Pedalpalooza 2012 has officially begun.
>
Last night’s kickoff ride and party drew a healthy and diverse crowd to the South Park Blocks. We weaved through downtown (making a double pass in front of City Hall), then went up and over the Steel Bridge, through the Lloyd District and took over the entire eastbound side of Broadway before settling in for beer, food, and live music at Velo Cult bike shop on NE 42nd.
It was great to see so many new faces, including several families.
I never get tired of seeing how streets filled with bikes can transform our cityscape…
At the start of the ride I met Topher Darling (below), a part time student and full time social worker who told me he’s shifted around his school and work schedule just to take part in Pedalpalooza. “I’m mostly looking forward to the costume rides,” he said, “I can ride around any day and see a bunch of people riding bikes, but when people are in costume there’s a stronger sense of unity.” Topher’s marked his calendar for the Star Wars vs. Star Trek ride and the Dr. Who ride.
After the ride, Velo Cult and the Portland Mercury did a smashing job hosting the party. The Suicide Notes rocked the house and a food truck parked right outside the front door kept folks happy long into the night. I ended up pretty much closing the place down, hanging out with some good old friends. All in all, it was an excellent start to Pedalpalooza season!
Check out a few more my photos in the gallery and visit Pedalaplooza.org to view the full ride calendar.
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.
Good times! Thanks to Velo Cult for hosting an awesome kickoff party. The sea of parked bikes lifted my spirit. I hope Sky’s thermostat is on the mend.
Ethan, you’ll be glad to know that Jonathan was sporting a 2002 BikeSummer shirt and when he learned who the artist was, he tore it off shouting he’s not worthy 😉
Velo Cult is rad. I finally popped in last weekend for a beer after a long ride around the west hills. I spoke with several folks who work there, all were very nice.
I hope they do well and stick around! I certainly think hosting events like this one help get the word out about the shop.
Major props on whoever booked the Suicide Notes. They were awesome!
See you there, Topher! 😀
How can I possibly be at 5+ places at the same time to get to all of the events that I don’t want to miss everyday?
ok, how is it that just now I am learning that there is going to be a Dr. Who ride AND that Portland has a bar called The Tardis Room?
Where on earth have I been?
(no, I wasn’t traveling through time I swear)
Awesome picture! 😉
great fun good times! loved the ride
Lot’s more photos here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.373942996003133.86243.100001623066825&type=1