(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
One of Portland’s most prolific bike riders died while pedaling his bike last month and now there will be an annual ride in his memory.
The inaugural Ride With Joy will take placed February 19th and will take a 30-mile loop around north and northeast Portland, retracing many of the roads Joy used to love as a member and leader with Portland Bicycling Club.
According to Ride With Joy organizer Chris Brannen, “This ride will be a group ride celebration of John’s life and local legacy as a beloved cycling friend of the Portland community.” It will leave from Gateway Transit Center at 1:15 sharp. Joy’s memorial service will have taken place earlier on the same day.
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“We will pedal to Cathedral Park underneath the St. Johns Bridge and pause there perhaps fittingly underneath the majestic St. John’s Bridge to pay our silent respects to John,” Brannen wrote in a description of the event.
The ride will be followed by a “pizza and pints” gathering hosted by John’s family at 4:30 at Stark Street Pizza (9234 SE Stark St). If you want a change of clothes for the post-ride event, bring them along with you. “Or do what John would do, and just wear your cycling lycra for several hours post-ride (ha ha),” writes Brannen.
Donations of $10 will be encouraged to kickstart a “Joy Ride Fund” established at the request of John’s daughter, who intends to make this an annual event. John was a truck driver and “Ride With Joy” trucker hats will also be available for purchase.
Find more details on the ride on our calendar.
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Hello- I didn’t know John or live in town these days so may not be able to make the event, but would love to send a donation to the Joy Ride Fund. Does his daughter have anything set up (venmo/paypal) that we might contribute in memory of her dad? It sounds like a wonderful way to honor him and his love and passion for the cycling community.
I’m new-ish to the area, arrived January 2020, and would love to come and support as a life long cyclist, but I’m hesitant as I did not know John, nor have I have I connected much with the community directly. I realize this is a public announcement and have seen similar on the Portland MTB group facebook page, but thought I’d still ask the community at large, would it be appropriate for myself and others like me to join?
Yes it is appropriate. In this case the family is aware of the ride and is endorsing it and the whole idea is to show how much love there is for John.
Thanks for the clarification, he sounds like someone I would’ve loved to have met and ride with.