Across the new continent

After 2 days I finally received my lugages from the airport, which was really needed with the temperatures going down in OR and the huge storm that was starting (winds passed over 100 mph and left the area quite desolated). I had a long week at work, but was happy meeting all my old colleagues.

Per took me Saturday for paragliding in eastern Oregon, past the Dalles on the shore of the Columbia river (off the hill in the center of the map, near the houses). We took off just below the snow altitude and flew along the cliffs of the canyon for quite some time (until we froze actually :). I never expected to paraglide on day in the winter below freezing temperature and under a pretty solid cover of clouds. That was definitively fun ! Actually that was so fun that I forgot to pull my camera out (other excuse is that my fingers might have stayed stuck on the metal box of the camera).

Per dropped me back at the hotel where I had to give back the keys I forgot to leave when I checked out in the morning (yep that's so me). There I met a guy that was looking for a nearby bar. I offered him to drive him there as it was near the theater I was planning to go to kill the time I had left before my flight. I ended up hanging with him and having a pretty good time, Mark was a very colorful character. It was his first time out of Alaska and he was down here in Portland to visit his son. He talked a lot about Alaska and I was listening, avid :). Keyring with polar bear claws, a bullet scar right near the left eye, square pale Irish style face, light eye and hair color, and a black cap deep on the ears, a tough guy. He explains me how he goes halibut fishing with his little boat and ends up shooting them with big calibers when they're too big (over hundred pounds) to be dragged on the boat alive. He offered me to come fish with him next summer :). We ended up the evening in the dark as the local power station was on fire, as a consequence of the really bad storm that hit Oregon the previous day I would assume.

I spent the rest of the night in the plane that took me to Toronto where Le Jyby was expecting me. Despite being both tired we ended up spending the rest of the day in front of a white board writing cool and fast algorithms... Yeah I know, but we can't help it we always end up doing it whether it's in a cafe on the Nile riverside or in a dorm in Orsay.

Stay tuned !

Answer

There was really nothing special behind I just liked the picture :). But anyway here what was behind :


Besides that I arrived today in Portland Oregon after a day of travel, but my luggage wasn't as lucky as me and didn't made it. I guess some redhat gnome is trying to steal little monkey christmas presents :). Well anyway I hope I'll get my bags back as I kinda need clothes.