As I was riding my bicycle yesterday afternoon on the way home from my current job in Chicago, I was thinking about some of the things that I’ll miss when I leave to move to Portland. Almost every morning I pass by a gentleman traveling the opposite direction. We wave hello and sometimes laugh at the daily coincidence. We don’t even know each other’s names (or at least I don’t know his). I’ll miss that small, seemingly trivial, part of my day. Perhaps there will be someone in Portland that I see every morning on my way to work or on my way home that will step in for him.
I normally ride a Dutch-built steel frame Jorg and Olif bicycle. She’s black with a double top tube, a front cargo rack and a rear rack that is strong enough to carry an adult. In Chicago, she’s a bit of a lone wolf, prowling around her territory. It is a very rare site when she sees another Dutch bike. She doesn’t know if she should howl hello or growl a warning and say, “This is my territory, get away.” I wonder if she pines after a bicycle community where a cargo bike is not unusual, where she can run free with others. I imagine Portland will be like letting her run wild. Will riding in a bike boulevard be like running through an open meadow?
Blog readers: Where do you suggest I let her loose when she gets to Portland?
Eastbank Espanade! Steel Bridge! Waterfront Park! Hawthorne Bridge!
Where else?
Don’t worry, your Jorg & Olif will be right at home in Portland.
I ride from NE Portland to the South Waterfront (OHSU), and nearly every morning I pass an elderly gentleman walking his dog, and an elderly lady jogging. I don’t know either of their names, but we always wave or say hello or good morning
I think there are usually enough cyclists on the main routes in the inner part of the city that it would get exhausting (or at least boring) to wave at them all, though I do sometimes see the same people in about the same spots everyday, and we sometimes do give a nod or a wave.
As far as where to let your bike loose? Downtown, Pearl District, inner SE, NE, North Portland all have beautiful neighborhoods, calm streets, and lots of food, drink and entertainment options. On the East side of the river, you just have to know where best to cross the east-west running arterial streets, all the streets in-between are great for riding. I recommend letting her loose in all of those areas, and just see what you find
one of the funnest places for a sturdy bike is our awesome tradition of moving by bike! it’s a community barnraising by bicycle, and besides which, the most fun i’ve found schlepping stuff around. as well, you will usually see a part of town you’ve never seen before, going from an A you’ve never been to to a B you’ve never been near…
http://shift2bikes.org/wiki/bikefun:move_x_bike