Keeping Portland geared!

Last Sunday, my friend, Leah, two CouchSurfers from Canada, Janice and Raja, and I joined over 20,000 cyclists in the Providence Bridge Pedal Bike Ride and biked over multiple Willamette River bridges of Portland. This is a once a year event where the City shuts down all auto traffic on the bridges and freeways to give cyclists priority. It’s kind of unreal — the precedence cyclists have in Portland.

It was a perfect event for Janice and Raja to experience the perks of Portland — our signature mode of transportation and our famous bridges! Every time I do any large group bike rides here, I am so impressed by 1) the shear mass of bike-riding, bike-loving people and 2) the array of bikes they ride and/or built themselves — cargo bikes loaded with their kids, kid tow bikes, road bikes, standing elipti-goes, recumbent bikes, tall bikes, bikes with crazy awesome stereo systems, tandems, wheelies, cruisers…

Half way through, we parted ways with the Bridge Pedal crew to go check out the St. Johns Bridge. I’ve been wanting to go up there ever since being told that it’s the most photogenic bridge in Portland. And beautiful, it was!

After riding for close to 30 miles, we took haven at the Mississippi food cart pod and chowed down on some savory cornbread waffles and pulled pork + veggie burritos. YUM…I love Portland.

This bike ride was a great reminder of just how much I enjoy biking. Everything about it makes me happy — the fundamental fact that I am using my own energy and physical abilities, which I should not take for granted (!!!), to move myself from one place to another; climbing steep or gradual hills (I absolutely love hills! …perhaps the masochist in me ); the subsequent and the ever so satisfying downhill cruises; feeling the different muscles that are used at different parts of the ride; the breeze in my face; seeing all of the little things I would miss if I were driving…gah, love it all.

What are some activities you absolutely love that bring you happiness and joy?? If it’s cycling, hit me up!