Today’s Ride to Church comes to us from the West Coast–Portland, Oregon.
JaneAnne writes:
“I live in Willamette Heights, Northwest Portland, Oregon, and attend church in Beaverton. Although I mostly grew up in Salem, Oregon, my family lived in Beaverton when I was a small girl and attended church in the same building I attend now. My ward was the original ward on the west side of Portland, and the boundaries used to extend from the Willamette River (which bisects Portland) all the way to Tillamook, on the coast about 90 minutes away. After many carve-offs to create new wards and stakes, our current ward boundaries take in the northern half of downtown Portland and a narrow swath that extends through the hills, unincorporated Washington County, and out into Beaverton. My family has the longest driving distance to church of anyone in our ward, but oh! what a drive! At this time of year the beautiful roses, white, pink, and red, that line the sunken I-405 freeway are in peak bloom. Later in the fall, the deciduous ivy that covers the walls burns bright red.
Our largely-member-funded stake center is non-standard and ENORMOUS, rumored to be one of the larger stake centers in the church. It has too many unique features to list here–come and visit and I’ll give you the grand tour!”
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Don’t miss the video segment, which comes right after St. Patrick’s Church and before the tunnel.
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Wow, seeing this slideshow made me green with envy. It is already SO HOT down here.
Having said that, when we visit my husband’s family (in southern Washington), I miss the Texas sun and the clear/blue skies. I think the cloud cover there would bum me out. At least that’s what I tell myself when I’m sweltering in the heat . . .
Lived there for 5 years in Multnomah Village–Gabriel Park ward. You have great pics!! Miss the green, but not the grey. :) It’s always so pretty there, though, even on the darkest days.
And!! I have to say you have a very circuitous route to church–I’m betting there are wards which are closer??
Other than a branch (with no primary) that is the closest ward. That’s the crazy thing. While I love the flowers on I-405, I wish the video recorded just a bit more to show the verdant beauty of the other side of the tunnel devoid of buildings.
I believe you :) I guess I just wondered if there were a closer building but you were just on the wrong side of a boundary (be that a ward/stake, or a State.
I love your yard! Showed these to my husband and he got a little homesick for pdx.
Shot a little video going the other direction today: http://youtu.be/sY0lvKP64cM
Cool!
Thanks SO much for this, Janeanne… I served for a year of my mission in Cedar Mills area, so the Sunset Highway was my daily commute to wherever we were going that day. I loved seeing these places again. I really believe that Portland is one of the most beautiful cities on earth.
Andy, I was surprised we hadn’t heard from you on this yet. I was expecting some nostalgia! ;)
Busy week! But yes, there’s nostalgia… I didn’t know how much you guys could stomach! :D
Amazing how the hills and mountains define and contain Portland. The West Hills (where the zoo is, and those tunnels) are just gorgeous. There are the amazing Japanese gardens on the city side… and from the other side, I could look out over the whole of our area and several mission ‘zones’ – the most incredible view. On the east side of the river, steep hills pop out of the ground (Mt Tabor, etc)… and that’s not to say anything of the mountains on a clear day: Mt Adams, Mt Hood, Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens… all covered in snow, when we’re 35 degrees down in the valley.
It IS beautiful there, but I can’t stand the gray/gloom. You can see Mt. St. Helens from Brent’s parents’ living room window. Pretty cool.
Brent said when we first moved to Texas, he felt like something just wasn’t quite right every time he stepped outside. At some point, it dawned on him that it was the sun–always out!
Ah, well to me, that would seem ‘right’, being from the north of England.
However, for the two years I was there (2002-4), I seem to remember that it was sunny about 75% of the time: unusual for the Pacific NW, I know, but a reflection of the glorious time I had there!
That’s right, Andy. My dad and I did an amazing bike trip when I was 14. England was quite overcast . . . ;)
Andy, you’re welcome. We were taking that same ride to church back when you were here. Were you in Cedar Mill or Cedar Hills? Cedar Hills is partly in our ward; the Cedar Mill Stake is just to my stake’s northwest.
Nice that you (Heather or whoever) came up with a fuller view (from the south) of St. Patrick’s Church for the thumbnail of this post. :)
One last note: there are lots of cars on the road and not many in the church parking lot because we actually took the photos and video on a Wednesday morning. :)
I just came across you site. It really brought back memories. I grew up in Garden Home, starting with the Beaverton Branch, then the West Hills Ward, the helping to build the building in 1962-63 on the donated filbert orchard, but only after harvesting one last crop of filberts as a “building fund” project. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. My wife and I now live in Kalama Washington, but are now down in the Palm Springs area for a few months enjoying the warm weather and sun. Then on the way home via SLC for family and Family History.
Thanks again, Wayne