Former mayor of Bogota Colombia, Enrique Peñalosa, will be in Portland for a special event on May 14th. Peñalosa is revered in urban planning circles for his pioneering role in the ciclovia movement (which inspired Portland's Sunday Parkways), his development of bus rapid transit, and his role in re-shaping Bogota's streets to prioritize people over cars.

Peñalosa's brother, Gil, who was the minister of sport and recreation during his brother's administration, gave the keynote at the 2008 Towards Carfree Cities Conference that was held in Portland.

Enrique has been invited by the Urban Planning Club at Portland State University and he will speak at The Amory in downtown Portland. (There are a very limited amount of free tickets available. Email upcevents[at]gmail[dot]com for more info.)

Here's more about Peñalosa, from the Urban Planning Club:

Enrique Peñalosa is a leader in the urban planning field, whose vision and proposals have significantly influenced policies throughout the world. His advisory work concentrates on sustainability, mobility, equity, public space and quality of life; and the organizational and leadership requirements to turn ideas into projects and realities. He is also an accomplished executive, who has achieved positive results in diverse activities in which he has been involved.

As Mayor of Bogota, Colombia, Peñalosa profoundly transformed the city of 7 million inhabitants into an international model for improvements in quality of life, mobility, equity and sustainability which has been awarded important international recognitions such as the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale and the Stockholm Challenge. Two of Peñalosa's accomplishments while Mayor were the installation of the TransMilenio bus rapid transit system and an extensive bicycle infrastructure network.

And here's more info on the event:

Planning Cities for People: An International Perspective
Monday, May 14, 2012, 7:00 PM
Ellyn Bye Studio-Gerding Theater at the Armory (128 NW 11th Ave)
Doors Open at 6:30pm and Close at 6:50pm

This past Saturday I joined 25 nice folks for a ride through one of the Willamette Valley's many wine-producing regions. The ride was organized by Juli and I, along with another couple, as a way to raise money for our kids' schools. We both listed a fully supported wine-tasting ride as an item at our school auctions and then donated the entry fees.

Besides helping out two great schools (go Trillium and Emerson!), the ride was a perfect excuse to hang out with friends while pedaling through gorgeous country roads and sampling tasty local wines.

We began in Carlton, OR, about 36 miles southwest of downtown Portland (about an hour drive). After a picnic and our first tasting at Anne Amie Vineyards, we headed north on our loop (expertly planned by our experienced, wine-riding friends Joe and Hau Hagedorn) up to Solena and Grand Cru Estates. The route took us on a gravel road that connects NE Carlton-Chehalem Creek Road to Yamhill-Newberg Highway.

After Solena, most of the riders opted for the "Challenge Loop" option which took us up a nice climb — and then down a thrilling descent — through idyllic country landscapes on NE Woodland Loop Road.

Our stop at Lenné Estate was a highlight. After a steep gravel driveway, we were treated to a view of small farms and rows of grapevines dotting rolling hills in every direction.

A bit more pedaling and we arrived back in Carlton at our final stop, Cana's Feast Winery. We then rode through the quaint town of Carlton and back to Anne Amie Vineyards — with a serious hill to cap off a great day in the saddle.

I'd highly recommend grabbing a map and plotting out a wine-tasting bike tour of your own. Grab a few friends and make it a group ride. You can check out our route via Google Maps here. This is the type of bicycling that I think could really help spur bicycle tourism. The roads themselves are attraction enough for enthusiastic riders; but then throw in picnics and great wineries (we could have chosen four different wineries on the same route), and just about anyone that has a bike would enjoy it.

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On a related note, it looks like there's a very exciting opportunity for a new rail-trail in this same area. A recent story in the Yamhill Valley News-Register (April 25th) details an abandoned Union Pacific rail line that stretches from St. Joseph (northeast of McMinnville) about 20 miles north all the way to Gaston. The right of way is being offered at a very reasonable $2.4 million — that's down from $9 million the last time the idea was broached. A wine maker in Carlton is already backing a plan to make the trail happen. We'll keep you posted on any developments!

PBOT has declared May PDX Bike Month and they're pulling out all the stops to make it a good one. They've got over 30 events listed on their website and they've got a new Twitter account and Facebook page to help promote them.

Here's more from PBOT Transportation Options ringleader Timo Forsberg:

PBOT and many partners are kicking off PDX Bike Month - a series of events throughout the month of May. The first event is a Bike Breakfast on Wed, May 2. Be alert for the aroma of coffee and of eggs on the griddle on SE Lincoln St, just west of Cesar Chavez Blvd. Stop by between 7:15 and 8:45 for breakfast and a chance to celebrate National Bike to Work Month and International Walk & Bike to School Challenge Month, Portland-style.

You can also get a quick bike adjustment at the BTA's Service Station (Wed. 4:30-6:30 in Ladd's); go for an eye-opening ride with EPAPbike [East Portland Action Plan Bike Subcommittee] on "The Good, The Bad, and the Unimproved" (Sat. 10am-noon in East Portland); take in a Bike Legal Clinic (PSU's Bike Hub on Wed. the 9th); and join us for another breakfast, on the NE Going Neighborhood Greenway on Wed, May 9th. Plus more breakfasts during the week of the 14th through the 18th.

This is not a drill folks!

And in case you haven't heard, May is also National Bike Month which includes Bike to School Day (May 9th), Bike to Work Week (May 14th- 18th), and Bike to Work Day (May 18th). Furthering the encouragement, the League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong, and title sponsor Kimberly Clark, have announced the Get Up & Ride National Bike Challenge (think of it like the BTA's Bike Commute Challenge, but open to everyone in the U.S.) Their goal is to, "unite 50,000 bicyclists to ride 10 million miles in communities across America."

Back to the local bike month festivities...

Health insurance provide Regence/BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon is hosting the first ever Employers Bike Summit on May 18th (9:30 am to noon, Sisters Conference Room, 100 SW Market). With the City of Portland and the BTA as partners, this summit will bring Portland companies together to discuss how to create more bike-friendly workplaces. Bike advocates, facilities managers, human resource managers, and other company employees are encouraged to attend. More info here.

A PBOT employee making you
free pancakes? Must be bike month!
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Also starting today (5/1) is the Bike to PSU Challenge. So far nearly 700 riders have already signed up. Teams and solo riders sign up via the website and log their trips to win weekly prizes and compete for the most trips during the month.

If you've been thinking about giving biking a try, or if you have friends and/or co-workers who have been on the fence; this month would be a great time to start! There will be lots of support out on the street and the many free events are excellent opportunities to make those first few bike to work trips easier and more fun.

Since a project to renovate the aging surface at Alpenrose Velodrome was announced last month, the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) has seen an outpour of support. Although much of the work to smooth the straightaways is complete, there's still a big funding gap to pay for that first phase as well as more work that is slated to be done. In hopes of closing that gap, Portland’s Sizzle Pie cycling team, lead by Zak Kovalcik, has paired up with Upper Echelon Fitness to hold a fundraising party this Friday to drum up more support.

OBRA officials say well over 60 local bike teams and over 200 members have stepped up to contribute so for far; but that more money is needed to get this project across the finish line. The initial phase of the project turned out to be more expensive than first thought and OBRA is still about $10,000 short. The next phase, to replace the "apron" (the flat portion inside the track) is estimated to cost another $50,000.

Friday's fundraiser will include a DJ, track races on the big screen, silent auction with tons of great stuff like massages, bike fits, apparel from local companies like Showers Pass and Rapha, beer from Laurelwood Brewery, and of course lots of pizza from Sizzle Pie!

Prior to the event, an alleycat-style race will be held at 6:00 pm sharp, beginning at Courier Coffee (923 Oak Street) and ending at Upper Echelon, where the party will begin at 7:00. 

Bring your friends, family and checkbook and come support Portland’s track racing venue and have some fun while you’re at it. If you can't attend, you can make a tax-deductible donation via the OBRA website.

Alpenrose Velodrome Renovation Project Fundraiser
Upper Echelon Fitness (1420 NW 17th Ave, Suite 388)
April 27th, 7-10:00 pm
Event website and Facebook listing

In case you haven't noticed, there's a ton going on around our regional network of trails and multi-use paths* — a.k.a. "The Intertwine". To help get the public up to speed and foster collaboration and momentum on the projects, Metro and folks behind The Intertwine are hosting their 2nd annual Trails Fair.

The event is coming this Wednesday (4/25) from 1:00 - 3:00 pm (at Metro HQ, 600 NE Grand Ave). From the newly built Trolley Trail down in Milwaukie (yes, it's almost completed!), to the North Portland Greenway, and many others — this event will be the perfect place to hear the latest news on all the major projects. Metro promises about 40 agencies, non-profits, and trail groups will be on hand with exhibits and experts to share info about their programs and projects.

The event is free and open to the public.

Check out the flyer below:

(*Note: those terms are synonymous in most cases, but I dislike using "trails" because I think it causes people to envision dirt hiking and biking trails and not the major components of our mobility network they actually are.)

It's hard to believe that Portland's bike film festival — Filmed by Bike — is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The festival kicks of this Friday night and continues through Wednesday with nine screenings and 75 movies on the schedule.

In addition to the usual weekend slate of films, organizer Ayleen Crotty has added two additional days of screenings. Tuesday (4/17) will be a special program dedicated to the "relentless creative spirit of Cyclocross." And on Wednesday there will be two showings of the "Best of the Best!" — a mix of favorite films of the past decade.

With more movies than ever, Crotty says she also expects an unprecedented number of filmmakers to attend the event this year. Among them are a trio of bike-loving movie makers from France who are in the middle of a three-year global bike tour. The way Crotty tells it, these guys made a movie while taking a respite in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and, upon getting it accepted to Filmed by Bike, decided to change course and ride to Portland for the event! You can meet these adventurous Frenchmen after the Sunday 7:00 pm showing. There's also a filmmaker Q & A session following Saturday's 5:00 pm showing.

One of the things I love about this festival is the huge diversity of films that are shown. There's everything from a music video shot in San Francisco by fixie-riding female Detroit rapper Breezee One, to a film by Portland photographer Daniel Sharp chronicling a cyclocross race that took place on a beach in Japan.

The festival kicks off with a bang on Friday night with a ride to the opening night street party led by cycling celebrity Gary Fisher. Fisher will lead a ride from the downtown Bike Gallery (1001 SW 10th Ave) at 6:00 pm (get there early for free pizza, socializing, and shopping).

In addition to the great films and parties, there are tons of prize giveaways and the entire event is a benefit for local non-profit NW Documentary. Check out FilmedByBike.org for complete details.

The stars have aligned for Portland to take part in the global Cyclo Femme ride on May 13th. The ride was created by Girl Bike Love (a website and online community for women who ride) with the goal to, "create a unified voice for women in cycling, encouraging and empowering more riders."

May 13th also happens to fall on same date as PBOT's Sunday Parkways Northeast. There are 30 Cycle Femme rides listed on the group's website so far. The Portland edition will meet at Woodlawn Park and will be hosted by PBOT's Women on Bikes, a new group called Women on Wheels, and the Portland Society. The ride meets at 11:00 am and everyone is welcome.

This ride is just the latest sign that 2012 is shaping up to be the year of women in the bike world. Earlier this month we shared the news of three local women who will tackle the Tour de France in June, and a recent report from the inaugural Women Cycling Forum at the National Bike Summit showed that women's cycling issues are becoming part of the national advocacy conversation.

For more details on the Portland Cyclo Femme ride, see the Facebook event page.

Velo Cult, threw open its doors Saturday night for a big grand opening party and hundreds of people dropped in to welcome the new shop to Portland.

The event drew a large and diverse cross-section of Portland's cycling celebrities, from U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Nutcase helmets founder Michael Morrow, to Chris King of Chris King Precision Components, Stevil Knievel of All Hail the Black Market and at least a half-dozen local framebuilders. There were racers, advocates, messengers, industry types, wonks, families, advocates, activists — you name it! I love when the many different facets of our community come together and it's a testament to what Velo Cult is all about that they were able to draw this type of crowd.

Owing to Velo Cult's mission as a meeting place and bike-cultural worship center, the new shop doesn't try to sell you anything in the first half of the store. It's all wood and open space. On one side there's a welcoming bar, on the other are benches in front of the bike repair stands. Over the bar and the repair area is a jaw-dropping collection of vintage bicycles (just a small sampling of what shop owner Sky Boyer owns). Near the front windows is a seating area and a free photo booth whose pictures are automatically sent to the shop's website (check out a few samples below).

On Saturday night a live band played (unfortunately they didn't opt to be on the drawbridge stage that folds down from the wall), and I noticed a projector screened rolled up on the roof. Music, movies, a bar, a bike museum, hours from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm — in case you haven't figured it out yet, this is a different kind of bike shop.

The Shy Seasons in action.

Velo Cult owner Sky Boyer, standing behind the bar and looking over the thinned out crowd as the night wore on, said he's, "only about 20% done with this place." While there is product on the shelves and new bikes ready for sale, expect this place to evolve over the next few months. While he isn't completely done moving in, Boyer needed to open the doors and his cash registers. Moving a bike shop (and employees) and completely renovating a 10,000 square foot space can take its toll on a small business; but Boyer's commitment is rock-solid. This bike shop is more than a place of business for him. "This place is my baby," he said with a smile.

Big thanks to the Velo Cult crew — Sky, George, Tom and Anthony — for the party and for working so hard to give our community such an amazing new place. Welcome to Portland!

— Check out video from the event put together by Velo Cult...

The Pedal Nation/PDX Bicycle Show is back for its third year and it looks to be better than ever. Organizers have added a new Bike Swap to the mix, and there are over 120 exhibitors and vendors along with past favorites like the special kids riding area, the "Pimp'd Bike" museum, loads of Oregon handmade bikes, stunt riders, the always-entertaining bike fashion show, and the list goes on!

Pedal Nation's Aaron McBride tells me he's added several new exhibitors this year that you won't want to miss. They include: B.Spoke Tailor, Titus Bicycles, Love Bike Wear, women's specific clothing company Moxie Cycling, cargo trailer builders Maya Cycle, Rainy Day Biking, Retroshift, Stages Indoor Cycling, Tour d'Afrique, Velo Village, Wood Helmets (seriously, and made in Oregon too!), and many more. (See the full exhibitor list here.)

Another treat you won't want to miss out on is a reading by author Geoff Drake. Drake has written a book about one of the most storied bike racing teams of all time. Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Cyclists Took on the World—and Won (Velopress) is Drake's look into how Team 7-Eleven took pro cycling from nothing but a blip on the American sports radar in the 1980s, to success in the Tour de France and a victory at the Giro d'Italia. Drake will speak at 1:00 pm on Saturday and 11:00 am on Sunday.

The show runs all weekend long at the Portland Expo Center (Hall E, 2060 North Marine Dr). Doors open at 10:00 am tomorrow (3/24). It's $10 for adults and kids under 12 are free. You can see all the details and download a 2-for-1 coupon at PedalNationEvents.com.

Here are a few scenes from previous shows to whet your appetite and give you a sense of what to expect...

Last time we checked in on the Tweed Ride, last year's organizers were casting about for new volunteers to step up and make it happen. Now, after several meetings, I'm happy to report that the 2012 Tweed Ride Planning Committee has set a date of April 1st for the big event.

Tweed Planner Maria Schur says they're hoping to get around 300 riders, "dressed in their best and riding their fanciest bicycles." She adds that there will also be a "special surprise ride leader" this year. Hmmm, what could that mean? You'll just have to show up and find out!

Check out the official ride flyer and more info below...

The 2012 Tweed Ride will meet at 1:00 pm at Kenilworth Park (SE 34th and Holgate) on Sunday, April 1st. After socializing, the ride will head north to Peninsula Park (N. Albina and Ainsworth) for a "high tea" stop. (Riders are encouraged to bring their own tea cups.)

After the tea stop, the ride will head south to the Hollywood District for an afterparty sponsored by the new shop in town, Velo Cult. "We'll be celebrating, socializing and having costume and bicycle contests," says Schur.

This will be a ride you won't want to miss. If you need inspiration, outfit ideas, or just a better sense of what to expect at this event; check out our coverage from last year's ride.