Friday, 21st September. Destination: HI Portland Hostel, Portland, Oregon

Cycled to Tillamook via the Three Capes Scenic Route - something that'd been recommended to me by the couple of cyclists I'd met yesterday. Nice, but I couldn't help feeling it looked a little bleak. High point was a cute little coffee shop in Oceanside, which had great views looking out over the bay. From the busy little town of Tillamook, I took a shuttle bus to Portland. A longish four hours or so spent gazing out of the window thinking how different it'd feel doing it by bike. It's amazing how fast the change from cyclist to passenger occurs after 3 months of pedaling: I'm no longer at one with the road I'm travelling on, I'm simply passing over it.

I arrived a day earlier than I'd planned with my friend Lori (I'm going to be crashing at her'n'Ted's place), so rather than turn up unannounced I booked into the Portland Hostel on NW Glisan and 18th. Amazing to be in a big city again. I wandered around the neighbourhood and had soba for lunch at a little Japanese café. Then in the evening, found a sushi place and had my favourite unagi (eel) nigiri, along with a cold beer. I know Lori, by the way, from meeting her in Prague where she came to visit one of my flatmates, Chris (I lived in Prague for a short time, a few years ago, but that's another story).

Saturday, 22nd September 2007. Location: Ted & Lori’s Place, Portland, Oregon

Met Lori as planned at Union Station 10:40am. So good to see a friendly face! They live in Hollywood, a lovely suburban neighbourhood full of trees and elegant houses with lush front gardens and genteel greenery. They have a back porch great for lazing, and there are three cats (Chitty, Bang Bang and Buddy) wandering around, adding to the cosy atmosphere. It was her husband Ted's birthday and they had a lovely meal at home in the evening with his dad, brother and his brother's kids.

Sunday, 23rd September. Location: Ted & Lori’s Place, Portland, Oregon

Cycled into town to arrange getting my bike boxed and ready for the flight home. Lori recommended an excellent bike shop called River City Bicycles, but for some reason they couldn’t help. I can’t quite remember why, but they served free coffee and were close enough to the centre of town to lure me across the river to investigate Powell’s book store and the City centre. In the afternoon I went to see a curious and slightly disappointing Japanese movie called ‘Hula Girls’ at Ted & Lori’s neighbourhood cinema, the fabulous Hollywood Theatre. Opened in 1926 during the heydey of silent films, the theatre features a truly head-turning Byzantine rococo tower and an art deco interior. All that, and Japanese hula girls.

In the evening we headed out to a decidedly groovy bar called McMenamin’s Kennedy School, an historic elementary school opened in 1915. Now lovingly converted into a bar (actually, several bars), restaurant, arty cinema and hotel; I think I liked the corridors best – big, wide, wood-lined corridors full of nooks and crannies, great for recreating scenes from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Not the first McMenamin’s I’ve been to on this trip, it turns out: the High Street Brewery where I ate and listened to the Sugarcubes in Eugene was one too. Obviously, my kinda place. I’m beginning to like Oregon, and Portland in particular, quite a lot.

Monday, 24th September. Location: Ted & Lori’s Place, Portland, Oregon

Morning spent reading a book on David Lynch in my cool basement bedroom, then toasted bagels and newspapers with Ted & Lori for breakfast. Unexpected and hugely uplifting news via email that the lovely folks at the Oregon Trail Motel, Baker City have found my lost CD case with photo CDs safely inside! With a spring in my step Ted, Lori & I headed off to visit the famous Rose Garden with it's charming and lavish beds of roses and fabulous views over the City to Mount Hood, standing rather epically on the horizon. We snooped at the Japanese Gardens too, but had left it rather too late in the day. Amazing cobwebs, though, adorning the huge pine trees on the wooded walk up to it's entrance.

Drove down to Nob Hill to explore the funky and bohemian side of town. Almost bought a cute t-shirt featuring a cartoon character called Bobby (from 'Bobby's World') taking a ride on his trike, with the caption 'That's How I Roll'. But $50 dollars, dude! For a t-shirt? Lori & I popped in to the fashionable (amongst me & Lori) Trader Joe's - your neighbourhood grocery store -for snacks and supplies. T&L were out for the evening so I fixed myself some Thai noodles and watched 'Garden Sate' on their basement mini-cinema with Bang Bang the cat.

Tuesday, 25th September. Location: Ted & Lori’s Place, Portland, Oregon

Well, all good things come to an end - but, here at least, they seem to come to an end gently with much niceness to ease the slight malaise that's settled on me since finishing my epic trip. Ted & Lori's basement guest-room is so comfy it's hard to get out of bed: I feel my early-morning routine is already slipping away. Portland's so nice, with pretty, tree-lined streets and an abundance of neat little shops and cafes to help you enjoy the streetlife. It's the kind of place a person could get used to.

Got a box for my bike from Ted & Lori’s local shop, The Bike Gallery on NE Sandy Boulevard. A friendly tech guy loosened the pedals and we took it back to the house in Lori’s car. I spent most of the day disassembling my bike and putting it away. In between, Lori & I visited the massive 'Target' store to stock up on souvenir sweeties for the office back in Brighton (and old tradition I wouldn't dare neglact), and we all had a delicious lunch together of Irish Stew with roast brussel sprouts. Drinks at a nice neighbourhood bar in the evening, then back to finish packing. My bike's all wrapped up in protective tubing, and the box has straps that hold the frame tightly in place. It's all snugly fitted in and should be fine, as long as the baggage crew aren't too casual.

Wednesday, 26th September. Flight Home, via Philadelphia

Ted drove me to the airport early in the morning. Getting the bike on board was no problem, despite earlier apprehensions – just an $80 suppliment. Flight was basic and boring, and I kept myself drugged up on Diazopam to keep it that way (never the happiest of long-haul fliers). Stop in Philly, then over the Atlantic to Gatwick, 90 days later.