This weekend we explored another of Oregon's Scenic Bikeways (officially recognized / signed / websited / etc "nice longish routes to bike," if you will...). This one, the Tualatin Valley, is northwest of Portland, and connects a smallish town to another distant smallish town via some farm roads and a paved rail-trail. We took a bus for an hour to Portland, then light rail to get within 5 miles of a good place to spend the first night at a hotel. Saturday, north to a campground, Sunday back down.
Owing to the wife’s advancing state of pregnant-ness, she rode the electric mountain bike towing our almost-9 year old this time, and I rode her usual long distance mount, the 70s Peugeot I converted to be a single speed with front racks and generator lights. People who noticed my setup (almost always older gentlemen on nice bikes, if I may stereotype) thought I was nuts for riding a single, but it was honestly delightful. The very few STEEP sections, you just stand and grind. Otherwise you bop along at about 14mph all day, happy as a clam.
What I rode:
KBRX7368 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
KBRX7438 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
KBRX7427 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
And some shots… I brought the XT1 and 18-55, and accidentally brought the 56 1.2. I thought it was the rokinon 12, didn’t look in the bag before I left. Really didn’t use it.
First, this for awhile.
KBRX7445 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
KBRX7297 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
KBRX7305 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
Then a lot of this...
KBRX7343 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
And finally a shortcut through the woods to the back entrance of the Hiker/Biker campsites...
KBRX7363 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
Happy to have arrived, and to have found one of the 2 remaining empty sites.
KBRX7371 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
My memory of how large this used tent we got is, is flawed. I keep thinking it sleeps 3, but it does NOT. Thus, I slept on the picnic table.
KBRX7422 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
And then we biked home...
KBRX7400 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr
And finally, we passed this set of signs, upon which I shall now NOT comment. But I turned around to get a picture, so apparently I'm still 17 years old.
KBRX7395 by
gordopuggy, on Flickr