Jim “K’Tesh” Parsons is always looking
out to make your ride (or walk)
safer and more enjoyable.
-Slideshow Below-
(Photos © J. Maus)

It wasn’t long into a full day tour through Beaverton and Tigard that Jim “K’Tesh” Parsons needed to stop and get to work. We were riding on the path adjacent to Highway 26, just west of Washington Park, when he noticed some overhanging branches.

He stopped, swung his backpack around, took out a pair of gardening shears, and dove head-first into the tree in search of the guilty branch. A few yards further down he pointed out a tree stump a few feet from the edge of the path. It used to be a spikey Hawthorne tree, he said, and “I’m not a fan of spikey trees, especially when they grow too closely to the path.”

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The bike signal near where
the collision took place.
(Photo: PBOT)

I got an email from reader and BTA Board Member Mary Roberts yesterday that I thought should be shared with others. It has to do with topics we’ve covered several times on this site — increasing bike traffic and riding with courtesy for others.

Congested bikeways, and how people on bikes handle them, could very well define the oncoming summer biking season. Here’s the email (emphasis mine):

“I was riding with a group of five friends yesterday and as we rode to the top of the bike/ped trail junction at NE Lloyd Blvd [near the bike-only signal], one of my group collided with a cyclist coming down onto the path from the intersection of the Steel Bridge.

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If HB 2001 passes in its current
form, highways in Oregon would
get a major boost.
(Photo © J. Maus)

House Bill 2001 (text) passed through the Oregon House of Representatives today by a vote of 38-22 — just two votes more than it needed in order to get the required three-fifths majority.

In floor testimony prior to the vote, most lawmakers sang the bill’s praises, touting its green features while calling its $840 million in earmarked highway projects a boon for Oregon’s ailing economy. Meanwhile, environmental advocacy group 1000 Friends of Oregon strengthened their opposition to the bill. In a letter distributed to the House floor prior to the vote, they called HB 2001 an “embarrassment” and said it, “Substitutes pork barrel politics for the public interest.”

The bill began as Governor Kulongoski’s Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009 and it was introduced today by Chair of the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Terry Beyer (D-Springfield).

[more…]

Screenprints of bikes and bridges
by newcomer Ben Parsons

Our annual BikeCraft Fair is a bazaar for local crafters to sell and showcase anything that they make by hand, in Portland, for and about bikes. Each year (we’re now on year five!) the fair gets bigger, with 40 vendors and hundreds of attendees crowding into our biggest space yet last December.

By popular request, we’ll be holding a full-sized BikeCraft this summer on the midway of the Multnomah County Bike Fair this June 27th from 2pm to 7pm.

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What: This route focuses on Southwest’s Multi-Use Paths like the Willamette Greenway, Terwilliger Trail and the Fanno Creek Trail. There are some hills on this route. We’ll take our time going up them and regroup at the top but this ride is probably not one you want to do pulling a kid trailer.
Where: Meet: Tiny’s Coffee – 1412 SE 12th ave.
Route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Portland-Fanno-Creek
When: Sunday, May 31, 2009. Start gathering at 10:30am, ride at 11:00am. Return: 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Additional info:
Distance: 30 mile loop
Elevation: 2131 feet total. Biggest ascent is 500ft.
Snacks: Bring some munchies. We’ll stop around mid-way and snack in a park
Dinner and Booze: Uh huh. We’ll figure out where during the ride. Maybe somewhere downtown south of Burnside?

What: Wishing you could go for a great bike ride AND learn about your local groundwater at the same time? We’ve got you covered! Join us for a bicycling tour of the Columbia South Shore Well Field, with experts on hand to describe Portland’s back-up water supply system. A great ride for adults and children over 12, you’ll need to bring your bike, helmet, water and lunch. This trip is brought to you by the Portland Water Bureau and aloft hotel pdx.

When: Saturday, June 13, 9:00 am to 1:30 pm

Where: Aloft hotel at Cascade Station, 9920 NE Cascades Pkwy, Portland

Register: To Register: sign up online at www.columbiaslough.org, or call Melissa at 503-281-1132.

The new bike parking, just
minutes after it was installed.
(Photo: Bryan Steelman)

You’ve got to love local business owners like Por Que No Taqueria’s Bryan Steelman.

In July 2007, when he wanted on-street bike parking in front of his first location on N. Mississippi, he didn’t wait for PBOT, he did it himself.

Then, to encourage folks to fill up his DIY bike parking, he gave away a free taco to anyone that showed up by bike. A few months later, when PBOT installed an official bike corral, Steelman was so happy he gave happy hour prices on food and beer to bike riders for over a week.

[more…]

The new logo and name was
unveiled last night.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The Portland United Mountain Pedalers (PUMP) are now known as the Northwest Trail Alliance and a new era in off-road advocacy has begun.

PUMP, a group that celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, has gone through big changes in recent months and with last night’s unveiling of a new name, new logo, and a new mission statement, the transformation is now complete.

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Marion Rice and daughter Gleneden

[Publisher’s note: This article is by our Family Biking columnist Marion Rice. Marion’s last two columns have been about biking while pregnant. Today she talks about negotiating a first bike purchase with your child.]

Starting at about 10 years old, I can remember going everywhere on my bike with my group of friends on the weekend. We would pack lunches and take off for points unknown. Of course we would have to bring a dime or two to call home and check in with our parents during the day. Sometimes we would call to beg for a ride home after having biked a good 20 miles away.

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Job Title
Sales associate

Company/Organization
The Bike Gallery

Job Description
The Bike Gallery is seeking enthusiastic individuals to join our seasonal retail sales force. If you are driven, service oriented and passionate about cycling and the cycling lifestyle, then we want to hear from you!

This is a unique opportunity to be a part of what makes Portland such a great place to live and the Bike Gallery continues to be the top rated bicycle retailer in the area and one of the top 100 in the nation. We offer a fast paced and dynamic work environment, competitive benefits package*, a supportive and team oriented culture, employee merchandise discounts and opportunities for advancement within a growth oriented, locally owned and operated business.

Bicycle retail experience preferred, but not required. Specialty retail experience preferred, but not required. Bicycling experience is helpful and passion for customer service excellence is a must.
* Benefits may not be available to seasonal or temporary staff.

How to Apply
send a cover letter and resume to resumes@bikegallery.com.