West Linn/Willamette to Downtown

[bp071117]

I'm looking for route info for commuting from West Linn (mostly likely Willamette) to downtown Portland.

I've done the McCloughlin to Springwater commute before when I was in O.C. and that was ok with me. Is Highway 43 any better or worse? I've ridden part of it before but not north of Lake Oswego. What about going west around the lake to Boones Ferry?

[bikieboy]

bp, i think Hwy 43 / Macadam north of Lake O is fairly nightmare-ish for cycling: lots of fast traffic, and very minimal (if any) shoulders. I've ridden it on a Sunday and hated it then, can't imagine what a weekday might be like. I think riding up Terwilliger to connect with Barbur, and then in to downtown, is a much better bet, even tho you've got to do some extra climbing.

[lunchrider]

i this route a couple of times per month.
I go up 43 until River Rd (its a right through the barrier just past the park)
Then down along River Rd.
Until it takes a sharp left at that point take a right onto the bike path into Lake Oswego. Go over the bridge and up the hill, take a right on the first road and continue until the end where you go left (about 4 blks) and go 2/3 blks to 43/State ST. Here I go right and take State (I guess you could ride on the side walk) up to Terwilliger and then left onto the bike path trough Tryon Park.
After wandering through the park you end up back at Terwilliger which you can then just follow all the way to downtown

have a good ride

[bp071117]

Originally Posted by lunchrider

I go up 43 until River Rd (its a right through the barrier just past the park)
Then down along River Rd.
Until it takes a sharp left at that point take a right onto the bike path into Lake Oswego.

Does River Rd take much more time? Willamette Drive seemed like the more direct (and faster) route when I rode it between O.C. and L.O.

[bp071117]

Originally Posted by bikieboy

bp, i think Hwy 43 / Macadam north of Lake O is fairly nightmare-ish for cycling: lots of fast traffic, and very minimal (if any) shoulders. I've ridden it on a Sunday and hated it then, can't imagine what a weekday might be like.

Thanks for the info. The lack of shoulders doesn't bother me since I never ride on them anyway.

Originally Posted by bikieboy

I think riding up Terwilliger to connect with Barbur, and then in to downtown, is a much better bet, even tho you've got to do some extra climbing.

How much climbing? The one thing I really liked about the commute I was doing out of O.C. was that it was relatively flat.

[bikieboy]

Originally Posted by bp071117

Thanks for the info. The lack of shoulders doesn't bother me since I never ride on them anyway.

don't frighten me like that...

Originally Posted by bp071117

How much climbing? The one thing I really liked about the commute I was doing out of O.C. was that it was relatively flat.

glad you asked. According to Bikely.com, a mere 600 feet of total elevation gain over the 4 miles from Hwy 43/Terwilliger to Barbur, then a very subtle downhill grade into Stumptown Proper.

[bp071117]

Originally Posted by bikieboy

don't frighten me like that...

Why does it frighten you that I operate my vehicles in a safe and legal manner? (ie on the roadway and not on the shoulder)

Originally Posted by bikieboy

glad you asked. According to Bikely.com, a mere 600 feet of total elevation gain over the 4 miles from Hwy 43/Terwilliger to Barbur, then a very subtle downhill grade into Stumptown Proper.

Thanks, I forgot about bikely.com. Starting at where Willamette Falls Dr comes to the old Oregon City-West Linn bridge, I drew both your route and the one up McCoughlin/Milwaukie I've done before. Your route is over a mile shorter but has over 500 extra feet in elevation gain. I'll ride them both next chance I get and see which is faster (or less painful)

While I was on bikely.com, I tried a westerly route out of Willamette which ended up at Boones Ferry and Terwilliger then follow bikieboy's route from there. The mileage seemed comparable but the elevation changes were even 300 feet worse. Are there any flatter routes out that way?