Fifty Plus (50+) - Weekend in Portland, OR: Suggestions for 50+ bike lovers to visit

Hi,

We are going to Portland, Oregon for a long weekend. Any suggestions about places to see and things to do? I'm trying to arrange a visit to Vanilla Bikes, for example. We love good food and good walks, and renting a couple bikes to go out on leisurely ride would be awesome.

Thanks! I'm also going to post this in the appropriate regional forum.

Well judgin by your avatar I would make a stop at Pioneer music on W 9th a purveyor of fine fretted instruments. Not a big shop but they have a selection of high end acoustics that will make your mouth water. IMHO

Thanks, Stringbreaker! I just added that to my list. The Northwest regional forum has some posts with the same question that I found helpful

or Fretworks... another great guitar shop in Portland....

(looks like a picture of a lefty Seagull)

be well,

jim

Oh I forgot about Fretworks. Apple Music Row on SW 1st. is pretty cool too as I remember . Thats where I saw and played a Breedlove for the first time. Very cool guitars but not traditional at all, still very cool

The Bridgeport Brewery. It's gone Yuppy upscale and lost its soul, but the beer is amazing. Try the IPA and the Stout.
Powell's Bookstore

Thanks, everyone! Another question: If hubby and I want to check out Surly LHT and Cross Check, (and maybe even a Salsa Casserol) while in town, which of these shops has the best selection of built up touring and light touring bikes? Each is listed on the Surly.com dealers page with three pirate flags, but I hear that the list is outdated. There aren't any LBS who carry these bikes without a special order, so we might be buyers, not just lurkers. Thanks!!

RIVER CITY BICYCLES
706 SOUTH EAST MLK JR BLVD
PORTLAND, OR 97214
(503)233-5973


NORTHWEST BICYCLE
916 NW 21ST AVENUE
PORTLAND, OR 97209
(503)248-9142


UNIVERSAL CYCLES
1820 N.W. 18th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
(800)936-5156

REVOLVER BIKES
6509 N Interstate Ave
Portland, OR 97217
(503)285-1084
http://www.revolverbikes.com

You have the phone numbers you need to get your answers. ;)

You have the phone numbers you need to get your answers. ;)

Thanks, BD. Guess I'm also looking for a "You've got to go to ____. They are an awesome bike shop! My wife got her __________ there and they were fantastic to work with." :thumb:

Wow, you Portland cyclists have it together! Just stumbled on your Portland Bike Forum! http://bikeportland.org/forum/index.php?

Thanks, BD. Guess I'm also looking for a "You've got to go to ____. They are an awesome bike shop! My wife got her __________ there and they were fantastic to work with." :thumb:

Good point. That is good information to have. But the phone numbers will allow you to also learn which stores actually have the bikes you want to see in your size in stock.

Thanks, BD. Guess I'm also looking for a "You've got to go to ____. They are an awesome bike shop! My wife got her __________ there and they were fantastic to work with." :thumb:

This is the most interesting bike shop I've visited in Portland:

http://www.velocebicycles.com/index.html

Small shop; interesting mix of new bikes and high-end vintage bikes on consignment. Very interesting and knowledgeable owner.

I also hope you saw the note I left in the PNW forum about the Oregon Handmade Bicycle show Oct. 10 to 12.

I just spent a week in Portland, and I rented a bicycle from WaterFront bikes, busy shop, but the quality of the bicycles,, they are a bit USED,,,,

I did find a lot to explore and do there, great place for riding exploring...

Was just reading over this thread to pull out names of places as we prepare for our trip coming up next weekend. I appreciate all the suggestions!

I attended a conference in Portland in the mid-90s. Didn't do a lot in Portland itself, although it seemed a nice city. But I hit the greater Portland area hard. I drove up the Columbia River Gorge to see several waterfalls. I hiked to the top of the Gorge, up a lot of switchbacks and through some magnificent places where streams had cut into the basalt and created small micro environments that resembled rain forests.

I visited Hood River, then hiked up a small mountain (I think it was named Lookout Mountain) behind Mt. Hood to an elevation of around 5500' which had the most incredible scenic vista that I have still ever seen. I could see the Three Sisters, Mt. Saint Helens, Rainier, Mt. Baker, the entire interior of Oregon all the way out to the Blue Mountains on the east border. Literally a couple hundred miles to the north, south, and east, with Mt. Hood towering over me on my west.

Then I went up to the Timberline Lodge and had a great lunch and hiked around it a bit. Then down the western slope to some old growth cedar forests, before going on to Tillamook, Cape Lookout & down to the coast, where I stayed in a motel that rested on a cliff overlooking several rock "islands" that were populated by hundreds of sea lions. Then I circled down through the Siuslaw National Forest to get back to Portland for my flight home.

One of the best trips I've ever taken. But I can't tell you much about downtown Portland.

Sounds great, Tom! Portland seems like a magnificant area. We'll probably have to plan a second trip. ;)