Pedalpalooza — a 17-day explosion of bike rides and events that sets Portland’s cycling scene apart from all others — kicks off with a roaring start today (actually, there’s a morning ride on the Columbia Slough going on right now).
Dance Party Ride last year.
(File photo)
Over the next two-plus weeks, Portland (and Vancouver) streets will be overrun with 132 different bike events and rides. The fun starts tonight with the Kickoff Parade. If you’ve ever wondered what Portland’s bike scene looks like, this would be the place to see it. You’ll see all the different cycling species bound together by the love of bike fun. Meet at the Jamison Fountain (NW 10th & Johnson) at 6:15 to decorate your steed and the ride begins at 7:00.
Nudity, jousting, family trailer rides, Vancouver explorations, dive bars, cops on bikes, gelato, donuts, dykes on bikes…whew. As if that wasn’t enough, the whole thing ends with the Multnomah County Bike Fair!
There are way too many great rides to list (see them all here). To take full advantage of this bike fun opportunity, you need to get organized (and not sleep).
“If you were biking, you’d be naked by now.”
(File photo) |
From last year’s Kickoff Parade.
(File photo) |
Plan your assault by browsing the master calendar online, or grab a copy of it in this week’s Portland Mercury (or at one of these locations).
This is my third year doing ride reports and taking photos of Pedalpalooza. This year I’ve set up a special Pedalpalooza page that has links to all my archived posts and pictures from years past.
Stay tuned to BikePortland for all the wild, wheeled action. My Pedalpalooza 2007 page will list ride reports and links to photos. It also has a custom sidebar with handy links and a list of each day’s rides (currently only through Friday, but more coming).
And I almost forgot to mention Dan Kaufman’s Pedapalooza promo video. Check it out on CrankMyChain Bicycle TV.
There are lots of Pedalpalooza veterans (the event started in 2002) who read this site, so if you have a question feel free to leave a comment.
See you out on the streets!
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.
3 words:
Night of the Living Donut.
That morning ride was quite nice.
We saw a young eagle, cliff swallows, herons and a bunch of other fine birds.
Great way to start off the pedalpalooza…thanks!
maybe someone will organize a ride to collect all the old copies of mercury to pull out the calendar. they become hot commodities by the last week.
Last year, there was a bike ride to a few brew pups around the N.E. It included meeting at Amnesia, Mash Tun, Alameda and finally to 5th Quadrant.Does anyone know why it\’s not happening this year? Or if it is, and I just missed it on the calendar?
It was such an honor to help co-lead the first official ride of Pedalpalooza. I LOVE Pedalpalooza!
Thanks to the hardy cyclists that ignored the threat of rain and arose early to cycle and bird watch and enjoy a beautiful morning.
We had a great group for the ride, even a guy that pedaled all the way from Tigard to join us for a bit before going to work in Beaverton – way to go Tim!
The juvenile eagle and the cedar waxwings were the highlight of my ride. Although it is fun to watch the swallow from atop the bridge that crosses the Columbia Slough (on the bike path just north of the waste treatment plant).
If this ride is a harbinger of the Pedalpalooza rides to come – we\’re all in for a treat.
I can\’t wait for the parade tonight!