ZOOBOMBING AND OTHER URBAN BIKE TOURING ADVENTURES IN PORTLAND OREGON
between the Broadway and Sellwood bridges along both sides of the Willamette River. The sky is blue. The temperature mild. Portlanders are out in force to recreate. The downtown Saturday market is in full swing. Dragon Boats race near the Haw- thorne Bridge. Cyclists of all types and ages are riding the full catalog of bikes — fixies, recumbents, beach cruisers, mountain bikes, racers, and tricycles. We gaze out across the sparkling river at the downtown skyline, and I think, Story and photos by Willie Weir “Where are we going to stay tonight.” Cities are always the hardest part of a bike trip. They tend to be impersonal compared to small-town America. lie awake on a summer night pon- creative, different, and exotic aspects are The Beginning and read the Bike lanes are clearly “Willie?” dering my travel options. I need missing. The trip begins the way I wish every Sunday New York marked with signs It’s a young couple, Kelly and Ben. I something new, creative, different, I have to think outside the box. No. trip would — on a train. I love trains. Times while we telling you where don’t know them, but Kelly went to the exotic … and cheap. I also need Maybe the answer is inside the box. Maybe even more than bikes. If they rolled along the you are going. And University of Oregon in Eugene and at- somethingI short. A week, tops. You see, What if instead of a trip to Portland, I weren’t so damned expensive, I’d buy tracks for the there are wide side- tended several of my presentations. I’m one of the many Americans who convince my wife to go for a bike journey one. three and a half walks, too. They live in an apartment, but assure hasn’t had a stellar financial year — but in Portland — within the city limits. And I’ve always joked that you can set your hour journey. We grab our us their fellow tenants won’t mind if we I still want to squeeze in a bicycle trip. what if, rather than the normal way of watch by a German or Japanese train, The Portland bikes, load on our pitch our tent in the courtyard. With There isn’t enough time or money for visiting a city on a bike (getting a hotel while with Amtrak you can only set your train station panniers and, armed lodging secured and new friends found any of the top destinations on my list: and going day rides), we approach it like calendar. But the Amtrak Cascades route greets you in Eu- with seven detailed we ask, “Ever been Zoobombing?” Madagascar, Ethiopia, Spain/Portugal, or all our other trips — fully-loaded touring from Seattle to Portland is uncharacteris- ropean fashion. cycling maps cover- They haven’t, but are eager to try. Bolivia. bikes, tent, stove, the works. No hotels. tically reliable. And they have racks for It doesn’t assume ing every sector of Zoobomb occurs in Portland on Sun- Then I think, “What about Portland?” No reservations. No itinerary. bikes. That’s right, no nightmare bike- you have a car or the city, pedal off on day nights after 10:00 p m . It is not a city- Not Maine, but Oregon. Sure. I could pull I’m not sure who thinks I’m crazier, box scenarios. (Just remember to make a someone with a car to pick you up. our urban adventure. sanctioned event, and it’s not particularly off a short and cheap trip to Portland. my wife, Kat, or my editor. It doesn’t reservation for yourself and your bike.) The Greyhound bus terminal and We head straight for one of the safe, but in the opinions of Willie, Kat, With the decision made, only the new, matter. They both agree. So Kat and I sipped coffee, relaxed, a streetcar stop are 500 feet away. gems — a scenic bike/pedestrian loop Kelly, and Ben, it’s a blast. Zoobombers board the light rail with A seasoned Zoobomb veteran passes me their bikes and ride to Washington Park at over 55 m p h . Nuts & Bolts: Portland Station which, at 260 feet below the sur- The group gathers up on the hill above face, is the deepest train station in North the zoo, chatting and listening to bad Transportation: Camping: Wild camping is not allowed on America. Elevators whisk you up to the 1980’s music from a small boom box, Amtrak (round trip from Seattle): $56. I Sauvie Island. There is one campground surface. before zipping down for the third and used a friend-travels-free coupon. Bikes option. Island Cove Park (sauvieisland. A group of at least 75 people has al- final run. are $5 each way. Total: $76. org/2007/07/29/island-cove-park). Tent ready gathered at the top of the hill above We arrive back at Kelly and Ben’s site for bicycle travelers, $12 (this camp- the Oregon Zoo when we arrive. With apartment at 1:30 a m . Too tired to set up Lodging: ground fills quickly in the summer months). our “regular” bikes, we are a bit out of a tent, we crash on the floor. One paid campsite. Three nights pitched in It is then a 10-mile bike ride to the Sauvie place. Kids bikes are the norm. Mostly Coffee. Must have coffee backyards/gardens. One night on floor of Island Park and Ride. You can catch the ones with coaster brakes. Some have been The next morning, we breakfast at apartment. One night on futon. Total: $12. No. 17 Bus into downtown or take the bus modified to look more like crotch rockets. Cup & Saucer (one of the approximately to a light rail station and transfer. Except for the headlights and red three million places to drink coffee in Food/Beverage: flashing taillights, it’s dark. Safety Portland). After our late night Zoobomb Here is where costs can run the gamut. Hostel: Hostelling International, instructions are given and then a count- experience, we decide on a flatter, mel- Eat out every meal and go out for drinks Hawthorne Hostel (portlandhostel.org). down from 10 begins, with “Zoobomb” lower ride and head east on Tillamook, and you can top $100 a day easily. Shop This hostel is perfectly located in the replacing “Blast Off.” one of the many “bicycle boulevards” in in local grocery stores, eat at the occa- Hawthorne District, one of the most bike- Laughter and short yips of delight and Portland. These streets are signed as bike sional food cart, and limit your coffee con- friendly places in a bike-friendly city. Dorm an occasional “on your left” mix with the routes and have traffic-calming devices sumption, $25 to 30 a day. beds run $19 ($23 during the high season magical whirring of bike wheels as the and an occasional dead end for cars with No budget constraints … Portland has — May through October) Rooms run $48 group bombs (or glides) back down to the a pass-through for bikes. many fine hotels, restaurants, and some of ($55 during high season). city. We merge onto the I-205 bike path the best pubs anywhere to tempt your pal- The entire group gets on the next and out to the Marine Drive path along ate and whet your whistle. Other information: train for round two. The elevators are the Columbia River (this is also the bike Easy access. Portland’s Amtrak station was Our trip total: approximately $315. Bicycle Transportation Alliance packed like those 1950s scenes of human route to the airport), before swinging developed with car-free travel in mind. (bta4bikes.org): The driving force behind telephone-booth stuffing. “Hell Run” around through St. George and pedaling By Train or Bus: many of the bike improvements in Portland. is announced, and the second bomb in- out to Sauvie Island. At 33 square miles land is a developer’s dream come true. Yet The Amtrak and Greyhound stations are as cludes a quick U-turn onto Highway 26. (Manhattan is 23 square miles), Sauvie Is- instead of housing tracts and malls, the convenient as it gets. Roll off the train and BikePortland.org: Most everything you island is home to organic farms and wild- into downtown Portland. need to know about Portland bike events, life refuges. The little-trafficked roads culture, and advocacy. make Sauvie a local cyclist’s favorite. By Plane: We camp at Island Cove Park — $17 There are bicycle paths from Portland’s Portland Bike Maps: To download for a tent site, discounted to $12 because airport to downtown (about 13 miles), so no Portland’s excellent neighborhood we arrive on bikes. Mt. Hood looms to need to take a cab. You can also take MAX bike maps go to www.portlandonline. the east. Stars twinkle. Owls hoot. We are light rail into downtown. Bikes are allowed com/TRANSPORTATION/index. 10 miles from downtown Portland. Urban camping. Who says you can’t find and the fare for adults is $2.30, or you can cfm?a=70221&c=34809, or you can Multi-modal day a campsite in the city? spring for the all-day pass at $4.75. order them over the phone at: 503-823- We put our bikes on the No. 17 bus 2925, ext. 2. at the Sauvie Island Park and Ride the full-on urban adventure, including tent and Lodging: next morning. The bus driver sees our stove, in Portland. Here are a few options Not everyone is going to want to do a panniers and gives us “Larry’s special” (a for those on a limited budget: free day pass). We take light rail out to the burbs. Yes, you can hang two fully-loaded bikes grocery store. No owls, but plenty of city the largest independent bookstore in on an extinct volcano. A splendid ride in a light rail car. We arrive to wide sounds to lull us to sleep. the country. We eat lunch at Portland’s made all the better because Wednesdays, roads and strip malls — Anywhere, Downtown Bound famous food carts. There are over 20 carts today, are car-free. USA. Where are the bike boulevards and We’re up early to pedal down to the to choose from in a city block including We swing around and hook up with bike route signs? We quickly pedal back Hawthorne Street Bridge and witness Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Brazilian, the Springwater Trail, wander around into the city, descending via one of the the commute. A must do if you visit gyros, Philly cheese steaks, barbecue, the Reed College campus, Zoobomb routes. It’s much easier in the Portland. We position ourselves mid-span and vegetarian. We wonder, “Can we which looks more like daylight. and watch in delight. A steady stream of camp here?” Our pub stop of the day is the Rogue cyclists pass by for two hours. This is not Nope. Too bad. Brewery. It’s beers and Blue Balls — meat Bike to Work Day. This is not staged. This So we pedal balls stuffed with bleu cheese. Both are is simply Portland going to work. Over back over delicious. 7,000 cyclists use the bridge each day. the river Our new friends Albert and Eecole Our faces hurt from smiling. and climb provide us with our urban campsite — We cook eggs on our camp stove in up to Mt. the concrete driveway behind their place, Waterfront Park then head into down- Tabor Park, Midnight ride. Kat checks out a Zoobomb veteran’s bike while riding MAX. a couple of blocks from a Fred Meyer town for a stop at Powell’s Bookstore, which is built
20 a d v e n t u r e c y c l i s t d e c e m b e r / j a n u a r y 2010 adventurecycling . o r g a d v e n t u r e c y c l i s t d e c e m b e r / j a n u a r y 2010 adventurecycling . o r g 21 a wildlife preserve, and end up at the door which reads, “We have guests on to the woods. Forest Park is one of the only a great destination but a great jour- Hedge House, a local pub, for happy hour the futon. They’re friendly.” Ruben is an country’s largest urban forest reserves, ney as well. We could have easily spent and chili. ultra-marathoner. The next morning, he easily accessed by foot or bike from Port- another week or two traveling in the Rose That night we crash at Ruben’s house, runs 20 miles before we wake up. land’s city center. We pedal over 12 miles City without repeating the routes we had whom we met on Mt. Tabor. He leaves a Into the reserve through second growth forest of alder, already taken. Portland has a wondrous note for his housemates attached to the After breakfast downtown, it’s back maple, and fir. mix of urban and rural, paved and We exit the park and continue climb- unpaved trails, bike lanes, bike boule- ing up Skyline Road. We camp on the vards, and enough cafés, bakeries, food property of Eric and Mary, a couple who carts, and pubs to satisfy the hungry and moved from Iowa to Portland, bought 10 thirsty bike traveler. acres of heavily logged land, planted over Whether you like urban cycling or 2,000 trees, and spent the next 12 years not, every cyclist in America owes it to fighting back invasive species. Their themselves to visit Portland. You’ll be work has paid off as their house is now delighted to see what can happen when a surrounded by a new forest. They have city focuses on moving people instead of since purchased the adjacent lots and moving cars. I can only hope and dream now have 40 acres of undeveloped land that Portland is a window into the future they plan to keep that way. A well worn of our cities. path through their land was created by Sure, the fully-loaded touring bikes elk herds. We are still in Portland. were a bit over the top. But we ended up Urban miles meeting many locals who were curious We return to downtown and seek out Riverside bliss. Smooth pedaling along Portland’s Willamette River waterfront. about our adventure. Would we have bike paths and bike boulevards we’ve been as well received bike touring in missed. We won’t come close to riding Biketobeer Fest at the Urban Hopworks stop at Voodoo Doughnut before catching other American cities? I don’t know. Per- them all. After a day of riding, we pitch Brewery. Music, bikes, and beer. Hun- our train back to Seattle. It’s a downtown haps we’ll try some others. our tent in the yard of Bruce and Andrea. dreds of bicycles fill the racks. Just a fixture. How else to celebrate a quirky Their garden is a standout in a city normal Saturday in Portland. adventure than with a maple bar — with Willie Weir is a cyclist, author, public speaker, and known for its gardens. We have cycled over 200 miles on two strips of bacon on it? champion lawn bowler. To read more of his writings, check out Travels with Willie — Adventure Cyclist and The next day, we browse the Portland Portland’s streets, paths, boulevards, and Reflections www.willieweir.com. Bridging the gap. Over 7,000 people on bikes cross the Hawthorne Bridge each day. Saturday Market and then attend the parkways, but we have time for one more We now know that Portland is not
There is no shortage of beautiful scenery in the Adirondacks. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist into challenging mountain courses and off-road adventure, or a leisurely biker in search of rolling hills, rambling bike paths and quaint villages, biking opportunities abound. Annual events such as Ironman Lake Placid and the Whiteface Mountain Uphill Race draw crowds of competitors and spectators. Come find your ride.
LakePlacidRegion.com 800.758.0690
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