Cemetery will form committee to address bike access issue

“We are formulating a strong core of people who are in leadership positions in the bicycle community… to discuss how our concerns can be mitigated without simply closing the cemetery to bicycle traffic.”
— David Noble, Executive Director of River View Cemetery

David Noble, the executive director of River View Cemetery in Southwest Portland, has planned a meeting with representatives from the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance next week. The meeting will revolve around how to manage bicycle traffic through cemetery grounds.

The cemetery — which is on private property that provides a popular alternate route for bike traffic — is concerned with unsafe riding and disrespectful behavior by some riders. The issue has been simmering for years, but came to a head last week after we reported on the installation of three sets of new speed bumps.

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Interbike report: Utility and style amidst the madness

[BikePortland managing editor Elly Blue is back from Interbike, but she’s still going through mountains of notes and photos. Below is a report of city/cargo/utility bikes she came across on the show floor. See the rest of our Interbike coverage here.]

interbike 2009

Raleigh’s new commuter bike.
(Photos © Elly Blue)

For an Interbike rookie, the main floor of the show is quite overwhelming. But after the safe confines of the Advocacy Zone, I decided to delve out into the mayhem in search of the latest city bike offerings.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly widespread interest in commute and utility biking. In fact, the very first booth I saw was Topeak’s, and the first thing I saw in the booth was a bike geared up for touring next to an ultra light tent, backed by a display of racks and baskets.

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Builder Focus: Sweetpea is latest builder to offer production bike line

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[BikePortland intern Jonathan “J.R.” Reed contributed reporting to this story.]

Production means more riding and less waiting.
(Photo: Daniel Sharp Photography)

Portland-based Sweetpea Bicycles is the latest local bike builder to offer a line of production bikes. Builder Natalie Ramsland says the move was made to make Sweetpeas more accessible, both in terms of price and availability.

Natalie has garnered attention in the world of handmade bikes, not only because she is one of very few women making them specifically for women but because she does beautiful work and has the business acumen to continue doing so (which for some builders is more difficult than the building part).

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Polished Aluminum Sherpa 1995

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Year: 1995
Brand: Sherpa
Color:Polished Aluminum
Size:s/m
Stolen in Portland, OR 97213
Stolen:2009-09-26
Stolen From: Stolen car roof rack – cable cut – @ NE 44th & Broadway (on 44th – just before Broadway)in early am.
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Owner: Peter Dillenburger
OwnerEmail: peterd@hasson.com
Reward: $100
Description: Frame is polished aluminum – “SHERPA” in black lettering on down tube. Has “bull horns” & seat post rack & seat tool bag. Has plastic quick release fenders. Front shock. Bike fits me @ 5’7″. Small black bell mounted on handlebar stem.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Blue Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 2000

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Year: 2000
Brand: Specialized
Model: Stumpjumper Comp
Color:Blue
Size:Red forks
Stolen in Portland, OR 97215
Stolen:2009-09-28
Stolen From: Corner of SE 38th & Hawthorne in city bike stall in front of Bank of America at approximately 9:40pm.
Neighborhood: SE Hawthorne
Owner: Dave Morris
OwnerEmail: djmorris93@yahoo.com
Reward: $100
Description: A blue 2000 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp with Red Manitou front forks. Bike had street tires, a Ritchey seat post and a fairly new leather Bike Planet seat. Mavic rims. 503.853.3524
Police record with: 09-87549
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red/chrome Schwinn Reproduction 1970s

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Year: 1970s
Brand: Schwinn
Model: Reproduction
Color:Red/chrome
Size:large
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carissaofthehouseofwode/3963988685/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2009-09-27
Stolen From: In front of People’s Co-op, SE 21st and Tibbets
Neighborhood: SE Clinton
Owner: Carissa Wodehouse
OwnerEmail: carissawodehouse@gmail.com
Reward: $50
Description: This is a reproduction of a vintage Schwinn bike, gorgeous, huge, black fold out wire baskets on the back. Large black rubber handles. There’s rust around the chrome middle where there is a working horn button.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

City announces Walk + Bike to School Day event

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September 28, 2009

This just in from the Bureau of Transportation:

Walk + Bike to School Day Event on Oct. 7

WHAT
For International Walk + Bike to School Day, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is hosting a media event with the students of James John Elementary, local dignitaries and businesses encouraging students and families to make healthy choices for children and communities. It is anticipated that more than 150 children and parents will meet at St. Johns Park to walk and bike to school together. At the park before school, this diverse group of students and parents will hear speeches from elected officials and members of the community while being treated to snacks from the Pear Bureau Northwest and Clif Bar.

WHY
In 1969, 41 percent of children walked and biked to school compared to only 13 percent in 2001, according to the National Household Travel Survey. Over roughly the same period of time, childhood obesity rates more than tripled, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Experts, including local pediatricians, say that these two trends are related. The Portland Bureau of Transportation wants to improve childhood health by showing students and their parents that walking and biking to school is a beneficial, easy alternative to driving.

WHO
Portland Mayor Sam Adams, Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s Advisor for Livable Communities Meeky Blizzard, Portland Public Schools Board Member Martin Gonzalez and a Kaiser Permanente physician will speak to over 150 students and parents. James John Elementary and Transportation’s Safe Routes to School will also be in attendance.

WHERE
St. Johns Park (8427 N Central St, near downtown St. Johns) for the event and James John Elementary (7439 N. Charleston Ave), three blocks from the park.

WHEN
Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009 from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

Metro Transatlantic Workshop latest in U.S./European bike-cultural exchange

Cycletrack and transit stop integration
in Copenhagen.
(Photo: Mikael Colville-Andersen)

Beginning with a welcome reception at a downtown brewery tomorrow, Metro will host a European delegation as part of their Transatlantic Active Transportation Workshop. The four-day event is just the latest example of bicycle-related knowledge sharing between experts from America and Europe.

Portland has been sending city planners and engineers to cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam since at least 2005 (when I first mentioned it here on BikePortland). Since then, there have been several other trips with similar goals.

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Sky Yaeger of Swobo Bikes: Industry will notice Manifest bikes

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Sky Yaeger on a Swobo Otis.
(Photo: Richard Masoner/Cyclelicious)

We’re getting excited for the kickoff of the Oregon Manifest on Friday. One of the marquee events in the six-week bike culture blowout is the Constructor’s Design Challenge. We’ve already written a lot about it, but today we take a look at it from a different angle. I asked one of the judges — bike industry luminary Sky Yaeger — to share her thoughts about the event.

Yaeger is a well-respected bike industry veteran, known for her marketing/product/design skills at Bianchi where she brought the archetypal Pista and Milano models to life. These days, she is the manager of Swobo’s urban bike line.

Last week, between high-powered meetings at Interbike, she was nice enough to take some time and answer questions (via email) about the upcoming Design Challenge…

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