Oregon . . . the state with the small town feel.

No extended roadtrip, I drove straight back down from Portland yesterday, clocking in at almost the exact 10 1/2 hour mapquest drive. I always calculate drive times using a 60mph standard, so if I see a destination is 196 miles away, I think it's three hours and 16 minutes away. I usually drive 65-72 mph, but it probably evens out with gas/food/warshroom stops. It's a pretty accurate system.

Portland is an amazing city. Oregon is an amazing state. Many thanks to Tiffany for letting me crash on her couch for the weekend. Portland trounces San Francisco. San Francisco reeks and Californians are total assholes in comparison. I'm not specifying that any individual Californian is an asshole, but as Californians, we are generally self-righteous, elitist assholes. Any correlation between being Californian and being a specific individual asshole is purely coincidental.

The rainy season weather would still probably prevent me from moving there, but good lord! it was nice. When someone told me that aside from the rainy season drear, there were several months of straight "nice" weather, I was thinking San Francisco "nice", Pacific coast "nice". But lo, it was Summertime nice! Short sleeve shirts at night nice.

So here's a rundown of the various cities:
Tucson pros: decent riding; good star-gazing; desert heat/culture; saguaros
Tucson cons: no idea what I'd do there
Portland pros: great people; cycling culture; a river runs through it; incredible beer; vibrant creative scene; very green; no sales tax!
Portland cons: I'd probably kill myself during the rainy season. Really.
San Francisco pros: I know it and I happen to be here (I'm lazy)
San Francisco cons: Everything else (OK, it's not that bad)

The no sales tax thing in Oregon really got my attention in a guitar store where they were selling Rickenbacker basses on sale for $995. $995!!! for a Rick out the door. That is just unsane!