Bike counters needed!

Portland bikes, we count. Volunteer for the Portland Bike Count! Summer 2013 They’re coming! Please share this announcement far and wide! Bike Count Volunteer Training required for all new volunteers Wednesday, June 5, 6-7pm The Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave 2nd floor, Room C Pizza included! RSVP to taylor.sutton@portlandoregon.gov Portland’s Neighborhood Greenways offer a scenic, relaxing bike route Each summer, the Portland Bureau of Transportation undertakes a massive effort to count just how many bikes ride through Portland streets every day. Portlanders bike all sorts of places in all sorts of ways: on the commute to work, in a Bike Train to school, along the Neighborhood Greenway, in the bike lane…and we count them all. But “we” is actually “you.” Yes, you! The only way this count can be successful is through dozens of dedicated volunteers like yourself. Click the map for a larger view! (2013 locations same as 2012) The Count To volunteer, you must first attend a brief one-hour training. After that, your commitment can be as little as 2 hours at one location. Most counts are done from 4 to 6pm (with some 7-9am morning counts), and can be done mid-week (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) anytime between June and September. Some volunteers count one location, some count more than a dozen; some count the same locations every year, while others like to mix it up. Each location is only counted once a year, but there are 225 count locations across Portland to choose from. We’re confident we can find the right place for you! Pizza will be served! The Training Wednesday, June 5, 6-7pm The Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave 2nd floor, Room C This one-hour training will teach you everything you need to know to patricipate in the bike count. All new volunteers must attend a training, and old volunteers are welcome to come for a refresher course…and pizza. There will be maps of the count locations and sign-up sheets available. RSVP to taylor.sutton@portlandoregon.gov (and let us know if you like meaty or veggie pizza) Can’t make it June 5? E-mail us and let us know you’re interested. Alternate trainings will be scheduled as necessary throughout June and July (pizza not guaranteed). Click to visit the Bike Count page for more information! Bike Count Location Map Bike Count Location List Bike Count Calendar Bike Count Instructions Bike Count Reports(including the 2012 Bike Count Report!) Don’t forget to RSVP!

Biking in Comfort Workshop

Golden Ticket!

Our second golden ticket was discovered on Sunday! We hid two in inner tube boxes which were redeemable for $50. Our customer purchased his tube quite some time ago, but it sat unopened on a shelf until he got a flat tire. Congratulations!!!

The Feldenkrais Healing Method…

Hey folks, we recently had Jacqueline come to a workplace workshop for us on the Feldenkrais method. We were all surprised by it’s concentrated simplicity of exercises that help us sustain our mechanic bodies. She has great methods you can use for cycling comfort and injuries as well. Check it out!

“I absolutely love riding my bike! Especially on these beautiful, sunshine days, but even in the rain, I love it. I love the feeling of freedom, fresh air, and exercise. I love nodding to other cyclists, sharing the joy of riding.

Recently, however, I was getting discouraged because I noticed my left shoulder was hurting after any ride that was more than 15 minutes long. What a drag!

So, I became a detective… What was I doing on my right side that I was not doing on my left side?

The first thing I noticed was my left hip was not moving. My right hip went up and down as I pumped my right leg, but my left hip stayed stationary no matter what my left leg was doing. So I started purposefully moving my left hip when my knee was bent and down when my leg was straight.

This felt strange at first, but good. When I scanned my body to see what else I felt happening, I noticed that my left shoulder moved more when I consciously moved my left hip. When my hip didn’t move, my left shoulder stayed held up by my ear.

For a few weeks, each time I biked, I spent some of the ride focusing on my hips and shoulders moving, especially my stubborn left side. With this new movement, my shoulder and neck didn’t hurt after my ride.

Now, if I start to feel the little inklings of pain in my shoulder, I know that a few minutes of focusing on my hips will ease my shoulders. It’s awesome what a little extra awareness can do!

The next level of investigation I took on with my bike riding and self-use was to see if this increased hip movement would allow me to ride without hands. Turns out that if I do my old habitual way of biking, I will always steer off to the right and have to grab the handle bars.

If I do my new way of biking with my left side active, then I can ride without holding on. So on quiet streets I practice this trick.

There is so much that can be learned with just an extra dose of awareness. I would love to hear about any investigations you have done to get to the root of discomfort while biking.”

And if you want to learn some simple movement exercises that will enhance your comfort while riding, as well as information about bike fitting, check out these upcoming workshops: http://www.feldenkraisportland.com/workshops.

Save the Sunshine Ward Collective

About the collective:

“Owning this house as part of PCH is a big step to fighting the terrible systemic gentrification in this neighbourhood and a big step forward in creating strong bonds within our community. Owning this house will uphold a long standing music practice space, a space that has helped create possibilities for radical organizations in our community to hold meetings, a space that has been used to raise thousands of dollars for radical causes through fundraisers, movie nights, dance parties, shows, etc. And has been a home to low income women, queer and people of color in this neighbourhood for seven years now. As a collective we promise that all we’ve given to the community will be pushed even more if we can own this house.”

What they need:

“The Sunshine Ward Collective has decided to organize and work with Portland Housing Collective to purchase our house from our landlord. Time is crucial in regards to this so we are reaching out to fellow cooperatives and supporters for donations to reach our goal of $10,000 to put towards the down payment on our home. If you, your family, your friends, co-workers etc. can donate any amount, it would be greatly appreciated.”
More information here: http://www.savethesunshineward.com/