(Photos © J. Maus)
It takes a lot more than a bit of rare snow, ice and Arctic temps to keep some Portlanders off their bikes.
When the fluffy white stuff first started falling on Sunday, I got out of the house with my camera and notebook to see who (if anyone) was out riding.
Just as I rolled out of my driveway, I looked up and noticed a determined looking guy on a loaded-up Xtracycle pedaling by. It was a bit tricky catching up to him, but once I did I met a smiling Eric Nixon. To my surprise, Eric had two full, 5 gallon water jugs (those are about 45 pounds each), and a few groceries in his bike bags.
I asked Eric if he went out just for fun or because he had to and he said, “a bit of both…I was out of water.” He also added that it was especially nice out because the roads were so quiet.
From the Piedmont Neighborhood, I pedaled (carefully) over to the New Seasons Market on N. Interstate. In one of the many bike racks, I noticed a couple packing up their trailer with groceries.
All loaded up…
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and ready to go.
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Sarah and Trevor Lavoie don’t own a car, and they considered walking, “But we thought it’d be faster to bike,” said Sarah. When I asked about the weather (as snowflakes fell from the sky), Trevor told me he’s from New York and that, “this weather is pathetic” in comparison.
With groceries in tow, and all bundled up, Sarah and Trevor rode off with smiles.
I caught up with St. Johns resident Erik Haunold as he was leaving the market. A serious bike racer, Erik said he was hoping to get a three-hour training ride in. He missed a ride up in Forest Park with some friends (this one perhaps?) and said he wouldn’t mind if a few more inches fell.
Echoing the sentiment of many competitive racers this time of year, he said, “It’s a lot better than staying inside on a trainer.”
On that note I present to you the most recent adventures of Ms. Heidi Swift. Heidi is another racer (as well as an Oregonian columnist among other things) who didn’t let the snow deter her training schedule. With a helmet-cam (compliments of Wend Magazine), she and a riding partner went on a mountain bike ride through the snowy streets of Portland, topped it off with some very fun riding on Mt. Tabor, and set to holiday carols.
Here’s the video:
— See all our photos of Portlanders biking in the snow in the BikePortland Photo Gallery.