Having a place to talk about bikes with other people who love bikes is an essential building block of successful advocacy. While opportunities to talk about urban and utility-oriented cycling abound in Portland, up until now there has not been a go-to place for those whose prefer their cycling to happen off-road.
Looking to build a stronger culture and community around mountain biking, a leader with Portland’s non-profit off-road cycling advocacy group Northwest Trail Alliance is starting MtBike League. The first of what will become a monthly event happens tonight (11/12) at 6:00 pm at Velo Cult.
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Brian Baumann with the Trail Alliance says it’ll be purely social. A Sheboygan, Wisconsin native, Baumann said he recalls that every adult back in the day had their league night; whether it was pool, darts, softball, or bowling. “And nothing interrupted League Night,” he said.
“Daughter has a parent-teacher conference? ‘Sorry, that’s League Night.’ Your buddy needs help rebuilding his carburetor so he can get to work the next day? ‘Sorry man, that’s League Night.'” reads the event’s description.
MtBike League night will be the second Thursday of every month. Show up and expect movies, tire swaps, drinks, and “BS’ing about bikes”. Check NW-Trail.org for more info.
— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org