Brooke Hoyer
First I'd like to thank everyone who gave me tips on how to do this commute in a reasonably safe way. I've done it from home to work twice and from work to home once and I've done a different route each time.
1) Interstate Br. to St. Johns Br. to Saltzman to Skyline to Springville to 185th
2) 185th to Springville to Skyline to Germantown to St. Johns Br. to Interstate Br.
3) Interstate Br. to Broadway Br. to Lovejoy/Cornell to Thompson to Laidlaw to West Union to 185th
I've written about both inbound trips on my blog (link below).
First, Saltzman on a standard road bike is fine.
Second, while riding down Germantown around 4:45, I went past some poor schmuck riding up. A car passed him on a blind corner and crossed the yellow line. That's all the evidence I need to avoid such a scenario for myself.
Third, I'd like to know how Cornell is all the way to 185th. It looks more direct but how is traffic? Are there lots of lights after 158th?
Thanks,
Brooke Hoyer
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:15:00 -0700
From: twotiretinker-obra2@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Commuting and Germantown Rd.
To: obra@list.obra.org; pdx_ccx@hotmail.com
Nothing wrong with Germantown (eastside), if you ride down it. Its probably actually safer then most of the other roads going down from the West Hills, cause its clean and smooth nice corners, and you can descend way faster then cars anyway. And on the westside you simply take old germantown (for going up), although i reccomend Springville.
If you do descend it at night, make sure you have some bright lights, cause ascending cars can temporarily blind you.
Saltzman road (3.5 mile) is a nice casual quiet climb, probably the most gradual of all the West Hills Roads and no cars. But it will be a tad indirect.
And if you are in a hurry, Springville Rd, dirt also, (east side ) is more direct and Short (1.8 miles) but goes almost straight up.. expect to walk/run some of it cause it is so steep and some
sections a little loose and some mud in winter, but at that steepness my walking is typically faster then riding anyway.
On the West Side I would recommend descending Springville road (paved). Its amazing how it takes 30 minutes or so to get up and then like 5 minutes to get to 185th.
--- On Wed, 9/24/08, Brooke Hoyer wrote:
From: Brooke Hoyer
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Commuting and Germantown Rd.
To: "OBRA list"
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 4:21 PM
Hey all,
Thanks for the quick replies! Consensus is that I avoid Germantown Rd. at all costs during the times I would likely be riding it.
So now I have to come up with an alternative. Joe C. suggested Delta Park Max to the Zoo and then riding in. I might check that out. I'd also be interested in other suggestions from the Interstate Bridge to the Intel area.
I'll be working at HP/Polyserve.
Thanks,
Brooke
Cyclocross blog
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