Ride Report: Pie Champ Ride

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[Last night’s Pie Champ ride report came from Susan Otcenas via the Shift List. For more reports and other Pedalpalooza coverage, see our Pedalpalooza page.]


I think it’s telling that so far, the only Pedalpalooza rides I’ve found time for are food related…..

Jeff & I hopped on our tandem at 8pm for the 15-ish mile ride from our house in Rock Creek, over the West Hills, to the meet-up location at 20th & Stark. If I’m gonna eat pie, I gotta burn off some calories first!

We arrived at 9:30, half an hour before the start time. Clearly there were some eager pie eaters out there because we weren’t the first ones there. Our group quickly swelled to 30-40 people on an impressive variety of bikes. I counted 2 tandems, one tall bike, some BMX bikes, a couple fixies, etc. I was hoping for a ‘bent or a unicycle, but didn’t see any of those until we reach our destination. We cruised down 20th to Hawthorne and on to 12th, where more cyclists were waiting.

Much ordering of pie ensued. I found the coconut cream pie to be excellent. Flaky outer crust with a not-overly-sweet coconutty filling. Mmmmmmmm.

Jeff & 5 other adventurous souls entered the eat-3-pies-really-fast-with-no-hands contest. Alas, he hadn’t even finished two when the crowd erupted in cheers for the gal who won. 3 pies eaten in an impressive 2 minutes 14 seconds. Bravo! She loved her pie so much that she promptly chowed down on a 4th. With hands.

Meanwhile, 3 very hungry guys sat down for the how-many-pies-can-you-eat-in-an-hour contest. These three looked very serious, strategically sipping water and periodically burping loudly, apparently to make more room. I finally left around 11:45. At that point, 2 competitors were working on pie #6 with 20 minutes left to go. DID WE CROWN A NEW PIE CHAMP??? Inquiring minds want to know.

A ride to Goose Hollow, MAX to 185th/WIllow Creek, and another 5 mile ride found me home in bed at 12:45.

Jeff skipped breakfast this morning.

Susan

blue Masi road bike (blue and white)

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Brand: Masi road bike (blue and white)
Color:blue
Size:5’6″
Serial: 0620010014
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2009-06-21
Stolen From: garage at SE Yamhill and 29th
Neighborhood: Sunnyside
Owner: Erick Garcia
OwnerEmail: tanymead@comcast.net
Reward: $50
Description: Blue and white Masi road bike with grey and white seat, double shift brakes
CALL 503-349-9991
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

red dyno deuce 90’s

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Year: 90’s
Brand: dyno
Model: deuce
Color:red
Stolen in portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2009-06-20
Stolen From: my house
i may not not have exact proof but everyone that knows me knows my bike
Neighborhood: failing and grand
Owner: danielle schance
OwnerEmail: Vixon13@comcast.net
Reward: cash
Description: my bike is a big red cruiser w/ flames on the frame blk seat w/ flames the tire treads are flames ther are skulls on the end of the handle bars as well as the air caps
Police reference#: 09054272
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Musician, artist, bike lover David Byrne in Portland tonight

David Byrne (R) chats with NYC
bike activist Noah Budnick.
(Image: Streetfilms)

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, artist, and musical legend David Byrne plays a show in Portland tonight.

Besides his musical and artistic endeavors, he’s also becoming something of a bike activist. Byrne has pedaled as a matter of everyday transportation for over 30 years and he’s starting to make some noise about it in his current home town of New York City.

Read more

By one vote in the Senate, Oregon finally moves to curtail cell phones while driving

“The use of cell phones is increasing so much that we have to get a handle on it now.”
— Ginny Burdick (D-Portland)

After several years of trying, the Oregon Legislature has passed a law that will make the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle illegal. House bill 2377, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Tomei (D-Milwaukie), squeaked by the Senate today by a vote of 16-13 (with one excused).

That’s just one more vote than required for a bill to pass and it came down to the wire, with Senator Margaret Carter changing her vote from no to yes in the final seconds.

The vote went nearly straight down party lines, with only one Democrat, Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson from Gresham crossing over to vote against it.

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Business Focus: Catching up with Portland Design Works

Portland Design Works-60

Erik Olson (L) and Dan Powell
of Portland Design Works.
(Photos © J. Maus)

It’s been almost a year since we first reported on Portland Design Works. The company was started by Erik Olson, a former general manager of Wisconsin-based bike accessory juggernaut Planet Bike. Olson has since brought on another ex-Planet Bike staffer, Dan Powell, to be his partner.

Portland Design Works officially launched for business this past January and they didn’t start actually selling product until March. I got the lowdown on how things are going from Dan and Erik when they swung by our office a few weeks back.

Read more

In Amsterdam, bicycle use exceeds car use

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On average, Amsterdam residents use
bikes more than cars.
(Photo: Tom Miller)

Industry news publication Bike Europe reports today that, in Amsterdam, people use their bicycles more per day on average than their cars:

“The bicycle is the means of transport used most often in Amsterdam. Between 2005 and 2007 people in the city used their bikes on average 0.87 times a day, compared to 0.84 for their cars. This is the first time that bicycle use exceeds car use.”

Read more

blue/yellow schwinn mesa mountain bike 90’s

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Year: 90’s
Brand: schwinn
Model: mesa mountain bike
Color:blue/yellow
Size:small
Stolen in 97217, OR
Stolen:2009-06-22
Stolen From: Behind my building, @ 5254 N Williams
Neighborhood: Humbolt
Owner: Natalie Staggs
OwnerEmail: nataliestaggs@gmail.com
Reward: yes we’ll negotiate
Description: Ladies Schwinn Mountain bike with cruiser style handlebars, a brooks saddle and an XtraCycle attached, which is an extended rack with a wooden deck on top.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

red & white

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Color:red & white
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/m_eyes/3652018427/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2009-06-22
Stolen From: Was stolen from my backyard near SE 32nd & SE Belmont.
Neighborhood: Belmont/Sunnyside
Owner: Marty Knowles
OwnerEmail: martinknowles55@gmail.com
Description: Bike is mostly red with some white. Handle bar tape is red and slowly fades to white. Only fender on back wheel.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike