john joy

One of Portland’s most prolific bike riders died while pedaling his bike last month and now there will be an annual ride in his memory.

The inaugural Ride With Joy will take placed February 19th and will take a 30-mile loop around north and northeast Portland, retracing many of the roads Joy used to love as a member and leader with Portland Bicycling Club.

According to Ride With Joy organizer Chris Brannen, “This ride will be a group ride celebration of John’s life and local legacy as a beloved cycling friend of the Portland community.” It will leave from Gateway Transit Center at 1:15 sharp. Joy’s memorial service will have taken place earlier on the same day.

“We will pedal to Cathedral Park underneath the St. Johns Bridge and pause there perhaps fittingly underneath the majestic St. John’s Bridge to pay our silent respects to John,” Brannen wrote in a description of the event.

The ride will be followed by a “pizza and pints” gathering hosted by John’s family at 4:30 at Stark Street Pizza (9234 SE Stark St). If you want a change of clothes for the post-ride event, bring them along with you. “Or do what John would do, and just wear your cycling lycra for several hours post-ride (ha ha),” writes Brannen.

Donations of $10 will be encouraged to kickstart a “Joy Ride Fund” established at the request of John’s daughter, who intends to make this an annual event. John was a truck driver and “Ride With Joy” trucker hats will also be available for purchase.

Find more details on the ride on our calendar.