Exploring Ashland during the Cycle Oregon layover

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Turtle Time Glass

Inspired by Cycle Oregon’s visit, the
owner of Turtle Time Glass works
on a glass bike frame.
(Photos: Will Vanlue)

[BikePortland contributor Will Vanlue was a volunteer on the Cycle Oregon ride last week. This is his latest dispatch.]

Most days on Cycle Oregon riders travel from one community to another, spending just one evening in each town. But one day during each ride there’s a two-day layover that gives people a full day to explore the host community.

This year that layover day fell in Ashland, a town with vibrant and varied local businesses eager to welcome Cycle Oregon riders. Since many people chose to spend the whole day in Ashland, fewer people were out on course and fewer volunteers were needed to support them. That gave me a chance to explore a bit on my own.

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Both Red/white Cannondale & Univega Both ten speeds Mid 1980-1990

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Year: Mid 1980-1990
Brand: Cannondale & Univega
Model: Both ten speeds
Color:Both Red/white
Stolen in Portland, OR 97213
Stolen:2012-09-15
Stolen From: Both bikes were stolen in front of Tom’s pizza on Lombard. 2630 North Lombard Street, Portland, OR 97217
Neighborhood: North Portland near Arbor Lodge
Owner: Julia Voorhees
OwnerEmail: julia.voorhees@gmail.com
Reward: $100 per bike
Description: ~1990’s 10 speed Cannondale red/white with red grip tape, black brake hoods, black fenders.
`1985 10 speed Univega. red/white with bright yellow grip tape. White brake hoods.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-155685
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

No paving until 2017 because of ‘bike routes’? Not exactly – UPDATED

PBOT spent $4.7 million paving Sandy Blvd this summer
— despite what you might have read in The Oregonian
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Remember back in February when The Oregonian splashed their big, “Portland’s Road to Ruin” story on the front page? The story aimed to create the perception among readers that the Bureau of Transportation was spending so much on “bike routes” they had nothing left for paving. Zero. Zilch. Nada. No paving until 2017.

Today, PBOT released a list of paving projects completed this summer that shows, contrary to The Oregonian’s article, the agency has been very busy paving streets. Since February, they’ve poured millions of dollars into over a dozen projects to smooth out roads.

Compare the facts (more details below) with what The Oregonian’s Beth Slovic wrote back in February; “… [PBOT] has shelved plans… to overhaul any other badly deteriorating road in its 5,000-mile system — until at least 2017.” “The bureau has other priorities,” she continued, “such as $900,000 to build 13.5 miles of bike routes.*”

That headline was designed to get people fired up. And it worked. Hundreds of angry comments poured onto OregonLive.com, a few months later The Columbian newspaper parroted the “no paving until 2017” line in an editorial blasting Portland’s priorities, mayoral candidate Charlie Hales trumpeted the article on his website as a reason Portland needs a “roads first, back to basics” focus (thankfully, he later removed reference to the article), and Sheila Hamilton, co-host of popular radio morning Dave & Sheila on KINK-FM, was irate.

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Blue Tsunehiro 2008

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Year: 2008
Brand: Tsunehiro
Color:Blue
Size:medium
Photo: http://blog.tsunehirocycles.com/news/stolen-tsunehiro-road-bike/
Stolen in Denver, OR 80212
Stolen:2012-09-17
Stolen From: Garage at 27th and Perry in Denver, CO.
Neighborhood: Highlands
Owner: Michael Benoit
OwnerEmail: benoit.mike@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Orange Tsunehiro lettering. Unique custom frame built by Rob Tsunehiro in Portland.
Police record with: Denver PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Why just bike lanes on outer Sandy Blvd? ODOT responds

“Our design standards still point to bike lanes for this particular project… After reviewing the data, a physically separated bicycle facility did not appear to be warranted.”
— Jilayne Jordan, ODOT Community Affairs

Our story last week about an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) “safety project” on NE Sandy Blvd has gotten the agency’s attention. After being emailed by several readers who questioned the agency’s chosen design for handling bike access in the project, ODOT community affairs staff sent out a detailed, bulk email on Friday afternoon. The email explains why ODOT chose standard bike lanes on the busy freight route instead of something with more separation — like a cycle track or a buffered bike lane — as recommended by their own design guidelines.

As per the project, ODOT is widening a 1.1 mile stretch of Sandy to include a center turn lane as well as two, six-foot wide bike lanes. ODOT Region 1 Community Affairs Coordinator Jilayne Jordan says the new turn lane is intended to reduce rear-end and other collisions and serve as, “a refuge for vehicles turning left onto or off of the highway.”

The addition of bike lanes are a step forward from the gravel-strewn shoulders that exist there today. However, merely widening that shoulder and painting a stripe on it doesn’t seem like much in a $3.6 million project aimed at improving safety.

In their response, ODOT listed several reasons why they are moving forward with the bike lanes and not a more appealing bikeway.

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Silver Motobecane Phantom Outlaw 2010

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Year: 2010
Brand: Motobecane
Model: Phantom Outlaw
Color:Silver
Size:56cm
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/OhH3w.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2012-09-17
Stolen From: 26th and Holgate, street parking. Bike was on the roof rack of a 1994 Volvo 850 Wagon. Bike was forcibly removed along with locking mechanism.
Neighborhood: Creston
Owner: Jordan Braun
OwnerEmail: jjamesb@gmail.com
Reward: 300
Description: – Motobecane Phantom Outlaw – 2010 – 56cm
– Shimano Ultegra 6500 Shifters
– Avid BB7 Road Disc Brakes
– Selle Italia Flite Seat
– WTB Rims with Shimano XT Hubs, Centerlock Discs
– Forté Carbon Handle Bars
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T12007795
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Orange Scott Sub 30 2012

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Year: 2012
Brand: Scott
Model: Sub 30
Color:Orange
Size:S
Stolen in Portland, OR 97215
Stolen:2012-09-15
Stolen From: Hawthorne at 38th bike rack
Neighborhood: Hawthorne
Owner: Kathleen Garney
OwnerEmail: kgarney@gmail.com
Reward: $200
Description: Black fenders on both front and rear wheels. Non-stock brakes (Shimano), Rivercity Cycles sticker on the under seat tube
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T12007762
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

blue / white kona kula 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: kona
Model: kula
Color:blue / white
Size:medium
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2012-09-17
Stolen From: Stolen from my garage behind my house with two other bikes. Suspect someone going through my recycling early this am. 35th and Holgate
Neighborhood: Reed
Owner: steve moore
OwnerEmail: oysterpapa1@sbcglobal.net
Description: XT equipped. Chris King front hub.
Police record with: portland pd
Police reference#: 12-81745
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

cream fisher mendota 2010

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Year: 2010
Brand: fisher
Model: mendota
Color:cream
Size:15.5
Serial: wtu315c0074e
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2012-09-17
Stolen From: Stolen from my garage behind my house with two other bikes. Suspect someone going through my recycling early this am. 35th and Holgate
Neighborhood: Reed
Owner: steve moore
OwnerEmail: oysterpapa1@sbcglobal.net
Description: Has black rear rack. Stickers on top tube say Hammer Down.
Police record with: portland pd
Police reference#: 12-81745
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

grey/carbon ibis mojo 2011

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Year: 2011
Brand: ibis
Model: mojo
Color:grey/carbon
Size:medium
Serial: 10m2235
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2012-09-17
Stolen From: Stolen from my garage behind my house with two other bikes. Suspect someone going through my recycling early this am. 35th and Holgate
Neighborhood: Reed
Owner: steve moore
OwnerEmail: oysterpapa1@sbcglobal.net
Description: Has red accents. Formula brakes. Xt drive train ( just replaced).
Police record with: portland pd
Police reference#: 12-81745
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

The Monday Roundup

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“Finding beer on a bike in Portland is about as hard as finding a duty-free shop in an airport.”
BikesnobNYC on the Hop in the Saddle book

Welcome back from the weekend. Here’s the news and other interesting stuff that caught our eyes this past week…

Support for building more roads for cars is falling in America, according to a National Resource Defence Council poll (PDF), as more people recognize the need to improve other transportation options.

The New York Times highlights how few penalties there are for people who drive recklessly in New York City.

– Meanwhile, a person driving a car was found not-guilty of criminally negligent homicide after a collision in Texas that resulted in two people’s deaths. One of the victim’s family members said the ruling was, “kind of a shot in the bottom to the biking community… Why don’t they just put a big target on their backs? It’s just pathetic.”

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