George Will, Public Weasel No. 1. Remember just over a year ago, when U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer told the crowd at the Oregon Bike Summit that we need to “Hold the weasels accountable” when their partisan bickering holds up good bike policy? Now, Blumenauer is doing just that in his efforts to take Newsweek’s George … Read more
A shot of NW Lovejoy from the film. Tonight at 8:00, on PBS stations across the country, a new one-hour documentary film will give Americans a history lesson and, hopefully, an inspiration to learn from it. In the film, correspondent Miles O’Brien (formerly of CNN) travels to three American cities that have taken very different … Read more
“While we are working to improve conditions for bicyclists on the roadways, let’s, please, remember the culture we’ve created over the last 100 years will not welcome bikes overnight.”— From the US DOT blog Came across an article on bike safety published to the official blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation this morning (which … Read more
The Ginger Ninjas playing an impromptu gig in a plaza in Guadalajara while locals pedal to generate electricity.(Photo: Ginger Ninjas) A bike-powered band that roams the globe on fully-loaded Xtracycles to bring the good word of a sustainable lifestyle to everyone that cares to listen. If that’s not the type of band many Portlanders can … Read more
U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer has made his transportation project requests public.(Photo © J. Maus) [Via Mapes on Politics] U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer has made his list of “High Priority” transportation projects public, and several of them are for bike-related projects in and around the Portland metro area. According to Blumenauer, the list was created to … Read more
Detail from a plan to make NE Holladay Street a carfree corridor. Download PDF (2.4MB)(Graphic by Parametrix)
The Zoobomb Pyle at SW 10th and Oak(Photos © J. Maus) An idea nearly three years in the making will finally bear fruit later this month when Zoobomb holds an event to dedicate the new permanent home for their “Pyle” of mini-bikes. As we reported back in October 2007, the Zoobombers worked with Mayor Sam … Read more
You never know what you’ll see during Pedalpalooza.(Photos © J. Maus) Shift’s eighth annual Pedalpalooza is shaping up fast. A quick browse at the ever-expanding ride calendar (178 events posted as of today!) and you’ll realize that this year’s 17-day fest will once again raise the bike fun bar to unprecedented heights. This year, the … Read more
My view of NE Sandy this morning.(Photos © J. Maus) On crowded Portland streets, where taking the lane isn’t comfortable or necessary, people on bikes are usually expected to ride in a 4-5-foot wide bike lane. With cars speeding closely by on one side, and sometimes with cars parked just inches by on the other, … Read more
Metro Councilor Robert Libertygets the prize for best-dressedbiking politician today.(Photos © J. Maus) It’s not everyday that you get a free spread of food, coffee, free bike tune-ups, and a shot at raffle prizes just for biking into work. And it’s not everyday that you can see your Congressional representative, your Mayor, and two members … Read more
Screen shot from MyCommuteSucks.org “Don’t you wish there were a place where you could just vent all your transportation troubles? Well, the wait is over. Let it all out and take action.” That’s the battle cry from MyCommuteSucks.org, a new site launched today by non-profit group Transportation For America. According to E-advocacy Coordinator Stephen Davis, … Read more
Last year, the Lloyd Bikettes madetheir debut on Bike to Work Day.(Photos © J. Maus) Today is Bike to Work Day! Here in Portland, the day isn’t met with the same kind of fanfare as in some other cities (where the idea of biking is much more of a novelty). But even so, there’s at … Read more