WEEK 5 - "Portland, Oregon won't build a mile of road wihtout a mile of bike path." Lance Armstrong

Portland has been named one of the "healthiest cities in the US" as well as the best place to live in the US....and there are many articles outlining why that may be (Top Three Healthiest Cities, Forbes: Healthiest Cities, #1 City to Live)

My sabbatical has a health and wellness based focus so I can bring the information back to the community and classroom.  I have been in Portland a little over a week now and I will remain here for almost two more weeks.  I thought I was going to arrive and see non-smokers biking everywhere picking up fresh produce at the farmers' market with lots of disposable income.  I have noticed that my assumptions were not true.  There is a large smoking community.  The restaurants have fries next to their sandwich and bars offer 20 different beer on tap to choose from.  So, why is everyone touting it as a healthy city?  As I walk/bike around Portland I am baffled by the contrast between what I see and what I thought I would find.  Scratching my head and wondering where to go with the observations I have, I decided to interview locals asking why they think it is the healthiest city and what makes it so unique.  

 This is Kristin.  This picture was taken as she was celebrating her 50th birthday (notice the nachos and Snickers).  She and her boyfriend Kipp own the B&B that I stayed at the first week in Portland.  I spoke with them at length about the differences between Portland and the rest of the country.  I shared that I was trying to wrap my head around the reasons Portland is doing so well health wise.  They had some great insight:

• Locals are VERY active (biking, walking, hiking)
• There is a sense of community.  Even people from the suburbs of Portland claim they are from Portland.
• The attitude is very different!  When you ask someone "what do you do" rarely will they share their occupation.  They discuss their hobbies, passions and family life.
• The jobs are much more entrepreneurial in nature...not as many 9-5 punch the clock jobs.  They think outside the box!

After speaking with them about the difference in attitude and the pace of life, I sat back and observed.  People stop and "chat" more on the street with strangers.  Conversations run longer.  I hear the passion for the city and life when I speak with individuals.  They are proud of who they are (in general) and proud of the city they live.  

I walked down to the local coffee shop and asked the individual working there what his thoughts were.  About 10 minutes into our conversation, one of the patrons stopped by to join in the topic.  His name was Christopher (Toby) Kinkaid.  We hit it off instantly and sat to talk for over an hour.  He shared his entrepreneurial spirit and what he was working on.  He explained that e-book writing was much easier than it seemed to me.  In fact, he wrote a book entitled "publishing e-books, concept to cash flow."  Christopher (Toby) Kinkaid's books  During our conversation, he discussed the benefits of having a steady and passive cash flow.  This "passive cash flow" seemed to be a theme amongst individuals in Portland....I noticed people were not afraid to fail or chase their dreams!  Toby was an example of that.  He inspired me to start working on a book during my sabbatical.  What do I have to lose, right?  

With this new revelation, I wanted to look into people who embraced physical activity/exercise and marketed it in a unique way.  I contacted Adam Boesel, the founder of "The Green Microgym".  He agreed to meet with me and have me interview him.  I explained that I had many students who want to open their own gym...but, many gyms open without a large following and quickly close.  It is a tough market.  He shared that you need to have something different that sets you apart.  You can't just open another gym and expect to have a clientele.  He went on to explain that it is the "purple cow" hypothesis.  If you have a ranch and people pass by your ranch, it takes a lot to get people to talk about your cows.  Cows aren't that exciting.  But, if you have a purple cow then people will talk.  It is unique.  The purple cow will essentially market itself!  Adam wanted to find a niche market that no one had tapped.  And he did it successfully!  As one of the patrons wrote on a review of The Green Microgym, "I want to tell you a little bit about my gym, The Green Microgym in Sellwood. First of all, it's one of three gyms like this in Portland, and it originated in Seattle. Each gym is a franchise. The concept is simple: working out helps to generate electricity. As a result, it's cheaper than places like 24 Hour Fitness, though The Green Microgym IS open 24 hours a day. It's a small gym, (which I love), with ellipticals with iPads that have Hulu and Netflix and iPod chargers. It also has a few treadmills, a room of bikes (they're getting ready to offer Spinning classes), and some weights. If you fill up a card with 10 workouts, you receive 50% off (or more) from local places like Nike or The Grilled Cheese Grill. In other words, you get rewarded for working out. They also have programs to inspire fitness, and offer 1 free personal training session when you sign up."  Adam took me to his garage where he demonstrated how harnessing the energy using his bike worked.  With one unique idea, the world began talking about his gym...how many gym owners can say that about their business?  

This week has been eye opening.  As I reflect on the similarities between healthy cities in the world, one thing comes to mind...the human spirit!  A spirit filled with excitement and challenge is healthier.  A spirit that is willing to stop and spend time with friends and family has balance.  A spirit where a two hour lunch in the middle of the day is permissible allows an individual to focus on relaxation and embrace a better pace in life.  A spirit that explores the outdoors provides a connection with the world around.  With those realizations, I gave myself permission to have a beer and fondu with new friends after my hike yesterday.  And, it was delicious!