The Oregon Department of Transportation is about to launch a new planning effort that will be the first significant update to the Oregon Coast Bike Route in over ten years.
According to an ODOT spokesperson, the official map will also get an update for the first time since 2010.
Tomorrow night Cycle Oregon will celebrate the 30th running of their week-long “Classic” ride. At least they hope it will run this year.
It’s Cycle Oregon’s 31st year in existence, but last year’s ride was cancelled at the last minute due to wildfires that ravaged several sections of the planned route. This year the nonprofit is back with lessons learned and hopes that their fans are willing to give them another shot.
They’ll get a chance to make their pitch for the 2018 ride at the annual Kickoff Party at the Portland Art Museum Wednesday night.
With money in their coffers for the first time in several decades (thanks in large part to the local gas tax and revenue from the state transportation package passed last year), the Portland Bureau of Transportation will be busy in 2018. They recently released a list of 17 projects they plan to construct this year. Nine of them are east of 82nd.
I can’t believe someone made a documentary out of this. But I’m happy they did.
MAMIL’s are the oft-ridiculed cycling world sub-culture characterized by men in bright-and-tight lycra who speed around in packs chasing Strava segments and trying to recapture their glory days. Now their story has been told in a feature documentary, MAMIL, that will screen one night only in Portland. The screening is organized by Demand Film, a “cinema on demand” service that is showing MAMIL on 300 theaters across the country on the same night: February 21st. You can see it in the Portland area at: Regal Fox Tower Stadium 6, Regal Lloyd Center 10, and Regal Hilltop 9 Cinema (Oregon City).
The film is narrated by legendary Tour de France commentator Phil Liggett. Here’s the official blurb:
“MAMIL captures on film the spirit and the members of a movement that is growing throughout the world — middle-aged men taking to their cycles and biking through mountains, city streets, you name it, all in the name of CYCLING. Some do it for health, some for love, others just to clear their heads and face the world. And despite all the crashes, mega-pricey carbon fiber cycles, and wives worrying that they’ve been replaced by two wheels and a $1,200 bicycle seat, these guys wouldn’t have it any other way.
Filmed in the U.S., Australia and the U.K., MAMIL is a celebration of the love that can finally be shared – that of man for bike. You might be in an LGBT cycling club in New York or Christian in the Midwest; you might be a lawyer or a cancer survivor, you might be hauling your middle-aged belly over the next hill, or speeding along the open road, but you still thrill to the meditation of the bike.”
Here’s the official trailer:
Remember the bike lane on NW 14th Avenue we highlighted last week?
After what felt like weeks of incessant rain, Portland was gifted a dry day on Sunday. It was a rare full day of dryness with even a bit of sun thrown in here and there. Temps even reached the 60s!
I took a walk around the neighborhood and saw all manner of people out and about on bikes. The parks were packed with families who dusted off their rigs and the bike lanes were full of group riders and errand-doers.
One of our friends on Facebook, Doug Hecker, shared this great image of he and friends up at Powell Butte Nature Park. I asked him to share a bit about it:
“On Sunday afternoon I tried to convince my partner to go on an off-trail waterfall hike but they weren’t feeling up for it so I suggested riding from our Brentwood-Darlington abode and hopped on the Springwater Corridor towards Powell Butte. It has been 2 years since I had been on the Springwater. I had previously hadnt taken my bike on dirt trails before so I was pleasantly surprised. We rode a couple of laps on the Elderberry trail, Summit Lane, and exited via the Pipeline Rd. We scored a neat picture of Hood while we were there and dreamed of future excursions. The car parking situation is tough on a sunny Sunday afternoon and it seems that the crowds are nicely spread out so you will definitely see plenty of other people and pets. I viewed as a nice urban escape.”
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I too haven’t ridden there in years and now I’m really itching to go back. With the Springwater as an access point, Powell Butte’s off-road bike trails are accessible by nearly everyone.
Did you get a chance to take advantage of Sunday’s weather?
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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Nearly four years after was unanimously supported by Portland City Council, the Foster Road Streetscape Plan is finally poised to begin construction.
The City of Portland put out a bid for construction services last week and ground-breaking for the project is expected to begin in early May.
Welcome to the week. We’ve got a lot to cover; but first let’s look back at the best stories we came across in the past seven days…
Cars vs bikes, literally: Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi is meddling in the business of dockless bike-share companies in what looks like an effort to tame their growth.
Better boardwalks: We love this brilliant, modular sidewalk expansion method from London. Where could we put wider sidewalks to use in Portland?
Funding boost: Jump Bikes (formerly Social Bicycles), the bike share company that provides bikes and tech for Portland’s Biketown bikes, received an influx of venture funding after winning an exclusive permit for dockless e-bikes in San Francisco.
I can’t do anything about the weather; but I can give you some great ideas for what to do on a bike this weekend.
Have a look at our specially prepared menu of rides and make the selections that suit you…
Portland Bureau of Transportation employee Linda Ginenthal is retiring after more than 23 years with the agency.
Throughout her career, Ginenthal has been a force of nature in promoting biking, walking, and livable streets. Among the many programs, projects and events she played a major (often leadership) role in were SmartTrips, Safe Routes to School, Portland’s push for a Platinum award, the 2016 Open Streets Summit, and of course, Sunday Parkways.
If you want to break into the local bike industry — or you’re in need of a change, here are some excellent opportunities to consider.
And yes, Showers Pass is hiring! This Portland company is growing and it’s a great time to get your foot in their door.
Learn more about each new job listing via the links below…
–> Customer Service Representative – Stages Cycling
–> Retail Specialist – Community Cycling Center
–> E-Commerce Marketing Specialist – Showers Pass
–> Customer Service Representative – Showers Pass
Let’s talk about the weather.