more nytimes bike style: portlandia video edition

the ny times is pretty good at delivering news in a timely fashion, but they are not always timely in their cultural trends. if only they had someone on staff who's been riding a bicycle for awhile now who watches style to alert them to this trend of cycle chic. (pssst, they do.)

the mama texican sent me this link of portlandia types talking about their style in "the pearl." and yes, bikes are accessories. of course.



enjoy! and bill cunningham, why wont they listen to you more? heh.

From The Hip

It would seem I have spent enough time in the saddle of enormously large and heavy bicycles that I have become adept at it.

Taken from the hip, riding a 100 lbs of cargo bicycle one handed, using a fully manual camera. There really should be a way for me to make a career out of that skill set.

Read The Signs

One of the things I like most about bicycling in Portland are all of the wonderful signs they give you.

They tell you where to go and about how long it will take to do so.  I have always found the timing estimates to be spot on.  It is quite hard to get lost even though just about everything is a clapboard house with a big tree in front of it.

The ones in San Francisco are a little more interpretive.  We have room for improvement.

Are Two Heads Better Than One?

As there are many things to write about our trip to Portland, I will just wimp out on the written word for now and give you this bit of silliness.

(amazing bicycle courtesy of Metrofiets!)

A Future Worth Working Toward

The first step is recognizing the signs. Then we have to accept it. Then we have to turn it into art.

addendum- per Todd's request

Ten Seconds On Hawthorne

A group of friends.

Heading somewhere.

A sunny weekend day, fun somewhere down the road.

Four friends, four bicycles, one bike lane.

Ten seconds on Hawthorne. Imagine an hour, a day, a year and all the friends that ride along here on their way to something fun. Make it happen in your town.

40 & Green

Today I am 40.

photo by Kristin Tieche (Happy Birthday to her, too!)

Amazing what a cute green Brompton and some red peep toes can do to make it great! So, if like me, you are entering... a certain group of years... grab your bike and do it up!

(Brompton courtesy of Clever Cycles in Portland, Oregon. I wish I had more time to play there!)

Processing Portland

Because it was a swirl, I am only aware of clapboard & bricks & vines & trees & wheels. Which way is south & how far is east?

Portland is a place of lines & the bones of a working class, industrial past that ends a little more everyday.

The stores are full of other people's stories- plaid & nylon & mothballs. Industry is a creaking rocking chair, economy of antique scales. Coffee comes with it all. Beer to follow.

- small thoughts on a late plane back to SFO. More coherent writing to follow.