Santa Barbara - Again: SEA-PDX-SBA

This weekend came with a surprise trip to Santa Barbara. I was invited to interview for a new position there and that prompted a very quick trip in and out. I arrived Saturday night and left midday Monday. If I get the job, what does that make me? SantaBarbaraFlyerGuy? Ex-SeattleFlyerGuy? SeattleExpatFlyerGuy? I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. In the mean time, here what the flights were like!

Flying down to Santa Barbara from Seattle is a bit expensive, but I ended up using miles to make this trip happen. 40,000 frequently flyer miles and $7.50 gave me near direct flights on Alaska Air. They have flights direct to Santa Barbara from both Portland and Seattle, which is exactly what I flew this time around. These are on smaller planes, a combination of the Dash-8 turboprops and CRJs. I tried to get timelapses on these flights using a new technique, but this proved... difficult. I was using my new Nexus 4 to capture the timelapse, which I hoped would be better than my current technique, but a couple things were off: The phone unexpectedly quit and the angle of the window basically means that you are mainly aimed at sky. It didn't work, but at least I got some good photos.

The first leg is quick, but low. It's only about 30 minutes in the air, which is no time at all. On the way, we had some good views of Seattle and of the Olympic mountains. I love the view of the water, mountains, and ferry from the air. After that, I had a two hour layover and then a second flight direct to SBA. Night time flights don't offer too much in the way of scenery, but at least there was the sunset...

Summertime! Time for Cannon Beach, Oregon

Summer in the Northwest has arrived! The past few days have been exceedingly hot and to escape the heat, I went down to Portland for a little beach vacation. Cannon Beach is a small beach-side community that has worked hard to maintain a small town local feel while also taking advantage of the natural beauty and fantastic sand that draws people from around the region.

Located right on the beach is Haystack Rock, which is a marine sanctuary and instantly recognizable for anyone whose been here. The beach is very nice with fine sand and warm (for the Northwest) ocean water, as well as waves for surfing. It was a great way to spend the day and FINALLY get out in the summer weather!

Biking the Greenways of Portland

Portland has a reputation that precedes it and much of it centers on the bicycle culture that has sprung up in the city. On my last trip there, I left my car in Seattle, hopped on BoltBus, borrowed a bike (Thanks Alexa!), and put that reputation to the test along with a group of about 30 other community advocates from the Seattle area. We were all there on a study trip to learn more about the neighborhood greenways ("Next Generation Bike Boulevards") that have started to crisscross the neighborhoods.

If you've never heard of a neighborhood greenway, the basic idea is to create a neighborhood street that brings back the type of activities that have disappeared because of cars having absolute priority on all streets. On a neighborhood greenway, priority is given to pedestrians, bikes, and neighbors instead of cars. The basic formula is relatively simple:

1. You start with a residential street that already has a low traffic volume.
2. You add improvements to the street that keeps residential traffic at residential speeds andlets bicycles move along the street without having to stop every block or two. 
3. You make the streetscape more appealing for those who live along the path.
4. You add cost effective improvements at major arterial crossings to create a safe place to cross busy streets.

The end result is a street where people of all ages and abilities can get on their bike, perhaps for the first time or perhaps the first time in years, and feel safe. The roads remain open to cars but because of the changes, cars move slower, more safely, and make less noise. These have been highlighted as success stories in Portland and we wanted to see what it was all about. 

After the break, a look at neighborhood greenways, as well as a couple photos from Pine State Biscuits (a great brunch place) and Salt and Straw (a tasty ice cream shop right nearby).

Review: BoltBus in the Northwest

BoltBus is a newcomer to the Northwest and, as I wrote previously, it has been shaking up how we get around in our region. BoltBus operates buses that connect Vancouver BC, Seattle, and Portland with new buses and the promise of cheap fares. This past weekend I went down to Portland for a Neighborhood Greenways study trip and got a chance to put BoltBus to the test.

The business model for BoltBus is pretty simple: Exceed expectations, undercut the competition, and minimize expenses. To do that, BoltBus promises fares as low as a buck, new buses, and curbside pickup. In Seattle, the bus stop is next to the International District station, near Uwajimaya. In Portland, it is right downtown, while in Vancouver it is near the main train station. When I arrived, there was already a group of people waiting, although this doesn't really matter: Boarding is done in three waves and first come is not necessarily first served when each wave is called.

The bus itself is brand new with baggage storage underneath. There is room for a bike, but it is first come, first served. For a lot of my biking friends, that means that BoltBus is a lot less attractive. It is entirely possible to show up and not have room on the bus or to get stuck in another city with a bike you can't take back with you. In the future, hopefully they will create a reservation system. Passengers on BoltBus were friendly and typically on the younger side.

After the break, the interior and review of BoltBus!

New cheap service connects Seattle and Portland for less than $10

Getting to Portland from Seattle is about to get much cheaper. Starting May 17th, passengers will be able to buy ticket on direct express buses for less than $10 a piece. There's even one ticket per bus that is $1, given out at random among the first dozen or so tickets. At $10, it is one third of the price of going with Amtrak.

The coaches are from 2009 and feature extra legroom, wifi, and power outlets on board. Even though the service is run by Greyhound, this is not the standard greyhound experience. For $10, it's hard not to see why you wouldn't want to head down to Portland to visit some coffee shops, check out some of their restaurants like Pok-Pok, or just take a look around.

What's more, their new website hints that a new connection might be in the works. On their destinations page, they show Vancouver BC's skyline with a note that tickets are on sale now. I couldn't find these on the website, but creating a $10 connection to Vancouver will shake up how how often we visit our neighboring cities.




[via Portland Afoot and Puget Sound Business Journal]