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Weekend Event Guide: Carnaval, climate change, history, racing, and more


Hope you’re ready for another great weekend of bike events and rides in and around Portland. In this edition of our guide, we’ve got quite a diverse selection for you. From racing (both off-road and on) to culture, fun, and education. It’s truly amazing how many worlds open up when you get into bicycling.

And I’ve added a special, non-weekend bonus event because there’s something on Monday night that was definitely worth including.


Saturday, March 29th

Gorge Roubaix — All weekend in The Dalles

The Gorge Roubaix now offers two days of racing in The Dalles — a beautiful town on the Columbia River about 80 miles east of Portland. Racers will compete on courses of varying distance, including several miles of gravel/dirt road. I’m out in The Dalles right now and I can tell you from first-hand experience that the riding out here is fantastic. Wish me luck at the races this weekend! More info here

Women’s History Ride — 10:00 am at Clever Cycles (900 SE Hawthorne)
Hosted by a City of Portland Bureau of Transportation staffer and part of a ride series organized by the Women on Wheels Meetup group, this ride will be educational and fun. During a “lovely paced ramble” through the city, you’ll learn about Portland’s heroines of yesterday who broke down racial barriers. The route is 10 miles and there will be plenty of time for tea, treats, and socializing. More info here.

Biking About Architecture – Portsmouth — 12:00 pm at Columbia Park (N Woolsey and Winchell)
Join local architecture buff Jenny Fosmire for a closer look at the residential architecture in the Portsmouth neighborhood. There’s lot to see, including what Jenny calls “Victorianorama, an Atomic pod school, a shake shack, a teeny tiny toy house,” and more. This will be a laid back, eight mile route that is more fun that educational. Ends at Twilight Lounge for burgers and beer. More info here.

Brazilian Bike Carnaval — 9:00 pm at Velo Cult (1969 NE 42nd Ave)

Billed as the “night where bikers, dancers, and carnaval will meet,” this is sure to be a big party. There will be lots of authentic Brazilian music, a live DJ, and dancers. You can buy tickets in advance online. 21 and over. More info here (FB).

Sunday, March 30th

Western Bike Works Monthly Shop Ride — 10:15 am at the shop (1015 NEW 17th)
This month’s WBW shop ride (led by the imitable Maria Schur) will go from northwest Portland to Sauvie Island “with a twist.” Total mileage will be 45 miles and it will be mostly flat. More info here (FB)

The Marsee Bakery Ride — 10:30 am from Wilshire Park (NE 36th and Skidmore)
This is a Portland Wheelmen Touring Club ride that will be about 30 miles. They’ll ride from northeast Portland down to Sellwood via east Portland and the Springwater Corridor then back north via the Esplanade and N Williams Ave. More info here.

Sandy Ridge Enduro/Mountain Man Challenge — All day at Sandy Ridge Trail System

This is the opening event in the four race Mountain Man Challenge, a new series brought to you by Fat Tire Farm and Hurricane Racing. The idea is to “take mountain biking back to its routes” when the sport was simply about going up and down hills faster than anyone else. The four events will test every MTB skill — from technical singletrack descents and climbs to flow trails. More info here.

Monday, March 31st

An Evening With Author David Kroodsma — 7:00 pm at Velo Cult (1969 NE 42nd)

Kroodsma is a climate change researcher who recently completed a 21,000 bicycle tour of South and North America to raise awareness of the topic. At this event, he’ll share a slideshow and sign copies of his book, The Bicycle Diaries: My 21,000 Mile Ride For The Climate. More info here.

Did we miss anything? Please drop us a line and let us know. Or feel free to promote your event in the comments below. And as always, thanks for reading and riding.

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