Greens, water make Oregon foreign to us
By VALERIE SCHULTZ, contributing columnist
Friday, Aug 3 2007, The Bakersfield Californian

There is an abundance of water in and around Portland. Bridges span several rivers that form natural boundaries. As our gracious relatives apologized for the wet weather that greeted us, we turned our parched faces to the rain and laughed. What could be more unusual for us central Californians than summer rain? It is so wet in Portland that moss grows on the tree trunks. Later in the week, my sister and brother-in-law took us on a hike through a lush forest next to a rushing river, where blackberries grew like weeds. On our last day, my best childhood friend, who now lives in Portland, took us on a tour of the Columbia River Gorge waterfalls. We walked among smooth stones and greenery and mist, as water poured from the cliffs above us. We ended at the famous Multnomah Falls, which cascades and then cascades again, a two-part waterfall that plunges for 620 feet. So much water! I was again amazed, but, to my friend, the falls seemed a bit meager. "You should see them in the winter," she said.