Urban Adventure League

Yes, the Rainy Season has begun.

How 'bout that rain, kids? Ol' Man Winter is shore lettin' us know that he's at the doorstep. Of course this is Portland Winter, which just means rain. Not snow. (Though that can happen, but not very often.) Count your lucky stars--we are actually further north than Montreal, and by all rights should have the same type of winter!

But when the rains return it's always a downer. I'll get used to it after time, but this week has been in the Heavy Rain category, not the more manageable off-and-on light rain that is the norm. (And even that Heavy Rain doesn't last all day.) Maybe it's Nature's Way for getting us prepared for the change? Get all the bad shit out of the way first? Who knows.

Still, I would like a non-rainy day soon. Not necessarily a bright and sunny day, just one that I don't have to worry about putting on my rain gear. I've been itching to either take a long bike ride or walk through the West Hills, and this weather is not conducive to that activity. The two days in the past week that were ok, Sunday and Wednesday, I had prior obligations. I twitched uncomfortably through a "Staff Training" pow-wow at the IPRC on Sunday, watching the light rapidly fall (it was the first day off of Daylight Savings Time) and wishing I was in Hoyt Arboretum instead. Wednesday I was busy moving junk; I passed Mt. Tabor several times but never had the time to ride to the top.

This weather recalls a remark from a friend: "You can complain about Portland's weather all you want, but at least the sky is never boring." You can't argue that. Just looking at the clouds gives me goosebumps. And what about those low misty clouds that cling to the West Hills or Mt. Tabor after the rain? Or when you look westward and see the misty rain descend over the city. And don't forget the occasional cloud-breaks--even during the most dismally raining days this week, I did see brief moments of sun. And rainbows.

But goldurn it, could you just stop raining for one day?