Book excerpt: Why is it so satisfying to walk up and down stairs? Maybe it's the new layer of discovery with each step up—a new far-off view and a new close-up look at the plants and buildings. Maybe it's the fleeting proximity one has to passing strangers. Maybe it's the great feeling of propelling yourself upward and then floating downward. Maybe it's the best workout you can get without putting on gym clothes. Whatever the reason, stairs are an excellent way to get yourself up or down a landscape, and Portland, Oregon has a whole lot of them built into our public sidewalk and trail infrastructures.With Portland Stair Walks as your guide, you'll have 18 urban adventures on foot (or even bike) with:142 staircases22 hidden paths26 bridges2 tunnels1 island1 floating sidewalk1 aerial tramand several beachesAnd you'll enjoy views of:2 rivers16 river bridges4 volcanos3 creeksmany city vistasand innumerable small details that make the city and its history come aliveStair-loving pedestrians rejoice!