Bike t-shirts, bike counts, and bike funding at Bike Happy Hour this week

Just a few of the tees from last year’s T-shirt Night.

Hope you can join us on the Gorges Beer Co patio tomorrow because we’ve got a very special night planned. A fun theme and two special guests.

Here’s what’s up:

First, remember to wear a bike-themed tee and/or bring extras to swap and share. T-shirt night is a chance to reach into the back of your dresser drawer and unearth that vintage tee that holds fun memories of yesteryear. Or maybe you got a cool new tee recently? How many of the Nia Musiba 2024 Bike Summer tees will we see? Or maybe you work at a local bike shop, nonprofit org, or bike company and have some old designs you want to clear out? Bring ’em!

And second, there’s a ride from the City of Portland building downtown for everyone who wants to volunteer for this year’s annual bike counts. If you haven’t heard, PBOT wants you to join the volunteer crews that will count riders this summer. It’s a really cool gig. The guy who runs the bike count program, PBOT Transportation Planner Sean Doyle, will hold a training Wednesday at 3:30 pm at the Portland Building (1120 SW 5th Ave, Room 100). After the training (around 4:15 or so) Sean will lead a ride with the new recruits to Bike Happy Hour! If you show up around 5:00, Sean will get on the mic to share more about the counts. You’ll be able to sign up and learn more about this cool volunteer opportunity.

Also at open mic we’ll have local transportation activist Chris Smith in the house! Smith is a very respected local voice for reform and has been at the forefront of everything form bike parking policy to holding DOTs accountable for megaprojects. Smith will lead a conversation about the upcoming 2025 legislative session where lawmakers will create a multi-billion package of spending on projects and programs. Everyone in our space is talking about this, so don’t be left out. Come to the patio and learn what’s up, how you can be engaged, and what to expect once the session heats up next year.

Come for the t-shirts, the bike count info, or the latest scuttlebutt on the 2025 package. Or just come to hang out and have fun! Either way, I can’t wait to see you there.