March 2007 Archives

Stay dry on the cheap

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

[The Monkey King’s
“Bike Cape” poncho
will set you back $10.]

Two local cyclists have come up with inexpensive ways to stay dry while you ride.

Larry Williams opened up The Monkey King (3534 SE Hawthorne) a few years ago by importing furniture and fine arts from China. Now the store sells all sorts of eclectic and funky furnishings.

On a recent trip in China, Williams noticed that when it rained, all the cyclists put on ponchos. That was his lightbulb moment,

“It struck me right then that ponchos would be perfect for the Pacific Northwest.”

The following local jobs were posted in the last week.

The Washington DC-based Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) plans to launch a national campaign that would seek $2 billion for 40 communities to fund non-motorized transportation projects in the next federal transportation bill, which is up for re-authorization in 2010.

Calling it their 2010 Campaign for Active Transportation, the national advocacy group is in the early stages of identifying communities that could make a compelling case to Congress for a $50 million share of this money.

The local media has been busy covering bike-related stories in the past week. This morning’s Oregonian had three stories that should be familiar to BikePortland readers.

Here are those stories, along with a few others you might have missed.

[This is the final installment in a series of four interviews with local bike builders who are exhibiting at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show next weekend (March 2-4) in San Jose, California. Read previous interviews with Ira Ryan, Tony Pereira, and Joseph Ahearne.]
– – – – – –

[Sacha White (L) shows some
love to fellow builder Ira Ryan.]

In the last few years, Sacha White, the man behind southeast Portland-based Vanilla Bicycles, has earned a place in the pantheon of the world’s best custom bike builders, past or present.

He has an impeccable eye for design, a passion for high-performance and a deep respect for the craftsman ethic of the great builders before him.

Before he turned his eye to bikes, Sacha applied himself to restoring Vespas; hand-shaping fenders, buffing chrome, and choosing parts and colors that achieved the same magical mix of beauty and function that his bikes are so well known for today.

Yesterday I dropped into Black Sheep Bakery on SE 8th and Main to get a sandwich and some coffee.

I hoped to finally meet the owner, Amanda Felt, whom I’ve come to know via email after I posted a story about her bike-thru window about a month ago.

Stay dry on the cheap

Jobs of the week: 3/2/07

Portland could vie for share of $2B in potential funding

Local media busy with bike news

Vanilla to unveil new 'cross bike, poster at builder's show

A tragic realization

Latest Headlines

Last night’s winner? Single transferable vote

Keith Wilson on road to victory, and I’ll see you at Bike Happy Hour tonight

City swaps signals for stop signs to slow speeders on NE Prescott

City bans e-scooter riding downtown core due to protest concerns

From the Archives

Truck driver does ‘rolling coal’ on riders, and one of them is a bike cop