Month: September 2005

Report: Cyclocross season opener at Hood River

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Hood River Cyclocross Race

The legendary Portland cyclocross season got off to a raging start on Saturday. 272 racers enjoyed perfect conditions at the 2005 Veloshop Cyclocross Season Opener at Hood River High School. I decided to drive out to Hood River to check out the race with the family. We had a great time. I ran around taking pictures and watching the action, while my ladies enjoyed a picnic in the warm sun.

Molly Cameron of Veloshop put on a great event and I officially decided that I will not show up to another cross race as a spectator!..(and I mean it this time).

Check out all 23 of my photos.

Stolen: Road bike with flat bars

Stolen roadbike with mountainbike handlebars. Solid grey frame with black fork and bright blue rear wheel rim.

My roadbike was stolen from PSU on Thursday (September 22). The bike is a custom build women’s road bike (53cm) plain medium grey frame with no decals or markings. The bike has a flat (mountainbike) handlebar with black bar extensions and mountain bike gearing (7 speed). One other distinctive feature is the bright blue rear rim. I know the chances of recovery are slim, but if you see this bike please contact me at vorosk@planet-save.com.

stolen1

Stolen: Blue Trek

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Blue, womens, Trek Navigator 200. Bike was stolen off of Main street in Vancouver at ne 45th street. Slugs broke into my locked truck cap…I have the serial number it starts with IBI…I dont really want to post the whole number in case someone trys to claim it as their own. It was stolen on Tuesday night (Sept 20th). Police report was filed.

Stolen: Marin Quake 5.0

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Taken from 122nd and Glisan area in front of Anoush Deli. So, what happens when your lock is too good? They take the whole bleeping rack out of the sidewalk!

My beloved 17″ Titanium finish Marin Quake 5.0 with downhill block stem and red Alex rims was locked to a large black snake style rack. checked on at random intervals and discovered to be missing (along with the rack) about 11:20pm on

Monday the 12th of September. Police report was filed.
seat tube and saddle were in my bag…

i miss it…and it cripples my resources for getting a new bike.

Ride for Gareth this Sunday

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Just a reminder to join the community and Commissioner Sam Adams for a special ride to remember Gareth Parker.

Sunday, September 25th
2:00PM – We ride at 2:30
Meet near the Bronze Elephant at the North Park Blocks in downtown Portland

We will ride by the following locations that were a part of Gareth’s life as a bicycle advocate and volunteer:

* Car Free Day 2004 site
* BTA Office
* Portland Building and City Hall
* Car Free Day 2003 site
* We end at Lucky Lab Brewery

A private room has been reserved at the Lucky Lab after the ride. All are welcome to hang out and watch the last stage of the Tour de France. The gathering will start around 3:30 PM. Big thanks to The Lucky Lab and Chris King for helping make this possible.

Stolen: Cannondale Cyclocross

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2005 Cannondale XR1000 Cyclocross (red). Frame size: 56, disk brakes. Serial number: P104395.

Stolen Sunday 12:00 noon, August 28. Locked (cable lock) near front door of 24hr Fitness (Pearl) 1210 NW Johnson. Brazen theft as doors to gym were propped open, bike locked within 5 feet of doors, cable lock cut and left coiled up as a little present for me. PPB case number filed and opened.

Contact with any info: donyash@hotmail.com

Calling all women on bikes!

wombikes2

Once upon a time, city employee Janis McDonald was counting bikes (yes, they have people that do that) and she noticed that only 1 out of 3 riders were female. Bummed that more women weren’t riding she decided to start the Women on Bikes Program.

Since May, the series of rides and clinics has attracted tons of ladies eager to get together, share experiences and bond over bikes. And, since this ride is put on by the City of Portland, they’ve got prizes to give away and a chance to win a Breezer bike if you complete an evaluation form! Wow, that would be cool.

Sorry it’s so last minute, but THIS Saturday (9/24) is the final ride of the series. To join in the fun, meet at Laurelhurst Park (SE33rd/SE Oak) at 9 am. The ride will go out to Marine Drive via the I-205 Bike Path.

For more information email janis.mcdonald@pdxtrans.org or call her at (503) 823-5358.

Ghost bike effort picks up steam

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Ghost Bike - MLK & Wygant

The local “Ghost Bike” effort is coming together. Several people in the bike community have been working hard to create the memorials and place them at the sites of fallen cyclists.

The Portland Observer was first to report the Ghost Bike for Chris Burris, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Sept. 3rd. The Willamette Week has already also noticed the latest installation on MLK and Wygant which was erected by the brother of the victim. The Oregonian also had something to say in today’s paper. Joseph Rose, who wrote the article in the O was inspired to write the story after he and his 11-year-old daughter were nearly hit by a car on their bike ride to school.

There is also talk of reviving the Ghostbike.org website which is currently offline. Local volunteers are talking with the site’s owners about how to get the it running again and possibly have it become a national Ghost Bike portal site, with links to each city’s effort and general information about the movement.

I love the Ghost Bike idea, but I wonder what other people in the community think about them. I’m curious if anyone will have a negative reaction to these installations and what the response will be from the larger community once more of them are put up.

What do you think about Ghost Bikes? Are they effective, pointless, vandalism, art?

[Here are several more photos of the ghost bike on MLK & Wygant]

Like beer and bikes? Read this…

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Portland leads the nation in two great pastimes; bikes and beer. Bridgeport and Widmer take care of our beer…but who takes care of our bikes? Who makes sure we’re getting loved down in Salem when the issues get sticky? Who gets the word out and mobilizes the troops when someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes? That’s right…the BTA. And they do it with a shoestring budget and staff.

So besides becoming a member, wouldn’t it be a great if there was a fun and easy way to support them? Well there is!

Join your biking brethren on Monday, September 26th at McMenamins Market Street Pub. When you drop in between 5 PM and 1 AM for a drink or snack 50% of the proceeds from your purchase go directly to the BTA. So get out your pens, PDAs, whatever…that’s McMenamins’ Market Street Pub, 1526 SW 10th Ave, Monday, September 26th from 5 PM to 1 AM. Be there or be square, and remember to please consider taking the MAX or bus or stuff your bike into a cab. Whatever you do, don’t drink and ride.

Talk Like a Pirate Ride report

Capt'n Cody Cougar in Charge
Bike Pirates Downtown Portland

Last Monday was Talk Like a Pirate Day and some local bike pirates took to the streets to celebrate. Below is a report from one such scallywag named Pirate sCarye, aka “Squinty Gunpot.” It’s fun to read…it must have been fun to be there!

“…Twas a wild night indeed – plundering donuts and gurglin’ the grog. We gathered at The Slammer Bar Island – There I met me mateys Fancy Pants the Well Endowed and Smelly Rumpbucket, and many more. I say there were close to 20 of us, but aye, I can only count the fingers on my hands, and that would be nine. (long story!). So at 45 sands past the 7 o’clock hourglass. We be off on our landlubber bikes – we entered unchartered waters in the depths of inner SE across navigational hazards such as train tracks and old brick roads. Me thinks the Captain’s side kick Pirate Arrghh! Allan had one too many grogs when he ordered us on this choppy path. Yar.. on with the story, So our stripey, cross boned- menacing sea-fairing’ swearing group took the night streets, aye, we looped up around and over the Burnside Bridge, and loudly sang “99 bottles of grog.” Before claiming Captain Ankeny’s Pub as our own. Ah was fine night indeed to be out under the stars.”

See all the photos of pirates on bikes.

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