Two high-profile sustainable transportation photos ops came and went last week (first, the unveiling of the Green Line and then the made-in-America streetcar). Backslapping national and local politicians squeezed into pictures together, leaving one question - where's Mayor Adams?
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Transit bigwigs - Congressman Wu, Ray LaHood, total dude construction guy, Governor Kulongoski, Rep Blumenauer...

When Gov. Sanford disappeared for a week, his initial excuse was "gone hikin'." After Adams disappeared last week, his spokesman and his Twitter feed give the same explanation: hiking vacation. COINCIDENCE?!? These spokespeople need to get more creative.

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In his first personal days off since January (not including business travel) Adams spokesman Roy Kauffman says the mayor hiked in Wyoming and Montana, officiated a friend's wedding and toured stopped by PGE's Boardman coal power plant to see first-hand where Portland gets 40 percent some of its power. (edit 7/7 - PGE gets about 40 percent of its energy mix from coal, but they also draw from a coal plant in Idaho)

Four vacation days in six months and Adams decides to spend them checking out a power plant? Do we have the nation's nerdiest mayor or what?

All snark aside, it is perplexing that Adams would schedule his vacation over week when so many big name politicians are in town - he missed huge potential for networking, the chance to talk face to face with Obama transportation secretary Ray LaHood and Senator Jeff Merkley. Just wondering - did the bigwigs not invite him from the appearances? Kauffman says the timing was just an unfortunate coincidence. "The mayor's schedule is always hectic, so this was the first opportunity to take a few days off to recharge," says Kauffman, pointing out that the mayor met with LaHood in D.C. back in April. "Everyone deserves a few days off."