Month: March 2010

Activists in new CRC video: “We’ve been rolled… It’s time to push back”

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A new video (watch it below) created by David Osborn from the Stop the CRC Coalition in collaboration with Coalition for Livable Future says that it’s time to “push back” on the Columbia River Crossing project.

The video tells their version of the recent history of the project. It features a July 2008 Portland City Council exchange between Oregon Department of Transporation (ODOT) Director Matt Garrett and Portland Mayor Sam Adams where Garrett promises that the DOTs would not move forward without consensus.

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On Test: An Urbana bike from Montreal

[Note: I’m going to try and start doing more product reviews. I’ll post quick “On Test” updates as I get interesting things to try out. Then, depending on your interest and the quality/relevance of the product itself, I’ll follow-up with a more thorough review. To keep this going, I’m looking for a product review intern. Get in touch if you’re interested.]

Urbana bike from Montreal-5

Urbana, a new bike (and company) from Montreal.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The Urbana, which debuted at the Interbike trade show last fall, is an interesting bike. With its design roots in downhill mountain biking, it aims to be a fun, versatile, one-size-fits-all urban commuter.

The bike’s creator, Jerome Roy of Balfa Bikes fame, puts it this way, “The Urbana was conceived the same way [as his full-suspension mtbs]; utilitarian and always ready for fun, it can go through potholes or jump over them!”

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Royal Blue Specialized Sirrus 2009

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Year: 2009
Brand: Specialized
Model: Sirrus
Color:Royal Blue
Size:XL
Serial: P8GI700587
Photo: http://www.jacksbikes.com/contents/media/specialized_sirrus_2009_blue.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97203
Stolen:2010-03-14
Stolen From: Stolen from the University of Portland, between the Pilot House and the Library on the night of March 14, 2010.
Neighborhood: North Portland, University of Portland
Owner: Trevor Jennings
OwnerEmail: jennings10@up.edu
Reward: $100
Description: Specialized Sirrus, Royal Blue, size XL, “planet bike” fenders on front and rear tires, “planet bike” back light, front light (don’t remember the brand), tire liners inside the tires, – here’s a link that shows the specs, mine is just the regular “sirrus” in “gloss blue” – http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=38462&menuItemId=0
Police record with: T10001469 (Temporary Report Number)
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

On N Williams, free bike help and advice

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Free bike help and advice on N. Williams-2

Just another sign of life on N. Williams Ave.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Bike-oriented development on N. Williams Avenue isn’t reserved for bricks and mortar businesses. Yesterday while biking home I met Dan Sloan, a man who is offering free bike repairs and advice to anyone that stops by. His business consists of a hand-painted sandwich board sign, a bike repair stand, and some tools.

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Bike to Blazers is set: Rally, ride, and more!

Mark your calendars and buy your tickets, because Bike to Blazers is going to be awesome this year. On April 14th, the bike and basketball worlds will collide, resulting in a fun community event that will (hopefully) become an annual Portland tradition.

Why bikes and Blazers? Why not? Both are a major force for good in our city and by tying them together, great things can happen. The Blazers want to be the “greenest” team in the NBA and a big part of their effort is to encourage more biking to games. From an advocacy perspective, putting bikes front and center at the Rose Garden, and tying biking more closely to the Blazers organization, is a great way to reach a lot of folks who don’t usually hear about how fun and useful bikes can be.

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One Portlander’s mid-life crisis cure; 2,900 miles on a mountain bike

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Portland resident Daniel Fleischer will
host a slideshow and video presentation
of his 2,900+ mile mountain bike ride at
The Mountain Shop tonight.
(Photos: Daniel Fleischer)

Portland realtor Daniel Fleischer turned the big 4-0 last May, “So, instead of buying a red Camaro,” he told me recently, “I thought I’d take a bike ride.” But not just any ride. Fleischer set out to conquer the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. And conquer it he did.

Over the course of 48 days, he rode 2,934 miles from Mexico to Canada with an estimated 200,000 feet in elevation gain. Tonight, Fleischer will share a video and slideshow presentation of his journey that will let you “live the trail through images and sounds.”

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Tyler Brady still missing: New surveillance video images released

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View images below

New still images taken from surveillance video nearly one month ago show 22-year old Tyler Brady — who has been missing since February 27th — riding his bike in Northeast Portland. As reported two weeks ago, Brady was last seen riding his bicycle in Southeast Portland.

Today, the Portland Police detectives have released five images taken from surveillance video. View them below (along with descriptions provided by the PPB):

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The Monday Roundup

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– Nationwide, traffic fatalities were at a record low last year, but are still 34,000 too many, according to Sec’y LaHood’s blog. Could a national Vision Zero campaign be in the works?

– In Los Angeles, zoning policies encourage building apartment complexes right next to freeways. But it turns out that this is terrible for residents’ health, particularly causing lung problems for the thousands of children who live a block from a freeway.

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LaHood statement marks “end of favoring motorized transportation”

“This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”
— US DOT Sec. Ray LaHood

US Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced a new set of pro-bicycling and walking policy recommendations meant to inform transportation planning at the state and community level.

He announced them on his blog this morning, after the “dust settled” on his enthusiastic speech at the National Bike Summit Thursday night. Why didn’t he announce them in front of 700-plus bike advocates? “The crowd’s enthusiasm was so contagious,” he wrote, “the idea of introducing a major policy revision in that setting quickly evaporated.”

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Brown/white Jamis Aurora 2007

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Year: 2007
Brand: Jamis
Model: Aurora
Color:Brown/white
Size:50 cm
Serial: U72U12072
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcropp/2560362914/in/set-72157605489808920/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2010-03-13
Stolen From: SE 9th and Washington.
Neighborhood: SE Portland
Owner: Jill Cropp
OwnerEmail: jillkcropp@gmail.com
Reward: $200
Description: Woman’s Jamis Aurora with front and rear racks. Two yellow water bottle holders mounted on frame. No stickers or other unique identifiers.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike