(Photos © J. Maus)
After its successful debut last year, the Winter Wonderland light display event at Portland International Raceway will once again feature a bike-only night this year.
Newly named, “Bike the Lights” happens this Monday (12/6) from 5:00 to 9:00 pm and will be hosted by Bike Gallery. Ticket sales from the event will benefit the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA). Last year, the event was held on one of the coldest nights of the year; but that didn’t stop lots of hardy souls from bundling up and biking out to it. Those that did were greeted with hot cocoa provided by Bike Gallery (they also provided their shop van as a warming hut) and candy canes and hot tea from Pedal Bike Tours.
Bike the Lights is the carfree version of the Winter Wonderland event that has been held since 1993. On Monday, the racetrack at PIR will be 100% carfree, which means you can roll peacefully past a bunch of fun and kitschy holiday light displays. Admission is $6 and $1 of that goes straight to the BTA. Bike Gallery will be selling souvenir “Bike the Lights” t-shirts, blinkie lights, and more, with 100% of the proceeds going to the BTA. They’ll also be doing free bike repairs.
If you unsure about how to get to PIR or if you want to arrive in style, join a group ride led by Bike Gallery that leaves from the northeast corner of Pioneer Square at 6:00 pm. Learn more on the BTA website.