July Miscellany & Reminders
Save the Dates: STP and Club Picnic
Portland Bicycling Club has events and activities that are part of our history, our image, our unified membership. You will want to use your red sharpie to enter these dates on your calendar as you won’t want to miss out:
July 11 & 12 SEATTLE TO PORTLAND BICYCLE CLASSIC
Cascade Bicycle Club contracts with us to run the finish line for STP. Thousands of riders head down from Seattle on Saturday and join us at the finish line later that day or on Sunday. There are also buses on Friday and Monday and lots of organization and set up. Many volunteers are needed. You can work more than one shift. As always, you are encouraged to ride the event if you choose, otherwise, please come help. There will be no club rides on July 11 or 12 as our members will be helping out at the finish line.
August 9 ANNUAL CLUB PICNIC
August brings our annual club picnic, which includes bike rides prior to the meal, raffle prizes and good food. Usually this event is on the first Sunday of August but when Arden Sheldon went to sign up for Columbia Park at the earliest possible date, that Sunday was already taken. We have enjoyed Columbia Park and so moved the date one week to the 9th. I hope you will join us for the picnic.
Timbers Soccer Bike Night
Jeff Doran from the Portland Timbers (soccer) explained to the club members at the June club meeting that the Timbers are going to have a “bike night” at an upcoming game. He tossed out ideas of what that might look like and asked for suggestions. This will probably happen in the fall. How could we promote PBC and partner with the Timbers? Jeff will continue to investigate other such events.
Newsletter Editor Needed
Friends, we continue to function without a newsletter editor. Those that are filling in also have volunteered previously for other roles and would like some relief. Please talk to one of the board members about what the job might entail and how you can help. We have over 500 club members – surely there is someone who can support their club by pulling together some form of newsletter. It needn’t be like it is now or what it’s been in the past. What are your ideas? Thank you for your consideration.
PBC merch
Get your club socks at meetings or let Ann Morrow know you want some. Only $10! Cash is preferred, no plastic. A second version of the sock includes the words “Ride Leader” on them will be gifted to our 2026 Ride Leaders at the annual club banquet next February. Lead a ride, get some cool socks!
Non-club Rides Approved for Club Mileage
The club ride calendar continues to populate with non-club rides which will earn club mileage for 2026. Our policy has changed and is much more liberal. Watch our club calendar for rides.
Please participate in these rides. Several have multiple distance options, so there should be a fun ride for everyone. We want you to expose yourself to new experiences, new scenery, new people and new porta potties. You pay the fee for registration and agree to behave yourself out on the road and a whole new world opens up for you! You got this! Some of your faithful club members will be there to support you through your anxieties.
We want the members of other bike clubs to come and ride with us on our Pioneer Century. We need to show up for them and their events in return.
Rookie Rides
Ann Morrow has begun offering what she likes to call “rookie rides” on a monthly basis for the summer months. Rookies are newer riders that can ride about 10ish miles at a slow pace of around 8 to 13 miles per hour on the flats. And these rides are mostly flat. Send really new riders to her for a ride with the club. Jump in the Ride Leader pool and offer one of your own Rookie Rides. PBC’s next level of rides are the Meet PBC rides or Chuck’s Slow Poke Rides or the Wheezers and Geezers. They tend to be closer to 20 miles and a pace of closer to 13 to 15 miles per hour. For a new rider, that’s a big ride. As a club, let’s try to offer something for the truly less experienced to entice them to our wonderful club.