Portland's famous College climb

A while back I posted a few of my favorite little tricks for blog photography.  It can basically be summed up as a very simple way to constantly have imagery for your blog or web site.  It combines a few simple tools like Picasa and something to easily crop photos.  The other key and often forgotten, overlooked or discarded concept is, use a cheap easy to carry camera.  This facilitates pictures from where ever you might go.  Carrying a nice expensive camera is great, especially if you know how to use it, but the logistics around it’s size makes your entire activity revolve around your camera.  Not a great idea for documenting everyday life.  Something in my opinion a blog should be about.  Don’t get me wrong, I am amazed by the quality and art of photographers, in fact, I recently decided I wanted to participate in the PDX Tweed Ride. A ride I had previously not given much thought about but had a change of heart due to a photographer’s creative and talented eye.

Okay…. Sorry, I’m getting a far bit off track. The real reason I wanted to re-hash this subject was to say “told you so.” Yup, I’m not above it! I’d like to think that my photos attribute to my traffic and I would even consider doing A/B testing but proof came even easier than that.  During a ride, while chasing Lions around Portland’s famous De Ronde van Portlandia, I took a fair amount of photos, touched them up in Picasa and then posted them.  All in less than 20 minutes.   Well, aside from getting a fair amount of search engine traffic from the post, I received a phone call from CX Magazine editor and friend Josh.  Basically he wanted to use an image I took for an article team Ironclad’s Robert Carver was doing on the Ronde van Portland.  Win for Low Brow Photography!  Also, in case you read this Robert, great post.

Follow the Lion: RondePDX, 2010

I’ve recently ridden the famous De Ronde van Portlandia three times in the span of 7 days, and yes, it’s been rough. It’s involved a crash (my girlfriend the first time I did it), one close call with a car, one flat tire, 21,906 vertical feet of climbing over 136.8 miles, too many gels, Dr. Will Bars and Nuun tablets to even begin counting. I have learned a lot though.  Like, it’s actually a lot easier when it’s done fast.  It’s going to hurt no matter what might as well give it full gas, get it over with quicker and give your legs less time to cool off between ascents. The first two times I did it I was hanging out with friends, chatting, drinking and eating at the top of every hill.  The third time, I was testing a set of wheels for Portland start-up wheel company Corsa Concepts (review to follow @ Oregon Cycling Action).  With the wheels as an excuse I decided it was time to test how I could go.   Read more…

Follow the Lion... Up and down

The Lion of Flanders.  For a lot of us the RondePDX (Official Site)  is as close to the real thing (Tour de Flanders) we will ever come.  A brutal combination of hills on Portland’s West side.  Being one of the first rides I had aver done in Portland I quickly realized that although the climbs in the area weren’t notably long they could be brutally steep.  My first RondePDX for 2010 took place this weekend, a dozen of us rolled out determined not to let the weather or the hills keep us down no matter what they tried.  Do they try, the creators of the route are sadistic, combining some of the steepest grades I’ve ever ridden.  In Tucson there were secret locations that we had to ride dirt roads to get to that had these types of gradients.  But here, they lie out in the open for all to ride with yellow little lions painted on them.  The ride totals 47 miles and features an astounding 7,800 feet of climbing [Route].  It’s entirely made up of leg torturing climbs ad hair raising descents.  Never for the faint hearted.  This year it sounds like the ride is “officially” not going to happen.  So try your fate with a group of friends, you are going to suffer! Read more…

The Crowd at Bike N Hike waiting to win some raffle prizes. Photo: Oregon Cycling Action

Pat’s been nice enough to post my coverage of the Festival di Ticino on Oregon Cycling Action.

Read my coverage of the Festival di Ticino.

Festival di Ticino - BTA Fund Raiser

Bike N Hike is having a little raffle to support the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. I just found out about it, though I’m sure most of you already know. It looks like this, $4 bucks gets you in and a raffle entry and access to the Hopworks keg. Enough said.

For everyone else there will be plenty of Hopworks Lemonade and some wine. So grab fours bucks, three extra if you want another ticket and roll on down to Bike n Hike (map).

It's hard to ignore the beauty of Portland's late afternoon sky

I grabbed this shot late on my Sunday bike ride.  Maybe it’s because I’m from the Southwest but Portland’s sky is oftentimes just amazing. I also have no idea what building is tinted copper but I don’t remember it being that color before. I think it has something to do with the light.

Portland's Steel Bridge as the Sun Sets Behind Skyline

It’s been a busy week.  I feel like I’m torn in 1,000 different directions which in some regards is refreshing since I’m off the bike.  But even that’s getting better recently.  I’m able to very tentatively un-clip my foot to the outside.  The inside has been okay for weeks which is why I’ve been riding multi-directional release SPD cleats and my Cyclocross bike, but the “normal” un-clip has eluded me for a long time.  Although this is positive the fact is that I wasn’t able to get back on the bike before the feeling of muscle atrophy set in on my legs, so Cyclocross season can kiss itself goodbye. Read more…

Well, it’s been busy around here and the blogging has suffered.  But with my sprained ankle I have found time to writing about something I’ve been meaning to get to for days.  That something is the Oregon Manifest, which as a whole is hard to describe, and in fact the poor soul I trapped until a satisfactory description was given basically gave up.  But after a lot of, back and forth on the happenings that were part of this month long celebration of bikes, I figured out that it was a long list of events, social gatherings, rides, and races aimed at bringing the bicycle as, art, function (transportation), recreation and sport to the general public.  Here is how it all began, you could say, “once upon a time” or maybe, “long long ago.”

As most of you know, I just re-positioned myself  13 degrees, 28 minutes, 48 seconds north and 11 degrees, 45 mintues and 11 second west of Tucson to a little city where the coffee is delicious, a good micro beer is always on tap and the cycling community is staggering.   So when Lana and I flew back from San Diego to spend a week running around Portland our first stop was my house to unpack the bikes, the second was to Aaron of Courage and third to the Pearl district for Oregon Manifest… We had no idea what to expect and ignorantly asked the most official looking guy (holding a clipboard) at the door if we could get in, who informed us in so many words that of course we were welcome.  Once in, as with all things Portland cycling, I was blown away.  We walked around sipping H.U.B. beer and browsing a small bike exhibit as the last contestants of Rapha‘s Constructor’s race rolled in.  Then things got a little more rowdy, the beer was flowing, but I suspect that the crowd was more enthusiastic of the talent that was on display.  The judges were about ready to announce the winners of the Bike Design Challenge and Slate from Rapha was up on the mic joking around, giving awards and letting everyone know the winner was going to be taking home some sweet clothing.

The judges then snake through the crowd… Awards are given, bikes are lifted in celebration, cheers, clapping, jokes and laughter ensue.  As for me, aside from racing, this is possible one of the coolest bike events I’ve been to.  I’m happy to be in Portland.  I’m excited that organizations, companies, people, and teams like Oregon Manifest, Team Beer (who are using the same template as me, nice choice!), Tina B and Rapha take the time to put together something so bike-centric.  And that Portland and the Pearl district are welcoming to the bike community reaching out to… well, everyone.  Enjoy the pictures and video.  Excuse the quality, it was hard to stay focused amongst all the happenings.

Sometimes you must lift what you build…

AX-Lightness 161 Gram Rim; The lightest bike rims?

I’ve been working hard lately, mainly on projects that are for now best left until the beginning of Inter-bike on Wednesday.  But little bits and piece are starting to come to light.  This photo, of a new AX-Lightness Rim (161 grams!?!?!?!?) was “leaked” by my boss @fairwheel. It just got laced to a set of hubs that will make for a wheel set that… well, like I said, wait for Interbike.  But this picture, aside from the rim holds clue to one more project and another hint for this one.  Although the bike this rim is going on is going  to be light, very very light, it’s not the main focus of the bike.  If your interested in more, it seems as though @erichsanders has some information and posted it on his twitter account.

After the first coat

More on the personal front, I did take a break last night to go run and get some wood to start building a bike rack in the living room.  It’s going to be two rows of bike one higher than the other to fit more into the space.  Rubber coated hooks into two pieces hanging at the top.  And then in order to keep things cleaner there are going to be two 1 x 6s at the bottom for the rear wheel to rest on. All together, 10 bikes ten feet long taking up a good portion of one wall in the living room.  I’m pretty excited to get some bikes hanging.  Plans are also in the works for some hooks to hang shoes off of, a set per bike.  A fan might be in store for the winter when shoes start coming home wet.

A Delicious Dry Fruit Bowl

I previously posted about my over abundance of fruit and the solution that happened to come knocking on my door.  Today I got another knock and this time it was Nikki, one of the foragers who had stopped by, delivering a bowl of dried fruit.  I now have a delicious bowl of fruit sitting next to my computer and my french press while I work.   Thanks Nikki, and I don’t know if I’ll have the will power to save some for my roommates!