BikePortland

On 20th anniversary, an interview with Cross Crusade’s Brad Ross

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

There’s nothing quite like the Cross Crusade.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Believe it or not, Portland’s Cross Crusade cyclocross series enters its 20th season this weekend.

Founded in 1993 when Rick Potestio and Russ Humberston took over a smaller series dubbed “The First Mud”, the Cross Crusade has grown by leaps and bounds. Today it’s known as the largest cyclocross series in the world in terms of participants and it has played a key role in the burgeoning popularity of the sport in the United States over the past several years.

Cross Crusade Director Brad Ross was there at the beginning. I spoke to the 47-year-old professional bike race promoter from his home in southwest Portland this morning.

Brand: Bianchi
Model: Hybrid
Color:Purple
Stolen in Vancouver, WA
Stolen:2013-10-3
Stolen From: The bike rack in front of my apartment in East Vancouver. The cable lock was cut.
Neighborhood: Bella Vista
OwnerEmail: kafkawa( atsign )gmail.com
Description: An at least 15-year-old purple Bianchi Hybrid with the handlebars swapped out. There is a black sticker from a Spokane bike shop called Bicycle Butler
Police record with: VPD
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

‘ARTCRANK’ poster show illustrates depth of cycling’s inspiration

One more night to experience Artcrank.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

“Bikes are the world’s most fun, accessible way to get around. Posters are the world’s most fun, accessible art form. ARTCRANK brings them together.”

That’s the simple yet powerful idea behind Artcrank, an event that opened last night in downtown Portland and continues tonight at 5:00 pm. 34 artists have hung their bike-inspired posters at the Cleaners gallery on SW 10th and Stark and they’re all for sale at $40 a piece.

Check out the PBOT press release below… Looks like a great day planned next week to celebrate Walk and Bike to School Day:

‘Walk + Bike to School Day’ on Wed., Oct. 9 citywide;
Procession with Commissioner Novick, Director Leah Treat, Timber Joey and
150 students to Maplewood Elementary School

(Oct. 4, 2013) – International “Walk + Bike to School Day” will be celebrated with a news event at Maplewood Elementary School in Southwest Portland at 7:40 a.m. Wednesday, October 9. More than 150 children are expected to meet up and walk or bike to school with City Commissioner Steve Novick, Transportation Director Leah Treat, Portland Timbers’ Timber Joey and community leaders. At the school, teachers, parents and community leaders will talk about the health and safety benefits of being active.

Thousands of other children from about 60 Portland schools will also walk and bike to their schools, showing that it’s easy and fun to walk and bike to school.

Read more

Silver Diamondback Mountain 2005

Year: 2005
Brand: Diamondback
Model: Mountain
Color:Silver
Stolen in Portland, OR 97266
Stolen:2013-10-3
Stolen From: 84th Place and Woodstock, residence.
Neighborhood: Lents
Owner: Timothy Hulbert
OwnerEmail: tshulbert(at sign)comcast.net
Description: Silver Diamondback Mountain bike, bent back rim, bottle holder on steering wheel and frame. Zip ties on seat from old tool kit
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

New map reveals important key to the future of Portland transportation

Screen grab of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s Comp Plan Map App.

Forget the free bike map taped to your fridge. Forget the city’s terrific but frequently ignored 20-year bike plan. Forget the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s map of its top 16 regional priorities, and even Metro’s long-term vision of a region with multiple urban centers and a huge grid of mass transit lines.

To understand the potential for where good urban transportation is currently within reach in Portland, you’ve got to look at the map above. Its green area shows “where the street grid meets connectivity standards and where the majority of the streets have sidewalks.”

Without a massive surge of political will, this is likely to be, for decades, the only area of Portland where most people will actually find it appealing to frequently get around without a car.

Leah Benson, owner of Gladys Bikes.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Portland has a new bike shop. But before you react with, “Really? Another one!?”, keep in mind that unlike any other shop in Portland, Gladys Bikes (Facebook) at 3808 N Williams caters specifically to women.

The shop is the work of 30-year old north Portland resident Leah Benson. I stopped by yesterday to check out the space and learn more about her.

A native of Wisconsin, Benson moved to Portland five years ago. She previously worked for Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., a non-profit that provides education and advocacy for women going into non-traditional employment (mostly building and construction trades). Benson has also been an active volunteer with the Community Cycling Center.

While she’s ridden her bike her entire life (“I grew up in the middle of nowhere, so I had to ride my bike if I wanted to do anything,” she said) and started biking to work in her early 20s, it wasn’t until she moved to Portland that biking became a larger part of her life. “This is such an easy city to become immersed in bicycles,” she said, “it became not just something I did to get from point A to point B, but so much an integral part of my life.”

Year: 2013
Brand: Bajaj
Model: Pulser 220F
Color:Red&black
Serial: HR76A7006
Stolen in GURGAON, OR 122001
Stolen:2013-09-28
Stolen From: hyde park in ansal,
badshapur,
gurgaon haryana
India
Owner: Rajender Kumar
OwnerEmail: Upendersingh.chauhan(at sign)gmail.com
Description: Lord Little Hanuman sticker(Red) in frunt of the mask.
Police record with: FIR no 376 date 29-09-2013
Police reference#: Badsahpur
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Metro seeks applicants for influential transportation committee

The Portland area’s regional government is recruiting three volunteers to join one of the most powerful transportation committees in town.

Metro’s Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee has three openings starting in January. The committee, which is divided between transportation professionals and community members, advises the elected Metro council and other bodies on many transportation investment priorities and policies.

Just one new job posted to our Job Listings this week. Check out more details via the link below…

Installation Tech – Rack Attack

Year: 2013
Brand: Takara
Color:Maroon
Size:small/medium
Stolen in Portland, OR 97218
Stolen:2013-10-2
Stolen From: Home on NE 47th/Killingsworth.
Neighborhood: Cully
Owner: Emily Padua
OwnerEmail: emily.padua( atsign )gmail.com
Description: Maroon Takara step through with dropped handle bars (black handle bar tape). Some paint chipping off of top bar near handlebars from keeping bike lock there while riding. Has a rack, and mismatched black fenders. Yellow circle “Bike Recycle Vermont” sticker on seat post.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Finally! An easy web tool to track city transpo projects

A screen grab of transportation projects in the Portland planning bureau’s new map app.

Isn’t it great when a local government agency uses the Internet to make political participation much easier?

Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability released a new tool Tuesday that does exactly that. It’s the Google Maps of Portland planning and demographics, and definitely a resource worth knowing about.

On 20th anniversary, an interview with Cross Crusade’s Brad Ross

Purple Bianchi Hybrid

‘ARTCRANK’ poster show illustrates depth of cycling’s inspiration

Timbers mascot to join city staff at ‘Walk and Bike to School Day’

Silver Diamondback Mountain 2005

New map reveals important key to the future of Portland transportation

New shop on Williams Ave, ‘Gladys Bikes’, caters to women

Red&black Bajaj Pulser 220F 2013

Metro seeks applicants for influential transportation committee

Job of the Week

Maroon Takara 2013

Finally! An easy web tool to track city transpo projects

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