Bike escort: the saga continues (anyone else want in??)

I’ve said this before so I won’t belabor the point, but biking with someone to work or having them bike with you is one of the best things ever. I used to do a lot of bike escorting (not as creepy as it sounds!) when I had a more unconventional schedule, and I love the way that riding to other people’s jobs with them takes me to corners of Portland I’m totally unfamiliar with. Even more, though, I love how it lets me sneak in some time hanging out with people I might not otherwise see too much.

Since I’ve been working in Gresham, I’ve been completely humbled by the people who’ve been willing to pay back the escort favor and ride out or back with me, undaunted by the relatively long one-way trip. I wrote a while ago (here!) about my friend Joseph, who totally blew me away by picking me up on his ridiculously out-of-the-way home one evening. Since then, the inimitable Dieter Loiber (sometimes a guest author on this blog!) biked out with me early one morning, continuing onward into the Columbia River Gorge for his own larger adventures afterward. And I even bullied (heh) my bitty brother into riding out with me one day when he was in town — into a frozen headwind and on a too-big borrowed bike, no less.

 

Dieter Larch Mountain(Larch Mountain like a badass after dropping me off at work — photo by Dieter Loibner)

And in another astoundingly sweet bike escort gesture, James rode out with me on President’s Day, when I had to work but he didn’t. This means, ladies and gentlemen, that on his one day to sleep in, he woke up with me at 5:20 to ride 15 miles and then turn around and come home. This is going way above and beyond the call of sweet life-partner-hood, I’d say, but as far as making me feel loved and appreciated I think it ranks pretty high.

 

James(aww, what a cute bike escort. Though this is waaaay too sunny to have been our ride to Gresham;)

 

So, gosh! I feel like I’m drowning in bike escort good will, and it’s time for me to get back on the giving rather than receiving end of it. Want a riding buddy? Most of my Tuesdays and Thursdays are pretty flexible, so let me know if you want a bike escort — I’ll pick you up and drop you off anywhere, and I like riding at any speed! Leave me a comment or get in touch via email and let’s make it happen. :)

5 Comments:

  1. If you lived closer, maybe I’d cycle w/you to Pipeworks on Tues or Thur. :-)

  2. Find me a cheap condo in Portland, and I’ll cycle w/you to work! (When the sun’s out.)

    • You may have missed the boat on cheap condos in Portland, but that’s okay: the sun’s never out anyway. heh. I’ll still ride with you in Sac! ;)

  3. Anywhere? I’d love to bike buddy to help me plan a route out here in Boise. :)

    • Heck yeah! Next time I bike to Boise, we are definitely riding to your work together!! :) heh. Though for realz, aren’t there bikey organizations/maps/information there to help with route planning? It seemed like there was at least some semblance of a robust bike community who might have some ideas.. ?

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