On not riding a spring 400k

Posted on May 19, 2012 by stasia

Early this morning, a few hardcore people around Portland and who knows where else were rolling out of bed bleary-eyed and probably sleep-deprived for a 6am ride start in Wilsonville. For the next many hours, they’ll be biking down the Willamette Valley and seeing, according to the ride description, a few covered bridges, lots of farms, some forests, and the Willamette River for most of the route. If it’s anything like the last randonneur rides I did get to go on, everyone will be super psyched to be out there, there will be friendly shit-giving, old camaraderie, and, most of all, a spectacular all-day-and-into-the-night ride.

I’m sad to miss it. It’s a giant tease that I found this amazing totally-built-for-stasia sport and then almost immediately started the season of having to work on Saturdays–Saturdays being the sacred day of planned randonneur rides, that is:) I’m super envious of everyone out there right now. Not only because I still have this untested urge to see if I can ride 400k readily enough, but also just because of the sense of missing out on something awesome that’s happening right now without me.

That being said, I’m also incredibly lucky. Because even though I miss today’s ride for work, starting tomorrow I have two whole weeks off. Can anyone say time for a bike trip?! Tomorrow I take off for Eastern Oregon on a very thought-about but loosely-planned two-week adventure. So excited!! I don’t plan to do any computing while I’m gone, but I’ll be sure to let you know how it went when I get back.

So to those of you biking the 400k today, know that I’m thinking you the happiest of happy thoughts for yet another spectacular ride that I wish I was on. I’m jealous, but I know there will be other rides I can actually do come summer. And in the meantime, for the next two weeks I’ll be sleeping under the stars and seeing a whole new part of the state the way it should be seen: slowly, by human power.

Bike happy, everyone! And let me know how it went:)

Filed under: Bigger Adventures, Rides | Leave a Comment »

Oxbow Park: awesome camping near Portland

Posted on May 17, 2012 by stasia

When I’m not working at the Community Cycling Center, I’m teaching teens and kids about nature with the Oregon Zoo. In a super-simplified nutshell, that means I take kids camping. Last weekend, it meant that I was at Oxbow Regional Park with a bunch of teenagers, hiking, wading in the Sandy River (brr!), and sleeping under the amazing stars.

It reminded me that Oxbow is one of my favorite nearby places to bike camp. Depending on where you leave from Portland, it’s only about 30 miles if you take the longer and nearly car-free way along the Springwater Corridor. If you just take Division Street out there, it’s even faster, though not as pleasant.

 

(My super roundabout route designed to include the whole paved Springwater:)
View Bicycling directions to SE Oxbow Pkwy in a larger map

 

Eventually, the Springwater will be paved all the way to Boring. Right now, the last two miles are still gravel. Luckily, where it turns into gravel is where you want to get off anyway to get to Oxbow. There’s even a conveniently-provided sign to remind you.

Even though that sign is super helpful, it’s the last one you’ll see. At least, I didn’t see any more bike signs directing me for the next 7.2 miles to Oxbow, though it’s possible I just took a different way than the sign people expected me to. It’s not complicated though, as long as you’ve looked at a map.

The sketchiest part of the whole ride is a multi-lane cross of Highway 26 shortly after you turn off the Springwater. Depending on the time of day, crossing 26 can be totally chill or heinously awful. Generally it takes a while for it to clear but there will be a window eventually. I promise:)

After that, though, it’s lovely country roads all the way out to the ridiculously awesome descent into the park. Despite some flooding earlier in the season, the campground is open for camping, and it’s plush in the way that Pacific Northwest forests are–verdant, ferny, cedar-y, lovely. Plus, there are miles of amazing hiking, running, fishing, birdwatching, naturing… even though you’re really only a few miles out of Portland (and even fewer out of Gresham), it feels like you’ve taken a grand adventure.

Like Stub Stewart on the Banks-Vernonia trail, this is a great overnight camping trip. You know, the kind of thing to do when you need to get the heck out of the city but don’t have that much time.

(On the way there, you can even marvel at the super tall equestrian-friendly crossing buttons:)

(Or wonder why a sign like this is necessary on a multi-use path closed to motor vehicles)

Oxbow would be a great spot to hang out for a few days, too, but since there’s no hiker-biker site and the camping is $20 per site, it gets pricey quickly. Unless you split it with a whole bike posse:) Which would be awesome. If you do, tell me about it so I can enjoy it vicariously:)

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Bike Club kiddos save the day!

Posted on May 15, 2012 by stasia

Yesterday, my co-teacher Lale and I taught our Bike Club kiddos how to fix flat tires. We spent some time reviewing how to take off a wheel (which we’d already taught them); they practiced putting patches on tubes and putting everything back together again; everyone felt pretty confident. Satisfied, we set off for Pier Park.

About 50 feet from the entrance to the park, I ran over a thumbtack. My tire duly disinflated as I shepherded our little class through the last turn.

“We’ll have to stop for a second,” I told them, walking my bike the last few feet. “My tire’s flat.” And sure enough, one of the girls pointed to the silver thumbtack still sticking out of my back tire in a way that never, ever happens in real life.

“Soo… now that you guys are experts,” I asked, “does anyone think they can help me fix my flat?” And sure enough, they walked me through the whole process, and my tire (and our ride) was saved. Thanks, Bike Club kiddos!:)

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Things you might see while biking take two: goslings!

Posted on May 11, 2012 by stasia

I’m starting a new category here to catch all the random things I see while biking around with camera close at hand: things you might see while biking. Today’s installment: goslings!

I saw a few families of geese chilling along the Willamette Greenway Trail this afternoon. Though they hissed at me at first, after I sat there for a while they seemed to get used to me, even letting their kiddos sleep under the bench I was sitting on and frolic around my bike.

Sunny day and herds of goslings? Must be spring!:)

Filed under: Things You Might See While Biking | Leave a Comment »

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