🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏
At last Tuesday’s meeting of the Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC), we heard from April Bertelsen of the Portland Mall Revitalization project.
This is the project that will completely reconstruct the existing bus mall on 5th and 6th Avenues downtown. In that process they will be uprooting and relocating hundreds of bike racks. April was at the PBAC meeting to hear input from cyclists about what type of facilities they should consider replacing them with.
Two great benefit events happening this week:
On Friday there is a Bicycle Film Night Fundraiser to benefit Times Up!, an advocacy group in NYC. They need to raise a bunch of money for legal fees associated with their battle for cyclists’ rights against the NYPD.
The feature presentation will be “Still We Ride,” a documentary on Critical Mass that I’ve heard is quite good. And by the way, if you’re not concerned about the actions of the NYPD towards cyclists, read this article by Senator Jim Elliot from Montana: “Freedom to Be, Freedom to Ride“.
Just wanted to make sure everyone reads this article by Margie Boule in Sunday’s Oregonian. It’s about a retiree named Alan Koch. For his 65th birthday he got a new Bianchi and is in the process of riding his bike on every street in Portland. That is awesome.
It reminds me of one of Eleni’s favorite books titled “Supergrandpa.” It pays tribute to a 66 year-old man who in 1951 finished first in the longest bicycle race in Sweden.
And since I’m mentioning books, there’s a great new one for older cyclists called, “Bike For Life: How to Ride to 100.”
Good luck Alan and I’ll see you out there.
Just got these photos from Maggie Burrus-Granger. Maggie is a local artist and biker who combined her passions into this very nifty bike-powered sewing machine. She also makes embroidered pillowcases (Juli got me a set for our 5th anniversary!), knit sweaters and inner tube bags all with bikes on them. The name of her company is amelia b.
I asked Maggie why she creates bike crafts:
“When I’m not riding my bike, I’m crafting, and when I’m not crafting I’m riding my bike, and sometimes I make crafts on my bike. I dream about bikes.”
You can see the bike-powered sewing machine in action, meet Maggie, and peruse lots of great bike-themed crafts at the upcoming BikeCraft Faire on December 7th. Save the date!
Erik Tonkin and Rhonda Mazza are the fastest couple in Portland. The husband and wife pair scored great results in the Cycle-Smart International held this morning in Northampton, MA. Erik placed 5th among an elite group of riders and Rhonda rode to an amazing 2nd place behind Canadian powerhouse Lynn Bessette. Way to go guys!
Last night my Gary Fisher Mamba was stolen from our porch in NE Portland. The bike was locked to our porch with a keyed, Trek cable lock woven through the wheel and frame and locked directly to the porch. Obviously someone came through the gate and up to our front door while we were sleeping last night and either picked the lock or clipped the cable. The lock was taken with the bike.
The bike is an orange Gary Fisher Mamba, purchased in 2000 with black writing. Uniqueness–the hand grips are taped with black electric tape due to previous stickiness. The bike is large framed, with Shimano Acera components, v-brakes, slightly rusty chain, slightly bent rims (it’s well used), head and tail lights.
Unfortunately and identification numbers are back in Wisconsin…so we will work on getting that information.
Any help with this would be appreciated.
efisc766@yahoo.com
Met with Sacha (the man behind Vanilla Bicycles) today to talk about a project we’re working on and he mentioned some very cool news.
First, he’s commissioned Dan Gillsdorf of Atlas Tattoo to design the first-ever, limited edition Vanilla Bicycles poster. I didn’t see the sketches, but Sacha says it will be in the style of a vintage, art-nouveau advertisement and will feature his wife and daughter riding on their Vanilla stepthrough city bike with the cityscape in the background and something about a flock of swallows flying around. Sounded very cool.
I had my ten year old Specialized stolen last wed. I really loved the the bike but hadn’t put any really hard miles on it until I moved to PDX. I just started to bike as a full time mode of transport this spring and I really started to love my Specialized as I know the difference between riding a good bike and pap.
Two weeks ago my Rockhopper was stolen (someone cut my lock) I was heartbroken. I filed a report and kind of got over it. Then two days later I bought a used Mongoose from the Community Cycling Center. I had it for less than two weeks when it was taken in what was basicly a snatch and grab. it wasn’t locked but was less then Five feet from me and I let it out of my sight for less than five seconds. They also got my checkbook, my wallet, all or my credit cards and much more. The model # for my Mongoose is 938258
the serial # for it is m99x0354903 I think as the seller added an / through some 0s and not on others.
The Serial # on my Specialized is PQ546400 . In the last theaft they also got my checkbook, my wallet with all of my credit cards ans prety much everything as far as my identidy. please help.
I know I’ve been harsh on ODOT in the past, but now I applaud them.
A few weeks ago I posted something about a couple riding a tandem that had slipped on wet paint laid down by ODOT road crews. The paint had just been applied and no signs or cones were placed to warn of the slippery substance.
PDOT and Portland Streetcar, Inc. are embarking on a major project in the South Waterfront district. This new area will be like another Pearl District; complete with a streetcar line, tons of retail shops, and high-density, super expensive condos. Sounds great right?
Ran into Joe Kurmaskie at the store the other day. Joe has just returned from a cross-country bike ride with his two sons, Quinn (7) and Enzo (5). Many of you might know him as the “Metal Cowboy“, regular contributor to the Bicycle Paper and Backpacker Magazine just to name a few.
Yesterday I met with Bill Sinnott, Commander of the Traffic Division of the Portland Police. First, I want to thank everyone who emailed and left comments with questions for him. I printed them all up and left a copy with him so he could see first-hand what’s on your mind.
You might be thinking…isn’t this site about bikes? What do cops have to do with it? Good question. The fact is that the cops – especially the Traffic Division – effect our experience as cyclists in many ways; they interact with us at Critical Mass, they try and keep our streets safe, and they’re involved if/when we get in a serious crash with a motorist.