Portland’s summer will unofficially begin at 6 p.m. today in Colonel Summers Park at Southeast 20th Avenue and Belmont. Ingredients: one sun, one city and several hundred thousand bicycles.
They won’t all be at tonight’s PedalPalooza kickoff ride, of course. But the first big event of Portland’s annual bike festival means the start of the sunny season and the beginning of 24 days of ridiculously wide-ranging fun on bicycles.
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As always at the kickoff parade, expect a cocktail of costumes, work clothes and chance meetings, stirred up in a secret route winding through the city. Show up early to get a copy of this year’s PedalPalooza poster.
Here at BikePortland we’ll be covering PedalPalooza with a post every Saturday morning previewing a few of our favorite rides for the following week. Got one we shouldn’t miss? Drop me an email at michael@bikeportland.org. Got some great photos of one that happened? We’d love to share them with the world. Send those over too, or just share them on Twitter or Instagram with a callout to @BikePortland.
Pump up those tires, Portland — it’s time to hit the street for some fresh air. You’ve earned it.
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Hey, all, I’d love to see your coverage of any rides you know kids in particular might like.
Beverly Cleary Bike ride: This bike ride, next Thursday June 12th, is Kidical-Mass-Style, from Grant Park to Rose City Park and back. Bring kids, wear a Beverly Cleary character costume, or just come ride with us at 2:45 pm:
http://www.facebook.com/events/714179708628016/
http://www.shift2bikes.org/cal/viewpp2014.php#12-4299
Cargo bike / family bike meet up this Sunday afternoon June 8th at 3 pm: http://www.shift2bikes.org/cal/viewpp2014.php#08-4238
Also Ellie’s Ride, before the Cargo Bike ride this Sunday at noon: http://www.shift2bikes.org/cal/viewpp2014.php#08-4444
Official Kidical Mass ride: 1 pm on June 21st; a short loop from Laurelhurts park to get ice cream. Kids are traffic too!: http://www.shift2bikes.org/cal/viewpp2014.php#21-4359
For transportation geekiness, Explore the Green Loop downtown: http://www.shift2bikes.org/cal/viewpp2014.php#26-4298
Also, consider testing your cargo bike or kid carrier at the “Heavy BIke Hill Climb”: ride up the hill to Pittock Mansion! http://www.shift2bikes.org/cal/viewpp2014.php#20-4220
Also, today (Friday) in Milwaukie there is a kids’ Bike Rodeo at 5 pm:
http://shifttobikes.org/cal/view3week.php#06-4502
Tomorrow morning there is a food cart ride, which kids may enjoy, at 10:30 am till after lunch, starting near the Lloyd center: http://shifttobikes.org/cal/view3week.php#07-4379