Walk There: Orenco Station

I don't remember if "Orenco Station" is the name of this particular route, which we've done once before, in the Walk There book, but that's where it was. Friday was a gorgeous day and I'm so glad we got out and enjoyed it, because the relentless rain seems to have returned for a while.

We started at the Max station and meandered through a very, very old neighborhood of Hillsboro, which still has a few buildings left from when the Oregon Nursery Company (--> Orenco--get it?) established something of a company town. If you look closely at one of those upper middle windows, you can see the old doll that was waving at us and freaked Eric out.

I love all the big old trees that arch over the narrow streets and the funky little houses, and Eric is intrigued by the abandoned golf course that's next to this neighborhood.

We crossed one main road and suddenly we were in the middle of trying-to-be-urban suburbia. There are lots little parks and big houses with tiny yards, then those fade into apartments. It is a good location, though. Right next to the Max, just a few blocks from a cool shopping center that has apartments and condos above local businesses, including one of our favorite natural grocery store.
A little bit of pergola. Pergola is a word I'd never even heard before I met Eric.

We ended up stopping at that store, New Seasons Market, to use the bathroom and sample their samples. They always have the best samples!!

I saw this sign on our way home and it struck me as funny:

And, just for kicks, here's my ginormous belly. And speaking of kicks, I've been feeling a lot of those these days. I love it!