Current issue
Vol 17 No 7: September 2008
Click here for this month’s articles
Hey, did somebody say autumn? I heard a meteorologist use the word the other day to describe the weather we were having in August and I thought, oh no—as soon as you use that word, it’s all over! Summer’s decline is on.
Thankfully, you hold in your hands a publication chock full of rides, events, workshops, clinics, festivals, tours, races, games, open houses, picnics and who knows what else, all involving bikes in some way, all happening here in Oregon this month. If you haven’t done much this summer and you feel bad about it, there’s still time to check out the Oregon Coast Cycling Festival in Gold Beach (September 6) or Rogue River’s Ride the Rogue event (September 20). Of course, there’s still a whole bunch of racing left to do as well—Tuesday Night Handicap Races at PIR (September 2-23) and the Alpenrose Thursday series, which concludes September 25. Adventure-seekers have Kruger’s Kermesse Farm Crit on Sauvie Island, not to mention the Vanport Kermesse series in and around PIR (Monday nights, September 8-22). Haven’t Kermesse’d yet? The events are open to all and they reportedly feel “more like a fast and non-technical cyclocross race… featuring some potholes, some ruts, a sprinkle of gravel, a bit of sand, and depending on the weather, possibly some mud,” according to the Kruger’s Kermesse website (portlandracing.com/kermesse.)
For those of you who have had enough of summer and all that pesky sunshine, cyclocross season comes out of hibernation this month! Bend’s Thursday series with the funny name—the Thrilla (Up the Hilla from the Old Milla) starts on September 4, and runs every week until October 2. Eugene gets into the action on September 16 and 23, with the Eugene Short Cross series at Camp Harlow. If the ‘cross is too much to bear, head over to the Alpenrose ‘Cross Clinics on the first three Wednesdays in September. Rain or shine—if the sun is out, you’ll just have to deal with it.
Also in this issue, you’ll find an account of a minor traffic incident that led to yet another successful citizen-initiated citation against an unsafe driver—despite a lack of witnesses, physical injury or harm to the bike. In fact, the bike never even went down! There’s also a rundown of this Year’s Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge, featuring the photos of Tony Halford and the commentary of Dave Campbell. There’s also infornmation about the Southern Oregon Custom Bicycle Show down in Ashland that will feature framebuilders from all over the state and an open house at United Bicycle Institute, Oregon’s own bike institution of higher learning.
And when you’re done with all that, we’ll start talking autumn.
