(File photo)
This weekend marked the return of my sandals and my Sidis.
On Saturday, I rode the girls to Peninsula Park to partake in Kelly Peach’s four-day Ballyhoo fest. We chilled with friends (old and new) in the gazebo and were treated to a feast of fresh made donuts and pedal-powered strawberry smoothies (compliments of Kyrstin Westwind from Sprocket Smoothies).
Kelly Peach did a great job putting together the first-ever Ballyhoo. Next year she’ll be away in grad school, but I hope she’ll return in the summer to do it again (or maybe someone else will pick up the torch).
On Sunday morning I got out early for a ride around Sauvie Island. It was the longest, lycra-clad ride I’ve done for months and it felt great to get back in the saddle.
Later on Sunday, the family and I rode to Sabin Elementary School in Northeast Portland. What a bike-nirvana that area of town is! Every time I looked up there was someone careening by on a bike. Kids riding in the middle of the road, families, hipsters, you name it.
After that party, we rode over to Irving Park on NE Fremont to check out the Sprockettes practice. It was the perfect way to end the weekend.
So what did you do on a bike this weekend? Share your adventures below!
Got up early and put the boys in the trailer for a ride to the viddy store to return a very late Pooh installment.
Then grabbed a terrific breakfast at what is now NoPo’s least best kept secret waffle wagon. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you soon will.
_DA
Natalie and I went down to Clever Cycles and took turns riding each other around in a bakfiet. Tons of fun.
I rode the new and improved Pioneer Century. It was a truly excellent ride -one of the best centuries I have done in a while. Chris King’s lunch was quite grand, and the scenery on the 55-mile loop was spectacular. My full ride report can be found here:
http://www.formerlyfloyd.blogspot.com
Ice Cream in North? I took the kids out on the Tandem Train Friday night in search of Ice Cream. The original plan was to head down to the shop at River Place… however dinner took way too long and it was getting late. I thought there was a shop on Missippi, but did not find one.
Does anyone know of a good family/bike friendly ice cream shop with outside seating in North/Inner Northeast Portland?
My kids will thank you.
I pre-rode next week’s Oregon Randonneurs 600k with a couple of strong riders, Philippe Andre and Craig Sinanian. We rode from Newberg to Breitenbush Hotsprings (almost the summit of the Cascades) to Cape Kiwanda and back. That finishes up my second super randonneur series, and qualifies me for PBP. I better make my reservations!
Sabin is definately a little bike nirvana – especially the area surrounding the school. Part of the reason it feels so bike friendly is because the streets on either sides of the school (17th and 18th) are one way (for cars). I live up the hill from Sabin Elementary on 17th and I think I see almost as many people going down the hill on bikes as I do cars.
My family must have been zigging when you were zagging – We were at Sabin Elementary in the morning, then we rode to Irving Park to let the kids play in the water area. On the way back home we saw the birthday party (which of course my kids were instantly interested in..)
-Dan
“Part of the reason it feels so bike friendly is because the streets on either sides of the school (17th and 18th) are one way (for cars).”
Are not streets that are one way (for cars) also one way (for bikes)? I have not ridden those particular streets, but I haven’t seen any other streets in town that are one-way for cars but two-way for other vehicles.
Cecil,
NE 22nd between Sandy and Irving. It even has a light that is only actvated if a bike is going south crossing Sandy or a pedestrian hits the button.
Jay (Post #8)- Is that the whole street or just the entrance/access to the street at either side of the intersection (such as at SE 39th and Lincoln)? I guess I will have to ride over and check it out . .
McKenzie Pass, baby! Only a week and a half left folks, go get it!
Cecil#9- it is two full blocks well marked. I don’t know 39th and linclon … I’ll check it out tomorrow
Thanks Jay (#11) – I’ll ride over to Sandy and check it out – in any event it’s a good excuse for a bike ride (as if I need an excuse)
Cecil,
I kind of ‘mis wrote’. Basically, there are 1 way traffic control devices at the intersection of Mason & 17th & at the intersection of Failing & 18th the restrict traffic from going North or South (“Do Not Enter”- ‘except bikes’).
If you are approaching Sabin school from the North (heading south on 17th) in a car, you have to either turn left or right when you get to Mason.
If you are approaching Sabin school from the South (heading north on 18th) in a car and you get to Failing, you have to turn left or right.
This of course does not prevent 2 way traffic on those stretches of road, as the cars that live in that 2 block area can go one way or the other. It does however easy some traffic in the school area though.
Also, if you are approaching the school from either Alamada (the East) or Shavier (the west) you can only turn left which.
The map makes it a bit more clear I think…
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&q=4013+NE+18th+Ave,+Portland,+Multnomah,+Oregon+97212,+United+States&hl=en&cd=2&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=42.495706,60.644531&om=1&z=16
We loaded one kid into the bike trailer (attached to my bike) and the other on the trailabike (attached to the wife’s bike) and basically just tooled around town.
We hit a few bike shops to buy stuff, Niketown (to get the girls’ race packets for Sunday’s 5K), the pirate ships on the water, the East Burnside skate park and then dinner at Fifth Quadrant. Nice day of riding.
Scott (#4): Re: NE ice cream
I’ve got to shout out for Stacatto Gelato on 28th between Glisan and Belmont. They are both kid and bike friendly. In fact, they’ve recently started giving out special cards for bicycists: tenth gelato bought with your bike helmet on is free!
Scott (#4): Re: NE ice cream
Also: Mio Gelato on NE 15th & Brazee. Indoor & Outdoor seating.
Daniel (#13) – Thanks for the clarification – that is the same as in my neighborhood at SE 39th and Lincoln. I agree that it does help to ease the traffic quite a bit, at least on the blocks on either side of the intersection.
And for family friendly outdoor (homemade) ice cream in FAR north Portland go to Vancouver’s Ice Cream Renaissance.
http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/41278149
(And then stop off for a family movie matinee at the Kiggin’s theatre (http://www.kiggins.com) – children under three free or buy a coupon (15 movies for $20 or something similar – check for current prices).
It is just 12 bike minutes from the Expo MAX or 5 bike minutes from the terminus of the #6 MLK bus.
Or come along on the next ‘Couver Curious Bike Tour and Bridge Crossing ‘how to’ specially organized for North Portlanders/Kentoners visiting Vancouver (June 9 – this Saturday!)…Pedal Palooza!!!!
Thanks everyone for the Ice Cream Shop tips! I’ll be sure and know where to go next time!
Todd, I hope I can make it to a ‘Couver Curious event one of these times too. It is sad to say that I have yet to cross the Columbia by bicycle.
Saturday we rode a loop from our house in Tigard out Roy Rogers to 99W, then down 99W to Elwert (I think) and then up and down the rollers to Lebeau and Roy Rogers again, around Tualatin-Sherwood Rd and eventually, back home. About 25 miles, but Elwert was tough.
Sunday we rode from Willamette Park on Macadam downtown and then up Terwilliger (and up and up!) eventually landing at Tryon Creek park. Then back down, through the Waterfront Village, around to the Eastbank and Springwater, over the Sellwood and back to the park. About 28 miles, not as tough.
I\’m a hill slug, and it was nice to get some hill training in; we\’re doing the Vineride in August and probably the full century on the Portland Century, so I need to get my legs back for the hills.
On sat (6/2) I trail-a-biked my 5yo son down to Waterfront park for Rose Fest carnival fun. We (wife, kid, and I) then walked over to watch the Starlight Parade.
We biked home at about 10PM to our place in SW (Burlingame). My son loved riding at night (3 hours past his bedtime) from downtown to SW along the waterfront.
We are definitely planning more Sat night downtown velo adventures!
a note about my comment #11 this week they even changed the marking from a solid white line(standard bike lane striping) to a double yellow for the two blocks.
JayS (#11 & 22) – I just went out and checked that stretch of road last night on thw way home – NICE!
Thanks for letting me (us) know about it.