
Friday night I drove out from my home in northeast Portland to Happy Valley, Oregon for Pickathon 2009 . The drive only took about thirty minutes, but I felt a world away from the city as I pulled into the dirt parking lot of Pendarvis Farms. Directed by a friendly parking attendant, I schlepped my camping supplies onto the festival grounds. It was close to 10 pm and pitch black. From my left, I could hear the amplified music from the main stage. To my right were the woods containing the campgrounds. I hiked [...]