Whomp-wh-wh-whomp!

Is it a huge helicopter right over us? A stuttering giant? The whole city of Portland has indigestion at the same time?

Josh and I walked out of OHSU to the most interesting sound. The whole world vibrated with it. We'd just finished 3.5 hours of testing as paid participants in an ADHD study, but this was a real life test. What was the noise?

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Once we made it through the maze of buildings to the parking garage, we were able to lean over the railing and peer into the road below. Hundreds and hundreds of motorbikes--big burly Harleys and such--powered along the street in a parade. Many riders wore Santa hats and some of the riders were very hairy. Very hairy! As in, strapped in between these tough looking characters were soft, fluffy teddy bears and the largest sock monkeys I've ever seen.

Unbeknown to us, we had happened upon the annual ABATE/Shriner's ride. Josh and I perched up in the parking garage and watched the bikes for quite some time. Then, I looked up ... and almost got choked up. The main hospital was directly across from us and in floor after floor, in almost every window, a patient looked down. It was one of those moments I thanked the Lord for. An unexpected moment of serendipitous blessing.