Portland, Oregon

We arrived in Portland late Friday night after hiking Silver Falls.  Since the very first time we visited Portland, Gman had wanted to taste the pizza at Apizza Scholls on Hawthorne Blvd. After checking into our hotel we headed straight over to Apizza Scholls to try this pizza that is still ranked number one in the northwest!

The pizza at Apizza Scholls, a sort-of New York-meets-New Haven hybrid, is the best in Portland and probably tops in the Pacific Northwest. Owner, Brian Spangler, cooks his pies hot and fast in an electric oven, turning the most basic cheese and tomato pie into archipelagos of melted mozzarella, seething seas of tomato sauce the color of red-hot lava and a golden crust that’s crunchy and yielding at the same time. The menu is simple, the decor is simpler still, and the service, if you can call it that, typically ranges from lukewarm to downright cold. But you’re not here for small talk. You’re here for pizza. Go hungry or with a friend because Apizza Scholls only serves one size!

Gman had been dreaming of this pizza since the first time we visited Oregon but the line was too long to get into the restaurant!

After dinner we drove up to Council Crest Park to take in the sights!  Council Crest is thought to be the highest point in Portland at 1,073 feet above sea level. Originally known as Talbot's Mountain after its pioneer settlers, it has also been known as Glass Hill and later as Fairmount, the name of the road that encircles it. According to legend, Council Crest got its name because it was here where Native Americans held meetings and built signal fires. According to McArthur's Oregon Geographic Names, however, it was named in 1898 by delegates to the National Council of Congregational Churches, who met on the top. 

The water tower that now stands atop Council Crest used to be a 77-foot-tall wooden observatory, part of the Council Crest Amusement Park which operated from 1907-1929 and was torn down in 1941. From the top of the hill, one can see five mountains in the Cascade Range: Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Jefferson, and Mt Rainier. In addition, the park boasts a fantastic 180-degree view of Portland and surrounding towns. 

From the top of Council Crest Park you can see the mountains surrounding Portland.

From the top of Council Crest Park you can see the mountains surrounding Portland.

The next day it was time to head to the airport.  Since it was an unusually clear day we were able to see the whole town of Portland from our airplane as we flew over.

Flying over the Columbia River

Flying over Highway 205

Flying over Mount Hood

It is always sad when we have to leave the beautiful Pacific Northwest but after eight crazy days touring the coast and central Oregon it was time to say goodbye!  So long Stumptown - until next time!