Kidical Mass: coming to a neighborhood near you
** updated with new ride locations ** check back for full route details **
photo credit: Jonathan Maus of bikeportland.org
Critial Mass started with a group of 45 people in San Francisco in 1992. Now, the ride is a monthly event in cities all around the world to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists’ right to the road.
Of course, We here at urbanMamas believe that kids and families are cyclists too! A very new effort to this end has started in Eugene, OR in August 2008. Kidical Mass is a ride to help kids and families feel comfortable riding on our streets, especially as a larger group. Here in Portland, we’ve already had two successful Kidical Mass rides, both starting in the North Park Blocks in downtown Portland. Rides are being organized in Tulsa, OK, Ashland, OR, Bend, OR, and Toronto, Canada.
We want to bring Kidical Mass to our neighborhoods. urbanMamas is organizing Kidical Mass rides in N/NE Portland, SE Portland, and NW Portland (the original Portland Kidical Mass ride).
What will you expect at Kidical Mass?
- A safety talk before we start riding
- A 3-4 mile guided ride on our neighborhood streets
- No child left behind! We will make sure we have a sweeper biker to bring up the rear
- Tons of families and children riding with trailers, Xtracycles, tag-alongs/trail-a-bikes, bike seats, and kids riding on their own bikes
- Maps, brochures, information, bike decor for the kids
- A post-ride potluck picnic at the park where we can meet other urbanFamilies and chat about our summers, bike rides, and other Portland family fun
What should you bring?
- Tricked out and decorated bikes. Bring your bike bling!
- Your helmets
- A picnic for your family post-ride
- Bring something to share, if you wish!
Mark your calendars now:
Kidical Mass in Portland's neighborhoods
Friday, August 15th
Locations
N/NE: Peninsula Park (meet at the NE corner of the park at N. Rosa Parks and N. Kerby). The ride will run South on N. Kerby, west on N. Ainsworth, north on Delaware to Arbor Lodge Park, then loop back to Peninsula Park for potluck picnicking.SE: Sunnyside School (meet at the playground near 35th and Taylor; here is the route map)
SE: Sellwood Park by the pool. The ride will head north up the Springwater Corridor then back into North Sellwood. Perfect for those pulling trailers or bringing little ones on their micro bikes. Maps will be available for folks.
NW: North Park Blocks (meet by the playground)
SW: Meeting at Capitol Hill Elemenetary and ride a total of 1.4 miles to Gabriel Park. At Gabriel Park there will be watermelon (and possibly a watermelon drop?) and a potluck. Bring your bikes. Bring some food and drink. Oh, and bring your kids to KIDICAL MASS!
Time
6:00PM gather
6:15PM Safety Talk & Ride!
7:00PM Post-Ride Potluck Picnic
Can't make it for the ride? Bring out your family and feel free to join us for the post-ride potluck picnic. It's open to all! Planning to come? RSVP in the comments for any of the rides. We want to know how many bikey treats & swag to bring. Want to help guide, plan, or organize a ride? Shoot us an email at urbanMamas@gmail.com
ummm... date? tx
Posted by: rockstar mama | August 01, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Umm, yeah. 8/15. Post updated. Sorry!
Posted by: urbanMamas | August 01, 2008 at 10:58 AM
i'm sure you all could have guessed that I'll be there with my three kids and perhaps a husband! we're going to try to represent bigtime with xtracycles and trains in southeast. should we have a challenge? SE vs. N, who can turn out the most xtracycles?
Posted by: sarah gilbert | August 01, 2008 at 11:58 AM
oh bummer, we'll be out of town, or i'd surely be there.
Posted by: jj | August 01, 2008 at 03:04 PM
I'm marking the family calendar for the N/NE edition...sounds fun!
Posted by: Leah | August 01, 2008 at 03:08 PM
We three can probably make the sunnyside ride!
Posted by: sara | August 01, 2008 at 03:50 PM
Ummmm...for those of us who can't afford xtracycles (as the above poster mentions), is there another way we can show our support and enthusiasm? How about regular ol' bikes, perhaps trailers, and kid seats???
Posted by: bike challenge | August 02, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Count Jackson's Bakfiets (and his parents!) in for the N/NE ride - can't wait!
Posted by: Kellie | August 02, 2008 at 09:19 PM
We won't be there because we will be out of town. I have been reading about the others in the Pearl and would love to come. The Pearl ones don't work for us with nap times, etc.
Bike Challenge - I am sure you will find all kinds of bikes there so join the fun!
Posted by: Sarah C | August 03, 2008 at 06:10 AM
We'd really like to try and wonder if we could be counted as tentative for North Portland? Two adults, and at least one kiddo in the trailer (we'll probably bring a little friend, too). We'd have to be tentative because Friday afternoons are inevitably when things blow up for us at work... Inconvenient.
Sounds like a lovely way to spend a summer evening. Thanks for the idea & the planning.
Posted by: rockstar mama | August 03, 2008 at 08:26 AM
Our family will surely be rockin the N/NE Kidical Mass! Thanks for organizing such a super cool event- I can.t wait to send out an invite to everyone we know - see ya there.
Posted by: elliott | August 03, 2008 at 08:52 AM
I guess I'll be the first to mention (as a bicyclist) that I'm not a big fan of the tactics that Critical Mass has been using. At this point, they are creating far more adversaries than they are converting the masses.
That being said, Im sure this is a harmless fun ride with no intentions of truly "getting in the way" using kids.
Have fun!
Posted by: Chris | August 04, 2008 at 09:48 AM
I didn't mean to suggest that Xtracycles were better than any other family biking methods and I'm sorry if I gave that impression. I was just hoping that *all* my Xtracycle-toting mama buddies would show up!
Posted by: sarah gilbert | August 04, 2008 at 11:38 AM
I just wish it was a different neighborhood each week instead of all at once. We live in NE, my daughter is in school at Sunnyside, and we always enjoy an excuse to ride downtown with friends. Guess well do the N/NE. with the new extra cycle and the old family tandem. Yes, we have a family bike problem. The only solution seems to be to feed the addiction. I guess its better than being a fuel fiend.
Posted by: JayS. | August 04, 2008 at 12:36 PM
JayS. - I think this is just the start of a regular event, so I am sure we will have the opportunity to try all the rides in different parts of town in due time. Another thought for future rides is to have all rides meet up at a central location. Again, something we'll have to plan for the future.
In any case, we'll look out for you, the Xtracycle + tandem family, at the N/NE ride. My family & I will be there.
Posted by: olivia | August 04, 2008 at 12:51 PM
not sure if we can make the start time. Can you post the route so maybe we can join in if possible?
Posted by: elizabeth | August 04, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Route info?
Will there be any jousting?
Cuz my trailabike kid could totally unmount any ExtraCycle non-stoker that was foolish enough to be up to the challege.
Just sayin'
(Route info?)
Posted by: Ermal | August 05, 2008 at 12:36 AM
Sign us up for the Sunnyside ride. That's me, one husband and one toddler.
Posted by: anon | August 07, 2008 at 02:21 AM
we should be there at the sunnyside location- 2 adults and 3 kids, xtracycle, trailabike, unicycle, and maybe even some bubbles (if i can fix the machine).
Posted by: Sunny | August 10, 2008 at 12:11 AM
Count us in for the sunnyside ride, 2 adults & a toddler.
Posted by: Brooke | August 10, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Some configuration of my family will be there...most likely 2 adults and 2 children (one on a BoBike with me and 1 on a scooter.) Sounds so fun!
Posted by: fionnsnana | August 11, 2008 at 05:37 AM
We'll be there ith Sam and Sage!
Posted by: Laurie | August 12, 2008 at 12:36 PM
We'll be joining the NE group with our two boys. Sounds like a great time!
Posted by: Nalini | August 12, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Still would like some route info if avaialable.
Posted by: Ermal | August 13, 2008 at 01:24 PM
We will be dong the N/NE route with our two girls.
Posted by: Sue | August 14, 2008 at 12:15 AM
The Sellwood location will be next to the Sellwood Pool on SE 7th Ave and Miller St and will ride mostly on the Springwater Corridor trail. 6 pm, Bradley Heinz is leading it up.
Posted by: Eric Miller | August 14, 2008 at 05:39 AM
i posted the route map on my flickr stream for the SE ride: http://flickr.com/photos/cafemama/2766374570/
Posted by: sarah gilbert | August 15, 2008 at 01:25 PM
How was this event? Did the heat keep people home?
Posted by: kl | August 16, 2008 at 08:52 AM
Yes, do tell, how was this? We had really considered going.
Posted by: anna | August 17, 2008 at 07:30 PM
I had fun! I think it would be cool if all the different starting points would converge at the same place... That way everyone could get to know each other.
PS Kidical Mass will be happening every 3rd Friday
Posted by: lea | August 18, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Does anyone have info re a Kidical Mass ride from Sellwood in September? Thanks.
Posted by: Miriam | September 15, 2008 at 10:02 AM
We believe the Sellwood ride will happen again this Friday, at the same time and same place (6pm @ the Sellwood Pool). Here is a report from ride-leader Bradley:
"The first Sellwood ride went off pretty well. My wife and I ( and 2 kids) road with another Sellwood Family and their 3 kids. (Not bad for 2 days notice and 95 degree weather) Joel from the BTA organized and swept on the ride. We’re looking forward to doing the ride from Sellwood every third Friday @ 6 pm from the Sellwood Pool."
If you know of other Kidical Mass rides happening this Friday, share here! The original Kidical Mass ride will happen every month from the playground at the North Park Blocks - this Friday 9/19 at 6pm.
Posted by: urbanMamas | September 15, 2008 at 12:15 PM