This past weekend was the high water mark for Bike Gallery’s events calendar. We were involved in multiple events and rides.
Jay Graves makes sure this bike is ready for the ride. (photo by Dean Rodgers)
Cycle Oregon weekend saw almost 2000 riders for the two day bike-centric event based in Monmoth Oregon. Riders were treated to some beautiful loops around the mid-Willamette valley. Bike Gallery staff included the most seasoned ride supporters we had to offer. Jay Graves, Brett Flemming, Kelly, and Randall turned wrenches and kept the bikes rolling while Marjorie held down the camp single-handedly. The weekend ride is always a big hit and is especially family friendly with kids bike camp and safety rides for kids over 5.
Saturday was the Woodstock parade and our Woodstock Neighborhood store was involved in the daylong event. We set up our big tent as a sun block for the main stage. Music, food and a parade were the perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday.
The next day, we moved the big tent to the Sunday Parkways East Portland edition. We also set up a booth at the nearby Ed Benedict Park for the East Portland Expo. The roads were packed, and our location at Bloomington Park was a ideal for viewing all of the riders making their way around the four and a half mile car-free loop. Now that Sunday Parkways has grown to five rides over the summer, there are more rides that target folks who want to try riding a bike, but are concerned about riding with automobile traffic. And that is a great thing!
Andrew working in the grass at MBO
Mountain Bike Oregon was this past weekend too and Bike Gallery sent mechanics to make sure the rough terrain of Oakridge Oregon didn’t get the better of people’s bikes. I was lucky to be able to help out at this event. I have been riding mountain bikes in Oakridge for about 15 years now and it is always a treat to get to experience this beautiful area. Oakridge is a small town located at the confluence of the middle and north forks of the Willamette River high up in the Cascades. The town was grown on a diet of logging, but after the mills closed the town shrank and began to die. Recently, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Mountain Bike Oregon, Oakridge is becoming known as the best mountain bike destination in the state. Mountain Bike Oregon is in its 5th year and has exposed the trail systems to hundreds of people. The town has experienced a bit of a renaissance in the last two years. A brewpub opened up in the old downtown area where boarded up storefronts are more common than open businesses. Also, in the last year a hostel and a bakery have opened up just down the street from the pub. It’s clear that mountain biking has been a huge factor in helping put Oakridge on the radar of people who are looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors, and hopefully this will spur more growth and a stronger economy in a town that can desperately use some help.
Dean Tracy (right) celebrates a team sprint win at the AVC (photo Janice Tracy)
This was also the weekend of the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge. The AVC brings world class track racers to Portland for the three day race. The Alpenrose track is one of only around 20 tracks in the US and is even more unique because it is made of concrete instead of wood, and is longer and steeper (and bumpier) than just about any other track out there. Hollywood staffer and Alpenrose local, Dean Tracy raced to a win in the team sprint while setting a new track record! Congratulations Dean!
And during all of this bike activity, we managed to show two of the most exciting stages of the Tour de France yet live, at out Hollywood store. This weekend was a lot of work and a lot of fun. How was your weekend?