"I am really tired of people whining about how hard it is to bike in the rain...It's not like you melt or anything...What do you think rain gear is for? So, listen, I want you to pick the worst day of the year and organize a biking event. We'll invite local bike shops to show off their rain gear and sow people that it's really not that bad biking in the rain. It'll be fun."--Earl Blumenauer quoted in Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet by Mia Birk.
Photo, left: Ayleen Crotty, aka "The Penguin," from Good Sport Promotions warms up the crowd.
10 years ago, then-City Councilman Earl Blumenauer and Portland Bicycle Coordinator Mia Birk organized a bike ride designed to encourage Portland residents to seize their bikes in the dead of Portland winter and not let persistently gray skies and drizzle get them down. From 250 riders in 1991 to over 4,000 participants in 2011, the Worst Day of the Year Ride has grown to an annual event Portland residents look forward to each year--and for 10 consecutive years, it has yet to more than sprinkle on this festive occasion.
Photo, left: Most unusual bikes encountered on the route (and in Portland, that says a lot!) Glide Cycles, LLC was developed with rowers in mind.
Photo, right: Portland is famous for both its love of bikes and love of dogs...it's always nice when you can meld the two in one perfectly-themed costume!
Always up for a good ride (aka "team building session"), BicyclingHub.com was thrilled to don all our rain and cold-weather gear from Showers Pass, Castelli, and Pearl Izumi...and even more thrilled when the weather gods cooperated and didn't rain on our bike parade.
Doug and Kriss at the start line on their first tandem ride. 45 miles, one broken chain and a number of hills later, they're still happily engaged. A tandem success story!
