I didn't bring lights, fenders, or chain lube with me on the 9 hour flight from Tokyo to Seattle, so I rode the Univega into town to the nearest local bike shop, Gresham Bicycle Center. The guy showed me some cool stuff before I went ahead and purchased the least expensive version of each item. On my way out, I grabbed one of these:
Super handy! The map legend indicates bike lanes, bike paths, traffic heaviness, which roads will probably kill you, and water fountains! It also has local laws and policies, because knowledge is power the police will give you a ticket for not having a tail light.
One of the longer multi-use paths on the map was the Springwater Trail (purple line I'm pointing to).
It's one of those rails-to-trails paths, which is great, because they tend to be flat and my current ride excels at anything that is not an incline. So after missing the turn several times (I neglected to actually bring the somehow-both-biodegradable-and-water-resistant map with me) I came to one intersection of the trail:
I had the choice of riding the trail east or west: Portland city proper to the west and a town literally named Boring, Oregon on the eastern terminus of the trail. Pretty easy choice, if you ask me.
So to Boring Oregon I went. The trail itself was very pleasant, kind of vignetted by a green moss, with trees on both sides and probably a watershed or two, though I'm not certain what that means.
It even had a turn-off (turn-out? exit ramp?) for horses:
Every so often there were benches under little roofs, so if you were caught unprepared in the elements you could wait it out until it stops raining-- which is sometime in February.
The sign had approximated 26 minutes to Boring, so I opened up my stopwatch app on my wrist-computer and timed it. Then I got to thinking, is it 26 minutes by bike or on foot? ...Or by horse? I made it there in 22 minutes with the Safari, which is akin to riding any other bicycle with a battleship anchor U-Locked to the seatstay.
I don't have any photos from Boring Oregon, because there was surprisingly little of note there, but here is a "cockpit" view of the ride.
Eventually, but probably not on this trip, I'll scope out what the west leg of the Springwater trail has to offer. Because this is Portland, I imagine the trail is rife with Whole Foods and microbreweries, and eventually just turns into the line for Voodoo Doughnuts.
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| Printed with soy-based ink. Gluten-free. |
One of the longer multi-use paths on the map was the Springwater Trail (purple line I'm pointing to).
 |
| The red and black lines are where tractor trailers drive two-abreast! |
It's one of those rails-to-trails paths, which is great, because they tend to be flat and my current ride excels at anything that is not an incline. So after missing the turn several times (I neglected to actually bring the somehow-both-biodegradable-and-water-resistant map with me) I came to one intersection of the trail:
I had the choice of riding the trail east or west: Portland city proper to the west and a town literally named Boring, Oregon on the eastern terminus of the trail. Pretty easy choice, if you ask me.
So to Boring Oregon I went. The trail itself was very pleasant, kind of vignetted by a green moss, with trees on both sides and probably a watershed or two, though I'm not certain what that means.
It even had a turn-off (turn-out? exit ramp?) for horses:
 |
| Most horses understand the international horseshoe symbol. |
Every so often there were benches under little roofs, so if you were caught unprepared in the elements you could wait it out until it stops raining-- which is sometime in February.
The sign had approximated 26 minutes to Boring, so I opened up my stopwatch app on my wrist-computer and timed it. Then I got to thinking, is it 26 minutes by bike or on foot? ...Or by horse? I made it there in 22 minutes with the Safari, which is akin to riding any other bicycle with a battleship anchor U-Locked to the seatstay.
 |
| They must've meant by horse. |
I don't have any photos from Boring Oregon, because there was surprisingly little of note there, but here is a "cockpit" view of the ride.
 |
| Impressed I can ride with one hand, are we? |
Eventually, but probably not on this trip, I'll scope out what the west leg of the Springwater trail has to offer. Because this is Portland, I imagine the trail is rife with Whole Foods and microbreweries, and eventually just turns into the line for Voodoo Doughnuts.
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