sunset from her trail-a-bike.
We had all sorts of weather this weekend; crisp breezes, warm sun, stormy skies, and even some torrential rain. I hope you got a chance to get some riding in.
On Saturday, messengers held some “Tests of Strength” and artist and Bike Haiku stationery maker Carye Bye did one of her famous museum-by-bike rides.
I explored Rocky Butte Nature Park for the first time. My girls and I had a great hike through meadows and mini-forests and I saw a few mountain bikers enjoying the trails.
Later that day, we all rode to a friend’s house for an Easter get together. Someone showed up on a bakfiets and I found it appropriately parked near some blooming tulips…
On Sunday, Bikes to Rwanda had a fund raising dinner. Anyone care to offer a report on that?
The girls and I spent the day doing yard work, except for a few minute break when I walked Eleni (my 4 year-old) to the corner and back on her “two-wheeler” bike. She steered the whole way by herself for the first time!
I love Spring in Portland. The streets are covered with flower petals and kids join birds in singing songs of the season…
Eleni’s cycling attire consists
of a pink tutu and sparkly red shoes. |
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How was your weekend? We’d love to hear about your adventures…
Thanks for reading.
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On Saturday I joined 72 other members of the Oregon Randonneurs for the Birkie Brevet, a 200 KM out-and-back into the Coast Range, starting from the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove and heading out to Birkenfeld by way of Timber and Vernonia. It was pretty wet for a while, but never very cold. I posted some pictures at
http://tinyurl.com/2cxjf4
I particularly like the shot I got of Ira at the first control.
Yesterday while we were refueling at Whole Foods, we saw the most amazing bike on the top of a Volvo in the parking garage.
It was a children’s bakfiet complete with a rear rack. The sticker on the bike said “Loekie” (http://www.loekie.nl). Still bummed I didn’t have a camera handy.
I was on the same ride as Cecil.
http://lynnerides.blogspot.com
I built my first tallbike!
http://flickr.com/photos/gabrielamadeus/442611966/
I went on Carye’s Museum tour. About a dozen cyclists braved the mid-day rain on Saturday to see (and play) some cool classic pinball machines, see a Monkees memorabilia collection, make a trip to the bins (I got a regulation 16″ zoobomb Barbie bike and a brand new Coleman stove for $5 each, props to Sam for hauling them to my house in his truck!) and drinks and tacos at the Penguin Bar. Stopped to watch the sunset along the Springwater Trail by Ross Island. April Fools full moon ZooBomb on Sunday night.
You should put a picture of Eleni and her awesome outfit in the flickr vélocouture group! I also used to dress up for bike rides as a little girl (and sometimes still do!).
Did my first Alleycat and got my first REAL spokecard, The Warehaus Scramble on Sunday. DFL which is better than Josh M did, he DQed because he lost his T-shirt. I would have finished better if I hadn’t taken a 12 block detour, I need to read my manifest a little closer next time.
Went to Bike Polo and ate turkey burgers and veggie hot dogs in buns and smothered in ketchup with lots of high fructose corn syrup in them. Drank some free beer and watch others beat the crap out of themselves playing polo.
Went to Zoobomb and rode my no handbrake having track bike down Fairview Blvd. and “the bobsled”. Skidded on level, dry pavement.
I attended the Bikes for Rwanda fundraiser. A very intimate group – about 30 people were there. Our very own Ira Ryan was there supporting.
It was a very educational night about coffee crops and Rwanda. Ritchey is flying about 400 bikes over there right now. A good reminder of how easy we have it here.
Check out the website in Jonathan’s article above.
Saturday I attended the Too Much Scotty race.
I registered w/ full intentions of racing to the finish.
However, with the monsoon weather that started 30 minutes before the race kind of dampened my motivation.
I had just borrowed a helmet cam from a friend and so I rode to two of the stops(57th and halsey where you had to eat fried mayonaise balls and 82nd and Halsey). At 82nd we had a stop that you had to remove your front tire and bowl/throw it into “pins”(beverage cans). It’s not as easy as it sounds.
At this stop I decided to hang out w/ my friends that were running it.
Sunday was Chas’ Warehaus Scamble race in NW.
This race was a lot of fun as it was fast and great weather. Myself and Damien did it in around 17 minutes, Damien beat me by a minute or so as I had to stop on the stairs to the top of the parking structure to puke from the can of pbr i had to drink while track standing at teh last stop.
At one stop you received a t-shirt(one of the race)and you had to be wearing it at the end. Somewhere along the way, it had fallen out of my bag, thus DQ’ing me. I rode back along my route, but no luck.
After the race we rode to Polo to have the post race bbq.
good times.
Once I have teh video from the weekend uploaded, you will see it, I am sure.