Partying on the Worst Day of the Year Ride

We had a blast on our first Worst Day of the Year Ride.

New this year was a half-price four-mile family-friendly route which was perfect for us. Friends came down from Seattle because their almost-eight-year old wanted to celebrate his birthday with a bikey Portland weekend which made choosing our group costume easy: biking birthday party. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a ride with so many creative costumes and seeing the group finery was reason enough to attend.

So much about the ride surprised and impressed me. First up, I didn’t expect to find a whole street party at the start/finish. Having several blocks of closed roads made for lots of space to get our party of 11 organized and allow the kids to safely find their way to the breakfast bar while I entered the costume contest, one friend registered, and another friend picked up our packets.

The volunteers were numerous and terrific as well. Our four-mile ride had enough pedaling volunteers to stick with each group and help us through intersections and stick to the route. I had expected a self-guided ride. And the route was well-marked in case there were any riders without guides.

The website promised cool rest stops for the 42-mile challenge route only, but we had a rest stop too! And I can’t see how ours wasn’t the coolest: it had a cookie sundae station, slime making booth, sidewalk chalk, and a Clever Cycles bike repair station.

Lunch was advertised as “hot soups and rolls,” but we also got grilled cheese sandwiches! Talk about under promising and over delivering. We also enjoyed the hot chocolate station and another cookie sundae bar, this one with rainbow and chocolate sprinkles.

Lunch was eaten at outdoor stand-up tables in the sun or seated in a tent. It was quite nice out in the sun so we destroyed our pinata al fresco, but lit candles and ate cake in the tent.

Thanks to Community Cycling Center and the rest of the Worst Day of the Year Ride sponsors for giving our buddy “the best birthday party ever!”

Were you there? What was your favorite costume of the day? We liked Captain Underpants best.

— Madi Carlson, @familyride on Instagram

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