(Photos: Madi Carlson)
As much as I love Portland proper and could happily spend all my days right here, I adore visiting the Columbia River Gorge — the waterfalls, the mighty Columbia, the trees, the flowers, the expansive views!
My next visit to this gorgeous region will be on July 20th for the Gorge Pedal 11-mile Family Ride. On that note, I want to give you a heads-up an informational session for Gorge-curious family bikers that’s happening this weekend:
➤ Doing the Gorge with Kids on Bikes
Clever Cycles (900 SE Hawthorne Blvd)
Saturday, May 11, 2019
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
BikePortland Calendar listing
There will be cookies and juice! And answers to any and all questions you might have about biking with kids for an event of this length in the Gorge. Gorge Pedal organizer A J Zelada will answer all your questions about the event (route, parking, safety, post-ride celebration) and I’ll answer family-biking-specific questions (gear, supplies, snacks, kid corralling).
If you’re at all interested in the July event, come to the informational session, no need to have registered — kids 14 and under are free and adults are $29 for the Family Ride (and $40 for the 40-mile Gorge Climb Ride).
The 11-mile ride is a 5.5-mile out and back along the car-free portion of the Historic Columbia River Trail starting at Cascade Locks with turn-around stop at Bonneville Dam and Herman the Sturgeon! There are additional educational stops along the way and a big after-party at Cascade Locks at the end.
Check out the Ride Advice and FAQ for even more information.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you on Saturday!
Remember, we’re always looking for people to profile. Get in touch if it sounds like fun to you. I’d especially like to feature families of color so please get in touch or ask friends of color who bike with their kids if they’re interested in sharing their stories. And as always, feel free ask questions in the comments below or email me your story ideas and insights at madidotcom [at] gmail [dot] com.
— Madi Carlson, @familyride on Instagram and Twitter
Browse past Family Biking posts here.
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Do you know the brand of bike rack on that van? I’ve been looking for something that can hold my Big Dummy vertically on a hitch rack.
Chris! Get a draftmaster – that’s what I use to haul our KidzTandem
This will be great ride for the gorge and Cascade Locks. As more of the historic gorge trail is completed this could get even bigger.
So, here’s a question: how much of that 5.5-mile out and back along the car-free portion of the Historic Columbia River Trail is actually car-free?
The Family Ride is completely on the Historic Columbia River Trail from Cascade Locks to Bonneville Power. However, one has to cycle from the Registration at Cascade Locks Marina (where parking is) down WaPoNa Street~ which has a bike lane~ to enter the trail below the Bridge of the Gods. To get to the turnaround point at Bonneville Power from the Trail there is some 300 yards of using the 2 lane highway to go under the I-84 bridge; we will have volunteers with signs at this intersection. After you enter the BP site, there is a shared lane of traffic to get to Herman the Sturgeon viewing pond and to the food/water/education stop at the western end parking lot…great view of Beacon Rock at water level! So 99+% car free. Come join us!
typed too fast: Wa Na Pa Street is correct. Apology.
I just realized that on the GP web site the Clever Cycles event is listed @ 1:00 PM instead of 11:00 AM.