Wait, is it really winter? The sun is out and there's a lot to do this weekend, starting today. Don't forget Monday's holiday, family-friendly events up at Portland International Raceway --

Thursday, Dec 3

5:00pm - 7:00pm: BikePortland Social
Drink coffee or beer, meet other readers, and discuss the current state of bicycle advocacy in Portland. Floyd's Coffee Shop in Old Town, 118 NW Couch

6:00pm - 8:30pm: Willamette Pedestrian Coalition Holiday Happy Hour
Join the WPC board and staff for drinks and discussion of walking issues. Great Hall, 1406 SW Broadway.
(more...)

It's time to gear up and hunker down -- this weekend, take a ride to a nice, warm, indoor location. Build up your repair and riding skills, learn to make informed investments in winter gear, or have a warm drink while enthusiastically debating the big picture.

Or take the opportunities below to just head out there and ride for miles and miles in cheerful company. (more...)

Party with Metropolis to celebrate
their first year of business!
(Photo © J. Maus)

We've been wondering when the bike event season would start winding down, and with only three events popping out at us on the calendar this weekend, it looks like it might finally be happening. Not that you're off the hook -- there's still fun to be had, organized and otherwise. So bundle up and get out there!

What are your plans? If there are any other events you'd like to see on here (or if you feel inspired to organize something), feel free to get in touch and we'll add them. (more...)

A 'cross racer dressed up like a swamp monster riding through a huge wall of bubbly foam: It must be SSCXWC.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Better late than never, here are your weekend bike events! (more...)

The crowd at the 2007 Oregon
Handmade Bicycle Show.
(Photo © J. Maus).

It's going to rain, it's going to be cold, and it's going to be Halloween. There are plenty of opportunities to get into the spirit, costumed or otherwise. Want to ride into the dawn in celebration of bike fun? Move an antique bedroom set on your bike? Ride competitively through a muddy field? Or stay warm and dry while debating the merits of Copenhagen-style bike culture, or ogling handbuilt bike frames? As always, there's something for everyone.

Thursday, October 29th

6:30pm - 10:30pm: Oregon Manifest: Bicycle Culture from Copenhagen to Portland
A panel discussion with unofficial Danish cycling ambassador Mikael Colville-Andersen, Portland Mayor Sam Adams, and reporter and bike author Jeff Mapes. $10 gets you food, beer, and lively debate over how we can make the best bicycling city. Also serves as the grand opening of the Dreams on Wheels exhibit (of which Colville-Andersen is the photographer). 539 NW Hoyt. (more...)

Bike fun at last weekend's Cross Crusade kiddie race.
(Photo © J. Maus)

This is just a selection from the many bike events going on this weekend. For more, including regular weekly or monthly events, see the Shift calendar. (more...)

Cross Crusade is here!
(Photo © J. Maus)

This year, bike event season seems to only have sped up as the weather has gotten cooler. Tonight's grand opening of the Artcrank poster show marks the beginning of six weeks of Oregon Manifest. The Manifest's flagship events are also this weekend, in which 30 framebuilders are competing for judges' approval and in a 77 mile race. The infamous Cross Crusade series opens on Sunday. As if that isn't enough, there's also a full lineup including a bike move, social rides, a wonky talk, and a movie. (more...)

We've got a great lineup of events this weekend, and the weather promises to be at least partly cooperative.

Friday, September 18

Friday is Park(ing) Day
On Park(ing) Day, on-street car parking spots are temporarily turned into parks of all sorts. Metro is celebrating the occasion all over the region to promote its Intertwine trail network (and to contribute to it, at least until the parking meters run out).

5:30: Kidical Mass Downtown
Bring your parents and meet at the playground at NW Park and Davis for a friendly ride around downtown. (more...)

Will it be the last hot, sunny weekend of the year? Here's the run-down on events. Feel free to plug these or let us know about more options in the comments.

Thursday, September 10

5:00pm – 7:00pm: Car-Free Happy Hour
Monthly social networking meetup for people who live carfree, do work that helps reduce car use, and/or the carfree-curious. On the second Thursday of each month. New location at Amnesia Brewing at 832 N Beech (at Mississippi).

5:30pm: Third Annual Woodlawn to Swifts Ride
Meet at Good Neighbor Pizza at NE 8th and Dekum; ride leaves at 5:45 for Northwest Portland to watch the swifts fly down the chimney just before sunset at Chapman Elementary. Bring a blanket and a picnic.

6:00pm - 8:00pm Bike Camping 102: Winter Camping
A free class covering the basics of off-season bike camping, including where to go, how to handle the weather, and why this might actually be a lot of fun. At theHawthorne Hostel, 3031 SE Hawthorne Blvd (Bike parking in back, enter through back door in yard). (more...)

[*We had the dates of the New Seasons/BTA Benefit BBQ wrong. It's Sat-Sun (not Sun-Mon.) Sorry for any confusion.]

Here are some of the events going on during the long weekend. Feel free to let us know about more of what's going on in the comments.

Friday, September 4th

4:00pm: Carfree Couve Ride
Celebrate Carfree Day in Vancouver, Washington. Meet at the southeast corner of Farragut Park, 7700 N Vancouver Ave, Portland. Ride to the Couve leaves at 5:00pm.

5:30pm: Bike to the Birds: Vaux's Swift Picnic Ride
Bring a picnic blanket and meet at the west end of the Steel Bridge to ride to view the famous birds fly into the school chimney up in Northwest, with a stop on the way for groceries. Will reschedule for next Friday if it's wet.

6:30pm: Vegan Dinner Ride
The second installment of VDBR is Friday, Sept. 4. Meet at 6:30 at Colonel Summers Park (at the corner of SE Yamhill and SE 20th) for a fun, social ride to a $5 vegan-friendly dinner spot in town, followed by another stop for drinks and dessert. All eating persuasions welcome.
(more...)

Join a historical tour with
local history maven
Shawn Granton
(Photo © J. Maus)

Lots of opportunities for bike fun this weekend -- depave a parking lot, trade an old bike for free breakfast, help out with a bike move, learn the history of youth hostels, and more.

Friday, August 28

7:00am - 9:00am: Breakfast on the Bridges
Oh yeah! Free coffee and pastries for non-motorized travelers over the Hawthorne and Steel bridges. West end of the Hawthorne, lower deck on the Steel. Show up for coffee, stay to chat.

5:45pm: Happy Friday Ride
Come on out and enjoy August, and the start of the weekend with a safe, mellow ride through a few (mostly) S.E. neighborhoods. Route takes about an hour, and often ends with a pub stop. Meet up outside of Palio on the big circle in Ladd’s Addition starting at 5:45, kick off promptly at 6:15. (more...)

A Northeast Portland street filled with
bike traffic during July's
Sunday Parkways
(Photo © J. Maus)

Thursday, August 13

5:00pm - 7:00pm: Car-free Happy Hour
On the second Thursday of each month, you can head to Roots Brewery (SE 7th just south of Hawthorne) to network with transportation professionals, transit and bike organizers, the carfree-curious, and folks who just like to get around without a car. (more...)

Enjoy the crowd (and the bikes)
at carfree Last Thursday tonight.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Looks like we're out of the 100s, but this weekend is still shaping up to be respectably hot so remember to heed these best practices to beat the heat.

If you're prepared to venture out, you have a great lineup of events to choose from. Here are some highlights:

Thursday, July 30

6:00pm - 10:00pm: Last Thursday
Every month this summer, a long stretch of Alberta Street is closed to cars and packed with people, art, dancing, and food vendors. It's a magical experience. (more...)

Join mountain bike advocates in
Forest Park and be an "ambassador"
for bikes.
(Photo © J. Maus)

This weekend, the forecast ranges from hot to scorchingly hot.

In other words -- perfect weather to be out on your bike. Pack some extra water and check out some of these events that have come onto our radar:

Thursday, July 23

BikePortland Inner SE Get Together
Join us at the Green Dragon (928 SE 9th Ave) from 5-7pm for beer, food and conversation. This is a chance to meet people and learn about SE Portland bike stuff from experts, artists, business people, planners, activists, etc... Very informal. Just come on down and heckle us, pitch us stories, plug your events, whatever. (more...)

Weather need not be an impediment to the
well-prepared. (Photo © J. Maus)

It's nearly the weekend -- and I've heard rumors of sun as well as reports of thunder, lightning, and hail.

Last weekend's rain and high winds didn't keep everyone indoors -- hopefully your errands, visits, and bike fun won't be deterred by any kind of weather in the next few days either.
(more...)

MMR riders will play
music tonight.
(Photo © J. Maus)

It's been a long, quiet week here at BikePortland HQ, as Jonathan and I have both been out of town -- he's in DC working like a madman to cover the National Bike Summit, and until yesterday I was down south at the smaller and scrappier but no less inspiring L.A. Bike Summit (more on that soon).

There's not much time to round up the weekend's events, but here are a few ideas that look good -- please feel free to add your own suggestions, reports, and more in the comments.

- Sleep not your thing? Tonight is the infamous Midnight Mystery Ride, Hootenanny edition. Help Rev Phil celebrate freedom, bikes, and getting older without forgetting how to have fun. Bring musical instruments and copies of the lyrics to your favorite songs for everyone to sing to. Meet at 11:00pm. Starting location is up now at the MMR website. (more...)

Friday (2/27)

North Freaker "Dutch"
on his tallbike.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Critical Mass
A celebration of bicycle traffic on the last Friday of every month.

North Park Blocks (NW Park and Couch, by the elephant)
Meet at 5:30, ride at 6:00pm

Freak Friday!
North Freak is a collective for people who love freak bicycles, such as tall bikes, choppers, swing bikes, minibikes and anything else fun and creative you can think of.

North Freak has a freak bicycle ride (all cyclists are welcome, on any bike) on the fourth Friday of every month, followed by jousting at a mystery location. Tall bikes and helmets/pads will be available to the public! Try one for the first time!

Irving Park, NE 7th Ave & Irving Park Path
Meet at 10:30pm, ride to mystery jousting location. (more...)

Friday (2/20)

Portland's 1st Kidical Mass in June, 2008
(Photos © J. Maus)

Kidical Mass
Kids are traffic, too! Kidical Mass is a celebration of family bicycling. Training wheels, tagalongs, and trailers are all welcome on this easy-going, short, legal family ride. Be sure to bring lights and warm clothes. All families are encouraged to attend.
Sunnyside Environmental School -- SE 34th and Taylor
Meet at 5:30, ride at 6:00
Contact: Angela Koch, angela at bta4bikes dot org (more...)

Friday (2/13)

The Zoobomb Badass Challenge
A signature event of Mini Bike Winter
A weekend-long festival of mini bike fun and carnage. You zoobomb until you can't any more.
6pm at the Zoobomb Pile, SW 10th and Oak

Free Commuting Workshop at the Bike Farm
A one hour workshop to learn the rules of the road, traffic dynamics and essential bike handling techniques. A great first step towards bike commuting, as well as a way for intermediate commuters to learn more and share what they know. Led by Evan Ross, of Portland Bicycle Tours. Hosted by the Bike Farm, a local non-profit, bicycle tool library and learning resource. Free.
6:00pm Bike Farm, 305 NE Wygant St
(more...)

Are you fixed curious?
(Photo © J. Maus)

Here's your bike-fun filled Weekend Guide:

Saturday (1/31)

Saturday Fast Friday
An event including sprints, footdown, sharks and minnows, tricks, a group ride, and more. Check out PDXFixed.com for more.
4:30pm at NW 13th and Quimby

Sellwood Bridge March
A march led by residents of the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood to bring awareness to how the Sellwood Bridge Project impacts community livability. See more info here.
9:30am at Sellwood Community Center (corner of SE Spokane and 15th Ave.)
(more...)