Month: March 2011

Event: Tweed Ride – Virtue (3/5/11)

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Event Name: Tweed Ride – A very virtuous ride, indeed (see also ‘Vice’ April 2, 2011)
Event Date: Saturday March 5th, 11:00am
Event start location: Union Station, Old Town
Event Description: from the excellent event promo poster:
“We shall fashionably spin at leisure through our Rose City, noting the several sides of culture. Therefore, bring out your coats and caps, your leather gloves and monacles, and bring your baskets full of food as we pedal together without labor, strain or hurry in what is sure to be one another’s beautiful company.”

City announces dates, locations of 2011 Sunday Parkways

Sunday Parkways NW-27

Sunday Parkways in Northwest
Portland last year.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has just announced dates and locations for their five Sunday Parkways events. PBOT has also announced that the routes will be longer in length this year.

Sunday Parkways will begin this May with an opening event in East Portland. See the dates and locations below:

  • May 22 – East Portland
  • June 26 – North Portland
  • July 24 – Northwest/Downtown Portland
  • August 28 – Southeast Portland
  • September 25 – Northeast Portland

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Women’s bike biz group, The Portland Society, announces grant program

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The Portland Society, a local non-profit that seeks to strengthen and support women-owned bike businesses, has announced a new grant program.

Here’s the info from the call for applicants:

What: Women seeking to develop their leadership and professional skills for use in promoting active transportation and livable streets are encouraged to apply to the Portland Society Fund. Grants of up to $500 are available. All women are encouraged to apply, particularly students and women identifying as minorities.

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red Bridgestone BB-1

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Brand: Bridgestone
Model: BB-1
Color:red
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2011-02-27
Stolen From: Outside the apartment building I just moved from. NE 6th and Shaver.
Neighborhood: NE Portland near Mississippi/Alberta
Owner: Ellen G
OwnerEmail: ellielbc@yahoo.com
Description: Bridgestone BB-1, red, drop handlebars with bar-end shift levers. Don’t know the exact frame size, but it’s on the small side (I’m about 5’4).
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Have you joined Metro’s “Opt In” opinion panel yet?

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In case you haven’t heard, Metro has launched a new way to gauge public opinion. It’s called Opt In and they liken it to an “online opinion panel.” Once enough people have signed up, they’ll use the citizen panel to gauge feedback on important issues facing the region: things like how to set transportation investment priorities.

Since its launch in January, about 2,000 people have signed up. Metro is making a big push to reach 10,000 by the end of this year because that’s the number they need for the responses to be statistically significant.

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Bike parking gets even better on North Mississippi and Williams

Covered bike parking on N Mississippi-2

All cozy and dry… I think I’ll stop for a meal.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Portland’s bike parking offerings continue to improve in both quality and quantity. Recently I’ve noticed two developments in North Portland worth your attention: a new on-street bike corral on N. Williams Avenue and a nice covering of a corral on N. Mississippi.

This new on-street corral on Williams is located just south of N. Fargo out in front of Waypost Cafe, a community gathering spot that has been in need of more bike parking for a long time. (Just a block north of this corral is another one situated on a curb extension). This is the fifth on-street bike corral on Williams — more than any other street in Portland (I stand corrected. Alberta has seven!).

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54″ Novara Randonnee 2003

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Year: 2003
Brand: Novara
Model: Randonnee
Color:54″
Size:Dark Green
Stolen in Portland, OR 97215
Stolen:2011-03-2
Stolen From: Stolen from my front porch. Thief opened the porch gate and took the bike sometime in the night.
Neighborhood: Sunnyside
Owner: Chris Rivard
OwnerEmail: clearwired@gmail.com
Reward: negotiable.
Description: Green Novara Randonee, Mavic Open Pro Wheels, Sora cranks, shimano canti brakes, Sora STI, Triple
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Salem Watch: Eugene Senator will amend bike trailer bill

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Sen. Floyd Prozanski.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) says he will amend SB 846, a bill he introduced last month that would have required all new bicycle trailers sold in Oregon to meet a minimum set of safety standards.

In an email to Eugene-area bike advocates, Prozanksi wrote:

“I just learned from ODOT the cost for implementing SB 846. Due to our budget shortfall, I will be amending the bill to just require retailers (including on-line sales) to place a sticker on passenger trailers stating whether or not the trailer meets or surpasses the ATSM standards.”

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To improve bus safety, TriMet begins testing turn warning system

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Portland City Tour ride -16

External speakers will warn people
that bus is turning.
(Photo © J. Maus)

TriMet has begun testing an audible warning system that will notify people when a bus is turning. Here’s how TriMet explains it in a statement released last night:

“Ten buses have been equipped with the external audible warning system. When the operator turns the steering wheel to enter a turn, an external announcement is triggered, announcing “Pedestrians, bus is turning.” The announcement will be made in both English and Spanish.”

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Why I love Portland’s new Public Art iPhone App

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In his ongoing commitment to technology and the arts, Portland Mayor Sam Adams announced a new iPhone app today. The app, Public Art PDX, was developed in a collaboration between Adams’ office, the City of Portland, the Regional Arts and Culture Council and local app developer Matt Blair.

Why do I love this app and why am I mentioning it on BikePortland?

Simple. This app makes it easy to explore our city’s many interesting and fun works of public art, and what better way to do that than on a bicycle or on foot?! I can already imagine people leading group rides and walks using this app as their guide.

Oh, and after you download the app, be sure to check the listing for my favorite piece of public art in the city — The People’s Bike Library of Portland (a.k.a. the Zoobomb Pyle sculpture) on the corner of W. Burnside and 13th.

You can download the app in the iTunes store. Have fun!

Event: Vancouver Bike Club gear swap (3/9/11)

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Event Name: Vancouver Bike Club – bike gear & apparel swap
Event Start Date: 9 March 2011
Start Time: 7:00:00 PM
Web Site: http://vbc-usa.com/site/cal-rides.php?id=804
Event Description: Bring stuff to trade or sell! Or just bring your checkbook or cash to buy stuff. STUFF! Bike anything, including apparel.

In Vancouver at Bortolami’s Aero Room – building behind Pizzeria,

9901 NE 7th Ave, 2nd floor, Vancouver, WA.

Free snacks.

Contact Email: bicyclekitty(at)gmail(dot)com

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From the Archives

Opinion: If we’re serious about cycling, let’s get serious about cycling infrastructure