(Photos: Jim Parsons)
The Worst Day of the Year Ride shoves off for the 10th year in a row this Sunday and organizers expect a record turnout of 4,000 participants. We caught up with Ayleen Crotty from Good Sport Promotion to share more about the event.
Crotty says the ride started as a way to challenge people to ride through winter. The ironic thing is that the weather has historically been far from the “worst” over the years. Also, given Portland’s huge growth in bike ridership in the past decade, Crotty says riding in winter, “Isn’t so much of a farfetched concept these days, but it’s equally fun!”
“If it’s part of my job description to wear a penguin costume in front of 4,000 bikers I’d be a fool not to love my job.”
— Ayleen Crotty, Good Sport Promotions
The fun factor is likely what has led this ride from its humble beginnings of 250 participants to the 3,500 that took part last year. Far more than just a ride, the Worst Day of the Year Ride has become a Portland institution, and a major fundraiser for the Community Cycling Center.
“When this ride started,” recalls Crotty, “the Community Cycling Center was a smaller organization with big dreams. Now, 10 years later they’ve been able to realize many of those dreams and they continue to progress as a strong organization. It has been exciting to watch both the ride and the organization grow over all these years.”
Crotty has been to all 10 Worst Day rides and this year she’ll be sporting the official penguin mascot costume on stage at the starting line. “I’m not so sure what I think of that, except to say that if it’s part of my job description to wear a penguin costume in front of 4,000 bikers I’d be a fool not to love my job.”
At least Crotty won’t be alone — this ride attracts all sorts of interesting and creatively costumed riders.
Online registration is closed, but you can still show up to Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne Sunday morning to take part. Learn more at WorstDayRide.com.
Thanks for reading.
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Thanks for chatting and for the write-up, Jonathan! We really are excited for the ride.
* You can register tomorrow at Pre-Ride Check In at the Lucky Lab (915 SE Hawthorne) from 2-5pm.
* You can register at the event on Sunday morning.
Come in costume. We have great prizes for the best (or most outrageously) dressed.
Just noticed something that you should look out for if you’re on the 45 mile route.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/5437024669
Just west of SW Pointer Road (mile 10.6 on the route), there’s the Hwy 26 MUP. If you are riding two or three abreast be careful as the MUP narrows suddenly, and has a slight turn. The rider near the wall could catch a pedal on the cement base of one of the three lamp posts that jut into the path.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/5437632798
I’ve alerted Good Sport about the area, but I’d like to see a permanent solution put in place by ODOT.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/sets/72157625902684397/
Be Safe… Have Fun!
I’ll add that I went out there and superglued a couple of reflectors to the first two bases.
I couldn’t find anything on the whole site that told what time the meetup at Lucky Lab starts Sunday morning.
Try “About the Ride” and then “Schedule”. There are various times listed.
http://www.worstdayride.com/details.html#schedule
February 12, 2-5pm – Pre-Ride Check In at the Lucky Lab SE
DAY OF THE RIDE
We release riders in waves, meaning a few riders at a time, to help you stay spread out on course.
8:00am Registration, breakfast and check in opens for Challenge Route
9:00am 45-Mile Challenge Route course opens
9:00am Registration, breakfast and check in opens for Urban Route
9:00am Costume Contest judging begins
10:00am 45-Mile Challenge Route start line closes
10:00am Urban Course opens
10:15am Costume Contest ends
11:00am Urban Route start line closes
11:45am Rest Stop #1 Closes (REI PDX)
12:00pm Rest Stop #2 Closes (REI Hillsboro)
Challenge riders only
12:30pm Laughing Planet Lunch opens
2:00pm Rest Stop #3 Closes (Community Cycling Center)
2:30pm Rest Stop #4 Closes (Bike Gallery Sandy)
3:00pm Course Closes
4:00pm Finish Line Closes
Hart Noecker,
It’s in a pull-down menu
http://www.worstdayride.com/details.html#schedule
Hope to see you there!
Thanks for helping me use cyberspace, everybody.
I kinda find it funny how your comment was replied to by three people within a minute of each other, but had to wait just over an hour before the first of us did.
This will be the first one I miss in a long time. Have fun everyone, it is a fantastic day of bikes, cool people, great food… too much too list.
Uploading the Pics now…
Here’s the link to the set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/sets/72157626045187862