Pacific Northwest - P.O.: Opinions on riding W Burnside/Barnes

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
cdotbois
02-29-08, 11:56 AM
Hello,

I am wondering what's the general opinion on riding W Burnside out past 23rd and after it turns into Barnes, mainly going west and UP that long incline.

It's two lanes, but the shoulder is mostly nonexistent. Traffic is at 40mph. I'm sure it's rideable if I went out there and did it. I don't believe that most people would be too frustrated having to switch lanes to pass me going up, and traffic in that direction generally seems manageable, but I'm wondering how it's generally viewed upon, both from a bicyclist's point of view and that of those in autos.

I've seen riders going west from the strip in the West Hills with the QFC on Barnes, and I'm always wondering if they just climbed the hill. I've never seen anyone actually riding up.

riversiderider
02-29-08, 01:14 PM
Yikes

I would find an alternative route.

Ride safe.
poprad
02-29-08, 01:30 PM
I did it once on a Sunday morning and would not recommend it...ever.

cdotbois
02-29-08, 07:50 PM
Hey thanks. That was my feeling. It brought me all the way here to ask you guys about it.

I plotted an alternative route on byCycle.org (http://bycycle.org/regions/portlandor/routes;find?q=nw+23rd+and+everett+to+8825+SW+Barnes+Rd) that runs on some street/path parallel to 26. I'll have to look into that to see if it is any more realistic.

Safety is definitely my highest concern while bicycling in traffic.

I still think I might go down it. Eh eh? All Zoobomb like, except more vehicular.

It took 25 minutes this morning to get from Catlin Gabel school to Barnes and Miller by car. They're less than a mile apart! My bike was in the back, and I almost parked and rode into town instead. The only thing that stopped me was that the only way I knew how to get back was the same way I came.
poprad
02-29-08, 11:44 PM
PM if you're looking for NW to downtown PDX alternative routes, I commute from Thompson/MCDaniels to city center and have tried most ways to get in.

Best workout, but takes awhile; from downtown head out Naito to 30, 30 N to Salztman...start climbing up until you hit Skyline. If you've got decent treaded commuter or CX tires it's a great route, and once you hit Saltzman no worries about cars. It's a might steep though....