Road Trips : Portland and Seattle
I avoided trips to the great northwest for my first four and a half years in San Francisco. There were a number of reasons: my car wasn't running right...money was tight...I couldn't get time off at the right moment of inspiration...etc.
But I think my biggest fear was that I'd like it too much. I remember visiting Seattle with my mom, my grandmother, and a cousin in 1974. Even at age ten, I was fascinated with the place and vowed to live there some day. Having reached (I guess) some level of maturity by age 37, I must admit that my vow still stands.
I've now made two trips, at roughly five-year intervals, and I'm more convinced that I need to live in Seattle or Portland than ever.