Walking Portland Memory Lane One Alley At A Time

Memory lane or back alley?

As much as you hear about people moving to Portland, loving Portland once they get here, it’ll never be their home until they’re walking Portland on memory lane.

Like, “This is where I used to play basketball, where I got beat by a five foot six opponent,” didn’t ring up the oooos and ahs much. Neither did the place I got punched out on NW 21st by an even shorter guy.

What makes walking Portland memorable? What makes any walk a walk down memory lane?

It’s the people I was walking Portland with.

Over thirty years ago my wife was pregnant with my first kid. We were walking Portland like no one’s business.

The people I was walking Portland with? My first kid and his wife and my second kid with his sweetheart. And my wife.

The younger bunch wasn’t into the walk as much as we were, and my wife wasn’t as into it as me. Call me an old fogy, but following the same footsteps I laid down so long ago, with the people who hadn’t laid a foot down yet, still gets me in the feels.

“Look, there’s the building you were conceived in,” doesn’t ring of celebrations. Showing them all of the back alleys I know didn’t impress them either, but they played along.

Oh, the memories.

NW Portland is a beautiful neighborhood once you get away from the main drags. Striking apartment buildings, old mansions, and what looks like it could be an old estate.

Wandering around with a pregnant wife thirty years ago with our family future still a mystery was one thing. Pointing out the highlights to my oldest kid on his birthday with his wife and him was a mystery too.

At least for them. Walking Portland with the whole crew in tow felt like a celebration of life. And who doesn’t need a celebration of life in November of the year 2017.