Well, I’ve failed again. I found a few outbuildings yesterday on Sauvie Island, but could I remember to pose a bicycle or a foot or a kayak in front of even one of them? Is that too much to ask, really? But NOO. Sorry, Challenge Czar. I’ve failed you again, and I feel terrible about … Continue reading "Out(buildings) on Sauvie Island"
This challenge was two easy! The hardest part was getting myself out the door on this two cold day. Looking around the country though, I’m not sure I have much to complain about. At least it was sunny here in Portland today and just above freezing, though the 15 mph wind did have a bite … Continue reading "Super Twosday"
I don’t know. I’m just not getting this STUVW thing, or JKLMN, or whatever. It’s a pretty simple rule, I admit – take a letter and progress through the alphabet for four more. I’m actually quite good on the alphabet but I seem to have trouble remembering where to start. M? Mmm, close; but no, … Continue reading "Still stuck in the past"
Today is our last day in Portland for awhile – we’re moving south in the morning – and I was hopeful that I could bet one more challenge entry in before we leave town. I set off in the cold to Kelly Point, confident that I’d find the fencepost I’d imagined would be there. As … Continue reading "Deeply Etched Fencepost"
Portland definitely is struggling through some negatives lately, but if you admire trees it’s still a fine place to hang out. For some reason the great, majestic elm in Overlook Park has become my favorite tree in town. Why this specific tree? No obvious reason I suppose, other than the fact that it stands so … Continue reading "Completely Defoliated Elm"
I have to give the creative Mr. Garceau a lot of credit and respect. Month after month he’s coming up with new ideas that keep us motivated and moving. Doesn’t Ever Fail! Really Strange Though. Absolutely Bonkers Character, I think sometimes. He has one Great Honkin’ Imagination, that’s for sure. So I don’t know if this … Continue reading "Ball-Chasing Dogs"
I can see that this is going to be an addictive challenge. I’m finding myself biking along with a series of letters running through my head trying to think up a plausible combination I might actually see. ABC is easy enough though, as I quickly discovered on my Metric Birthday Ride. We’ll see how hard … Continue reading "Assertive Black Chicken"
I know, I know. I’m a fair weather cyclist, and quite happily so. At 75 (or nearly anyway), I feel entitled to pick my days. We’ve already got one Storm Chaser on the website after all, and who needs another? So, pretty uninteresting weather to report here, but it makes up for it by being … Continue reading "Sauvie Sunday, again"
For us there have been many wonderful benefits from selling our home and going vagabond almost four years ago. One negative though is that there are some excellent rides near home that we used to enjoy often and in all seasons but now may experience only once or twice a year. Sauvie Island is like … Continue reading "Foggy Sauvie Sunday"
After a few days of dense jet-lag induced fog, I’m happy to report that more interesting weather has finally returned. There’ll plenty of more interesting weather ahead in the coming days back here in Portland, but we got a break from the rain today wide enough for a cruise out Marine Drive.
How nice to end the month with a few firsts for the passing Challenge, on my hike to experience Barbara Walker Crossing, the colorful new bridge across Burnside that joins two sections of the Wildwood Trail. I know it’s a new subject because I’ve never seen it before. Likewise Flanders Crossing, the other new bridge … Continue reading "A few last firsts"
I’ve been keeping a pretty low profile for awhile – partly because I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t figured out how to restore the missing sign-in function that mysteriously disappeared awhile ago. Mostly though it’s because our calendar has been pretty full making the most of our remaining days in Portland before we hit the … Continue reading "Catching up"
An old subject: an old brick silo, and a pretty old dump truck parked in its window. Old, but new to me – I’m pretty sure I’ve never taken a photo of this or any dump truck parked in a silo window before. also, maybe this qualifies: I’ve photographed lambs before, but not THIS lamb. … Continue reading "Something old, something new"
We’re back home again, waiting out a couple of months until it’s time to head east on our next tour. Two months is too long to shut down completely, so I invented a quest to ride many of the hills around town and take videos of the descents as an excuse to keep the blog … Continue reading "The Greater Portland hill Quest"
We returned to Portland a few nights ago, and are settling into our new home of the moment: a condo unit in our old neighborhood, just a short walk from many of our favorite old familiar places. I was happy with it already, but really became sold on it when I realized that the crows … Continue reading "Our noisy neighbors"
I’m not sure why this challenge has been harder for me. I leave home on a ride empty-headed with the best intentions, but return empty-handed. All of the photos seem to have something in them – flowers, trees, birds, the usual riffraff that keep hogging the stage – but finally a suitable image showed up. … Continue reading "An empty wharf"
A row of radiating clenched fists is well outside of what I’d anticipated with this month’s challenge, but you never know what you’ll find until you start looking and use a bit of imagination. There’s a bit of more than a bit of belated blue here too, but it’s not emanating from Rocky and me. … Continue reading "Radiating resistance"
Too easy! Sorry for not challenging you more this month, but once you start looking around there are examples everywhere, even without counting our bicycle spokes. We’ll try to toughen things up a bit next month so we don’t all get lazy, but in the meantime here are a few more examples from my last … Continue reading "Radiation: such an easy challenge!"
Each day that we manage to get a ride in feels like it could well be our last for awhile, so we try to savor it. We know how lucky we are to still be able to enjoy what feels like a privilege now. Today’s ride up the Banks-Vernonia Rail Trail to Vernonia Lake was delicious … Continue reading "Vernonia Lake"
After taking two days off the saddle to keep pressure off her injured elbow, Rocky was ready to roll. We drove out to Sauvie Island to join the masses, surprised to find that we didn’t have the whole island to ourselves. I’ve never seen so many hikers and bikers out there, as everyone is looking … Continue reading "Rocky returns"
Rachael’s fortunately doing fine after her brush with disaster. She slept poorly last night because she couldn’t lie comfortably, but today she doesn’t have any signs of injury other than the scrapes she walked off with yesterday. She took the day off her bike while her abrasions heal up and went for a 12 mile … Continue reading "Date night"
Wednesday was mostly an errand day for me, as we started preparing to break camp and move on to The Dalles, our next temporary home. This is such a strange and unnerving time, and the first time I’ve had any misgivings about not having our own home. It might be nice to be sheltering in … Continue reading "A near miss for the missus"
We didn’t buy anything, because the Butteville Store is closed for the season or the duration. I haven’t included a song, because I don’t know how to upload one. How are folks doing this? How-to instructions would be welcome. So, our ride through French Prairie is not a challenge ride of any kind. Still though, … Continue reading "French Prairie"
Today’s cold ride to Powell Butte surprises me by having just enough snow to craft a small snowman at its summit. I’ve checked with the Rules Committee, and they’ve assured me that it’s fine to post another snowman for Greg. With it so cold today, it might as well still be February anyway. Also, I … Continue reading "Powell Butte"
We’re a third of the way through March and I still haven’t come up with that perfect tune yet. And I can’t claim any coffeeneuring credit for today’s short ride either, Since I didn’t have time to stop for coffee or buy anything. And I hardly did any biking to speak of, so today’s tree … Continue reading "Unchallenged in March"
I’m grateful to Suzanne for reminding me that Sunday was International Women’s Day. I might have missed it otherwise, but thanks to Suzanne I knew to look around, grab the nearest woman at hand, and bike out to Sauvie Island to celebrate. Fortunately I was home at the time and the nearest woman was used … Continue reading "Celebrating IWD 2020"
What luck – with our long month this year, I’ve got time to squeeze one last rust photo, from my latest Heritage Tree Quest outing. Here, Rodriguez is leaning against one of a trio of rusting steel pillars bearing sculptures by Native American artists. Besides the usual assortment of fine trees today’s run netted a … Continue reading "Leaping out of February"
I thought I was done with February, but these brilliant cycling days just keep coming in Portland. If I could share some of them with you, I would. Yesterday on our ride to Gresham we crossed a new but already nicely rusting steel bridge; saw six bunnies; and to top things off, saw another shady … Continue reading "Saving the best rust for last"
Well, with February fast drawing to a close I’d about given up on finding a silly snowman for Greg. We got lucky though on our ride to Chinook Landing yesterday. Doubly lucky too – this one looks right up Greg’s alley, with a goofy grin that makes him look like his alter ego G-2. Perfect! … Continue reading "Snowman!"
Finally, a rusty object that I can get my bicycle up next to. I found this prize on my latest PHTQ outing, embarrassingly truncated after only finding two new heritage trees. This is my third rust submission for the month, so MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Still keeping my eyes peeled for those elusive shadowy sheep and snowman … Continue reading "A rusty bucket"
Today’s ride has three goals: honor many but not all of our presidents, and support the Holiday Challenge; copycat some of the themes of this month’s choose your own adventure challenge; and visit another set of trees in my Portland Heritage Tree Quest. I think I did quite well: one dead President, (Teddy Roosevelt, shown … Continue reading "Triple challenge on Presidents Day"
I forgot about Valentine’s Day this year, until Rocky wondered out loud last night if anyone would get her a cookie this year, Typical – I never remember holidays or special days like anniversaries and birthdays. I’m a terrible companion and friend, unless folks remind me to look their way. Prompted into action though, I … Continue reading "A Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt"
Last day of August! I’ve just got time for one last challenge post before closing the book. This one has lots of trees, but I featured the skeleton of a dying Sycamore maple out of respect. The post as a whole though might interest both tree and quest fans, because it’s the first stage of … Continue reading "August Challenge: the Portland Heritage Tree Quest"
There are still a few days left in the month, but I think this will be the last tree for me in the August challenge. I’ve been reminded that it’s time to come up with a new theme, and I’m a pretty poor multitasker. One thing at a time, that’s my motto. Today’s tree, a … Continue reading "August challenge: American Elm"
Actually, I think it’s probably a lodgepole pine. With its many arms though, it reminds me of Kali, the Hindu goddess with ten arms. It doesn’t look like it would be much use for making lodgepoles either, does it? We saw this lovely specimen yesterday on our ride to Chinook Landing, a spot on the … Continue reading "August challenge: the Kali pine"
We’re staying this week in Irvington, one of Portland’s inner east side neighborhoods. It feels a bit like living in an Arboretum, with a great diversity of mature trees – there must be fifty different species here, often grouped in short rows along parking strips, each block featuring a different tree than the one before. … Continue reading "August challenge: the trees of Irvington"
So Rodriguez and I didn’t use up all of the visible spectrum yesterday, but we certainly grabbed our share. We got a bit carried away when Suzanne pettifogged over my posting of someone else’s bicycle in my first submission. She’s right, annoyingly enough – I did state that you needed to pose with YOUR bike … Continue reading "The July challenge: hogging the bandwidth"
I have to say how pleased I am at the responses so far in this month’s challenge. Here we are only on day 2, and we’ve already got four submissions and several colors represented. Keep up the good work, team! And let’s see some red in here to go with the blue and white we’ve … Continue reading "Monochromatic triple play"
It’s such a relief to have our tour of Southern Italy behind us so I can move on to the really important things in life – starting of course with the all-important Monthly Challenge. It’s been frustrating to feel a bit upstaged this month by some of the heavy contributors, but with more time on … Continue reading "Portland, old and new"
We leave for Sicily the day after tomorrow, and of course invite you to join us for our three month loop through southern Italy. Sharing a ride with us would be great, or surprising us with a cold beer at a summit somewhere along the way would be nearly as good. Barring that, it would … Continue reading "A few last flora and fauna before we leave"
Today’s ride started out as our submission for Rich’s equinox challenge, but Roddy and I soon realized that with an abundance of flora and fauna we could get credit for the monthly challenge; and by dropping a few bucks at JoLa Cafe we could spike the ball on our victorious race through the Cycle Life … Continue reading "A triple play on the first day of spring"
I win! Heh, heh. It’s the old hidden ride trick. I’ve been hiding my seventh ride, hoping that it would lull G-2 into a false sense of overconfidence. Oldest trick in the book. We had another fantastic riding day today, with full sun and a high near seventy. Probably not the natural place to go … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #7: Leif Erickson Drive"
I see that Gregblood and Doris have upped their game and will complete their seventh ride tomorrow. Well, more power to them. I laud their competitive spirit, and don’t mind coming in second – which I’m sure to take, with only one ride to go. The ride’s the thing after all; and I enjoyed seeing … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #6: Sauvie Island"
With the tread of G-2’s rear wheel fading into the distance, I’m starting to lose hope of breaking the tape on this spring’s challenge. Still, I’m in it to win it so I’ll plug away, keeping my chance alive. Maybe Doris will flatten or get waylaid by the midwest’s floodwaters and I can zip past … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #5: Slipping off the back of the pack"
I really HATE IT when I’m in a race and don’t realize it until my competitor zips past with a well-timed taunt. Typically this happens with Rachael, who likes to sneak up from behind and then whiz by gleefully proclaiming “Race, I win!” So I’m understandably none too pleased when I read the comments on my … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #4: Saint Johns and Cathedral Park"
Well, it’s settled, I’m going to blitz this season’s Challenge and strive to complete all 7 rides in the two weeks before we leave for Sicily. It’s all Rachael’s doing – she insists that I get this nonsense out of my system before we leave so that it doesn’t intrude upon our search for the … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #3: Steel and Willamette Bluff"
Portland looks like it’s really landed in the sweet spot on the weather map this winter. Today was still cold, but once again beautiful. With a midday film on the day’s schedule I don’t have much time to spare for a ride, but it doesn’t take much to crank out a flat four miles and … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #2: Burnside and Old Town"
I really look forward to the spring challenge, and am grateful to The Goddess for shoving us all out the door again this year. It comes at such an interesting time of year, when so much change is in the air with the onset of spring here and autumn down under. I haven’t quite figured … Continue reading "CLC 2019, #1: Hawthorne and Tabor"
T.S. Eliot tells us that April is the cruelest month, but I think it’s March. Many of us up top are still waiting for the endless winter to finally thaw us out again (yes, even in edenic Portland it’s been cold), and here we are faced with two challenges to step up to. In the … Continue reading "Feeling a bit challenged"
Well,it’s not quite spring yet, but we are leaving February in the rear view mirror. Just time for one last look at the month’s weather, which on the whole has been pretty wonderful here in Portland. The last day of the month was brilliant, and perfect for a ride to Rocky Butte to check out … Continue reading "February challenge: Rolling into Spring"
Or, as we like to call it up here, Snowpocalypse. After warnings of a killer one to three inches of snow though, all we got last night was a light dusting. An insignificant showing compared to our friends almost anywhere else in the northern hemisphere right now. I’m almost embarrassed to submit it, but for … Continue reading "February challenge: whiteout in PDX"
Well, it is and it isn’t it’s about the weather, but it’s not a submission for the February weather challenge because the ride was a day early to qualify. I’ll just have to hope that there’s some weather worth writing about in the coming month. The weather was spectacular yesterday here in Portland, making me … Continue reading "It’s not about the weather"
We’re so lucky up here in Portland. If we’d been around the whole time and if I were more ambitious, I’ll bet I could have posted a challenge response for every day of the month. I really feel for the Navigator, led at and their ilk, looking at a blazing blue sky and praying for … Continue reading "Cloud challenge, take 3"
Same bike, same challenge; but a different day, different bridge, and different clouds. I see a theme here. If I hurry, I could fit seven posts into this month’s challenge – sort of a mini-Coffeeneuring series, but without the beverage. This time we’re looking at the Saint Johns Bridge, on route to Kelley Point. Come … Continue reading "Same same, but different"
A photo with clouds, in Portland in January? Yes, I think we can manage that quite nicely. Now that I’m posting this though, I wonder if once again I’ll be short of the mark. Does it count if you can’t see the clouds for the fog? Read on if you’d like to see more Portland Grey, … Continue reading "A foggy day in Portland Town"
Not much news to report here, but I feel compelled to pass on this morning’s sighting outside of Cafe Umbria. The Cafe is a hotspot for Portland’s Italian community: Portland’s Italian Consul holds court here, along with the waiter from our favorite Tuscan restaurant, soccer fans, bikers, and the like – there are bike magazines on the … Continue reading "A touch of class"
I’ve nearly waited too long for the June challenge; and now that I’m ready to post, I see that Keith has beaten me to it with his submission of a much more impressive instance of the species. Well, there’s nothing in the challenge excluding multiple submissions for the same tree, so I’ll plow ahead as … Continue reading "A sub-lime submission"
Well, somebody needs to be first! Thanks, Suzanne, for posting the Cycle Days Challenge. My challenge to myself is to bike on 150 days between now and the end of year – should be attainable, given our plans for the rest of the year. I’ll post them here through monthly posts, beginning with the tiny … Continue reading "The Cycle Days Challenge: April (photos 1-4)"
The Canby Ferry is the northernmost of the three ferries that cross the Willamette. It’s not that far south of Portland, but just far enough that from our home it was a bit out of range for our normal day rides. I’ve only ridden it a handful of times, and I think only once with … Continue reading "The Canby Ferry"
After weeks of unstable weather and a string of damp, chilly days, the pattern looks like it is changing for the better. Starting today, we’re looking at great riding conditions from now until we depart for Chania. It’s about time. I in particular need to start putting some miles in, beginning today. Continue reading here.
The Goddess has been spooking me, threatening to disqualify my entries as a goad to keep me posting new ones. Trying to stay one step ahead of her, here’s my latest effort: Read on
We’re going into CLC overtime, folks. I’ve completed my required seven events, but who knows whether The Goddess will disqualify any of them on a technicality. To be on the safe side I decide to submit a “cycler’s seven” this year to insure against blowback from the judges. Read more
Earlier this week we checked in to the last of the series of Airbnb lodgings we’ve been staying at since we moved out of our condo two months ago: Amy’s place, in the Sellwood District. Last stop before our departure for Greece, just 18 days away now. Portland’s weather has been pretty discouraging lately, and … Continue reading "CLC18-G: Last stop"
Old Bicycle Life followers might recall that I started an annual challenge to myself two years back to bike my age in miles on or after my birthday (Where’s the challenge in that, some might ask? Just you wait, Alchemyrider and Tempocyclist!). I’m a few months late, but the first day of spring seemed like … Continue reading "CLC18-F: Biking my age in miles (3rd ed.)"
I awoke this morning to a strange dream, a hodgepodge presumably drawn from current events in my life: creating a forum for the website, issues with the marketing of our condo unit, and a dispute with our previous BNB over cleaning expenses. We don’t care to discuss any of these details, but the dream itself … Continue reading "CLC18-E Caffe Umbria"
About the website First off, this post isn’t primarily about cycling – it’s about the website. I biked to Albina Press for coffee and carbs though, so I’ll credit it as a CLC ride also. Albina Press is a nice place to hang out – spacious, excellent WiFi, close to Tiffany’s. I’m here instead of … Continue reading "CLC18-D: Website ABC’s at the Albina Press"
This morning is my first outing from our Airbnb of the moment: Tiffany’s, not far from Mount Tabor. We moved here from Stacey’s the day before yesterday, and will be here for two weeks. So far it looks like it will suit us well, and more so than Stacey’s – it’s significantly roomier, has much … Continue reading "CLC18-C: Stark Street Station"
I don’t have a clear theme in mind for this year’s challenge, so you can expect a fairly diverse, shapeless set of rides from Portland. I might get out of town for one or more of them, but for the most part they’ll be inner city explorations because Rachael and I are staying close to … Continue reading "CLC18-A: St Honore Boulangerie"
This is a cycling blog – it says so right up there in the corner – so let there be biking! With that in mind, I slipped out this afternoon for a big 15 mile ride. This is the first time I’ve been on my bike since we returned from Hawaii a week ago, because … Continue reading "Let there be biking!"
What’s that image coming in out of the fog? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s Cycle365! Pretty corny, I’ll give you that. We’re excited though about the idea of having a community website to share our day rides and other bike-centric activities, so I’m kicking things off with a modest entry about … Continue reading "Biking out of the fog"
We got out for a cold, windy ride today, out to Kelly Point and then east along the Columbia. It was wonderfully bright and clear out, with the snow low on the foothills and the mountains dazzling in the distance. The farther we got, the stronger and colder the east wind blew. Just before the … Continue reading "Christmas Eve Eve"