(Photos: J Maus/BikePortland)
These are trying times.
The changes in Washington D.C. are rippling through the country and every city is reacting to them in its own way. Here in Portland thousands of people will take the streets this weekend to express their outrage and/or support for a myriad of issues.
And, like we always do here in Portland, many will roll into the streets on a bicycle.
Whether you intend to use your bike as a tool for activism or a tool of fun — or both! — we’ve got the details on a few events you won’t want to miss this weekend…
Friday, January 20th
Inauguration Day Protest — 3:30 pm at Pioneer Courthouse Square
The incoming president and his staffers have made it crystal clear that they’d like to run roughshod over the core values that many Portlanders hold dear. One way to express your feelings about this is to get out in the street and march — and that’s just what thousands of people plan to do. More info here.
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Saturday, January 21st
Hell of the North (Plains) – 9:00 am at Rogue Brew Pub in North Plains (31500 NW Commercial St)
What better way to give this hellish winter weather a big middle finger than to get out in it and ride your bike all day? That’s what you can expect if you join our friends from the Unpaved group on this adventure ride that will traverse some of Washington County’s best backroads. Expect 55 miles of dirt and gravel and mud and lots of fun. More info here.
Black Saturday Ride – 10:00 am at Woodstock Park (SE 47th and Steele)
Veteran Portland Wheelmen Touring Club ride leader Benn Schonman is leading this inauguration morning-after remedy. He’ll lead you on an east County ramble to make sure the pedals keep turning in a positive direction. More info here.
Women’s March on Portland – 12:00 pm at Tom McCall Waterfront Park
This is the Portland version of the march happening in major cities all across the country. Seems like all of our friends will be there. My wife and kids are going. Will you be there? More info here.
Sunday, January 22nd
Citybikes to Bike Farm Bike Move – 10:30 am the Bike Farm (1810 NE 1st)
After making the decision to close their Annex location, Citybikes Co-op has decided to donate 300 cubic feet of used bike parts to Bike Farm. Now they need help with moving it all by bike. Bring your trailers and cargo bikes or just come along and lend a helping hand loading and/or unloading. There will be snacks and socializing of course. Email darinwick[at]bikefarm.org to RSVP and for more info.
Did we miss anything? If so, give it a shout out in the comments.
For more fun events, including great stuff next week and beyond, visit our full events calendar.
— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org
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FYI, you have the Black Saturday Ride listed under Sunday.
Sorry! Fixed it. Thanks for pointing that out.
Also, the date in the text (not heading) for Hell of the North says
Date: Saturday January 14, 2017
Fixed that too. It happened because it was originally scheduled for the 14th but they postponed it due to weather. I can confirm that it is definitely going to happen this Saturday the 21st!
Are you going? I’m giving some thought to it…though the shorter route. This would be my first ride in months.
I would love to but I am leaving town today for the weekend a family thing (my dad lives in Grants Pass/southern oregon).
you should go! The people putting it together are very quality folks and you will not be disappointed.
I should add that you’ll need good legs to enjoy this ride. This group is relatively fit and fast.
I didn’t go after all but will put the route on the list for when it’s nicer out.
Protesting Trump in a progressive city like Portland? ***word deleted – choose a different way to say that please lester – jonathan***. Not to mention the damage and cost to others they will cause.
Let’s hope Wheeler holds on his promises.
The protesters aren’t down there to cause damage.
Unfortunately some really bad apples hop on and get all the press.
It boggles my mind that some folks can’t separate the two.
I wished nobody even had to bring it up. We all know the score. Lester, the protests are happening all over the country and overseas.
This time, they are not likely to go away any time soon. The economic and social violence that’s coming will not be perpetrated by those on the street, but rather by the man in that high tower who will not let you or me sully his front door mat with our tired feet. You will understand soon.
And they’re burning flags. I understand how angry people are, but isn’t it because we feel passionately about this country and believe we’re better that what DJT stands for? This sends a message to conservatives that we hate America. And the rioters joining in makes us look almost as bad.
I think people should do something more constructive than protesting. Hopefully the people who are going out to be angry will go back home and do something to help restore the hope.
Oh, not to say that people shouldn’t protest. I just think that change requires more than that, and I hope they recognize that fact.
One of the main reasons DJT won is because it was clear that BHO DID hate America and people were sick of it.
It’s not clear to me. Can you explain which actions were hateful? Were there long-standing norms of political behavior that he breached, for instance?
Burning gasoline in a progressive city like Portland? *** expletive deleted ***
Damage? Is it damage to exercise your constitutional right to peaceably assemble? Portland is as good a place as any to bear witness. I’m not a great one for marching but, as they say, I happen to be related to several women. My mom is dead, I’m marching for her.
“My mom is dead, I’m marching for her.”
Mine too. While I was stuck on an airplane all day, my sister and nieces marched in Boston in her memory and honor. Coincidentally, it was also our late’s Mom’s birthday. I had joked with my sister that this would probably not be her favorite birthday pres(id)ent.
“Rachel” jokingly called me a feminist in a previous thread. Yesterday I became proud to be called that.
My protest. I went of a nice (flat) ride, saw a couple wood ducks and heard a red wing black bird. SURE SIGNS OF SPRING, it barely sprinkled, I’ve remarked over recent years that February barely qualifies as a winter month anymore around here, “mild la nina” not withstanding.
I plan to give Trump’s inauguration speech the attention he deserves; ZERO! You lied your way to the oval office, every other sentence is a lie. Why should anyone with a brain listen? I can’t imagine nodding like a bobble head to the great leader, yuck.
I’ll wait to see what he does, but I have little hope. A liar has no moral authority to lead.
Am I going to the women’s protest march? Nah, I protested the woman candidate on Nov 8 via the ballot box. I am pleased with the results of that protest. America and freedom won. Brits did the same. More to follow soon. Stay tuned. 😉
I will be as nicer to Trump then Ted Nugent was to Obama and Hillary. And he is a vile and despicable traitor and I will happily fight to protect the 1st Amendment and the Planet from his moronic greedy ways.
He was saved by the cyclist in the campagnolo hat! 🙂
An event for this week? Write to visitmt.com and tell them that the bill they have in their legislature to ban bicycles from two lane roads would impact your travel plans to their state. It would also ban people using wheelchairs.