Western Museums Association: Practically Next Door in 2010

The Western Museums Association -- WMA, WestMuse, call it what you want -- is accepting proposals for its 2010 conference in Portland. Deadline is January 15; submission guidelines online. It's so close, and Portland is (let's face it) so fun, why not apply? The super-convenient downtown site means that attendees can leave their cars at home: take Amtrak to Union Station, hop on the Max and you're there. The October 18-21 dates mean we just might scrape by with the last of the reliably good weather, too. It's a great time to visit the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, and check out the Land Bridge, a legacy of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial commemoration and a compelling way to reconnect to the Columbia River.