Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Network Roundup

Freak Snow Can't Stop Cycling in Portland

10:06 AM EST on February 7, 2014

The "worst winter storm in years" didn't stop cyclists in Portland. Image: Jonathan Maus, Bike Portland
The "worst winter storm in years" didn't stop cyclists on Portland's Hawthorne Bridge. Photo: Jonathan Maus, Bike Portland
false

It's not often that the Portland region sees snow. But yesterday, like a handful of other odd places, including Texas, America's bike capital got walloped (by northwest standards anyway).

As it happens, a little snow can't change Portland, reports Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland, who captured a series of photos showing cyclists who weren't easily discouraged.

Here's what Maus had to say about the conditions on the day:

What happens to all of Portland's bike riders when the worst snow storm in years hits the area? I was curious too so I spent a few hours out there with my camera tonight.

Turns out many people took the riding as a personal challenge. Bundled up like they were climbing a mountain, most the riders I saw pedaled through the storm with equal parts concentration, determination, and smiles. I did see quite a few people that had thrown in the towel and decided to walk their bikes as the snow continued to fall.

And I couldn't blame them. The conditions were some of the toughest I've experienced in my 10 years as a Portland resident. As the evening commute picked up steam, so did the snow. And the wind howled too, driving the flakes horizontal and making it difficult to see and keep the bike upright.

12354620724_a400139044
false

Elsewhere on the Network today: Streets.mn takes a critical look at the media coverage of the death of a "safe cyclist" in Minneapolis. Boston Streets catalogs car companies' overtures to young people, who are increasingly weary of driving. And Urbanophile reports that the city of Long Grove, Illinois, is privatizing streets in suburban subdivisions and turning them over to property owners.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Too Fast, Too Furious

When it comes to speeding, why don't regulators and automakers save drivers from themselves?

November 29, 2023

Reader Roundup: What the Demise of the Intercity Bus Station Means for Passengers

Here's just a few of the horror stories we heard from readers who are struggling with the inter-city bus industry's latest push for "curbside" loading.

November 29, 2023

Highway Boondoggles 2023: Is the BQE the Queen of All Boondoggles?

New York City set to squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix a polluting and outdated highway.

November 29, 2023

The Price Is Right for Tuesday’s Headlines

If congestion pricing works in New York City, City Lab predicts that other U.S. cities will quickly follow suit.

November 28, 2023

Top NJ Lawmaker Proposes Major Reforms to Fight Temporary License Plate Fraud

The new legislation follows a seven-month Streetsblog investigation that found widespread fraud involving temp tags, with car dealers abusing weak state regulations and selling paper plates illegally to drivers using them to evade accountability on the road.

November 28, 2023
See all posts