Image scanned from Oregonian
Local bike mechanic and bike polo promoter Tori Bortman made her way onto a full-page photo in a recent special section of the Oregonian that profiled how 40 Portlanders make their living.
You might remember Tori from a story I did on her last year. In addition to being a mechanic at the downtown Bike Gallery, Tori runs Gracie’s Wrench, a private bike repair school she runs from her home.
I’ve heard from alumni that the classes are great. I hope to take them myself and report back on the experience. If you’re interested, drop her an email at gracieswrench[at] gmail[dot]com or call (503) 460-2374.
In addition to teaching, Tori is also the lady behind Polo for the People, a beginner-friendly bike polo series that happens every week throughout the summer at Alberta Park in northeast Portland.
And finally, I can’t resist sharing this photo from my archives. It shows Tori rocking out and getting down and dirty during at the bike rodeo during Cycle Oregon last year.
Sorry Tori! Congrats on making it into the paper.
Thanks for reading.
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there is a original photo on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theoregonian/431357522/
You are SO awesome Tori! I loved taking her class…gives me a sense of independence to know that I can work on my own bike.
You ROCK! Cheers, janis
Tori Rocks!
Awesome! It’s great that Tori is getting public recognition for her work.
OMG! Viva Tori!
Not only is Bortman a great instructor, an apple fritter afficionado, and a super-stylie one on the skirt scene, she’s also the cutest wrench in town (don’t tell her i said that though).
Plus, she got a new bike, so she’s probably gonna be fast this year too — Bortman, i’m going ridin’ right NOW.
If you want to read the story, here’s a much better link that doesn’t split the story into a zillion pages:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonianextra/2007/03/the_city_that_works.html
Tori rocks my universe.
Mmmmwah, girl!
And one other accomplishment under Tori’s already-full belt: She is also one of the four hosts of the KBOO Bike Show. In fact, Tori will be hosting the next program on April 4th which will feature Brett Flemming, General Service Manager for the Bike Gallery and Owner and proprietor of Efficient Velo tools. Brett will be on hand to answer all your mechanical questions.
Think Car Talk, only about bikes, and much cooler.
You go, Tori!
Congrats on some well-deserved recognition. As a woman mechanic you are a true inspiration. As a great person, you’re simply a lot of fun and I’m happy to share this great town with you.