Where and When

Portland, Oregon, March 5th and 12th¹.

Wait... 5th AND 12th?

Yes, you read right--the opportunity to meet other h2g2ers in the Pacific Northwest does cover two Saturdays, due to how the plan for the meet came about.

It all started with an amazingly cheap after-holiday airfare sale...

I'd been wanting to go up to Salem to visit my grandma, aunt, and cousin for quite some time. Since my husband can't afford to take off enough time to have a decent-lengthed visit, and both Amtrak and Greyhound take longer than driving², I was looking into flying into Portland and getting down to Salem, as Salem doesn't have a commercial airport, and Grandma doesn't drive any more. I stumbled across a very very good deal for the airfare, and since there's a shutle that goes from the airport to Salem, I scheduled my flight around the shuttle schedule. Then I saw GTBacchus on the 'Who's Online' list, remembered that he'd been in Portland the last I'd heard, and dropped by to ask if he still was. Since he was and is, we started talking about meeting up. After we were talking for awhile about it, I came across a comment in a thread that led me to another Portlandian³ and I asked if she would also be interested in meeting some h2g2ers.

To make a long story short⁴ we decided to see if there was anyone else interested in turning what began as a way to use some extra waiting time into a real meet!

Times

Since this meet revolves around airplanes and busses, there are some set times to work with⁵.

Saturday March 5th

• Alaska Airlines flight 2492⁶ arrives in Portland at 2:57 pm
• Greyhound leaves for Salem at 6:45 pm (so should get to the station 30 minutes before to check luggage)

Saturday March 12th

• Arriving in Portland at 1 pm on the Greyhound from Salem
• Need to be at the airport at 3:20 pm for the 5:20 flight

What to do

We've got some possibilities already, but feel free to make a suggestion. Just keep in mind that there will be a 20-month-old present, so we can't just go into a bar. Probably closer to the time, we can decide what to do on which Saturday. And GT has offered his services as tour guide.

Possibilities

• Rheinlander--I remember that the swiss cheese fondue is very good...
• CM2
• OMSI⁷
• Saturday Market--...'also if the weather is nice we are right at the water front and could have a lovely walk along the seawall.. It is safe...no one would fall in The wall is higher than my waist....[am I showing my age..??] and if there is time there is a wonderfull water fountain..there...it changes shape and sounds so nice...'
• Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center⁸--'[W]ithin a few blocks of the bus depot is a nice great old rustic building....with a nice foyer...to gather...has a pizza spot, and in the building is also a coffee bar...also near the depot , I just remembered there is a neat little park..if it is a nice day....It is very safe there as this is a very high class place called the Pearl District...the park is bran new, no big tree or bushes'

It certainly helps to have a native-local-type person (plus an enthusiastic newly-local-type person) to scout around for us! Thanks, gingersnapper and GTBacchus

The 'Plan'

March 5th

GT and gingersnapper will be meeting Faith and I at the airport when we arrive, and then heading towards Greyhound. Haven't decided yet if I'll be storing our luggage there, or keeping it in GT's van⁹. We will be at the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center by 4. We may or may not move on to Wilf's at 5 (which is when they open on a Saturday¹⁰). Around 6, Faith and I will need to go to the Greyhound station to head south, so whatever the rest of you decide to do, it's fine with me

March 12th

GT and gingersnapper will meet us at the Greyhound station at 1. They will be taking us to the airport at 3:20. There are no plans for in between yet. We can either decide on the 5th before I catch the bus, or else I can be surprised...

So who's going to be there? And how can I sign up?

Please sign up here, and if you can, put which day (5th or 12th) you can join us

And if you're coming from out of town, GTBacchus¹¹ has offered floor space for the night

Definites

• U180656¹²--Both
• U211555--Both
• U166086--Both
• U1105933--Both
• U528315--12th
• U232333--12th and maybe 5th
• U99875--12th

Maybes

• U713306 and flatmate

Paper Attendees¹³

• U38014
• A delegation from A732458:
• U40285
• U55494
• U96736
• U97477
• U140245
• U182998
• U183316
• U193095

¹And now you know why the towel would be soggy²I have a toddler. Need I point out disadvantages to over 14 hours of confinement? Granted, she could run around on the train, but if we had that kind of money, Tom would be able to take a week off work instead... Plus I never got around to getting a license! And even if I had, we've only the 1 car...³Portlandite? Portlander?⁴Too late? Oops...⁵Of course, if anyone wants to hang out a bit longer than the transportation requirements allow, that's perfectly fine too! I just won't get to join in, so please try to time arrivals so that I can meet you.⁶Just in case anyone wants to meet the flight and doesn't get around to asking me for the itinerary...⁷Though CM2 is more likely--CM2 has a toddler room⁸Or maybe this link would be better, as it lists the tenants of the building⁹Probably won't decide until en route!¹⁰Doobry¹¹Email address is on his space.¹²Not on paper this time!¹³Going to both, of course