August 2008 Archives

Cycle Seen Summer Potluck

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Hello! Artists, cyclists, volunteers, please come to the Cycle Seen Summer Potluck taking place this Saturday, August 9th, 2008.

Where: Col. Sumners Park (SE 20th and Taylor St)
At the picnic tables on the South side

When: 12:30pm! (Yay lunch time)

What to bring: You! and your family/friends! AND food to share! (vegi/vegan encouraged)

We’ll have frisbees, guests are encouraged to bring hulahoops and a kickball!

Thank you to all of the artists, and volunteers that helped put this show together, let’s celebrate! We’ll provide beverages!

CycleSeen.org

Tomorrow on the KBOO Bike Show: Bike issues in the local media

Tomorrow morning at 9:00am, the KBOO Bike Show will take on the topic of how our local media handles bike stories.

This month, hosts Ayleen Crotty and Carl Larson have invited several members of the local media to discuss recent coverage of bike-related issues here in Portland.

In-studio guests will be myself, news editor of the Portland Mercury Amy Ruiz, and Oregonian staff writer Joseph Rose (Update: unfortunately Rose didn’t show due to another commitment).

“Custom frame building is both a science and an art. It is an ever-evolving process of geometry, wizardry and psychology… “
— from Rapha’s website

High-end cycling apparel company Rapha chose two Portland-based framebuilders to build bicycles for their “Rapha Continental” campaign.

The Rapha Continental — which is part team, part documentary, and part corporate marketing strategy — is their attempt to recover the “lost art of cycling and the glory of suffering” by chronicling epic road rides throughout the United States with photographs and blog entries.

To go along with their stylish and functional bike clothes, Rapha collaborated with eight of the most respected bike builders in the U.S.. Among them are Portland’s own Tony Pereira and Ira Ryan.

The 13th annual Providence Bridge Pedal will be held on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008. Join us for your annual opportunity to bike over Portland’s Willamette River bridges, including the top decks of the Fremont and Marquam bridges.

Earlier this year, Portland received platinum designation recognizing the city’s efforts to accommodate Portland cyclists. Portland is the only major city in the country to receive this highest rating by the League of American Bicyclists. Come join the celebration!

http://www.providence.org/bridgepedal/

Oregon framebuilders will exhibit at Bridge Pedal expo

Hardwood bicycles from Renovo will
be among the locally produced bikes
at the event.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Members of the Oregon Bicycle Constructors Association (OBCA) have been invited to display their work at the upcoming Bridge Pedal Health and Wellness Expo.

The event takes place the day before Bridge Pedal and according to OBCA member Ben Farver of Argonaut Cycles, nine framebuilders will participate. They include:

Argonaut Cycles – Ben Farver, Portland
Vertigo Cycles — Sean Chaney, Portland
Courage Bicycle Mfg. Co. — Aaron Hayes, Portland
Belladonna Cycles — Mark Simmons, Portland
Ti Cycles — Dave Levy, Portland
Renovo Hardwood Bicycles — Ken Wheeler, Portland
Hufnagel Cycles — Jordan Hufnagel, Portland
Keith Anderson Cycles — Keith Anderson, Grants Pass
Vendetta Cycles — Conor Buescher and Garrett Clark, Willamette Valley

A nearly carfree Last Thursday on Alberta-74.jpg

Cars won’t be allowed on Alberta Street
during future Last Thursday events.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The City of Portland has decided to work with neighborhood groups and a coalition of city agencies to close NE Alberta Street to car traffic for the monthly Last Thursday event.

The agreement was made at a meeting in City Hall last night that was attended by a myriad of stakeholder groups including, the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, Art on Alberta, TriMet, the Police Bureau, local neighborhood and business associations and others.

An extension of the Springwater
Corridor Trail is up for funding
consideration.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Oregon Department of Transportation is seeking comments on their list of projects eligible for funding through the federal Transportation Enhancements (TE) program.

The TE program provides federal highway funds for projects that, “strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, or environmental value of our transportation system.” The program is meant to fund “special or additional activities” not normally required on a highway or transportation project. So far, the state of Oregon has funded more than 150 projects for a total of $63 million.

A common sight this weekend.
Photo gallery
(Photos © J. Maus)

Over the weekend, my two daughters and my mom (she’s visiting from California) joined me on Cycle Oregon’s Weekend Ride.

The sold-out event was based at the beautiful and bike-friendly Fort Stevens State Park situated on the northern tip of Oregon’s Coast. The park is family biking nirvana (remember my report last time I went?) and is home to seven miles of dedicated bike paths that twist and turn through fern-dotted rain forests and along pine-filled dunes.

Myra Walker (if that is indeed her real name) is not shy about her dislike for some people who ride bikes in Portland.

She calls them the “bikenazi” and she’s devoted a blog, Bike Free Portland, to chronicling her effort to stopping them, “cold in their tracks”.

First, The Oregonian sensationalized an issue and created a dangerous, false dichotomy just to sell more papers (a fact they admitted to). Now, they’ve resorted to plain old disrespect.

When Senator Floyd Prozanski backed away from his idea to propose a mandatory, all-ages helmet law (in large part because of swift and copious stream of feedback left on this site), Oregonian reporter Michelle Cole responded with a story that opened with this line:

“Bicyclists who have their shorts in a bunch at the prospect of a state law forcing them to wear a helmet can settle down now.”

And no, that was not published on the Opinion page.

“One of the key themes of the campaign is looking for other road users and being aware.”
— BTA education coordinator Stephanie Noll

“We need to see Eye to Eye—a lot is riding on it.”

That’s the theme of a new, statewide safety campaign being organized by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA). Last week, the BTA and their partners agreed on a logo (see it below) that will play an important role in this fledgling road user safety awareness effort.

Screenshot of Economist.com.

Few media outlets in the world have the reputation and reach of The Economist. The magazine and website cover international news with an intelligence and depth that is increasingly hard to find.

That’s why when they mentioned Portland and Seattle’s recent headline-grabbing road rage incidents, several readers emailed me the link (thanks Chris and Rex).

In an article published on July 31st titled, Bumpy Roads: It’s not all free wheeling, The Economist framed the increase in biking in the U.S. as being marred by road rage incidents in Seattle, Portland, and disagreements between bike advocates and law enforcement officials in Colorado.

Cycle Seen Summer Potluck

Tomorrow on the KBOO Bike Show: Bike issues in the local media

Portland builders craft bikes for ‘Rapha Continental’

Bridge Pedal

Oregon framebuilders will exhibit at Bridge Pedal expo

It’s official: Last Thursday will be completely car-free

ODOT needs your comments on Transportation Enhancement projects

Familes rule at Cycle Oregon Weekend Ride

Anti-bike crusader goes beyond her ‘Bike Free’ blog

A new low for The Oregonian

First look at new ‘Eye to Eye ’ campaign logo

Portland, Seattle featured in The Economist

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From the Archives

Protestor blocks bus and bike lanes on Division with his car