100% precip was predicted, so we dressed out in heavy-duty waterproof and hauled a lot of just-in-case gear.

On a day like this, an experienced paddler such as I starts out armed with a large coffee and a cinnamon brown sugar scone.

It was a 100% day in every way.

Last Sunday Evening was such at special experience.  It was the last night of the Byrd Festival in beautiful St. Stephen’s Church in Portland. It was sublime.

The ridiculous was looking up to the balcony during the intermission and seeing Dr. Paul Klemme, always, always on task, texting away.  I tried to text him back to “look down.”  He did, just in time to catch me trying to get a picture of him with my iPhone.  He came down for a visit.

He seems to be surrounded by a blinding aureola, which seems just right to me.

I was just sure that if we were diligent and persistent we could find a suitable put-in/take-out at Champoeg that wouldn’t require hauling the boats up or down that long, delirious ramp.  Well, not so much.  We did, however, find the trail back to the Butteville Store where one of our number once again kept her strength up with a double scoop of Tillamook vanilla

while another one watched in disbelief.

I’m practicing closeups with my new camera.  I promise not to take one of your face 🙂  These lovely roses don’t mind a bit if I get right in their beautiful faces.

I have loved it all my life.  I love the music, the people, the cultural connectedness.  I love to dress up in my best clothes to begin the week.  I would have loved it if I could have sat with The Methodists this morning on the banks of the first body of water I fell in love with as a child.