ExIT Shoes by Bike » Rides

Valentango by Bike: The Sweet Ride

jeff — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:22:34 +0000

Folks, it’s time again for a Valentango by bike ride!
We are gearing up for the Friday night Valentango milonga with chocolate, coffee and cake (oh my!) This year we have a special route which features two great stops for dessert – Cacao and Rimsky-Korsakoffee House.

Whether you like chocolate, cake, coffee or some combination thereof, we’ve got you covered. I know, some of you are thinking, “I’m from out of town, how am I going to get a bike?” Staying at the DoubleTree? The DoubleTree has got you covered! Free bikes are available to guests of the DoubleTree, which is why the ride begins there.

Come see the beautiful night time views of Portland at its best – by bike! This is a leisurely flat ride so you’ll arrive back at the DoubleTree refreshed and ready to dance.

Date: Friday Feb 17, 2012
Times:
8:00 – 8:15 Meetup at the DoubleTree Hotel
8:15 – 8:35 Ride to Cacao
8:35 – 8:55 Chocolate Time!
8:55 – 9:15 Ride to Rimsky-Korsakoffee House
9:15 – 9:45 Cake and Coffee!
9:45 – 10:00 Ride back to the DoubleTree

What, It’s not enough that we escort you through this fantastic town for chocolate, cake and coffee???!!! There are also prizes. The DoubleTree is offering a $25 gift certificate for their new restaurant Gather, and Clay has matched them with your choice of entry to the Grand Ball, or workshop. So come join us, there will be a drawing for winners at the end of the ride.

Please let me know if you’d like to ride along by using the comment form below.

Here’s the route:

View Valentango by Bike: The Sweet Ride in a larger map

Pre Valentango Ride for better knee health

jeff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:25:48 +0000

Hola cyclistas!

Maybe you’re thinking of dancing on Saturday. Maybe you’re looking ahead to next week and Valentago. Maybe you’d like to lubricate your knee joints for better dancing? Did you know riding a bike is good for your knees?

What? No?

I’m sure some of you are thinking that I just made this up, but the PTs out there know better…and what source could sound more reliable than cartilagehealth.com? http://www.cartilagehealth.com/cycling.html

To get in on the good knee action, join the bike ride to Tango Berretin this Saturday night.

Date: Saturday February 5th
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details:
Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at
9:15pm. This gives you a 15 minute window in which to arrive for the
ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 9:45pm.

And remember…
You need a white light
on the front of your bike
to ride at night

Open Tango at the Treasury

jeff — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 03:08:47 +0000

Some folks are no doubt wondering what could be more complicated than riding a bike to a downtown milonga. I’m here to tell you that there are full-lane dedicated bikeways right up to (and from) the Treasury Ballroom! Want to check them out? Yes, I knew you would.

It’s supposed to be hot Thursday, so we will start at Staccato Gelato, just in case, well, you know…

Date: Thursday, July 8
Meetup Time: 8:00 – 8:30pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)

This will be a leisurely ride through Southeast and in to town. No more sweating than necessary.

As always, you must have a white light on your bike to ride at night!

See you there.

Jeff

ps. If it’s as hot as they say, do think about going for a swim in Keller Fountain when it’s all over. No lights required there…

First Fall Milonga Ride 2009

jeff — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:07:47 +0000

Oh the wind and rain! Fall arrived in earnest this week. This means you will probably need a jacket when you ride to the milonga. I’m not NOAA or anything, I’m just saying…
You are more likely to be warm than cold once you start riding, so fear not the cold! In preparation for not fearing the cold we will brave the frozen gelato of Staccato Gelato. They have coffee and donuts too, if that’s how you are.

Date: Saturday October 17th.
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details:
Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at 9:30pm. This gives you a 30 minute window in which to arrive for the ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 10pm.

And remember…
You need a white light
on the front of your bike
to ride at night.

Pre Labor Day Tango Ride

jeff — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:45:47 +0000

Monday we’re joining our Canadian neighbors and Bermuda as the only countries that celebrate Labor Day in September. The story of Labor Day is interesting and still controversial.
Check them out here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_Affair

If you’re not too exhausted from striking for the 58 hour work week, you might have time to enjoy a pre-Labor Day ride to tango!

Date: Saturday September 5th
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details:
Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at
9:30pm. This gives you a 30 minute window in which to arrive for the
ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 10pm.

And remember…
You need a white light
on the front of your bike
to ride at night

Milonga/Parkway Preview Ride

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:36:38 +0000

There are a lot of reasons to bike this weekend. Sure, the ride to Berretin will be the highlight, but oh the implications are so much greater…

Sunday Parkways in southeast practically starts at the end of the milonga! Saturday’s route will be a night time parkway preview.

You have from 9-4pm Sunday to enjoy the car-free parkway. Bring on your favorite form of non-motorized transportation – walking, dancing, bicycle, skateboard, rollerblade, hulahoop…do you need more suggestions?

I’ll be out for the early shift closing intersections to cars and managing traffic along the route and hope to see you there. See the fun and ask yourself (and then ask the city and the state) why we can’t do this every day…

Seriously, why be depressed by the article in the Mercury this week about benzene levels in Portland being among the highest in the nation? Who believes the Mercury anyway? So read it from DEQ

Benzene is all about gasoline poured into or burned up by motor vehicles. Don’t choke your friends and family! Drive less, breathe more. Come see what it’s all about Starting Saturday night.

Date: Saturday August 15th.
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details:
Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at
9:30pm. This gives you a 30 minute window in which to arrive for the
ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 10pm.

And remember…
You need a white light
on the front of your bike
to ride at night.

Fountain Frolic Tango

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:08:56 +0000

What? You missed the ride to Keller fountain after Wednesday night tango at Norse Hall? True, there were plenty of people there before us, and many, if not most, in bikinis and swim suits, but the tango ladies proved the modern dress makes for classier water fountain attire.

If we get more nights in the 80s, you may get another chance to welcome the new day in the cool waters of Keller Fountain. Until then…

If you’re thinking that so many days of heat was a bit excessive, consider leaving your car at home this Saturday and joining the next “organized” bike ride to Berretin.

Date: Saturday August 1st.
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details:
Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at
9:30pm. This gives you a 30 minute window in which to arrive for the
ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 10pm.

And remember…
You need a white light
on the front of your bike
to ride at night.

(On our way to Keller Fountain, we passed a sad cyclist nabbed by the cops for riding without a light. No fountain for him. Ouch)

I’d love to hear a recommendation for a good fountain to play in between Staccato Gelato and Berretin.

Milonga Parkway Prep Ride

admin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:29:35 +0000

It’s summer and if you have a bike, come find out how easy and safe it is to ride to Tango Berretin. This ride is a leisurely cruise through southeast Portland along some great bike routes featuring big trees, handsome houses and very little traffic.

Date: Saturday July 18th.
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details:
Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at 9:30pm. This gives you a 30 minute window in which to arrive for the ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 10pm.

Now some of you may be thinking that riding at night on the street where there are potentially cars, etc., is just too risky. For you, we have the Sunday Parkway! True enough, it doesn’t take you to Tango Berretin for the milonga, but it will get you pretty close to Peninsula Park where the milonga is on Sunday. This month’s car-free bike loop is around Northeast Portland, as in the Vernon, Concordia, Cully, Alameda, Sabin, and Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhoods. Check it out:

http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=46103&a=234995

And remember…
You need a white light
on the front of your bike
to ride at night.

Northstar Milonga Ride

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:39:49 +0000

Summer is here, is it not? The calendar is already displaying July and wierdly it’s still light when the milonga begins. June was jam-packed with bike rides, if not of the garden milonga variety. I hope you were able to join the fun.

No? Well, let’s take advantage of the light and the (supposed) warmth that comes with it to enjoy a fine ride to the Northstar Milonga.

Date: Thursday, July 9
Meetup Time: 8:00 – 8:30pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)

The ride takes a leisurely 30 minutes and cruises some of the most stately streets in Portland. The new route is no less direct, but way more picturesque.

While it will be light when we leave, night will surely fall. If you don’t have a white front light for your bike go get one now!

Bike to work ride

jeff — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:08:42 +0000

This month is bike to work month. Back when I was in college, there was
bike to work day. Now we have bike to work month. Who says there’s no
hope for the human race?

If tango is your job, you can use tonight’s ride to fulfill some bike to
work time. If you just want to have fun, well, ok, this is for you. We
have a lovely evening ahead of us. The full moon is out. Did I mention
gelato? Come join the ride to tango!

For the bikes (walkers see below):

Date: Saturday May 9th.
Time: 9pm
Place: Staccato Gelato (NE 28th and Everett)
Details: This ride is a leisurely cruise through southeast Portland
along some great bike routes featuring big trees, handsome houses and
very little traffic. Unless it’s really hot, you may not even break a sweat.

Meet at 9pm, get some gelato, hang out. The ride leaves for Berretin at
9:30pm. This gives you a 30 minute window in which to arrive for the
ride. We should arrive at Berretin around 10pm. See you at 34th and
Clinton around 9:45 if you don’t want to meet for gelato.

Walkers, some of my best friends walk! I’ve even walk a bit myself. To
share the walking love, I want to give you a preview of a piece I worked
to educate drivers and pedestrians (mostly drivers, really) about
Oregon’s crosswalk law. This will be released next week, but you can
check it out here: Every Corner is a Crosswalk.