Enginerve : Bikes

10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain…a 100% reason to remember the name


  • What do I need to participate?

    • A bike capable of pulling a Burley cargo trailer (the trailer hitch attaches to your bike’s rear wheel quick-release)
    • The ability to safely navigate the streets on your bike
    • A helmet
    • If it’s your first time delivering meals for Loaves & Fishes Center via bike or car, you’ll need to fill out a complete registration form on your first day. OHS (Oregon Health Services) requires us to perform a criminal background check to ensure the safety of our seniors.

    You may deliver meals using:

    • Your own bicycle and cargo cart
      You will be loaned a safety vest and spare bike lock, if needed.
    • Your own bicycle
      You will be loaned a cargo trailer with hitch attachment, safety vest and spare bike lock, if needed.

    Optional Equipment:

    • Safety flag, bike lights, map holder
    • Mobile phone to call the center in case of emergency

    When do I deliver?

    We’ll work around your schedule. If you can deliver once a week or once or twice a month, we will do our best to accommodate you. If you want to be a substitute rider, let us know and we will contact you when we need your help!

    Plan to arrive at your assigned center around 10-10:30 a.m. to get the trailer, coolers and meals.

    I want to help, but I’m not sure about riding a bike. How else can I help?

    We invite you to consider investing our community by sponsoring one or more bike trailers for the Meals-On-Two-Wheels Program. There are several sponsorship levels from which to choose. Click here for more information.

    Also, we’re always in need of volunteers for our daily Meals-On-Wheels routes. Click here to let us know you’re interested in helping!

    If you’d like to make a donation to Loaves & Fishes Centers, click here.

    For more information on the “Meals On Two Wheels” program, please e-mail mealsontwowheels@lfcpdx.org

  • Ordinary bicycle, Skoda Museum, Mlada Boleslav...
    Image via Wikipedia

    I’m writing to let you know that BikePortland.org has invited Ginny Sullivan of Adventure Cycling Association to talk about the emerging U.S. Bicycle Route System in Portland, OR on Wednesday, Feb 3 as part of their ongoing “An Evening with?” series of live interviews. Adventure Cycling’s executive director, Jim Sayer, will also be on hand to meet and greet members.

    For five years, Adventure Cycling has had a leading role in helping states design and transform the national corridor plan (see www.adventurecylcing.org/usbrs) into what could become the largest bicycle network in the world! Ginny Sullivan, special projects director, will talk about the role Adventure Cycling has taken in nurturing the project along and share the latest progress on which states are moving forward.

    We hope you can join us. This will be a great conversation – not just about the U.S. Bicycle Route System but about the realities and future of bike travel. Bring your friends and questions for a Q & A that will follow.

    An Evening with Ginny Sullivan and the U.S. Bicycle Route System
    Wednesday, February 3rd
    6:00 – 8:00 pm – come early to meet Ginny and Jim Sayer, eat, drink, and be merry.
    Plan B (1305 Southeast 8th Ave.)
    http://bikeportland.org/2010/01/20/join-us-for-an-evening-with-adventure-cyclings-ginny-sullivan/
    Hope to see you there.

  • For a preview of the summer trip, albeit the wrong direction, view Bret Taylor’s video of the Adventure Cycling TransAmerical Trail or the TransAm.

  • The peloton of the Tour de France
    Image via Wikipedia

    I wanted an inspirational piece of advice to begin the new year with and this article Back in Racing Form After Dropping the Fork published in the NYTimes.  They have a clever picture on the front page, and a great article about a racer getting back in the game at the old age of 34 and while I have never been a racer, I also don’t have to get back to that level.  The question remains, what level can I get back to?

    (more…)

  • Cyclists crossing Kansas in the Bikecentennial...
    Image via Wikipedia

    My favorite Cycling resolutions for 2010 came from this article by Selene Yaeger on Bicycling.com

    Don’t expect to see changes if you always ride the same routes at the same speed with the same people. If cycling improvement is what you’re after, resolve to do these 10 things in the months ahead.

    The question is which will I actually commit to, or even consider for 2010?

    Register for a Race – A little out of my price range, would rather have a new bike!
    Go Easy More Often – This makes sense and I can commit to it!
    Ride Out of Your Rut – Willingly
    Work on the Fundamentals – Trainer?  Would love to set one up regularly, but will pass on this one for now.
    Get a Jump on the Competition – Makes sense, except for time and exposure to someone who knows about this, will try skateboarding to provide something.
    Shrink Your Cycling Circles – A group ride would be fun, need a group, probably not the issue she mentions.
    Condition Your Core – I will commit to trying this!
    Track Your Progress – Commit!
    Balance Your Body – Need a stability ball
    Set Up a Cycle – Can a commuter do this?

    (more…)

  • The following two riders make me want to leave earlier than June, despite a job, and raise awareness and funds for something.  What about you?

    http://www.moneyformilescampaign.info/

    Collin Roughton and Ashley Mitchell, two Portland Cyclists setting out on January 2nd, 2010 to travel from Florida to San Diego, and back along the coast to Portand, Oregon.

    We’re riding because we love to cycle, and we’re riding for Bike Farm, and the Coalition for a Livable Future, two organizations we support, love, and want to see be successful in their work within the Portland Community.

    We’re asking that you, and your organization make a monetary donation to these two organizations. We want to raise $1 for every mile we ride. That totals just around 5, 080 miles, and $5,080 dollars total between these important organizations. Help us reach our goal!

    A little can go a long way! Your donation of $5, $10, $25, $35, or $50 towards one or both of these organizations will help us reach our goal. Please visit the ‘our organizations’ page below.