(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
This menu of delicious rides and events is brought to you by our friends at Hopworks Urban Brewery. Their support makes BikePortland possible.
We have something for everyone in this weekend’s guide: families, cross racers, explorers, aspiring television stars, you name it.
What do you have planned? Whatever it is, we hope it involves a bicycle. Have a great weekend!
Friday, September 18th
Let’s Crash Portlandia! – 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Portland Opera (211 SE Caruthers St)
The folks behind the Pedal Powered Talk Show have been badgering Portlandia for years to include them in an episode. Now it’s finally happening. Join Boaz, Phil and friends to be an extra in the filming. RSVP and learn more here (FB).
Saturday, September 19th
Cascading Rivers Scenic Bike Rides – All weekend in Estacada
This three-ride event is the first organized ride on the new Cascading River State Scenic Bikeway. The Killer Fang Ride is a two-day ride (72 miles each day) along the wild and scenic Clackamas River. The Raging Rapids ride is 42 miles, and the Little Riffles ride is 12 miles. All rides are fully supported. More info here.
Grand Prix Rhonda Mazza Race #3 “Zaaldercross” – All day in Brush Prarie, Washington
Set in Alderbrook Park, one of the Northwest’s best ‘cross venues, this is the third stop in the five race GPRM series. The points competition is getting serious! Organizers say this venue is both adult (as in, beer is allowed) and kid-friendly. Buy raffle tickets for great prizes and all race proceeds go to P:ear, a Portland-based non-profit that mentors homeless youth. More info here.
Tillamook Forest/Step Creek Trail Maintenance – 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at Reehers Camp in Timber
Help the Northwest Trail Alliance develop the mountain bike trails at Step Creek, which is near the popular Gales Creek trails. Bring work clothes and gloves, they’ll supply the tools. More info here.
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Milwaukie Sustainable City Bike Tour – 11:00 am at Painted Lady Coffee House (2045 SE Washington St)
Join the folks from Bike Milwaukie for a tour of Milwaukie homes with earth-friendly features. You’ll see houses with gardens, livestock, rain gardens, bees, solar panels, and more. More info here (FB).
Tour de Brew – noon at Oregon Public House (700 NE Dekum St)
Starts at Portland’s nonprofit pub and heads to Hopworks Bikebar, Ecliptic Brewery, then to Ex Novo at 4 p.m. for a party with live music, pottery for sale and a water jug challenge to help raise money for better water in Central Africa. More info here.
Kidical MASSIVE – 2:00 pm at Ivon Street Park (SE Ivon and 47th)
Join your local Kidical Mass chapter for a national family ride. You and your little ones will add to the spirit of thousands of families across the country who are experiencing their cities by bike. More info here (FB).
Sunday, September 20th
Hop Cross – All Day in Independence, Oregon
Venture down toward Salem and race around the freshly harvested hop fields at Rogue Farms. This event is put on by Capitol Velo. More info here.
Tualatin Hills Trail Ride – 12:30 pm at Merlo/SW 158th MAX Station in Beaverton
This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the 60 miles of paths and trails in and around Beaverton. Parks staffers who are leading this ride call it the “western wonderland.” Stop and enjoy free food, drink and festivities on the Waterhouse Trail as part of Sunday Trailways. More info here.
— Did we miss anything? Let us know via the comments and make sure to drop us a line if you have an upcoming event you’d like us to feature next week.
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Unfortunately, the Waterhouse Trail is missing a bunch of curb cuts where the trail meets the roads. If you ride this with kids, here’s what you have to do when you meet a road:
Ride the path up to the sidewalk. Take a 90-degree right or left on the sidewalk. Ride until you find a driveway. Look for traffic, including looking back over your shoulder (have fun trying to teach your kids how to do this), make a u-turn in the road and enter another driveway. Ride the sidewalk back towards the path and make another 90-degree turn back onto the path. North of Hwy 26, you have do this
This is because the trail is under Parks jurisdiction, and the roads & sidewalk are County jurisdiction. Parks wants curb cuts, but the County has no interest in putting in ‘unsafe’ curb cuts; they will only do full-on mid-block crossings, and only if the funds can be raised through grants. I don’t think anyone is asking for those grants.
My 6 year old can ride off of curbs just fine. Getting up the other side…? We are working on that.
That’s cool. Not really a reason for the lack of access though. Know anyone in a wheelchair who can bunny hop?
Last two times I came off my bike were on THPRD trails. Both times at a walking speed. One was turning into a parking lot that had a painted curb cut just a little higher than the trail. Just high enough to make a ridge, but not obvious at a glance. It was wet and the paint slippery, so off I came. Last week, while giving a toddler a little extra room as his mom texted down the trail, I turned towards the edge of the trail and suddenly it slopped sharply off to the side and down I went.
Bottom line is that the THPRD trails connect some roads that would otherwise be hard to get to but the poor design of those trails requires a high level of care and caution.
Tour De Brew is Saturday…9, 20 or 35 mile routes to your favorite breweries around Portland. Have a fun social, taste some good brews and help improve access to clean water in Central Africa. More info at
https://donate.waterforgood.org/portland/events/2015-portland-trou-de-brew/e52226
Too bad…didn’t yet find anything on THPRD’s site through link provided in above notice about a “…Tualatin Hills Trail Ride – 12:30 pm at Merlo/SW 158th MAX Station in Beaverton…” .
Wonder where the ride is going. Maybe to the fun and games celebration between 11 and 3pm on the trail north of Hwy 26th. Events scheduled there sound like it’ll be a big draw for parents and kids.
In the opposite direction, from the Merlo station south all the way up Williams Mtn might be interesting. Haven’t ridden the trail section up that little hill since it was completed. Heard it’s a nice little climb, even with switchbacks.
I think that link should be:
http://www.thprd.org/events/detail/sunday-trailways/09-20-2015
Perfect, it starts at John Marty Park. There are 10 missing curb cuts right there, on either side of the park, that will be on full display.