Greetings from Portland, Oregon.  Woods plays here Wednesday night before keeping it dry down the coast for a couple dates in the Bay area ahead of 2013’s Woodsist Fest in Big Sur.

I arrived here Tuesday afternoon.  I launched from LaGuardia a few hours after completing my Monday night work shift.  With a stop in Denver, the total flying time was about six hours.

This is my first ever visit to Portland.  If one’s initial impression of a place is shaped at the airport, Portland gains immediate plaudits for its convenient rail link to the city.  TriMet’s MAX Light Rail station is just steps from baggage claim.  Representatives from TriMet offer guidance to rookie riders on fare purchase from easy-to-use vending machines.  The single ride cost is $2.50 but I bought a day pass for five bucks.

The trains ride smooth and are configured to stow bicycles and luggage.  They’re clean, they remain above ground and have large windows to view the area’s exceptional scenery.  Riders over the age of 65 are referred to by TriMet as “honored citizens” and ride for just $1 (or $2 day pass).

I’m staying at a $68 per night EconoLodge near the arena where the Trailblazers play their home games.  The two-story motel looks a little shabby from the outside but the room is clean and quiet.

The Streetcar system here has a stop just across from the motel so I took it to Southeast Portland Tuesday night.  Fares are paid under an honor system on both the light rail trains and street cars, although a story in Wednesday’s Oregonian says Streetcar’s operator will soon begin issuing $175 citations for those caught without proof of payment for the first time in Streetcar’s 12-year existence.

Bicycles are everywhere.  Dedicated lanes are used heavily at all hours of the day and night.  When it gets dark, many riders deploy lights on their helmets to supplement the lighting on their rides.  I’ve seen dozens of parents with bikes carrying attached two-wheel carriages for kids.

I ate Ethiopian food at Jarra’s on Hawthorne Tuesday night.  The affable owner Petros Jarra is celebrating 30 years in business this year.  His wife Analem seated me and took my order.  The “yedora alicha” included a savory salad and a chicken leg smothered in a dark-colored stew that included potatoes, cottage cheese and a hard boiled egg.  There are no utensils (even on request) so diners are advised to use their hands which took some getting used to.  A thin, spongy bread on a separate plate helps to sop up the main dish.  Situated below Jarra’s is the Langano Lounge.  Scott the bartender is a fine ambassador for the city of Portland.  He engaged all those sitting at the bar in an energetic give-and-take on a variety of subjects.

This afternoon, I plan on visiting Portland Meadows for its ten-race thoroughbred racing card.  And then tonight, it’s the Woods show.