January 31, 2008
Sunday Parkways
The Sunday Parkways event is coming to Portland. Check out this cool video:
Sunday Parkways is a transportation and active living event patterned after Ciclovias, an event that first became successful in South America. Every Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. the city of Bogota, Colombia closes 70 miles of major roads so that people can bike, roller blade, run and stroll without traffic. The Ciclovia has become a major community activity with 1.5 million people enjoying the traffic-free boulevards on an average weekend. Another term for this concept is "Sunday Parkways", and they're coming to Portland this summer.
The City wants to hear your ideas for fun and healthy activities you would like to see in the four parks and along the six-mile looped route. They are also seeking suggestions on how to make this event successful and enjoyable for all participants and neighbors so they have put together two town hall meetings. The first meeting is February 6th at Kaiser Town Hall, 3704 N. Internstate, from 5:30 - 8:00 pm. The second is on February 7th at Chief Joseph Elementary School, 2409 N. Saratoga, from 5:30-8:00 pm.
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January 24, 2008
Bike Heroes
The Alice B. Toeclips is the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's way to award bike heroes across Oregon who are doing amazing work on behalf of cyclists. This year, 39 people were nominated, including Mark Ginsberg, who is nominated every year and has yet to win. We're rooting for Mark. He's a dad, an attorney specializing in bike law, a long-time local advocate and BTA supporter and in 2007 he won the Men's Masters series at the Portland Twilight Criterium.
Here's the full list of nominees:
Sam Adams, Portland City Commissioner
Hal Ballard, Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition founder
Bill Barber, Planner
Eleanor Blue, Advocate, activist and organizer*
Jim Bombardier, Inventor
Kacia Brockman, EnergyTrust workplace organizer
Bruce Buffington, NW Bicycle Safety Council founder
Cross Crusade, Race organizers
Kim Curley, Commute Options (Bend) outreach coordinator
Cycle Oregon
Jay Dean, Community Cycling Center teacher and volunteer
Karl Dinkelspiel, Portland Development Commission workplace organizer
Ann Donaca-Sullivan and Patty Verzani, "Lose the Training Wheels" founders
Mary Fellows, Bike commuter and activist
Jim Fox, Bike commuting coach
Susan France, leader of Oregon Randonneurs
Roger Geller, City of Portland Bicycle Program Manager
Mark Ginsberg, Attorney-at-Law
Norrene Godfrey, Team Rubicon captain, cancer and bicycling activist
Paul Gribbon, Willamette River CSO Tunnel Program Manager
Don & Sally Hopkins; Bill & Gail Bonniksen; Scott's Cycle & Fitness, sponsors of bike giveaways in Salem schools
Mel Huie, Metro parks planner
Steve Jorgensen, Bend Parks and Recreation planning manager
John Joy, Scappose trail advocate and volunteer
Greg, Antonia and Curtis MacNaughton, model biking family
Brian Manning, Youth bike instructor
Jonathan Maus, Reporter**
Robert Pickett, Portland Police Officer
Floyd Prozanski, Oregon State Senator
Tom Ralley, Volunteer for youth bike programs
Teri Redwolf, Bike commuting coach
Susan Remmers, Executive Director, Community Cycling Center
Stephanie Routh, president of Umbrella, Portland bicycle activist
Bill Stites, Advocate, activist and organizer
Sara Stout, Bicycle and car-free activist
Scott Weber, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center workplace organizer
Margaret Weddell, Bicycle advocate, educator and attorney
Jon Zeliff, Central Point Police Department Chief
* Eleanor Blue sits on the Alice Awards Committee and is therefore not eligible to win an award this year.
**Jonathan Maus won an Alice Award in 2007 and is not eligible to win again.
The awards dinner is in March. For more information see the BTA website.
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January 21, 2008
Worst?? Day of the Year Ride
It's really cold out this morning, which has us thinking a lot about the Worst Day of the Year Ride, the annual benefit for the Community Cycling Center. Did you know that in the six years of the ride, it has never rained once? Well, last year there was a little sprinkle at the end, but other than that the quirky, urban, February ride has been graced with sunny, warm skies every year.
You'll be kept warm and comfy at every turn with tons of belly-nourishing treats including hot cocoa, doughnuts, fruit, DragonFly chai tea, Nossa Familia coffee, bagels, hot cider and much more. The finish line meal is presented by Laughing Planet Café, experts in wholesome yumminess, and features local, sustainable and organic soups and fresh focaccia bread.
Want more of a challenge? The optional 40-mile route loop traverses the west hills out to Hillsboro.
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January 12, 2008
Filmed by Bike Trailer
Filmed by Bike, Oregon's festival of bike-themed movie shorts, just debuted a fun little movie trailer for the 2008 festival season. It just hit the streets! Check it out here:
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January 8, 2008
Cycle Oregon Kick Off Party
Every year, riders flock to this event where one of Portland's best kept secrets is finally revealed: the new Cycle Oregon route. It's a chance to see cycling friends who have been hibernating through the winter and find out who's going on the ride this year. The party also marks the opening of registration for the ride.
This free gala event is a perfect opportunity to rub elbows with scores of enthusiastic cyclists who are amped up for another great year of experiencing Oregon's bounty. You pedal; they'll take care of everything else. Beautiful campsites, gourmet food, hot showers, massage, cold microbrew, Oregon wine, live entertainment and a fully supported route. Head out to the Tiger Woods Center at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton on January 31st to see what all the fuss is rightly about.
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January 4, 2008
Bike Boxes for Safety Coming to Portland
According to an article in today's Oregonian, in April Portland will add bike boxes to 14 intersections. These painted street areas will allow cyclists to wait for stoplights ahead of cars. The Oregonian reported Portland will be the first city in North America to install the boxes, but they are already in use in Houston (see photo, courtesy of Streetsblog).
After two deaths in October as a result of a driver turning right into a cyclist, traffic engineers hope the bike boxes will help make cyclists more visible by positioning them legally out in front of cars. While the boxes may offer a sense of security for cyclists, they still won't prevent drivers from making right turns without looking. Cyclists will still need to ride cautiously through intersections and proceed with caution after being stopped at an intersection.
The bike boxes represent an awareness on the part of the City of Portland that cyclists are vulnerable road users and that drivers need to play close attention to the other vehicles traveling around them. Let's hope 2008 is a year of safer streets for all road users!
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