Need S. Beaverton to Sauvies Island Route

[vincentpaul]

Hey, gang. I'm participating in a casual group ride on Sauvies' Island this Sunday (4/19/09). Can anyone suggest a good route from S. Beaverton (Scholls Heights Elementary) to Sauvies Island? Thanks.

[lazlo]

I don't know good routes in Beaverton, but if you can get to Skyline, head north to Newberry Rd, then down to Hwy 30. This will put you just south of the Sauvie Island Bridge. I'm sure someone has a flatter route that would get you to Hwy 30 farther south, but I'd rather ride in the hills.

[lynnef]

For expediency, take Murray ALL the way north NW Pettygrove, turn left, go to the end, turn left and cut through Terra Linda Elementary to NW 143rd, take that north to Kaiser, (or figure out how to go east a bit and get onto Saltzman. I think there is a cut through from the Terra Linda neighborhood, but I don't remember specifically). North on either to Thompson, up to Skyline. Left on Skyline.

Right on Newberry as suggested (VERY STEEP AT THE BOTTOM BE AWARE) or right on McNamee (a bit further, not nearly as steep). McNamee will drop you west of the Sauvie Island Bridge, a bit further than Newberry will to the east of the bridge.

Or, you could ride into NW Portland via Washington Park, Stearns Way, behind the uptown shopping center, onto St Helens, north and west on Hwy 30...

Whatever you do, DON'T ride on Cornelius Pass Rd! Major trucking route over the hill, and, well, it just isn't prudent anymore. I do remember when it was. Boy, that was fun!

[vincentpaul]

Originally Posted by lynnef

Whatever you do, DON'T ride on Cornelius Pass Rd! Major trucking route over the hill, and, well, it just isn't prudent anymore. I do remember when it was. Boy, that was fun!

Thanks! I'd received a suggestion to take Cornelius Pass road, and I was afraid that it was not a prudent route. I'll take one of your other suggestions.

If anybody is interested, the ride is starting at the "convenience store parking lot" at 9:00 a.m. It's sponsored by the Northwest Butts on Bikes meet up group. They're a very low-key group of riders. More info here:
http://www.meetup.com/Rubber2theroad/calendar/9870679/

[vincentpaul]

Anybody have any comments on this route? It was suggested by a meetup group leader.

[biciclero]

Anybody have any comments on this route? It was suggested by a meetup group leader.

The only tricky part along here (IMO) would be between miles 8 - 11. I used to ride Cornell there every day (I now use Science Park), and it can be full of inattentive drivers going in and out of the massive shopping center there, just watch the driveways. The north end of Murray is pretty torn up with construction right now, too, so be prepared to take the lane and watch for uneven pavement once you get over hwy 26. I don't usually ride on 143rd because it is fast and narrow, but it is doable. You might want to consider cutting over to Bethany, which has a bike lane north of West Union (I stay off Bethany except north of W. Union). Once you get to mile 11 on your route, it gets a lot nicer. This is part of a short little ride I used to do all the time. Brooks will be bit of a climb to get up to Skyline; it is pretty much straight up--I always rode this section in the opposite direction, so I paid in going up Germantown, and then made my withdrawal going down Brooks. I'm not familiar with Newberry.

[lynnef]

Originally Posted by biciclero

The only tricky part along here (IMO) would be between miles 8 - 11. I used to ride Cornell there every day (I now use Science Park), and it can be full of inattentive drivers going in and out of the massive shopping center there, just watch the driveways. The north end of Murray is pretty torn up with construction right now, too, so be prepared to take the lane and watch for uneven pavement once you get over hwy 26. I don't usually ride on 143rd because it is fast and narrow, but it is doable. You might want to consider cutting over to Bethany, which has a bike lane north of West Union (I stay off Bethany except north of W. Union). Once you get to mile 11 on your route, it gets a lot nicer. This is part of a short little ride I used to do all the time. Brooks will be bit of a climb to get up to Skyline; it is pretty much straight up--I always rode this section in the opposite direction, so I paid in going up Germantown, and then made my withdrawal going down Brooks. I'm not familiar with Newberry.

I wouldn't ride on Cornell there - Sunset HS, the athletic club, shopping center... Ick. Take Murray north and either cut through Terra Linda Elementary to NW 143rd, or get over to Saltzman and cut back west on Laidlaw.

Or do something completely different, and climb Old Germantown.

Brooks is indeed a climb (and ever so much fun to descend), but certainly doable. As in, I've done it Newberry is steep at the top and very, very steep at the bottom. If it isn't included on the DeRonde route, it should be. I've done it as well. McNamee is less steep (except for a bit at the bottom), but almost twice as long.

[lazlo]

One of my favorite training rides is out Hwy 30 to Rocky Point Rd, up Rocky Point to Skyline, over to Logie Trail, back down to 30, over to MacNamee, up to Skyline, over to Newberry, down to 30, back home to St Johns. Newberry is indeed steep, but it's well paved. Watch those curves, some of them come up quickly.

[lynnef]

Originally Posted by lazlo

One of my favorite training rides is out Hwy 30 to Rocky Point Rd, up Rocky Point to Skyline, over to Logie Trail, back down to 30, over to MacNamee, up to Skyline, over to Newberry, down to 30, back home to St Johns. Newberry is indeed steep, but it's well paved. Watch those curves, some of them come up quickly.

I say this with extreme respect for your climbing abilities. You do like to hurt, don't you?

I've ridden them all, just not on the same ride (or perhaps even in the same year).

Rocky Point is 3 miles at a constant 6% grade, if I remember correctly.

Most of my climbing has been on the other side. Logie Trail, Rock Creek/Elliot, Old Cornelius Pass, Old Germantown, Beck, Thompson, Kaiser, Brooks, Springville...

[vincentpaul]

Thanks to all for your input. I took Murray to Terra Linda, Kaiser to Germantown, Old Germantown, across Skyline to Newberry, Hwy 30 to Sauvie Island. On the way back a buddy and I took Germantown up to Skyline, then he took Newberry back down to his car at Sauvie Island. I continued on Skyline to Dixie Mountain, then retraced my route back home. Did 84 miles for the day and got some quality climbing time in. What a great day! I'm not normally a big fan of clear cuts, but there's a logging road on the north side of Skyline at Moreland that really opened up the view to the entire east Portland area. My, you cyclists in E. Portland were smothered under smog yesterday!