Month: December 2008
The thaw begins, and I’m off to California
out there.
(Photo © J. Maus)
After a morning snowfall, the Big Thaw seems imminent.
I just got off the streets and it’s nasty out there. On some major streets snow, there are big ruts from bus and car tire track bordered by icy, slushy, dirty snow. I’ve been taking the lane, but at times when it’s too uncomfortable (and I feel a car breathing down my neck), I try to move over, only to nearly slide out back into the passing car (lesson: hold your ground in the lane, but watch out for those manhole covers!).
On side streets, the packed snow is slippery and it’s tough to see where the good lines are. There are also concave tire ruts that will keep you on your toes.
PBOT Press Release: Changing Conditions Create New Challenges
Here’s the latest storm advisory from the Bureau of Transportation (online here):
Changing Conditions Create New Challenges for Road Crews, Travelers, and Property Owners
(PORTLAND, OR) – Severe winter weather conditions continue to work against City crews as they continue to plow priority routes 24 hours a day since Sunday, December 14, when an arctic air mass entered the Portland metropolitan region. Additional snowfall and icy road conditions are making travel treacherous. The public is advised as follows:
Local racers tough it out on World Cup stage
Vanilla Bicycles team colors while
racing in Belgium.
(Photo: Nielsdewit.be)
Local racer and owner of Veloshop, Molly Cameron, is “living the dream” by spending her holiday racing cyclocross against the world’s best on a multi-week trip that includes World Cup races in France and Belgium.
Another Portland rider, Sue Butler, is also competing on the Belgian circuit. Butler was also just named to the U.S. Nationals Team and will compete at World Championships at the end of January.
Cameron is joined by friend and trusty mechanic Steven Hunter. Both Cameron and Hunter are keeping local friends and fans posted on their adventures via regular blog updates — Cameron on her personal blog, and Hunter as a guest writer on Race Cyclocross!.
Northwest ‘cross fans rejoice: Nationals are coming to Bend
2004 ‘Cross Nationals held in Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Local cyclocross racers and fans looking for some good news now that the season has ended got it yesterday: USA Cycling has officially awarded Bend, Oregon the honor of hosting the next two editions of the Cyclocross National Championships.
The news comes after tourism officials in Bend spent a year lobbying to get the event. They’re psyched because the event is expected to bring 2,000 competitors to Bend each year for the four days of racing, and between 3,500 and 4,500 additional visitors in the form of fans, media and support staff.
Beyond studded tires; the ultimate snow bike and bike tire chains
Now that Portlanders have experienced a “real” winter storm (not the occasional dusting of snow we usually get), some folks are beginning to think about how to equip themselves to ride through anything.
If studded tires aren’t enough, maybe it’s time to consider the Ktrak. This morning Jack Bog reminded me of this bike, which I used to chuckle at when I’d see it at the industry trade shows…
Open Thread for riding conditions (12/24)
(Photo by K’Tesh via the BikePortland.org Photog. Pool)
Press Release: Bend awarded Cyclocross National Championships
This just in:
USA CYCLING AWARDS 2009 & 2010 CYCLO-CROSS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BEND
Event returns to region for first time since 1976(BEND, Ore.)—USA Cycling today announced that it has awarded the 2009 and 2010 Cyclo-cross National Championships to Bend. The announcement comes on the heels of a recent site inspection and city tour by USA Cycling’s national events manager Tom Vinson, and is the culmination of a yearlong effort led by Visit Bend and the Oregon Sports Authority to bring the event to Bend.
“While all of the bids received by USA Cycling to host this event were very impressive, Bend’s competition venue, community wide support and commitment to producing a World-class event convinced us that Bend would be a very worthy host city for the 2009 and 2010 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships,” said Tom Vinson, National Events Manager for USA Cycling.
In recent years, the Cyclo-cross National Championships have been held in Portland, Ore. (2003 & 2004), Providence, Rhode Island (2005 & 2006), and Kansas City, Missouri (2007 & 2008).
With 35 national titles on the line, the Cyclo-cross National Championships are expected to attract more than 2,000 competitors to Bend each year for four days of racing, and between 3,500 and 4,500 visitors including support staff, families and media. Because the championships are held during the second week in December – a traditionally slow tourism period that falls between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays when occupancy levels at Bend lodging properties are well below 40 percent – the event is expected to provide a significant boost for the local economy.
Tentative dates for the Cyclo-cross National Championships in Bend are December 10-13, 2009, and December 9-12, 2010. With the US Grand Prix of Cyclo-cross being held in Portland the week prior, a large field of competitors is anticipated.
“Hosting the Cyclo-cross National Championships in Bend is an incrediblyexciting opportunity for the community,” said Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO of Visit Bend and co-chair of the local organizing committee. “Winning this competitive bid process was truly a community-wide effort and is strong testimony of what we can accomplish when the community comes together to support a cause.”
Nationally-renown cyclo-cross race director Brad Ross, owner of Vivo Promotions and producer of the Cross Crusade race series in Portland – the largest cyclo-cross series in the country – will serve as race director for the National Championships. Ross previously managed the Cyclo-cross National Championships when they were held in Portland in 2003 and 2004.
“The awarding of the Cyclo-cross National Championships is a shining example of Bend’s ability to host big-time sports events,” said Drew Mahalic CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority. “We feel privileged to have worked closely with Visit Bend and all involved in bringing this outstanding national championship and its substantial economic impact to Bend.”
Hosting major national sporting events is not new to Bend, which is home to the Cascade Cycling Classic – the longest continually-running elite stage race in the country, recently hosted the XTERRA Trail Running National Championships, and will host the USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championships for a second year on January 11, 2009. Bend is also home to many of the nation’s top current and former elite cyclists including current National Cyclo-cross Champion Ryan Trebon, Chris Horner, Carl Decker, Adam Craig, Chris Sheppard, Chrissy Ruiter, April Lawyer, Kirt Voreis, Bart Bowen and Steve Larsen.
In addition to Visit Bend and the Oregon Sports Authority, the local organizing committee that was assembled to pursue the National Championships included representatives from the City of Bend, Bend City Council, Central Oregon Velo, Vivo Promotions, and representatives from Bend’s cycling community.
About Visit Bend:
Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit economic development organization dedicated to promoting tourism on behalf of the City of Bend. For more information or to order a complimentary Official Visitor’s Guide to Bend, contact Visit Bend at 1-800-949-6086 or visit www.visitbend.com.# # #
Mercury news editor will work for Adams in City Hall
main way of getting around.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Amy Ruiz, news editor for the Portland Mercury, will leave the paper to join the Mayoral team of Sam Adams.
According to the Mercury blog, Ruiz will be Adams’ Strategic Planning and Sustainability Policy Advisor.
Ruiz covered many transportation and bike-related issues during her tenure at the Mercury including the scrapped Sauvie Island/Flanders St. Bridge project and the Safe, Sound and Green Streets proposal, in addition to the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project (she has been a vocal opponent).
Open Thread for riding conditions (12/23) – Updated
PBOT advises to take the lane.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Please use this post to report on riding conditions in your neighborhood.
I’m on a walk right now and several main roads have been cleared of snow. While that’s good for folks in cars, it also means the bike lanes are full of piles of snow and slush. Without much new snowfall and with cold temperatures remaining, many roads are much more slick and icy than in past days.
The Bureau of Transportation’s latest statement about the storm (released yesterday) makes no mention of bicycle travel. In a statement released on Sunday, PBOT acknowledged the bad condition of bike lanes and issued this warning:
Video contest hopes to inspire less driving
The folks behind the regional Drive Less Save More campaign are seeking submissions for the first-ever Drive Less Video Challenge.
The objective is to create a 25 second video that motivates people to drive less. The winning video will run as a TV commercial and will get a new Apple iMac and Final Cut video software. Anyone from Oregon or SW Washington can submit to one of two categories.
Here’s more from their website: