Ron and Dorothy Strasser
I think you assume too much about Portland. It is a fine place to ride.
People are just talking about taking the extra steps to make a social ride
more safe if possible. I (and I assume many others) think it is great how
people view cyclists in Europe, but this is NOT Europe. It is Oregon. It
is a great place to ride bikes both on and off road. But like any place
else on the planet (including Europe), it could be better or worse.
Enjoy your tours. Sounds like you are very fortunate.
ron
----- Original Message -----
From: "VeloSki Tours Netbook"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 4:49 AM
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] This Saturday: Meet the Teams rides - TeamOregon
andTheraputic Associates
> Hey all in OBRA land,
>
> Interesting that in Portland, Oregon it is still deemed essential to hide
> from traffic if you want to ride a bike safely. While scouting new routes
> for my very popular Nice-to-Pisa cycle-tour I spoke with numerous bike
> shops, hotels and riders in Italy about the best roads for riding. The
> almost universal response was something like, "This is Italy, we share the
> roads." And amazingly that is exactly the experience that I share with
> all
> of my guests too.
>
> It is common to find riders 2-abreast chatting and riding along country
> roads or city streets with cars, trucks and buses accommodating the
> cyclists; passing only when it is safe and passing in a safe
> non-threatening
> manner too. Imagine riding 2-abreast out Skyline or up Rocky Point
> without
> getting harassed or hampered in your enjoyment of a beautiful ride and
> beautiful scenery; pretty hard to imagine for most Oregon cyclists. But,
> that is exactly what draws me back to Europe to ride every summer and to
> share the experience with anyone who wants to join one of my tours; a
> culture that respects everyone's use of the roads, whether driving, riding
> (bicycle or motorbike), herding or walking.
>
> Keep pedaling and smiling--it is the best cycletherapy.
>
> Lawrence Smith
> VéloSki Sports
> www.veloski.com
> tours@veloski.com
> +33 6 26 20 6958 France mobile
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: T. Kenji Sugahara [mailto:kenji@obra.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:23 AM
> To: jonnyg48@comcast.net
> Cc: Adam Edgerton; obra@list.obra.org; Jeff Tedder & Shari
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] This Saturday: Meet the Teams rides - Team Oregon
> andTheraputic Associates
>
> Open to suggestions. If you have any, please coordinate with Adam.
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 8:08 PM, wrote:
>> I'll give my 2 cents since I routinely ride out to Sauvie Island. I have
> to
>> agree with Jeff that there are better places to take potential new
>> teammates, especially if they are newbies. I'm not entirely new to riding
>> and I can speak from experience that traffic on Hwy 30 can be very
>> disconcerting at times, especially when semis rumble by within a few feet
> at
>> 50+ mph. And the "bike lane" isn't always very wide. So for large groups
>> it's definitely not ideal. Then there's riding on Sauvie Island itself.
>> Although most drivers give bicyclists a wide berth, not all do, and
> nobody
>> tends to slow down. A couple weeks ago I was nearly grazed by a van that
>> passed me at probably 50 mph. Not very much fun! It's well known that a
>> lot of people on the island don't really like the cyclists out there, so
> if
>> you're trying to get new riders interested in joining a team why not take
>> them on some less traveled and quieter routes?
>> Just more food for thought.
>> Jon
>> Hammer Velo
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jeff Tedder & Shari"
>> To: "Adam Edgerton" , obra@list.obra.org
>> Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 7:49:17 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
>> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] This Saturday: Meet the Teams rides - Team
>> Oregon
>> andTheraputic Associates
>>
>> Just my 2 cents but why does the Meet the Team ride have to go to Sauvies
>> Island, it's been known for years that people on the island don't like
>> cyclists and then with the bad accident on the women's combined MTT ride
>> last weekend, it just does not make sense to me.....Taking huge groups
>> out
>> there and trying to ride 2 abreast so you can talk about the teams plus
>> throwing in Hwy 30 as social ride just does not add up???? Our MTT ride
> was
>> exactly 2 hours with a good share of it on wide paved paths off main
>> roads
>> so no traffic.....out and around North Portland.....and when we were on
> the
>> road it was for very short periods....It gave everyone a chance to chat
> with
>> team members for almost 2 hours of riding, everyone loved it, maybe a few
> of
>> them that came can chime in and give there opinions, but it was a very
> safe
>> course for 40 or 50 people to be on versus Hwy 30 and Sauvies Island. Not
>> saying this has to be the course but anything other than Hwy. 30 and
> Sauvies
>> would be a better option....But like you know....everyone has an opinion
>> :
> )
>> and this is mine, our MTT ride was huge success last weekend so we are
> done
>> for this year....Thanks to everyone that came out...
>>
>> See ya
>> Jeff
>> Hammer Velo
>>
>>
>> essage -----
>>
>> From: Adam Edgerton
>> To: obra@list.obra.org
>> Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 7:30 PM
>> Subject: [OBRA Chat] This Saturday: Meet the Teams rides - Team Oregon
>> andTheraputic Associates
>> This upcoming Saturday, October 3rd, there are two more Meet the Teams
> rides
>> happening. If you're a racer looking to join a team or a newer rider
>> interested in racing, please come out, ask questions, and see if you'd
> like
>> to join a team. These are relaxed-pace, conversational rides, and no one
>> will be left behind.
>>
>> At 9:30AM, Team Oregon (www.teamoregon.org) will be meeting at Grand
> Central
>> Bakery in NW Portland (2249 NW York Portland, OR 97210). Team Oregon is
> one
>> of the state's largest amateur racing teams. I joined Team O at the
>> beginning of this year, and it has been a great experience. We are an
> open
>> team (all are welcome to join), and we have riders in all racing
> categories
>> from beginner to elite racers who race primarily road, track and
>> cyclocross. We focus on making the sport of cycling accessible to all
>> riders and helping them meet their goals.
>>
>> At 9:45AM, The women's team from Theraputic Associates Inc./Genr8
>> (www.taicycling.com) will be meeting - also at Grand Central Bakery.
>> Theraputic's women's team is a group of category 1-2-3 racers who focus
>> on
>> many of the bigger road races in Oregon. They're looking to add women in
>> all categories, but experienced racers looking to join a team are
>> particularly encouraged to check them out. If you didn't make the women's
>> ride last week, come out and join their ride this weekend.
>>
>> Both rides will be the same loop that many of the other meet the team
> rides
>> are using - approximately 35 miles out around Sauvie Island and back.
> Bring
>> a road bike and helmet and be sure to wear clothing appropriate for the
>> weather conditions. Thanks again to Grand Central Bakery for providing
>> coffee and a light snack before the ride.
>>
>> If you have any questions, please contact me at adam@adamedgerton.com.
>>
>> For the full list of this year's Meet the Team rides, please visit
>> http://www.obra.org/teams/meet_the_team.html
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Adam Edgerton
>> Meet the Teams Coordinator
>> adam@adamedgerton.com
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
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