Eugene gears up for ‘Kidical Mass’

Paul Adkins and family (notice the kids in the trailer!) in Eugene.
(Photo courtesy Paul Adkins)

The city of Eugene (about 100 miles south of Portland) has come up with a kinder, gentler, and younger spin on Critical Mass — “Kidical” Mass.

The idea came from bike advocate Shane Rhodes. Rhodes — who manages the Safe Routes to Schools program for a Eugene-area school district — says the idea came to him during an early morning brainstorm about an upcoming visit to his city by filmmaker Ted White.

“The bike movement has grown up, and now it has kids!”
–Shane Rhodes, Eugene bike advocate

White is creator of, Return of the Scorcher (1992), a documentary about bike culture that first coined the term “critical mass,” and, We Are Traffic (1999), a film that chronicles the often misunderstood and controversial ride.

With White (a father now himself) in town to give a talk as part of Eugene’s Earth Day celebration, Rhodes thought, “what better thing to do than a critical mass-style ride, but something more family friendly.” Rhodes says, “The bike movement has grown up, and now it has kids!”

Another Eugene resident excited about the event is Paul Adkins. Adkins works for Bike Friday and was recently named president of the local advocacy group, Eugene GEARS (Greater Eugene Area Riders, which merged last month with the Eugene Bicycle Coalition). Adkins has four kids and his family drives only once a week.

Illustration from the KidicalMass.org website.

Adkins is helping Rhodes plan Kidical Mass and says they won’t shy away from traffic just because kids will be riding. “It’s going to be on city streets…and we’re starting at 6pm on a Friday.” He hopes to get about 50 people on the first ride, which will wind through the University of Oregon campus, through downtown, and end at an ice cream shop.

Here in Portland, Kidical Mass has already inspired another family biking advocate.

Angela Koch, the Safe Routes to Schools program leader for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), met Rhodes and Adkins and heard about the idea at the recent Oregon Bike Summit.

Koch — who recently asked Portlanders to drive more carefully around her and her daughter — says she has already planned Portland’s first Kidical Mass. It will happen on June 20th, during Shift’s Pedalpalooza.

If you’re a family biking fan, check out my Family Biking coverage archives and stay tuned for the next installment of our new column, Carfree Families (by Marion Rice).

========

    Kidical Mass Eugene
    Friday, April 18th
    6:00pm
    Monroe Park (10th and Monroe)
    KidicalMass.org

    Kidical Mass Portland
    Friday, June 20th
    6:00pm
    North Park Blocks (NW 8th and Burnside)
    More details

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Bikebillboards dot blogspot dot com

Oh, yeah? Kidical Mass Tulsa can beat your Kidical Mass. 😛

Knobby Drifter
Knobby Drifter
15 years ago

That photo of Paul and family is absolutely priceless.

solid gold
solid gold
15 years ago

those scofflaw Critical Mass bikers are at it again! they should all be arrested because they don\’t make complete stops, and they make us serious spandex commuters look bad too! and now they\’re recruiting children for the anarchistic chaos! oh the humanity!!

this is satire, for the clueless out there.

BURR
BURR
15 years ago

I think Paul might be endangering his children, letting them horse around on a moving bike like that!

:-0

Russell
Russell
15 years ago

That picture of the Adkins family reminds me of the evolution hierarchy image (ape to man). Someone, with more artistic talent than me (stick figures anyone?), could make a great \”evolution of the cyclist\” image using his family as a template.

Joe
Joe
15 years ago

hehe. sweet

itsdirty!
itsdirty!
15 years ago

this is great. for a smaller time vision of this see the rides going on in SE on the second saturday of each month. they will be good rides for those taking steps to riding with children on public roads….please come and lets meet up while riding!

Biking too
Biking too
15 years ago

that is truly a beautiful picture but please be careful…

Scott Mizée
15 years ago

Sounds like fun! Hope we can make it to the Pedalpalooza Kiddical Mass ride.

Thom
Thom
15 years ago

Best. Picture. Ever.

Scott Mizée
15 years ago

Kidical Mass Portland? what\’s this I hear?

The Saddkebutt
14 years ago

Angela

I feel for you becuase people have tried to bully me on road. Anyone that would road bully someone with a tottler in tow is lower than snake s**t.