---
title: I Will Miss You, Portland, Oregon
teaser:
tags: news,web
author: Eric Mill
published_on: 2008-06-20
---

![''](http://images.thoughtbot.com/ui/2008-6-20-seal.jpg)

Basically all of thoughtbot went to Portland for RailsConf this year, and we had
an awesome time.  We also took a lot of photos, and put them on Flickr (see
[Eric Mill's](https://flickr.com/photos/konklone/sets/72157605440088724/), [Mike
Burns\'](https://flickr.com/photos/mike-burns/sets/72157605423245052/), and
[Tammer Saleh's](https://www.flickr.com/photos/tsaleh/sets/72157605426654326/)).
Portland is an awesome city, thoughtbot is full of awesome people, and the Rails
community has some gems of people in it too.

I guess RailsConf was a technical conference, but I don't remember any of that
stuff.  The trip turned out to be filled with moments of zen for me.  Here are
just a few that I acquired in Portland this year:

- At a nearly empty [Dante's](http://www.danteslive.com/) on a quiet Thursday
  night, a DJ plays music that nobody appreciates but a lone undulating man
  figure in front of the stage.
- A TV screen above the stage plays [Escape From New
  York](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckvDo2JHB7o) for a half an hour before
  silently switching over to Asian pornography.
- Playing [Robotron 2084](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPIbQnPA4gY) at [Ground
  Kontrol](http://www.groundkontrol.com/) while a DJ spins up Judas Priest's
  [Exciter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0lw5ygX-0Y).
- At [Powell's Technical
  Books](https://flickr.com/photos/konklone/2553194034/in/set-72157605440088724/),
  in response to my question about which books he's been reading here for fun,
  my art-history-graduate-turned-web-entrepreneur friend
  [Greg](http://urbanhonking.com/ideasfordozens) calmly leads me to a book on
  [Erlang](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5830318882717959520).
- At the famous 24-hour donut shop [Voodoo Donut](http://voodoodoughnut.com/), I
  order a Triple Chocolate Penetration, but am told they're out, so I settle for
  a Diablo Rex.
- Wandering with [Ben](https://sandofsky.com) and Greg through the 3-floor
  parking garage under Whole Foods for over an hour in search of Greg's 2-door
  blue Honda Civic.
- Riding in a cycle rickshaw at midnight, past a forlorn
  [Pete](https://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/439033288/) who utters to us
  I waited a long time. without elaboration as he fades into the distance.

![''](http://images.thoughtbot.com/ui/2008-6-20-tammer.jpg)

- Standing with [Josh](http://blog.hasmanythrough.com) on the Steel Bridge at
  the river in the middle of the night, above at least 30 sleeping ducks on the
  riverbanks.
- I listen to Jared tell me that he also attempted to visit Voodoo Donut, but
  was halted at the door by a sign reading Marriage in Progress.
- Inside the Gravitron, I want to capture the bizarre gravity, so I take [a
  photo](https://flickr.com/photos/konklone/2553194930/in/set-72157605440088724/)
  of whoever is near me.  It happens to be an n-teen-year old girl, whose nearby
  father is none too pleased when I show her the picture after the ride.
- Sitting motionless with Tammer for half a minute at the top of [The
  Skyscraper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLHNkSBBN3I) in an open chair, 165
  feet above Portland, staring at the nearby buildings and mountains, before
  beginning a second 75-mph journey through the sky.