Year: 2011

Read the ride recap and see more photos below the jump…

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Reporter Name – Lisa G.
How many people showed up? – 9

Brief Recap:
The Southeast Unimproved Road Ride rolled at a much more social pace this year. Nine of us traversed the Woodstock byways which boast the widest variety of unimproved roads in Portland. There were plenty of dips and bumps to satisfy the thrill seekers with enough pastoral views to make you forget you were in a city: we snaked through a grassy path beneath a Weeping Willow, trod over pine-needled duff, bombed the mud-packed hill on Henry Street and meandered around car-free Carleton’s diminished lake. The goats were not out but we did see plenty of chickens!

(Photo: Scott Batchelar)
– More photos here–

Reporter Name – Scott Batchelar
How many people showed up? – 35

Brief Recap:
The Water Wonderment Wride started at Waterfront Bikes with oodles of Kids and their Parents winding around Downtown Portland visiting some well known and some lesser known fountains.

Waterfront Bikes provided free rentals to anyone who needed them plus everyone who needed Bells for their bikes got one.

At the Lee Kelly Fountain the kids got their 1st taste of water fun then we headed up Broadway and stopped by the Elk Fountain and made a quick stop at the Ira Keller before heading up to the Dreamer Fountain where an impromptu ride around happened then we stopped at Lovejoy fountain where the kids had fun playing and breaking a Pinata.

After that we visited the new Teachers Fountain at Director Park before heading down to Jamison Square where Cool Moon Ice Cream gave 1$ off on a micro or regular scoop, afterward the people who rented bikes headed back to Waterfront Bikes with huge smiles because of the great time that was had by all.

Photos from Lovejoy Fountain here.

Ride Reporter: Joe R
How many people showed up? 8

Recap:
There was much rejoicing. We started with a great tour and video at freegeek. We rode to city bikes and talked about cooperative workplaces. We then had a great meal at the red and black cafe. Known as the “bring out your dead laptop ride” We were able to save one windows 7 laptop by installing Linux, which reported a bad hard drive. The owner will buy a new internal hard drive and have a working laptop. Our youngest member won the raffle, a great refurbished and tiny IBM thinkpad with Ubuntu Linux.

More photos here.

— This is part of our ongoing coverage of the the 2011 Pedalpalooza, which runs through June 26th. View the full calendar at ShiftoBikes.org.

Reporter Name – Steve Pilson

How many people showed up? – 16

Brief Recap:
We met up at Peninsula Park, and then went for a leisurely paced 2.5 mile ride to the Vanport Wetlands, where we saw Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, tons of Swallows, Killdeers, a family of Pied-billed Grebes, ubiquitous Mallards, and a few Ruddy Ducks. Then we went on towards Smith and Bybee Lakes which is significantly flooded from the high flows of the Columbia River backing into the Willamette. On the way, we saw an unknown owl, a Great Blue Heron, an osprey, a Yellow Warbler, and a Bullock’s Oriole. Didn’t see as many birds there at Smith and Bybee, but did hear quite a lot, including the distinctive rising swirl of a Swainson’s Thrush.

Several people had to peel off at this point, and we finished up on a portion of the Columbia Slough trail where a Black-headed Grosbeak serenaded us with his slurred and fast song. Three of us made the ride’s final destination of tacos in St. Johns, and then we rode over to Mississippi St for the Cirque du Cycling via Willamette Blvd.

Good turnout for early on a Sunday morning during PP and great weather for birding. Many participants learned a lot more about birds and the natural areas they can visit in North Portland.

— This is part of our ongoing coverage of the the 2011 Pedalpalooza, which runs through June 26th. View the full calendar at ShiftoBikes.org.

Reporter – Jim Eastman
How many people showed up? – 12

Brief Recap:
Bikes with trailers! Yay! Many wonderful and helpful cyclists arrived at my old house on a cloudy Saturday morning. Donuts and coffee were had to fuel us up, and about an hour was spent loading up everyone’s trailer with stuff. Then a leisure roll, without much incident (a few moments of almost losing stuff, of course, and an interesting downhill to warm up everyone’s brakes). About halfway through the ride, the sun broke and it ended up being a very lovely afternoon. We arrive at my new house and the unloading goes quickly and smoothly, followed by some celebratory pizza, beer and lounging in the sun! Good times!

— This is part of our ongoing coverage of the the 2011 Pedalpalooza, which runs through June 26th. View the full calendar at ShiftoBikes.org.

Part of our ongoing coverage of Pedalplaooza 2011.

Ride Reporter – Tamara Rubin:

Thanks to everyone who came! Fun was had by all, lots of good conversation (until almost 12:30! so much for the 10:30 posted end time…) and neat trailer information shared.

Part of our ongoing coverage of Pedalplaooza 2011.

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