Report: Canadian Pride Street Hockey Ride (photos)

Reporter – Saul T. Scrapper
Ride Date – Monday, June 14, 2010
Photos – From PortlandPedalWorks on Flickr

Report
The first ever Canadian Pride Street Hockey ride was a smashing success!

We met at the Portland Pedalworks shop. While waiting for everyone to show up on Pedalpalooza time, we had a tour of the Portland Tricycles shop and some great fruit Paisanito Pops from Icicle Tricycles.

12 folks showed up to throw down the gloves and play some street hockey. Another guy showed up who couldn’t play today, but wanted everyone’s email so we could make hockey a regular thing. Only had half a Canadian present, but plenty of Poser Hosers, or Fakecadians (Oh, Acadia, the Brits will never let you rest.)

Some folks had played hockey as kids, some were kids! We had a dad and his youngins show up geared up to play. Most folks played on their feet, but some folks played with roller blades. We had two folks play with quads including a local rollergirl.

Once everyone finished their popsicles, we pedaled through Chinatown to 13th and Pettygrove, the “Canada Cage.” I was not sure how this spot was going to work and figured we would go check out other spots as part of the ride. After sweeping the loose gravel, 13th avenue was a great place for us to skate and play in the street. Only three cars drove through and we just looked at them real funny-like, wondering ‘ why are you driving in the middle of our hockey rink?!’

The kids jumped into the action, taking the first face off and making good passes. Dad scolded us older kids to not play easy on the tikes, but to “make them earn it!”

This was the first Pedalpalooza ride that i have hosted. I was amazed at how well it went and how much fun we had. Many naysayers have told me in times past that hockey is not bike fun, but we sure had a hoot! So much so, everyone agreed to make this a regular event. Many of us had missed playing hockey since moving to Portland and were excited to play. We will have another Canadian Pride Street Hockey ride on next Monday, the 21st at 6pm, meeting at 13th and NW Pettygrove. Hopefully, we will make this a weekly event for the rest of summer. If all goes well, we will have neighborhood hockey bike gangs roaming the streets of Portland, taking over tennis courts and smooth asphalt to battle out Brooklyn vs. St. Johns or Irvington vs. Westmoreland . . . imagine the possibillities. Rival hockey crews crossing the Burnside Bridge heading opposite directions with their sticks and bikes . . . throwing down, reclaiming the street with little wheel fun!

I have always wanted to include small wheels (skates and roller blades) into the bike fun community. We have another ride on Thursday at 7pm the 17th, (Roller) Skate Critical Mass, meeting at the Ankeny Fountain at the Saturday Market on the Waterfont. We will skateboard, roller skate, rollerblade, scooter, etc around the waterfront and town with the Rose City Rollergirls. Bring your skates and join us!

More photos of street hockey and our ride to the rink online here:

See you on your skates on Thursday,
Saul T. Scrapper