Victims will be remembered at Portland Ride of Silence on May 18th

Tracey Sparling was remembered
at the 2008 Ride of Silence.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Ride of Silence, a national day of rememberance for people killed and injured while bicycling, will be held in Portland on May 18th.

Portland has hosted one of these rides as far back as 2006 and is one of 321 cities hosting rides across 45 states. There are also rides planned in Corvallis and Medford. Portland’s ride is being organized by residents in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood who are still reeling after the crash that caused grave injuries to a local dad, Brian Duncan. Duncan was hit while trying to cross Rosa Parks Way at Delaware on March 30th.

According to local oranizer Nick Miller, the ride will meet at Arbor Lodge Park at 6:30 for a brief address where names of recent traffic victims will be read aloud.

Someone will also recite the official Ride of Silence poem which I’ve pasted below:

Tonight we number many but ride as one
In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons
With helmets on tight and heads down low,
We ride in silence, cautious and slow
The wheels start spinning in the lead pack
But tonight we ride and no one attacks
The dark sunglasses cover our tears
Remembering those we held so dear
Tonight’s ride is to make others aware
The road is there for all to share
To those not with us or by our side,
May God be your partner on your final ride

After the short gathering, riders will do a four-mile loop through the neighborhood. Keep in mind that, as the name suggests, this ride is done in complete silence out of respect for victims and survivors. You can learn more at RideofSilence.org. Also browse our coverage of past rides.

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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