<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 10/14/2003 12:33:47 AM Eastern Standard Time, mightyhero@mail.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>In addition to being the largest bookstore on the<BR>West coast, it also had the worst parking lot on<BR>the West coast. Suggest parking on the streets<BR>behind Powell's.</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV>Boy, does that bring back memories! I went to college out there (almost 10 years ago, where does the time go?) I remember the very first time I went to Powells. I was totally and completely agog at the size of the store and the scope of their selection. But driving into their parking lot was one of the hardest and scariest experiences of my young, 2 year driving career.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For those of you who have never had the pleasure -- and I use the term loosely -- Powells parking lot is a ONE LANE lot for entering and exiting. To enter, you take your ticket and drive up an EXTREMELY STEEP embankment, veering sharply to the right after about 50 feet to get to the first row of cars. Repeat as necessary until you get to your assigned space.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The problem comes when you realize that you are going up in the same lane as its patrons are trying to go down. Every couple of feet, there are signs urging the exiting motorists to honk their horns so incoming drivers can get out of the way. If you are going up and you hear a horn, look out, someone's a-coming!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Oh, and did I mention I first encountered this while still a new driver and my car was a 1962 Studebaker Hawk? I doubt anyone would say it was a very maneuverable car back when it was new in the 1960's, and it was even more lumbering in 1994. Add to that it is a column shift and the clutch concept was still moderately new to me, you can imagine I was all but soiling my Huggies that day.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In spite of their parking (take TRI-MET instead), if you like books, Powells is truly a rewarding experience. Their graphic novel room alone is worth the trip to a comic fan.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Elie</DIV>
<DIV>P.S. And the answer is yes, I still have that car.</DIV></BODY></HTML>