🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏

Year: 2013

Weekend Event Guide: Sandy Ridge, Cyclofemme, Sunday Parkways and more

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East Portland Sunday Parkways-27

This east Portland resident knows how to
roll in Sunday Parkways.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

We’ve got another weekend full of great bike events here in the Portland area. As you plan things out, peruse some of my selections below…

Saturday, May 11th

Sharrows to Sparrows Southeast – 9:00 am
This ride is all about accessing natural areas via Portland’s vaunted neighborhood greenway system. You’ll be led by the two people who made both of those things happen: Greg Raisman of PBOT and Mike Houck of the Urban Greenspaces Institute. The route will cover Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge (which Houck was the lead advocate for), Johnson Creek, and the Sellwood neighborhood. There will also be guest speakers. Bring binoculars! Meet at the Vera Katz Statue on the Eastbank Esplanade. (I did the North Portland version of this ride, see my photo gallery here.)
(More info)

National Train Day Bike Ride – 11:30 am
If you like trains, bikes, and Portland history, you’ll love this 15 mile ride. Join urban historian and seasoned bike ride leader Shawn Granton and Dan Haneckow of Cafe Unknown at Union Station in Portland and head north into Vancouver, with stops along the way.
(More info)

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The future of BikePortland

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This week’s Portland Business Journal.

I just want to clear up a few things about the future of BikePortland. Some of you have read in this week’s edition of the Portland Business Journal that I am at a “crossroads” with the site. A teaser article posted yesterday by PBJ Managing Editor Erik Siemers with the headline, Why BikePortland.org’s future is far from certain went as far as saying, “soon it could all come to an end.”

While I think writer Maureen McGrain and the PBJ did a great job with the piece (which came out this morning), I want to assure you that I’m not walking away anytime soon. In any small business, especially for an independent blog publisher like myself, the future is always a bit uncertain. And, as some of you already know, I am indeed a bit battle-weary after an eight-year tour-of-duty as a one-man media operation.

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Sharrows, sparrows and a roadway revolution

DSC_6059

St. Johns resident Walker Leiser (and his daughter) have
seen their neighborhood transform in part because
of the tree-lined, traffic-calmed street that runs through it.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

What the Bureau of Transportation has done in the past few years to develop a low-stress residential street network has revolutionized Portland neighborhoods. The changes aren’t always noticed, but their impact is beginning to emerge. For relative pennies, PBOT has created a (mostly) connected, family-friendly network of streets that are comfortable to bike on and easy to navigate. It’s still not perfect (never will be), but the maturity of this network is worth noticing. And at the ‘Sharrows to Sparrows’ ride held on April 27th, it was hard to miss.

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Olive green Windsor Ladies 3 speed 2011

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Year: 2011
Brand: Windsor
Model: Ladies 3 speed
Color:Olive green
Size:Ladies medium
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2013-05-01
Stolen From: Back yard ne buffalo st, piedmont neighborhood , NE
Neighborhood: Piedmont
Owner: Kathie Hadd
OwnerEmail: Scoutfinn@comcast.net
Description: Stolen some time this spring .had a brown wicker basket on it. Brown leather seat and handlebar grips. European style cruiser
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Portland’s tree and bike connection goes national

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Sharrows to Sparrows ride

New street tree on N Central Ave neighborhood greenway.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

For years now, local transportation agencies have embraced trees as a key component in street and path design. In Portland, there has also been a strong connection between people who ride bikes and those who care about street trees. Now a national non-profit, the Alliance for Community Trees (based in Maryland) is hosting a webinar about how tree advocates all over the country can make the bike-tree connection.

In the Portland region, trees have been part of the transportation conversation for years. The Oregon Department of Transportation has planted hundreds of trees as part of an effort to create an urban “forest” along the I-205 bike path. In 2008, Portland City Council adopted the “Grey to Green” initiative which set us on the path to planting 83,000 trees in the city — 50,000 of them in the public right of way. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has made new street trees a big component of their neighborhood greenways program — offering free trees to residents along the low-stress, family-friendly bike routes.

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white Orbea Onix 2010

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Year: 2010
Brand: Orbea
Model: Onix
Color:white
Size:54cm
Serial:08E0G0437
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2013-05-09
Stolen From: Bike was locked outside of Eliot tower condo’s, directly in front of lobby at 1221 sw 10th ave. Directly west of the Portland art museum.
Neighborhood: downtown
Owner: Ian McNairy
OwnerEmail: ian.mcnairy@gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: 2010 Orbea Onix tdf, color white and grey with black handlebars, shimano ultregra components, mavic ksyerium wheels, shimano clipless pedals.
Police record with: Portland
Police reference#: T13004002
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Kestrel 500EMS 2002

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Year: 2002
Brand: Kestrel
Model: 500EMS
Color:Black
Size:52cm
Serial: 40382
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/zv9YgFy.jpg
Stolen in Gresham, OR
Stolen:2013-05-7
Stolen From: My bike was stolen out of my car when it was parked in the Mt Hood Community College parking lot.
Neighborhood: Mt Hood Community Collage Campus in Gresham
Owner: Naomi Bensel
OwnerEmail: nbensel(at sign)gmail.com
Description: The frame is black and has the a very distinctive shape. (see the picture) I had changed the seat since the photo was taken. I don’t remember the brand but it is wider and pretty squishy. It has a water bottle holder and no fenders. I will give a finacial reward for the bike if it is returned.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Job: Programmer/IT Support – Castelli USA

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Job Title
Programmer/IT Support

Company/Organization
Castelli USA

Job Description

Overview
• Castelli USA is now hiring a Computer Programmer/IT support person. The person we hire will have strong analytical skills with programming/database development experience and will also be able to administer/ configure servers, workstations, networks, and printers. We’re looking for an individual with great communication skills who is dynamic and a self-starter who can easily switch between different responsibilities as needed.

Job Duties
• Design/develop/test systems solutions for in-house users and external web-based users.
• Review and document existing systems/applications.
• Provide desktop support for individual users. This includes setting up new computers, printers, and other devices, and configuring applications.
• Administer servers and related network hardware/software.
• Some management of business operations processes that aren’t specifically IT related.

Skills/Qualifications
• Knowledge of/experience configuring Microsoft Windows and Macintosh workstations.
• Windows Server/Network Administration experience a plus.
• Experience developing Windows/Web applications with Microsoft .NET Platform. VB.NET, ASP.NET, HTML, Javascript.
• SQL Server development experience including table design, administration, stored procedures, SQL. Familiarity with Enterprise Manager, DTS, Query Analyzer.
• Experience with Visual Source Safe or other source code management systems.
• Scanner and Smart Phone/Device development experience a plus.

Education
• 4 year Computer Science or related degree.

Compensation
• $40,00 – $60,000, depending on education and applicable experience
• We offer company matched 401k, profit sharing, and FSA.

About Castelli USA
• Castelli USA is the sole US distributor for Castelli brand cycling apparel.
• Our offices are in the Hollywood/Laurelhurst district of NE Portland and close to MAX and bike routes.

How to Apply
• Send your resume and cover letter to: Mike Sheppard, Director of Operations at itjob@castelli-us.com

PBOT says streets are “city’s largest public space”

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Below is the official news release about this Sunday’s Sunday Parkways event in east Portland. I think it’s especially notable because of the third paragraph, where PBOT refers to streets as “the city’s largest public space.”

PORTLAND, Ore. – Families and neighbors in East Portland are preparing to enjoy Mother’s Day at Sunday Parkways this Sunday on a seven-mile loop of traffic-free streets, including two miles on the Springwater Corridor.

The event, free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the first of five Sunday Parkways to be held monthly through September.

Organized by the Portland Bureau of Transportation along with presenting sponsor Kaiser Permanente and other community partners, Sunday Parkways opens the city’s largest public space – its streets – for people to walk, bike, roll and discover active transportation.

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Walgreens refuses bicycle riders at outdoor service windows – UPDATED

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“I thought it kind of strange that bikers can’t enjoy the same convenience as drivers.”
— Brenda H. on being refused service at Walgreens

People in Portland who shop at Walgreens stores on a bicycle are being refused service at outdoor service windows (also known as drive-thrus). Several people have contacted BikePortland over the years to report such incidents, and this morning we learned of another one.

Here’s what Houston Bolles posted to a local email list this morning:

I needed to pick up an RX last evening. The weather was so sweet, I decided to ride through the drive through at the 39th and Belmont Walgreen’s, instead of locking up my bike and going in. I was informed by a pharmacy clerk that Walgreen’s does not serve customers on bicycles at the drive through. I told him that this was unacceptable, and needed to change. He called his manager over, who explained that the issue is about insurance rates, and he could not help me at the drive up window for the same reason he’s not allowed to chase shoplifters once they are out the front door. I questioned his logic. He appeared confused. I explained that the drive through at his location went in over loud neighborhood protest, many people in the surrounding community use bicycles for transportation, and that his company needs to change the policy. I related the story of Burgerville’s change of heart and free milkshakes for cyclists. He said he would report my request to his manager. The drive through has been open a couple of months, I believe, and I am the first rider to try to use it.

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A visit to Islabikes, Portland’s new bike company for kids

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islabikes visit

Tim Goodall works with a family during a
fitting appointment yesterday.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

There’s a new bike company based in Portland that caters especially to kids. Islabikes, a seven year-old company based in Shropshire, England, opened their North American headquarters in southeast Portland back in March. To set up their U.S. operation, Islabikes sent one of their founding employees, Tim Goodall. I met Tim yesterday at his warehouse and showroom on the corner of SE 7th and Lincoln.

In the past month or so, Tim has been renovating his space and getting things organized. He’s been open for business and taking appointments for about three weeks now. Currently, the warehouse has hundreds of unbuilt bikes sitting in boxes fresh off the boat from England. In the front showroom is a display of all 13 Islabikes models — from their tiny balance bike to a junior-sized, 700c road bike. “The intention,” said Tim as I admired the line-up, “is that for any child that comes in between one and 11 years-old, there’s a bike that fits them.”

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