Checking in on Pedalpalooza (it’s coming!)

This guy is ready. Are you?
(From 2011 Pedalpalooza Splash Dance ride)
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

That small, buzzing sound you hear while biking around Portland these days is thousands of Pedalpalooza lovers getting ready for the biggest bike celebration of the year.

That’s right. Pedalpalooza — that 24-day bike fun feast organized by the great folks at Shift since 2002 — starts on June 7th. If you haven’t already sneaked a peek at the official ride calendar, you should. There are already over 200 rides planned, with over 10 rides on each weekend day alone.

2012 poster by Ben Guernsey)

Also, if you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own ride and getting it on the printed calendar that appears in the Portland Mercury (bless them), you’ve got until midnight tonight to get it up there. (Here’s a link to the submission form.) That’s what makes Pedalpalooza so great. It’s just a bunch of creative and fun people who come together to dream up fun bike rides and share them with whoever happens to show up.

For example, this year I see: a “Doctor Who Ride” that promises a, “ride around the Space-Time Vortex of Portland with other Timelords and ladies… to a few geeky/British places of interest (Yes, The Tardis Bar will be on the route),” and a “Pregnant Pedal” that will bring, “fellow knocked-up cyclists” together for a slow ride that will end at an ice cream shop. Oh and “Non-pregnant people are welcome to stick a pillow under the shirt and come along, too,” says the ride’s leader (who’s also looking for a backup organizers in case she pops early — she’s due the following week).

In addition to scores of fun and quirky rides that will have you eating, dressing up, learning, laughing and meeting new people to your heart’s content, there are also several huge rides that happen every year. The big Kickoff Ride on June 7th is, in many ways, a ceremonial Portland tradition to mark the start of the summer riding season. Then there’s the World Naked Bike Ride on June 16th, which, really needs no explanation at this point.

And if you think Pedalpalooza is just some silly Portland phenomenon (which it is actually), you might be surprised to know that people come here from all over the continent to take part. And it’s even inspired other folks to start similar events… Check out Pedalpalooza London!

Of course we’ll share tons of Pedalpalooza rides and photos throughout the month right here on BikePortland. Also remember to pick up the Portland Mercury on the first week of June. Their annual bike issue will have a hard copy of the official ride calendar which will serve as your map to the bike fun treasures that await.

— Pedalpalooza.org