(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Portland’s legendary Midnight Mystery Ride is ten years old! To celebrate, there will be a special edition tonight and you’re all invited.
Known as MMR, the Midnight Mystery Rides were created by Ayleen Crotty (yes the same Ayleen that spearheaded the Multnomah County Bike Fair, Filmed by Bike, and so on) in 2003. For many years, Ayleen led the rides and maintained a website chronicling each one. The idea behind the rides is simply to get out and explore the city with friends. And it happens at midnight of course, when the city sleeps, the streets are quiet, and mysterious locations wait to be explored and cherished with friends old and new.
An email to us from “Team Midnight” (anyone who has led or ridden in a ride is a member) this morning stated that, “Team Midnight has morphed throughout the years, but there continues to be a dedicated pack of midnight riders enthusiastic about following a leader to a mystery destination every second Friday (year round!) no matter the weather.”
In an effort to remember past rides and appreciate the bike fun history, organizers have put together a Google Map of destination locales.
Tonight’s ride meets at the Red Fox (5128 N Albina). Learn more about the ride and check the Facebook event page here. Show up a bit early to hang out, then get on your bike and ride at midnight.
I’ve been to a few of these over the years, and below are a few photos to give you a sense of what to expect:
So many good times on this ride, I can’t begin to explain the magic.
Wow…time flys when one has fun. Congrats to Ayleen and Team Midnight.
I remember many of the early rides long ago…like waking up morning in some industrial marshy “wasteland” woods and tripping over 20+ birders with binoculars doing winter bird counts where were just arising from our slumbers. :-0
I have had a spectacular time on each MMR I’ve joined (about 1-2 a year since ’07). I doubt that there are cooler, more approachable people in the world than those that ride with this group. But alas, can’t make it tonight….
i’ll be there, just got a new bike sound system!
YES
Always a good crowd. Always a fun ride. Not too long. Not too strenuous. Not too fast. On of my most favorite rides. Considering it happens ALL YEAR ROUND. You don’t HAVE to wait until Petalpalooza to enjoy the perks of group bike rides!!!! Happy Anniversary MMR
this is my favorite regular ride… nice and mellow every time… wish I could have made it this time…
Just so everyone who wasn’t there knows, it was another awesome MMR Friday, with everything that makes a great mystery ride: fun starting spot; a twisting, turning route that kept me guessing where we were headed; relaxed pace and low-stress intersection management (“Thank you, corkers!”); and another beautiful, sublime destination. We exchanged our favorite MMR memories around a cozy bonfire, and introduced bike love to quite a few first-timers.
I went on one once. I sure was tired the next day !
Huge thank you to everyone who has believed in the power of nighttime riding all these years. In the darkness and quiet of the night, magic happens on Midnight Mystery Rides.
Thank you also to to the people who have carried the torch as ride leaders and behind-the-scenes organizers.
(Unfortunately I was out of town for the anniversary ride.)