Guess who will be leading this year’s Grand Floral Parade on an old Schwinn Collegiate 3 speed? Yep, you guessed it, me!

This year’s parade will include Kids Pedal…a bunch of kids on bikes showing Portland how to pedal. I’ll be one of two highly-skilled, banner carriers at the front of the procession. I’d like to say this honor was bestowed upon me by my bikey peers…but in all honesty, I just happened to be a fast emailer and I was the first to respond to the invite.

I’m looking forward to representin’ and hopefully they’ll let me bring Eleni along.

See you out on the streets!

Josh Hallett just sent me info about a cool bike project based in Toronto called, “Pedals and Paint“. It’s group of folks going around the city painting abandoned bikes.

Here’s how they describe it

In 2004, we gathered 20 people in Trinity Bellwoods Park and taught them how to decorate an abandoned bike and a bike rack. We handed out maps of the downtown area that indicated where all of the locked up abandoned bikes were located. We split into three groups and visually liberated these neglected vehicles that same night.

This is our way of bringing life and colour to the streets with no other motivation than trying to make your stroll down the street that much more enjoyable. Instead of rusting junk, they become a special, imaginative, and integrated part of the streetscape.

See some great photos here, here and here.

You’ve got to love a bakery that serves Campy, fresh and hot.

This looks interesting…
Saturday, June 4th
Adaptive Bike Day with Portland Parks and Recreation

“Portland Parks & Recreation’s Disabled Citizens Recreation Program is co-sponsoring an adaptive bike day at the Eastbank Esplanade Plaza parking lot. Volunteers will help people use the bikes by following alongside or riding tandem on an adaptive bicycle. Volunteers will also promote safe biking by emphasizing the 10 things needed for safe biking (provided by PP&R). Light breakfast will be provided during the training, and water & snacks will be provided during the project. Come help us spread the joy of bicycling to a population that doesn’t always have access.”

A great new bike film about life behind-the-scenes of the Tour de France is coming to the Bagdad Theater for two nights, June 22 and 23rd. More info on this website.

Here’s a blurb:

The Tour Baby! chronicles Scott Coady’s amazing journey following the entire Tour de France. Watch as Scott embarks on an adventure of a lifetime armed only with a Sony digital camera, his passion for cycling, and a beat up Avis rental van he called home for a month. Experience first-hand the excitement and drama of the world’s most difficult and grueling sporting event.

Last I heard the raffle will include some pretty stellar prizes. Tickets just went on sale and will probably sell out quick. Get yours here

A local Portland resident put all this together in memory of a friend lost to cancer. All the money raised at these showings will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation to fund cancer research. Learn more about The Tour Baby on the website.

I’m taking one of these
to Critical Mass tonight.

(hat tip to Marino on the Shift list)