Here we go again!

I can't believe it, but in just about a week we'll be leaving Portland on another adventure. It's even harder to believe we've been here for almost four and a half years. Portland has been nothing short of fantastic. I feel like we've been let in on the secret the great Pacific Northwest – though it may not be such a well-kept secret anymore. At least we're following the unwritten rule: come and enjoy Portland, but don't forget to leave!

Looking back on our stay, I think we became more Portland-y than we could have imagined. Bike commuting, composting, craft beer, camping, light rail, and even a pick-up truck became part of our lives. While I cycled over all ten city bridges, Matthias baked bread, made his own sausage and cheese, smoked fish and ribs and grew roses. Although we resisted getting tattoos and Matthias hasn't grown a beard, we are leaving with a sizable amount of fleece, Columbia sportswear and a few pairs of Keens. Most importantly, we met amazing people and made friends for life living and working here. I can't say enough about how terrific it's been working at Virginia Garcia – the people and the wonderful work they do. I will miss them, A LOT!

So it's time to dust off the blog and start chronicling our next adventure. We're going to start by touring the USA, something we've wanted to do since we got a taste of it driving out here in 2011. We'll meet up with Matthias' parents in Seattle and travel with them for about a week and then set off across the country, ending in Florida for my mom's 75^th birthday bash. After that, we're off on a quick trip to Germany and then Southeast Asia for the winter. We're planning another US tour for next summer, but anyone who knows us knows that it's all subject to change. Stay tuned and hope to see you on the road!