February 5, 2008
Rider Profile: Gus Fant
Gus Fant is riding in the Worst Day of the Year Ride, but says that a little rain won't scare him off. "I ride in the rain," he says, " because if you don't you won't get much riding in." And Gus knows all about getting riding in - he usually clocks about 3,000 miles per year, and aims for 4,000.
Still, it's no small feat for Gus to be riding in the Worst Day of the Year Ride. This 65 year old is a member of the Tacoma Wheelmen Bicycle Club and he'll be coming down from Tacoma for the ride. Several of the other club members will also be riding.
Gus is a veteran Worst Day of the Year Rider: he has been on five rides. So why does he love it? "It is probably the most social ride I experience during the year," he says. "With the frequent stops on the Worst Day of the Year Ride find it rather relaxing to just take my time and enjoy the ride and visit with riders. Also I take pleasure in supporting the Community Cycling Center as I strongly believe in what they are all about."
One of his favorite aspects of the ride is seeing parents and kids riding together. "I also enjoy seeing other beginning cyclists who express their doubts about completing the ride at the start and then when you see them at the finish line the joy they show from completing the ride."
Speaking of the finish line, what's it gonna be for Gus with he hits those yummy Laughing Planet Cafe soup options? "I'm just not sure although I'm kind of partial towards chili."
Registration closes at midnight on February 7th but the ride will sell out at 2,000 riders. Don't miss out, sign up now!
[ Register ]
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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 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.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 4:54 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
December 4, 2007
Elves Hard at Work
Things are looking really good at the Community Cycling Center where volunteers and staff are hard at work readying bikes for kids for the holidays. On November 29, sixteen Bike Gallery employees had a record-breaking night - they refurbished 31 bikes in one night. On average, a volunteer group finishes about 15!
With the support of over 1,500 volunteer hours so far, CCC is well on their way to the goal of preparing 550 bikes: they have 495. And they're inching ever closer to their $46,000 fundraising goal: to date they have raised $28,941.
You can help! There's still time to volunteer, donate a bike or donate your $ to make a difference. Fore more information, see their website.
This article is part of ORbike's ongoing coverage of the Community Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 1:25 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
November 17, 2007
Holiday Bike Drive Update
The holiday season is right around the corner and for the Community Cycling Center that means Holiday Bike Drive time. The little elves of the CCC are hard at work getting bikes shiny, fixing flat tires, putting on new seats and making sure that hundreds of donated bikes (550, to be exact) are the best gifts for the little tykes who will take them home.
Volunteers have been coming in just about every day but the CCC doesn't have 550 bikes just yet - they've got 464. And they definitely have not reached the $46,000 they need to fund the program - they have raised $13,780 so far.
So the CCC is asking for your help. You can donate a bike, donate your time or donate a financial contribution to ensure a successful Holiday Bike Drive. Check out their website for details
This article is part of ORbike's ongoing coverage of the Community Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 2:16 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
November 1, 2007
A Renewed Vision for the CCC
The Community Cycling Center got its start as a community resource center in the most authentic of ways. Brian Lacy, a cyclist with mechanic skills, was fed up with seeing children on the street without supervised activities and without functioning bikes. He decided to combine those two needs with his skills by bringing a repair stand out onto the sidewalk and offering to fix the kids' bikes if they would stick around to watch and learn. That was over 13 years ago. The Community Cycling Center now has a large building (that's still not large enough), a community bike shop, 2,000 volunteers and programs that serve hundreds of kids every year. And after all this growth, the staff decided that maybe it was time to stop, take a breath assess where they were headed and how they should get there.
This intensive visioning process resulted in a refined mission statement, a renewed commitment to the community, a huge open house party and great hope for future growth. So what is their mission now?
The mission now states that "The Community Cycling Center broadens access to bicycling and its benefits through our hands-on programs, volunteer projects, and neighborhood bike shop. We believe bicycles are a tool for personal empowerment and a vehicle for social change." Instead of their former system of providing programs to youth and happening to have one adult program, the CCC has solidified their commitment to the entire community. "Getting kids on bikes is great" says Director of Development Alison Hill-Graves. "But getting the entire family on bikes is even better."
The CCC provides clubs and camps for kids and classes and clinics for adults. They integrate paying workshop attendees with low-income scholarship-funded participants to bring the community together in a learning environment. They will also be assessing what the community really wants and needs and working to create new programs. They will be providing programs for women and hope to develop programs for teens.
Alison says their open house was "a new chapter in the future of the CCC." 2007 was their most financially successful year in the bike shop. They're financially stable and have reserve funds to help them get through the winter season, a time that's always difficult for bike shops. "We're stronger than we've ever been" Alison says.
This article is part of ORbike's ongoing coverage of the Community Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive.
Comments (4) | Posted by orbike at 6:02 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
October 9, 2007
Help the Little Kids Ride Bikes
"We are looking for volunteers who know how to have fun," says Bicycle Transportation Alliance program leader Gregg Lavender.
The BTA's Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program teaches biking and walking safety to elementary school children in the Portland metro area. These important lessons include community walk and bike rides that need the help of volunteers. The program, now in its third year, is recruiting people to help walk and bike with kids and Gregg says it's a great opportunity for businesses and organizations to get involved.
"Help make walking and biking to school the best travel option for kids in your community!" Gregg says. For more information you can contact Gregg at Gregg@bta4bikes.org or 503-226-0676 x 20.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 7:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
February 23, 2007
A 50-Mile Family Ride
Karen Kimball says her family's New Year's Resolution was to ride a 50-mile ride together. The seven-person family set out to an area west of Coronoa, Californa. One of the kids drove SAG. One mile into the ride, they Karen already had a flat.
[ Read the whole tale ]
Does your family bike together? What is like for you? How far have you gone?
Comments (3) | Posted by orbike at 9:42 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
October 18, 2006
Another Bikey Job Opening
The City of Portland is hiring a Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator. This person will provide overall program coordination for the programs of the Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership, which address driver error, pedestrian and bike safety and safe routes to school. It sounds like a a very rewarding job. Whomever fills the role will have the opportunity to work with so many gerat people working on transportation issues in our city, like Janis McDonald, recently profiled here for her cyclocross racing.
[ Job announcement ]
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:33 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
June 8, 2006
Pedalpalooza Starts Today!
The festival of 170 bike events in 17 days kicks off today! Sure, maybe you're not into the goofy costumery of bike parades (tonight, 6:30 pm, Jamison Square), but don't be turned off - there's something for everyone! Events are hosted by Portland and Vancouver's community of very diverse cyclists and the calendar reflects it. Oh, and it gets better: nearly all the events are free!
Check out the calendar for the full listings and dive on it. It's beautiful outside, get out on your bike and check out the scene.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:33 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 26, 2006
Pedalpalooza: 170 Bike Events in 17 Days!
There's no denying it that Pedalpalooza, which started as BikeSummer in 2000, has grown into a tremendous festival. From a grassroots festival of small events, Pedalpalooza now hosts 170 bike events in 17 days. A pretty impressive printed calendar chock-full of details will hit the streets next week (look for it in the Portland Mercury) but in the meantime you can see the line up on the Pedalpalooza online calendar. From racing to dance parties and everything in between, nearly all the events are free and hosted by volunteers.
I'd like to say that it's not too late to host an event and enter it on the calendar, and that's true, but you may have a hard time finding a spot on the calendar where it will fit. Some days boast up to 13 events in one day. Pedalpalooza is a great way to kick of summer in Portland. Dive into the calendar and get ready for some bike fun.
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 7:19 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 4, 2006
Ride Bikes With Kids
Ann Scalera, Youth Programs Coordinator at the BTA, reports taht their Bicycle Safety Education program is going great this season. They've got 3 fleets of 30 bicycles out at schools and they're training a ton of new little riders.
You can help by joining in on the last day of the program, the Community Ride day. To make the rides safer on this extended ride day, adults help chaperone groups of 3-6 children on the street, within the larger group ride. Kids will have already received 6-9 hours of training prior to the rides, so the role of Volunteer Ride Leaders is to remind kids of safety basics and offer encouragement.
They especially need assistance this Friday.
Available dates and times follow. For more info, contact Anna at 503-226-0676 ext. 19.
MAY 5 (Friday)
Gregory Heights Middle School, 7334 NE Siskiyou, PDX
Afternoon shift (no morning rides): 1:15-3:45
MAY 12 (Friday)
Sacramento Elementary School, 11400 NE Sacramento St., PDX
Morning shift: 9:00-11:30
Afternoon shift: 12:30-1:40
MAY 18 (Thursday)
Sellwood Middle School, 8300 SE 15th, PDX
Times TBA
May 19 (Friday)
Sellwood Middle School, 8300 SE 15th, PDX
All-day ride to OMSI trip (times TBA, but probably from @9:30 - 3:00)
MAY 26 (Friday)
East Sylvan Middle School, 1849 SW 58th Ave., PDX
Morning shift: 9:10-12:15
Afternoon shift: 1:45-3:30
MAY 26 (Friday)
Metzger Elementary School, 10350 SW Lincoln St., Tigard
Morning shift: 10:15-12:30
Afternoon shift: 1:15-2:30
JUNE 5, (Monday)
Creston Elementary School, 4701 SE Bush, PDX
Morning shift: 8:50-12:00
Afternoon shift: 12:50-2:00
JUNE 13 (Tuesday)
Buckman Elementary School, 320 SE 16th, PDX
Times TBA
JUNE 9 (Friday)
Vose Elementary School, 11350 SW Denney Rd., Beaverton
Times TBA
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 8:33 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
May 3, 2006
Reserve Some Time: Portland Bike Summit
Bicycling Magazine calls Portland the number one bicycling city in all of North America. The League of American Bicyclists rates Portland "Gold" along with four other U.S. cities. The next level is platinum and no large city has gotten there yet. Commissioner Sam Adams and the bicycling community want to Go Platinum! and they want your help.
On Saturday, June 17 from 8:30 to 1:30 pm, you are invited to join neighborhood and bicycling advocates at the Portland Bike Summit at PSU's Smith Hall. It's an opportunity to learn how we got to be the best in the U.S. and find out about all the exciting and fun ways you can get involved to make Portland a world-class bicycling city.
Workshop topics include:
- Portland's I Share the Road campaign
- Innovations in Bikeways Here and Abroad
- Who Put the Fun in Bike Fun? From Breakfast on the Bridges to Pedalpalooza
- New Laws for Bikes - What Strategies are on the Horizon
- Why Do People Not Ride - Really (or How to Get My Next Door Neighbor/Co-worker/Friend on a Bike)
FREE and lunch is included.
Should you attend? PDOT is encouraging attendance from anyone who bikes, likes bikes, wants to bike, owns a bike, etc.
[ More info ]
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 1:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBack
April 24, 2006
Best Route: PDX to the Coast
Russell Cohen is from Long Island but this summer he's coming to Oregon and he needs your help. Russell and his 13-year-old daughter Aliyah are riding tandem from Portland to San Francisco. Russell's curious to know what is the best route from Portland to the Coast.
Russell has toured a fair bit, both solo and tandem, but together with Aliyah he's never gone more than 74 miles. Aliyah has done a lot of day rides and is pretty excited for the trip.
Please post your route suggestions here.
[ picture is of the family last summer riding in Tucson ]
Russell got the idea to tour with his daughter after riding from San Francisco to LA three years ago with his son. He calls it "The Bar Mitzah Tour" in honor of his son's Bar Mitzvah.
So what's he looking forward to? Russell says, "I have done San Fran south several times and have always wondered what the coast was like up your way, but most of all, want to share the feeling I get from touring with Aliyah."
We wish the Cohens the best of luck and plan to stay in touch with them along their fun family journey.
Comments (7) | Posted by orbike at 10:04 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
March 17, 2006
The Travels of the Indochine Cougars
My friends Carie Weisenbach-Folz and Allan Folz and their two-year-old son Cody have their own bike team they call the Cougars. Somehow they got it in their heads that it would be a good idea to load up the tandem and take a trip as a family to China, Laos and other areas.
To prepare, the had Joseph Aherarne of Ahearne Cycles make them a custom rack (pictured here) to hold their panniers AND their kid seat. And if their tandem isn't enough of a site, they insisted on bringing their tall rear flag. Uh, for safety's sake. Right.
Their trip has been amazing and I've been really fortunte to be on their weekly detailed dispatch list. As soon as they arrived, they hit the ground running. "Yeah, we were quite the attention getters. The taxi and delivery truck drivers were the best. They were grinning ear to ear and waving a big thumbs-up. A number of the folks in private cars were madly honking like at a parade."
So with the Cougars' blessing, I'll be sharing with you some deatils of their journey. So far it has been great. Cody has been a trooper. Here's one of my favorite passages:
"As you might expect, maps of the road less travelled leave much to be desired. So we follow what should be the right road except it quickly deteriorates into something I can't imagine any falang (that's gringo in Indochina) should be traveling on. About 800 yards back there was a Y which we took the left branch. I decide we should have taken the right. Its a rough 800 yards and there is a well warn path cutting through some dry rice patties towards the right. Surely it meets up with the right. Well, in no time at all the well worn path cuts through people's backyards. The next hut it goes right under. For this we respectfully get off and walk the bike. The locals for their part seem impressed a bunch of westerners are coming over for a visit. Well, those that both to wake up from their nap. Some don't. Those that do wave, smile and shout Sabbaidee [hello]. Cody loves it. He starts laughing and squealling. Eventually the path cuts through a Wat with 3 monks doing masonry work. Then we are onto a road. Well kind of. Compared to the path its definitely a road. Soon another cross-roads and a stand selling red drink. I say Champasak and point. They smile and say Champasak. I say Champasak and point to the other direction. They shake their heads no. Whew. From then on everytime I see someone I say Champasak and point everyone smiles and nods. There was more rice paddy hopping and more cutting through folks backyards, but thankfully we never had to ride right under a hut again. Though there was two dry river bed crossings. Cody for his couldn't stop laughing. There was about 4 km of this. I was starting to think we has delirious from heat stroke, but Carie and I were doing all the pedalling. He was sitting in the back in the shade. I tell ya his laughing and the locals laughing an clapping did help us keep going in an otherwise very trying time. This was about 6 hours and 70 km into the ride (we did have some stops) and at the hottest part of the day."
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 7:40 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
January 11, 2006
The Big Fix: Riding Across the Country on a Fixie
The Big Fix is an impressive ride across the country on a fixie. The organizer is the father of a young girl named Dakota who has Histiocytosis (histo). This is a condition similar to cancer but since it is very rare, funding for research is severely limited. The vast majority of people diagnosed with histiocytosis are children under 10.
The ride will start in Davis, CA and end in Boston, MA and will be completed in only 28 days. Dakota reports that she's very excited about the ride (though she won't be riding) and she's looking forward to meeting other kids with histo at the finish line party.
For more information on how you can ride shorter legs, the full trip or support the riders, check out The Big Fix website.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:08 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
December 13, 2005
Holiday Bike Drive
Last Sunday, the Community Cycling Center filled the Legacy hospital atrium with bikes for their Holiday Bike Drive. They invited musicians and face painters, set out snacks, recruited 200 volunteers and welcomed hundreds of children to the party. The children got matched up with a volunteer buddy to cruise the aisles and look for a very special bike. The children received helmets and helmet training and also a custom bike fitting.
Hundreds more children will receive bikes next Sunday in Vancouver. Volunteers are needed. I've been at the Holiday Bike Drive for the last five years and believe me, you don't want to miss it. The Holiday Bike Drive is a pretty special event. For more information, see the CCC's website.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 2:16 PM | Permalink
December 5, 2005
Holiday Bike Drive Vancouver NEEDS you
I'm keeping close tabs on the Community Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive and I just got word from volunteer coordinator Neal Armstrong that they've still got slots open for volunteers in for the events in Portland (12/11) and Vancouver (12/18). They could especially use more people in Vancouver.
Volunteers are needed for all sorts of roles and no special skills are required. For more info, send an e-mail to Neal [at] CommunityCyclingCenter.org or see the CCC website.
Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:46 AM | Permalink
November 30, 2005
Communitiy Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive
All this talk of bikey wish lists made me realize I haven't talked much about the most heartwarming event of the season: The Community Cycling Center's (CCC) Holiday Bike Drive (HBD). I've been working on this event for about five years and I think it's absolutely amazing.
Through this program, the CCC will provide bikes to 1,000 very deserving little tykes for the winter holidays. Since August, volunteers have been collecting, cleaning and shining bikes. It's going so well, in fact, that Volunteer Coordinator Neal Armstrong (that's his real name!) reports that they've collected nearly 900 bikes to date!
There's still a lot of work to do to get all 1,000 of those hopeful children sponsored for the program. Sponsorship dontations cover all the costs that go into reconditioning the bikes (seats, handle bars, training wheels, new tires) to make them safe. It also covers the costs of a spectacular holiday party for the kids, many of whom come from families that struggle to fill the wish lists of their children.
You can make dreams come true for these little ones by making a $50 sponsorship donation today. If that's too much for you, get some friends or coworkers together and go in on it with you. You can also donate less than $50, for sure. Online, in person, over the phone: plenty of options.
For more information, see the CCC website.
I'd love to hear from some of you who've been there to experience the magic. I know a lot of our readers have volunteered for the event. Isn't it amazing? By the way, there are only a few volunteer slots left, so call Neal at 503/546.8864 if you're interested in helping at the event. STILL NEEDED: lots of skilled mechanics from now until the event to get those bikes in tip-top shape for the kids.
Comments (5) | Posted by orbike at 7:05 AM | Permalink | TrackBack
October 31, 2005
BTA is looking for volunteers
The BTA reports that their kids programs are going well, but they're in need of adult volunteers.
From Anna Scalera:
Bicycle Safety Education programs offered by the BTA are in full gear and we need adult Ride Leaders to join students on the street. Programs are being run with 4th and 5th grade students in three more schools this fall. Ride Leaders chaperone a group of 4-6 students within the larger class Community Ride. All students will have received six to nine hours of training prior to the ride, so your role will be to remind them of bicycle safety tips and etiquette on the street. Community Rides start and end at the school and are led by an experienced instructor. Bring your bike and join the fun! To sign up for a ride, or for a brief orientation prior to your first ride, please contact Anna.
Email: anna@bta4bikes.org
www.bta4bikes.org
Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 5:35 PM | Permalink
October 29, 2005
REI Awards Community Cycling Center
On Saturday, October 22nd, REI presented the Community Cycling Center with their largest award presented to only six organizations nation wide. The award honored Tom Ralley, a Community Cycling Center volunteer who has really gone the extra mile in assisting with and expanding the CCC's Bike Safety Club.
Tom Ralley is on the right
The Bike Safety Club offers children a safe, supportive after school environment to learn and grow while they gain bike safety skills. Tom, the husband of the Lent Elementary principal Linda Ralley, had been volunteering with the program at Lent Elementary, but when he learned that many kids couldn't make it to the club or had so much enthusiasm they wanted to come more often, Tom decided to do more. Tom offered to come in on his own another day a week and start an annex club.
Tom is one of six volunteers chosen among thousands of applicants nation wide. CCC was awarded $20,000 at a special REI kick-off party. The party celebrated the Holiday Bike Drive, CCC's seasonal program to provide reconditioned bikes and helmets to 1,000 deserving children. REI hosted bike collections and volunteer work parties at all their local locations.
For more information on the CCC, check out their website at www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org.
Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 4:23 AM | Permalink