BikePortland

Join us for an evening with bike tourer, photographer, blogger, and advocate Russ Roca

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Russ Roca and his custom Bilenky.
An Evening with Russ Roca
Monday, 8/3 at 6:00pm
Roots Brewing (1520 SE 7th Ave)

Eight years ago, budding photographer Russ Roca’s pickup truck died. A curious and eco-conscious guy, he wondered if he could get by living in Los Angeles without a car. Turns out he could. It changed his life, and it also saved him enough money to buy more camera equipment. His career — and a new perspective on life — began.

Roca, a bicycle-based professional photographer, part-time bike advocate, epicurean cyclist, and talented multimedia journalist is coming to Portland. Roca and his partner, jeweler and metalwork artist Laura Crawford, will begin a global bike tour after a train ride up to the Rose City. The pair have sold most of their possessions, moved out of their apartment in Long Beach, California and have started The Path Less Pedaled project, which they say has, “the goal of connecting with and collecting the stories of people who followed a calling to live their lives in unique ways.”

Reader Tomas Quinones and a friend made this bike rack out of bamboo, rope, and used bike tubes. (Photo by Flickr user TomasCoSauce in the BikePortland Photographers pool)

Hoyt Street Properties in the Pearl
has long been a fan of bikes.
(Photo © J. Maus)

At the 34th annual Street of Dreams event, Portlanders will get a healthy dose of our local bike culture in addition to the usual tour of luxury homes.

This year’s event, which focuses on the Pearl District, will feature a special “Cycle the Dream” component. Organizer Mark McGregor has put together a roster of bike-related businesses that will be on display as event-goers tour eight penthouse condominiums inside the four buildings on the Street of Dreams tour route.

An ad for OnPoint credit union that showed up on the doorstep of a reader.

An “ultra-hip bike culture effete”
and her fashion accessory.
(Photo © J. Maus)

I noticed an interesting opinion piece in The Oregonian this morning that claims that the “newest local outdoor must-have fashion accessory” is the “walked bicycle.”

In the article, author/journalist/bike commuter Lawrence J. Maushard of Southeast Portland, seems almost perturbed by the number of people who walk with their bikes on our city’s sidewalks. I’m not sure why good looking people walking bikes causes so much consternation with Mr. Maushard (does he dislike eco-conscious people? is he just a hipster hater?), but it makes for an interesting read:

Here’s an excerpt:

State Fair Bike Parade flyer.

The 148th annual Oregon State Fair (8/28 – 9/7) isn’t usually considered a venue to put Oregon’s love of bicycling on display, but this year might change that. Bikes will take center stage at the 2009 State Fair Bicycle Parade. Organizers say the reason for the parade is to, “get out and have fun on a bicycle.”

Year: 1994
Brand: Trek
Model: 730 men’s
Color:Blue 2 tone
Size:?
Serial:?
Stolen in Portland, OR 97213
Stolen:2009-01-26
Stolen From: Front of house
Neighborhood: Cully
Owner: Heather Buss
OwnerEmail: firewaterfairy@yahoo.com
Description: Has mountain bike handle bars, headlight & tail lights (one is magnetically pedal powered), blue bottle holder. Bike is dinged up and has original factory parts (no upgrades). Is blue on front and fades to a lighter blue. Also has shoe holders on peddles which have rusty latch straps. Fits a 5’5" rider with seat fully raised.
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

BTA asks: What advocacy topics do you want to talk about?

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is planning several “Advocacy Forums” later this summer. The forums are being held so the BTA can garner feedback and input on a variety of issues. In advance of the first event in mid-August, the BTA just released a survey asking the community what topics they’d like to discuss.

When asked for more information about the forums, BTA Advocacy Manager Michelle Poyourow wrote via email that,

“These forums are a chance for BTA staff to discuss some perennial bike advocacy issues with our members. We can bring our informed perspective – what we know from the latest research and data, national and international best practices, political realities – and we want to hear from our members what their concerns and priorities are and what they’d like to see the BTA champion.”

Poyourow added that the forums are only meant for BTA members, “since, after all, that is who is funding this advocacy work.” She notes that if someone’s membership has expired, they’ll be able to renew it at the event.

In the survey, there are two questions. Here is the first:

Could this freshly paved section of NW Nicolai St, where railroad tracks used to be, become a new cycle track? (Note: This paved section is on a curb, above the roadway.)
(Photo: Anonymous reader)

A sample route on byCycle.org.

Someday, you’ll be able to type two addresses into your computer and get customized directions for traveling between them — by bike. The addresses could be in the same city, or across the country. You could choose between different kinds of routes, or find out how to transfer to the bus or train for a leg of the trip.

That’s the dream, anyway. And it’s a dream being chased by a small, but determined band of bike-loving programmers and mapping experts across the country.

The idea of online bicycle route planning is at least as old as the advent of online driving direction programs such as MapQuest, and Portland became the epicenter of its realization in 2005 with the debut of byCycle.org.

Year: 70’s ?
Brand: Schwin
Model: World Sport
Color:Faded red
Size:58cm ?
Serial: NA
Stolen in , OR
Stolen:2009-07-28
Stolen From: Near penisular park
Owner: Max Chandler
OwnerEmail: wolfbitebait@yahoo.com
Reward: $20
Description: Poor mans single speed. Entire right side of bike faded light pink. Sunrim back wheel. Marin mountain bike handle bars w/ carbon bull grips. Steel 3 pc crank lever set original.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Join us for an evening with bike tourer, photographer, blogger, and advocate Russ Roca

Reader photo of the week: DIY bamboo bike parking

‘Street of Dreams’ in the Pearl will be lined with bicycles

OnPoint credit union ad, “young drivers” and “demotorization”

Oregonian guest opinion piece: Bikes are the newest “must-have fashion accessory”

Oregon State Fair will kick off with official bike parade

Blue 2 tone Trek 730 men’s 1994

BTA asks: What advocacy topics do you want to talk about?

An opportunity for better bikeways in Northwest Industrial Area?

In-Depth: Chasing the dream of online bike route planning

Faded red Schwin World Sport 70’s ?

Latest Headlines

‘Better Sheridan’ project brings safer street to South Waterfront

Your guide to finding the ‘Wildwood’ crows by bike

My journey to that ‘Hard Rock glow’

Off-Road Cycling Master Plan: A decade later, what has changed?

From the Archives

The 10 busiest bicycling spots in Portland