our flight to Portland. It was the first time he stayed awake for the whole flight. There was a mother and her two kids sitting ahead of us. The 2 year-old boy slept the whole way, but the 5-year girl, Jacquelin, was enamored with Alex, and vice-versa. They played and talked for the last hour of the flight.

My parents met us at the airport. They flew in to Troutdale earlier on Friday, braving the wildfire smoke smothering Northern California.

Here, Alex and Grandma ride the MAX train


On Wednesday morning I met up with the folks from work at OSCON to staff our booth for FOSSology and FOSSBazaar.

My manager Phil (left) and my colleague Bob (right) at our booth

Before leaving for Portland, I did some research to try and find out where the old Heister plant was located in Portland, where my Grandpa Bill (my Dad's Dad, and Alex's middle-namesae) worked from the 1950s through the early 1980s. The plant was torn down soon after he retired in the early 1980s, eventually replaced by a shopping mall. Still, I hoped to find a remnant, or placard, or some indication of this industrial past and personal connection.

On Wednesday evening I dragged my parents and Alex out on an adventure across eastern Portland. From the Convention Center, we rode the train East to the Hollywood station, then walked about 10 blocks west to the address for Heister I'd found in an old industrial equipment catalogue.


Perhaps not surprising, but much to my disappointment nonetheless, there was absolutely no sign of the old Heister plant at the location of what is now the Hollywood Fred Meyer store.


Still, thanks to modern big-box retail store design, I imagine the interior of the Fred Meyer might actually look something like the interior of the plant used to. Alas, it seems I'll never know. Ah well. May old memories rest well.


The evening was not completely lost. There was a litle neighborhood park right across the parking lot from the Fred Meyer, so we stopped there to let Alex play. He enjoyed it greatly!

Another Busy Weekend

A lovely picture of Dana and Alex sitting on a big rock at Officer's Gultch - You'll need to click on the picture to zoom in and see the detail

Susan, Herb, Dana and Alex at Officer's Gultch

Last weekend Grandma Susan and Grandpa Herb visited us in Frisco. We had a blast

We took a drive up to Officers' Gultch, just two exits up I-70 from us.

Alex likes big sticks

We also drove over the mountains to Leadville to have a look around.

On Saturday evening we hopped aboard the Dillon Water Taxi and rode across Lake Dillon from Frisco to the Dillon Marina. Alex thoroughly enjoyed his first powered boat ride. He discovered a splashy play area at the aft of the boat where the water splashed up through the deck. The captain also let Alex play with a push broom during the trip.

Later we stopped into the Tiki Bar for a cocktail,

Dana and her Mom sharing a toast

then strolled to the playground.

Alex plays on a spinning seat

Dana plays on the tilty spinning seat

Dana, Herb and Alex all swinging on the swings!

Alex enjoyed the off-kilter spinning chairs at the park: