A tale of two races
Is there room for two big-time stage races in the Pacific Northwest in the same month? Just last week I reported about a multi-million dollar funding request for a major new stage race to be based in Portland.
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Gus Van Sant teams with Zoobombers
[Zoobomber “Handsome” Dave] Acclaimed movie director Gus Vant Sant — who won was nominated for an Academy Award for Good Will Hunting — has tapped the Zoobombers for an upcoming performance piece with the BodyVox dance company. Van Sant and the Zoobombers will be guest artists at First Impressions V. 5, a show that runs … Read more
Server changes coming over the weekend
This is just a note that over the next few days I will finally be ditching my current host for greener (and local!) pastures. Since the big server disaster I had last month, I’ve been using a temporary solution and now I’ll be transferring everything over to a new host. I hope it all goes … Read more
What bike stuff are you thankful for?
I know it’s cheesy and cliche, but I couldn’t resist. Here’s the bike stuff in Portland that I’m most thankful for. I encourage you to share yours if you’d like.
Washington DC fixes their fixed gear law
Dabby, (a veteran Portland messenger and regular commenter) just sent me an interesting bit of news. The Washington Area Bicyclists Association, an advocacy group in DC, has worked with the Washington DC Department of Transportation to amend their law to explicitly allow fixed gear bicycles to be used without separate hand brakes.
What we’re up against
[Movie still from 1954 GMpropaganda film. (Click to watch)] America’s pervasive car culture is a major barrier to making bicycles a respected mode of transportation. Many of the decision makers, planners, and traffic engineers in cities throughout the country were brought up to think that driving everywhere in a private car was an essential part … Read more
35 years of bicycle activism
I recently stumbled upon Steven Reed Johnson’s excellent history of Portland’s bicycle “movement”. In that paper, he details the formation of the Portland’s first official group of bicycle activists: “In November 1971, the City of Portland created the first citizen committee to examine bicycle programs in the city, the Bicycle Path Task Force (led by … Read more
Perceptions of enforcement
The issue of enforcement against bicycles is contributing to an increasingly acrimonious relationship between the Police Bureau and some members of the bike community. In addition to the well-publicized and unresolved fixed-gear bicycle issue, allegations of selective enforcement are still being made, especially by downtown messengers who feel they’re being unfairly targeted for both fixed-gears … Read more
CCC plans to take over Get Lit program
[Get Lit display at the 2005 BikeCraft.] The Community Cycling Center (CCC) plans to take over the popular Get Lit program, run by citizen activist Jeff Bernards since 2003. The plan is “still in the works” according to the CCC’s Alison Hill, who also says, “We’re excited about the opportunity to continue Get Lit. It’s … Read more
Eurobike announcement surprised POVA too
Although they met at Interbike and were in the midst of ongoing discussions, the Portland Oregon Visitor’s Association (POVA) did not expect Messe Friedrichshafen’s big announcement to bring a major bicycle trade show to Portland in September of 2007. In a conversation today with POVA’s VP of Sales, Michael Smith, I learned that the two … Read more
Should bike boulevards be car-free?
By Elly Blue Bicycle boulevards — which are adored by both PDOT and the BTA — are a major buzzword among bicycle transportation gurus nationwide.
Mud and crowds thick at USGP cross race
[Photo: Brian Ellin] Yesterday Hillsboro (a few miles West of Portland) played host to the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross (USGP). By all accounts, the rain-soaked course did little to dampen the spirits of the racers and the spectators. In fact, the challenging conditions were welcomed by many. In a report on VeloNews.com, USGP series … Read more