Monday, March 18th - Alameda Ridge

Today we decided on a change of scenery. Instead of creeks and forests and other wonders of nature we walked through the Alameda neighborhood and admired houses. Now, I love my little 1970's ranch home in the 'burbs, but I have to admit to some serious house envy today. If you like classic old houses – tudors, colonials, bungalows, neoclassical, craftsman, mediterranean – whatever your favorite style, chances are you'll find it in Alameda. The streets wind around the ridge and converge 5 – 6 at a time in complicated intersections, very different from the surrounding neighborhoods' neatly laid out grids. One of my favorite features is the staircases that periodically snake their way between houses so that pedestrians can get from street to street without having to follow the long winding roads that cars are held to.

We were following the map in our 'Walk There' book, which starts out at 50^th and Sandy and runs up diagonally to 26^th , where it circles the house built in 1927 by lumber baron Thomas Autzen. We were surprised to find that the lumber baron's house was built of brick until we noticed the thick beams on the half-timber construction of the upper stories and the carved wood panel above the front door (you couldn't afford beams like that today – if you could even find them). The house sits on its own shield-shaped block so we got to walk all the way around it and peek through the greenery to admire it from all angles. Absolutely gorgeous.

This was a beautiful walk all around. It probably didn't hurt that the sun was shining, the mock cherry trees are in full bloom and all the spring bulbs are up. It really feels like winter is over now, and makes me want to start planting my own garden. As a native Oregonian I know better, but on those beautiful days between rainstorms it sure is tempting.  4.4 miles today, with 216 stairs up and 263 down, and I think we'll have to take a few more of these "gawking" walks to admire the beauty of Portland architecture.