September 2008 Archives

Oregon’s bike/ped coordinator responds to fourth-place ranking

“If I had $1000 dollars for every community that’s contacted me about their bike trails plan, I could fund an entire system.”
— Sheila Lyons of ODOT

Sheila Lyons, the bicycle and pedestrian program manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has responded to the League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle Friendly State rankings that put Oregon in fourth-place.

Lyons, who has held that position since January of 2007 when she took over for Michael Ronkin, was the official contact person with the League and was responsible for filling out the 57-part questionnaire that the League used as a basis for their rankings.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Russell St. BBQ is celebrating its 5th anniversary by throwing a party for the Community Cycling Center!

BBQ, bike fun, music and more for a good cause

Plates of the renowned Russell St. BBQ with all the fixins plus sweet tea or lemonade for only $5! Music by Alan Singley and Pants Machine and Julia Dawn! Bicycle photo booth!

Bring a picnic blanket and friends and settle in for an afternoon of bicycle fun in the park.

What: BBQ, music, and dancing to kick off our 2008 Holiday Bike Drive fundraising and preparation
When: Saturday, Sept. 20, from 12-4pm
Where: Wilshire Park (NE 33rd and Skidmore)

We will have information available about the 2008 Holiday Bike Drive, an annual event that provides bicycles and safety gear to children from low-income families.

Please bring your own eating utensils (cup, plate, and silverware) if you are able to help us keep plastic and paper waste to a minimum.

Slideshow: Iron Ranch Vintage Bike Swap

BikePortland.org photo correspondent Bob Crispin drove up to Iron Ranch (north of Vancouver, WA) over the weekend for the 10th annual Old Bicycle Swap Meet.

The event is held on a large ranch whose owner is a collector of all kinds of old cars, farm equipment, railroad stuff, and “who knows what all” says Bob.

“It is a grand event to look at old stuff, people watch, and maybe get drawn into buying some old ride to refurbish.”

Flip through the slideshow below to see what caught Bob’s eyes:

I took my 5 1/2 year-old daughter to school this morning and was overjoyed to see the bike racks over flowing…

Not enough space for all the bikes at Trillium Charter School in North Portland.
(Photos © J. Maus)

(Photos: Good Sport Promotion)

It’s no secret that Portlanders love dogs and bikes. So, it might come as no surprise that Sunday’s inaugural Tour de Lab bike ride was a huge success.

Ayleen Crotty with Good Sport Promotion (the company that put on the ride) says 1,200 people came out to enjoy a day of biking around Portland and to support Dove Lewis (along with 120 volunteers). The ride was a benefit for the non-profit, 24-hour emergency animal hospital and the pet theme wasn’t lost on ride organizers.

It’s been way too long since I chimed in on the one remaining race for a Portland City Council seat. I hope to offer more coverage of both remaining candidates (Charles Lewis and Amanda Fritz) soon, but in the meantime, here’s a news release fresh from the Fritz camp:

“Mayor Elect Sam Adams Endorses Amanda Fritz

Amanda is passionate about doing good things for our city— and has a history of doing so. I want good people on the city council. She is my choice,” said Mayor Elect Sam Adams today as he endorsed Amanda Fritz for the Portland City Council.

Read more

Ride Away From Work

It’s Bike Commute Challenge month. You’ve ridden to work. It’s 6:00 p.m. Now what?

Ride Away From Work! That’s what.

Ride home during the Bike Commute Challenge with other Challenge-takers. Meet at Park Blocks; groups will leave for each quadrant (N, NE, SE, SW). Helmets required.

Tuesday, September 9, 6 – 8 pm

Meet at Park Block, SW Park between Salmon & Main

Contact Timo Forsberg with questions

503-823-7699

Oberstar looks to history, future, during conference keynote

Congressman Oberstar at Pro Walk-Pro Bike-1-2.jpg

Rep. Jim Oberstar addressing the
Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference
in Seattle.
(Photos © J. Maus)

In the closing address of the 2008 Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference in Seattle on Friday, bicycling’s Grand Man in Congress, Jim Oberstar, shared a history of America’s bike movement, and inspired the assembled crowd with his trademark energy and bravado.

For nearly two decades, Oberstar (D-Minnesota) has been one of bicycling’s most effective champions. He was present at the inception of the modern bike movement in the late 1980s when he began to lay the groundwork for ISETEA (the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act) in 1991. Prior to that transportation bill re-authorization, Oberstar is credited with laying the groundwork of the bike movement’s presence on the national political stage.

Poster Sessions at Pro Walk-Pro Bike-13.jpg

PDOT’s Timo Forsberg (L) and
Jeff Smith (R) at last weekend’s Pro
Walk/Pro Bike conference in Seattle.
(Photos © J. Maus)

I’ve still got a few notes and stories I’d like to share from my trip to the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference in Seattle over the weekend.

On the last day of the conference, I asked a few members of the Portland delegation to share their most memorable new insights from the conference. Here are their responses:

Lynn Mutrie is the statewide youth education and outreach manager for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA):

I received the information below from Ellen Rogalin with the Clackamas County Department of Transportation & Development:

The first new Clackamas County bike map, Bike It!, to be produced in 14 years will be released at two special events in September:

· Kaiser Sunnyside Transportation Options Fair: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Thursday, September 4, at the Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, 10180 SE Sunnyside Rd., Clackamas. (Bike map to be released during a noon ceremony with officials from Kaiser, Clackamas County and TriMet.)

· Clackamas LIVE!: A Taste of Food, Entertainment, Sports , Art & Spirits: 11 a.m. –
10 p.m., Saturday, September 13, North Clackamas Park, 5440 SE Kellogg Creek Dr., off Highway 224 in Milwaukie

The 2008 Clackamas County Bike It! map is a full-color, full-size, waterproof map showing the entire county on one side and the urban area of the county on the other side. The map provides a wide variety of information to help bicyclists determine the best routes for them, whether riding for work or recreation. Map features include:

Read more

Bike “concierge” offers pick-up, drop-off service

Allan Folz is focused on his
new Portland Sag Wagon business.

In the realm of bike touring, you’ve got fully-supported options (like Cycle Oregon) on one end, and on the other, you’ve got the D.I.Y. option (load up those panniers, grab a map and hit the road).

But what if you fall somewhere in the middle?

North Portland resident Allan Folz thinks a lot of people do; so he’s combined his love of bike touring, thrown in a bit of entrepreneurial gusto, and launched Portland Sag Wagon.

Brett Jarolimek Benefit Fund event-9.jpg

Chris King’s marketing director Chris
Distefano (L) and Jay Sycip at an event
in Portland back in May.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Portland’s reputation as a hotbed for custom bike building has just taken another major leap forward with news breaking over the weekend that Chris King Precision Components has hired SyCip Designs co-founder and renowned framebuilder Jay Sycip (pronounced “see-sip”).

Sycip will work as a product manager for the company, but he’s also being hired to help Mr. Chris King revive Cielo Cycles, a framebuilding brand he created three decades ago.

The hire is a coup for Chris King and for Portland.

Oregon’s bike/ped coordinator responds to fourth-place ranking

BBQ Benefit for Community Cycling Center

Slideshow: Iron Ranch Vintage Bike Swap

Bike racks bustle on first day of school

1,200 ride in support of animal hospital

Sam Adams endorses Amanda Fritz for City Council

Ride Away From Work

Oberstar looks to history, future, during conference keynote

What did you learn from Pro Walk/Pro Bike?

New Clackamas County bike map released

Bike “concierge” offers pick-up, drop-off service

Chris King hires Jay Sycip, looks toward Cielo Cycles rebirth

Latest Headlines

Another freeway expansion megaproject leader has jumped ship

Bike Happy Hour is back at Migration on N Williams Ave this week!

Video: Rainstorm ride and rain gear review

In emotional speech, Earl Blumenauer urges city planners to go it alone

From the Archives

Protestor blocks bus and bike lanes on Division with his car