BikePortland

Bike-based businesses come together, hope to organize

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Bike-based business owners at a
meeting this morning.
(Photos © J. Maus)

There is some serious momentum afoot for Portland’s growing number of bike-based businesses to organize into some sort of alliance. Nowhere has that momentum been more apparent than at a meeting to discuss the idea held at the Portland Development Commission’s downtown offices this morning.

The idea was first floated over a month ago by Hannah Sandmeyer of Q19 Greening (a company we profiled back in January). Sandmeyer sent out an email to several bike-based businesses wanting to gauge interest in coming together for a meeting to talk about how to “support and collectively empower businesses that run on two wheels.”

Next Tuesday (5/26), at our monthly meeting, PUMP (Portland United Mountain Pedalers) is unveiling a new name and a new logo. This rebranding coincides with a major transformation the group is currently undergoing and it will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of mountain bike advocacy in Portland, NW Oregon and SW Washington.

Whether you are a current PUMP member or not, we like to invite you to our monthly meeting to join us in celebrating this major milestone in our 21 years of existence. With the new name, the new brand, and the reorganization of our group, we want to carry MTB advocacy in our region to the next level and open our doors to the numerous people in the Portland area who share the joy of riding bicycles on off-road trails and who support our efforts to preserve and increase the opportunities for off-road cycling in our region, regardless of what type of bikes you ride, what style of trails you prefer, or how often you hit the dirt. We want to create a true community of off-road cyclists where everyone feels welcome and where every type of contribution for the cause is appreciated!

Here are the details of next week’s event:

Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm

Location:
Lucky Lab NW Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland, OR
(NOT the Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne!)

Schedule:
6:30 – 7:30pm: social time (come early to chat over a bite and a beer).
7:30pm: presentation: “The Rebranding of PUMP – A New Chapter…” (followed by Q&A and member vote).
8:00pm: update on upcoming Mt St Helens Trail Work Party and other advocacy/event/ride announcements.
8:15pm – 9:00pm: social time.

We hope to see you there. Bring your friends!

Weekend Guide and Open Thread

Human-powered speed machines
race this weekend at PIR
(Photo © J. Maus)

It’s the long weekend, it’s going to be beautiful, and as always there is a lot going on in the wide world of bikes.

All weekend

Human Power Challenge
Join Oregon Human Powered Vehicles at PIR for a weekend-long series of drag races, time trials, and displays of skill, agility, and speed — all powered by people, though this year features the first race with an electric assist category. It’s free to come watch the spectacle.
Check out our photos from the 2006 races, and this year’s racing schedule .

Commissioners Fish and Fritz and
Mayor Adams listen to testimony at
the budget hearing last night.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Given the City’s budget woes and the fact that our Mayor is currently being investigated by the State Attorney General and has been embroiled with an unending stream of negative media attention, you’d think Portlanders would line up for a chance to find fault with him and his budget.

However, at last night’s community budget hearing, it was just the opposite.

Another reporter I chatted with likened it to a “love-in”. One person after another — representing interests ranging from the arts, homeless services, seniors and biking — expressed gratitude and offered their thanks to Adams and his Council colleagues (only Saltzman wasn’t present) for their work on the budget.

Mayor Adams made a lot of
promises. Has he kept them?
(Photos © J. Maus)

On May 26th, less than one week from today, Mayor Adams will have been in office for 100 business days. Shortly after taking office he released his “100 Day Action Plan” which contained a range of promised accomplishments from many different bureaus within the city.

Among the promises was an entire section devoted to bike-related projects and policies. It contained five separate promises and was labeled: “Enhance the safety and accessibility of bicycling for everyone.” He also promised a “world-class” bike facility on the new I-5 bridge (if and when it’s ever built).

Below, we take a closer look at each promise and whether or not Adams has made good.

For several months last summer and fall, throngs of visitors to the popular Last Thursday art walk on NE Alberta St were able to walk, bike, skate, roll wheelchairs, push strollers, or stop to browse and socialize in the street without interference or danger from passing cars.

A nearly carfree Last Thursday on Alberta-73.jpg

The street filled up quickly but still had plenty of room for nonmotorized passage in the first official carfree Last Thursday in July, 2008. (Photo © J. Maus)

Riders assess damage after
tack incident last month.
(Photo: Lauren Bayard)

We may have a serial trail vandal on our hands who’s out to cause flat tires and puncture wounds for folks using the popular Springwater Corridor Trail — and now the Parks department is working with the Police to track them down.

Last month we reported that vandals had spread hundreds of tacks on the trail. BikePortland reader Craig Harlow reported the incident saying that after he and several other riders got flats they fanned out and found “about 300 [tacks] strewn along 50 yards of the path.”

Remember the BikePortland Bookstore? It’s still out there, and we’ve recently added a handful of new books, mainly thanks to your suggestions. We’ve got a hot new popular book about kids and safety, some titles on framebuilding, a recommended new kids’ book, a travel tale and a classic movie. Any other ideas for titles we should let the world know about? Please send them to elly(at)bikeportland(dot)org.

Through our partnership with Portland’s own Powell’s Books, BikePortland.org will receive a portion of all sales on Powells.com made through the links on this page (including any books and DVDs, not just the ones we link to).

With the prospects of bike funding looking grim Salem, the residents of Portland have a chance to set a different tone.

Tonight (5/21) in Southeast Portland the Mayor and City Commissioners will listen to testimony about the Mayor’s proposed budget prior to their vote to adopt it on May 27th.

At stake for people who care about bikes as transportation is $4.7 million dollars in funding for bike projects and programs. Here is a list of bike-related line items in the budget.

What: A family friendly ride, a bike pride parade featuring teams/groups of 5 or more then a street race criterium up and down Mississippi in the evening. Vendors, beer garden… good times. Benefitting Self Enhancement Inc. youth development organization.

When: Saturday, June 13. Family Ride signup 12:45, rolls at 1:30. Parade rolls at 3pm. Racing starts at 5pm.

Where:
Family Ride – Starts at 3920 North Kerby Avenue
Parade – Starts at Fremont and Mississippi Ave.
Race – Mississippi from Fremont to Mason

More: Registration is FREE!
Register by June 10th.
http://CyclingCircus.com/parade_cirque_du_cycling.html

Lawmakers leave bikes out of transportation bill: BTA “disappointed”

“This is not a very impressive step forward in terms of recognizing the role of bicycles in addressing our transportation needs.”
— Doug Parrow, head of BTA’s legislative committee

Salem lawmakers have published their much-anticipated amendments to Governor Kulongoski’s transportation package and the news for bikes is bad. Very bad.

When the bill was first introduced back in November, bike advocates saw some positive signs that funding for bike projects might finally get the increase it deserves. There was talk of an increase to Oregon’s Bike Bill to take it from from 1% to 1.5% of highway project funds that would be guaranteed for bike and ped improvements. Advocates also hoped for a new fund specifically dedicated to non-motorized transportation corridors.

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 Will to task for an anti-Portland screed he penned in a recent column. Will’s story was based on faulty assumptions about America’s relationship with bikes and cars and it directly insults Obama Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for his (gasp!) love of Portland.

Bike-based businesses come together, hope to organize

The Rebranding of PUMP … A New Chapter

Weekend Guide and Open Thread

All weekend

Lots of love for Mayor’s budget at community hearing

Has Mayor Adams fulfilled his bike promises?

Last Thursday set to go carfree for the season

Tack vandal strikes again: Parks, Police ramp up efforts to stop them

What’s new in the BikePortland Bookstore

Mayor’s budget, bike funding up for community hearing tonight

Cirque du Cycling Bike Parade – Mississippi Ave

Lawmakers leave bikes out of transportation bill: BTA “disappointed”

Blumenauer jumps at chance to hold a “weasel” accountable

Latest Headlines

Tonight’s bike touring slideshows feature Japan cherry blossoms, human powered vehicles, and more

Open houses on local transportation funding begin this week

A win for transit on 82nd, but concerns remain

Monday Roundup: E-bike for your feet, Olympics, Waymo watch, and more

From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike