calamarichris

So my sweetheart and I are thinking about bringing our bikes up to Portland, but being sissies from San Diego, we're not eager to ride in the rain. Is your dry season pretty much over?

And we're thinking about basing in Portland and riding out to Astoria & back, and out to the Dalles (or so) and back. How is the traffic on the roads along the Columbia? From what I've seen so far, the Historic Columbia River Highway looks promising--how's the traffic on that?

And what are some must-sees in Portland? (And no, we're not looking for possible landmarks of that unfunny show.) Especially looking for microbreweries.

We're pretty out of shape right now. We can handle a flat century or a hilly 60-miler.

Thanks in advance and safe riding out there!

-Chris in Carlsbad, CA (Drought Central--maybe we'll bring up some of our dry weather.)

alove42

September ain't so bad, usually a few drizzly days but rarely any heavy storms or cold temps (although it will undoubtedly be cooler than SoCal). Bring a light rain repellent jacket, maybe throw some fenders on, but don't worry too much. As for the HCRH, the ride out to Cascade Locks is pretty awesome, especially the new car free sections. Thunder Island Brewery is just a few blocks past the end of the trail; OK food, good beer, great people and location. Heading East out Wyeth Road is fun, and there is a campground at the end of the road, but you are then unceremoniously dumped onto I84, which sucks terribly. Personally, I didn't feel it was worth it to continue on past Cascade Locks (despite an excellent dinner/beer at Pfriem in Hood River). Lot's more fun options heading out to the coast or South around Mt. Hood. Nestucca River Rd is a great way to get to the coast with campgrounds just after the peak of the coastal range.

adventurepdx

If you're worrying about rain, you're in luck, as September is the third driest month in these parts (July and August being 1 and 2), with an average of 1.5". Generally, September is a very nice time in these parts. Saying that, two caveats: the chance of wetter weather increases as the month goes on, and last September was the rainiest in the 13 years I've lived here with one particularly wet Saturday where we got a couple inches (yes, more than the monthly average.) Of course, we had a really dry October to make up for it. In any case, make sure you have fenders and adequate raingear and hope for the best!

adventurepdx

Between Hood River and The Dalles is one of my favorite parts of the HCRH, the Mosier Twin Tunnels and Rowena Curves sections. Lots less traffic than the more waterfall-y (and tourist-y) western section, and you get to see the transition from the wet side to the dry side. But I agree, the section of I-84 riding ain't fun.

calamarichris

Awesome awesome awesome! Thanks very much Comrades! I'm really really looking forward to this trip now.



Any opinions on Bend and the Willamette River Valley Scenic Bikeway?

And what are your favorite breweries (that don't specialize in IPAs.)

fietsbob

Wet, Drizzled on the Coast yesterday . It make it that far up river?

calamarichris

Oh yeah; any opinions on the Coast? Wide enough? Too many RVs? Fun enough?

alove42

In town, Hopworks is fun, but lots of kids (some of them mine!) if aren't into that, bike themed decor, OK food. Their sister joint, BikeBar is pretty cool. HopHouse on Hawthorne is smaller, quainter, with great food and an excellent selection (though they don't brew themselves). Don't let the names fool you, they do have more than IPAs. The Tugboat in downtown is a very small, Portlandia type place with a surly bartender but a fun place to relax with friends. Out in my neck of the woods (outer SouthWest PDX) the Sasquatch brewery has awesome food, good beer, and a great atmosphere. Either of the Laurelwoods have great beer, but standard pub food. Bridgeport and most of the ones in the Pearl (NW Portland) tend to be more trendy, dress up type places to be seen. I personally prefer the laid back feel of the Eastside brewpubs.

Be prepared, most Portland brewhouses are a place for families to socialize, so lots of kids at most of them. If you don't like kids, go out later. Even during peak squeal times, though, they are still a lot of fun.

B. Carfree

The Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway is just so-so. These scenic bikeways are mostly bureaucratic creations for PR purposes. It's got a bit of fair to very good countryside riding, but not as nice as you would find in the Sacramento Valley, and a few issues where it goes through Salem. It's quite enjoyable, but not awesome by any means.

Much of the truly great riding in Oregon is out on relatively unknown isolated roads in the coast range and off east of the Cascades with some real treats in the Cascades themselves. Portland has more riders, in part because it has more people, but wouldn't be my first choice as a home base for a riding vacation unless urban amenities like restaurants, breweries, and group rides were my primary focus.

fietsbob

After labor day the kids have to be back in school so there is less tourist traffic..

there is a large tract of land between 30 by the river, and 26 out to 101 south of Seaside ,

in Columbia & Clatsop counties, to be on neither main road.

adventurepdx

I wouldn't go so far as to characterize the scenic bikeways as "mostly bureaucratic creations for PR purposes", as there are some really great ones, especially in the east (Old West, Blue Mtns, Grande Tour, McKenzie). But I do agree with B. Carfree's assessment of the WVSB's so-soitude. I would only really use it if I was trying to get from Portland-ish to Eugene or any of the destinations in between. Even so, there are more interesting ways to get between the two, but maybe not as flat.

In the same so-so camp would be the Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway west of Portland. Some nice sections (including the Banks-Vernonia Trail) but there's a few hairy sections that I don't ever want to ride again if I don't have to.

adventurepdx

Bikebar is definitely the better of the two, especially during happy/rush hour, when you can sit outside on N Williams, drink a discounted pint of something strong, and watch the parade of evening bike commuters race up the bike lane on Williams.

I love Tugboat, but more for atmosphere than beer. They are probably the most lackadaisical brewpub in town. They only brew four regular beers (I've never seen them offer any seasonals/specials/varieties) and every time I go there, they are always out of one (or two, or three) of their own taps. They do have a good selection of guest taps, and Baileys Tap Room is just across the alley, with lots more beer to choose from.

I agree that the eastside brewpubs are where it's at. Other choices: Breakside in Woodlawn (NE), Alameda in Beaumont-Willshire (NE), and Basecamp (SE).

adventurepdx

To the OP, when you talk about rides, are you looking at out-and-back stuff, meaning a 60 or so mile loop from where you start, or are you going to do any touring/camping?

If you wanted to go to Bend, a good out-and-back would be heading up to McKenzie Pass. Quite the climb, yes, but a beautiful/weird landscape at the top, and a great descent back down. And Sisters, a small touristy town you'll pass through, has Three Creeks Brewing. And of course Deschutes is in Bend.

calamarichris

Thanks very much for all these excellent tips and guidance AdvPDX! All of youse guys!
We're looking for mostly 30- to 60-mile day/joyrides, and hoping to stay in hotels near great restaurants & breweries. Maybe an occasional credit-card style overnighter away from the car.
She just finished law school, and neither of us are in the shape for a sub 5-hour century right now.

A few things I'm hoping to see on this trip:
~The Sundial Bridge in Redding, CA.
~At least two days of bicycle brewery-touristing in Portland.
~A full day farting/riding around Astoria (unless you recommend against this...?)
~Ride the HCRH, at least the prettiest part of it. If we're feeling frisky and the road & weather are nice, maybe ride out to spend the night in the Dalles and ride back the next day.
~Possibly a day in Bend (a motorcyclist friend strongly recommended it, but how's the bicycling and brewing there?)
~Coos bay? Eugene?

We've got a whole week: 9/18-9/28. I try to stop at least twice a day for barley-tea, as a reminder that it isn't supposed to be a hammerfest.



Am also kicking around the idea of bringing my dogbike (sans dog) because it has such awesome fenders (kinda pointless down here in drought-stricken SD) and I won't be waiting around on my gf so much.


I really love your town up there and am looking forward to this trip!

B. Carfree

Skip Coos Bay. It's the kind of place where girls are sexually assaulted under the bleachers at the high school football games and no one cares. It's also the kind of place where physicians shoot people. They would have shot Deliverance there, but the actors and film crew wouldn't stay in the flea bag lodging. (Okay, I made up the part about the lodging, but there isn't much to choose from.)

If you want to ride around Eugene, here's a link to a nice century that starts fifteen miles west of town. Just skip the Wolf Creek Rd. part by driving another fourteen miles and you've got a nice loop that fits your criteria. I think you'll enjoy the loop in the clockwise direction better than counter-clockwise. There's no services, including cell phone, and you may not see any motor vehicles so bring what you need. (There is water at the Clay Creek campground, but by then you're only nine miles from the start/finish, assuming you start at the Siuslaw Rd/Oxbow Rd junction.) There's a cute cemetery at the Esmonds Creek/Siuslaw Rd junction that makes a nice break area if you like pioneer cemeteries. (Fifty feet up the dirt driveway just east of the junction.) There's lots of places to stop and enjoy one of the rivers, although the flow will be kind of low since it's the end of summer.

Map Bike Rides with Elevation Profiles, Analyze Cycling Performance, Train Better. Ride With GPS

There's other loops in that area that are also about sixty miles as well as some nice little loops closer into town. Of course we also have a few brew pubs. All of them seem to be in my neighborhood (Ninkasi, Hop Valley and Oakshire), but I don't drink so I can't make recommendations other than the owners all seem to be nice folks who make an effort to be community minded.

adventurepdx

I recommend a full day of farting around Astoria, as there are several cool things there (The Column! Maritime Museum!) and has a decent brew pub (Fort George) and another ok one too. As for riding, if I had a day and was travelling to/from town by car, I wouldn't bother. Astoria is a small enough city that you can park and walk everywhere easily. The riding in the city, if not sticking around the waterfront, is up and down steep San Franciscoesque hills. And pretty much any way out of town involves a busy highway. They're not too bad in a bike touring sense, but for just a joyride I wouldn't be interested. Of course, I don't live in Astoria, so someone who lives there (paging fietsbob) may have a different perspective.

It's about 80 miles one-way from Portland to The Dalles, and you'd have to use that section of 84 to get to The Dalles. You could break it into two days and overnight in Cascade Locks, which isn't as "happening" as Hood River, but lodging should be cheaper and there's a good brewpub (Thunder Island.) Across the river in Stevenson is Walking Man Brewing.

One thing to note about the Columbia Gorge is the wind. During the dry season it typically blows west to east, and gets stronger the further east you go. If you intend to go out and turn around, you'll eventually have to deal with a pretty stiff headwind. Especially if you venture as far as The Dalles.

Don't know much about the bike scene, but it is a big outdoor recreation spot. Deschutes Brewing (Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, etc) is based there, and I'm sure there's a few other brewpubs as well.

adventurepdx

I've been to both Ninkasi and Oakshire, and they are nice places with good beer. I've had Hop Valley and like that as well, but if it ain't obvious by their name, they really like IPAs.

Shifty

Yes, as others have said, the Willamette Valley Bike Route is not the best way to ride the valley. Here is a scenic bikeway that is awesome to ride, starts closer to Portland and follows a beautiful river. There is a hot springs resort along the way that may have cabins, you can check, I'll provide a link.

Cascading Rivers Scenic Bikeway - Ride Oregon Ride

https://www.breitenbush.com/

If you are coming to Eugene send me a PM, I'll help as I can and point you to some awesome rides.

For beer near Eugene, check out Agrarian Ales. They are on their farm (brewery in the barn) just north of Eugene. They grow their own hops and offer a nice selection of beers, great food and friendly attitude. When you arrive on bikes the first beer is on the house.
Agrarian Ales

Medic Zero

.

I'm a Seattle-ite, but my father is now in Vancouver WA, and I've got friends in PDX, so I visit occasionally. My big recommendation for visitors to PDX, is to take in a movie at one of the movie theatres that has alcohol and food service in the theatre itself! This is a real treat for a Seattle-ite, and I suspect someone from California as well. IIRC, there are a good half dozen theatres that have alcohol available, and most if not all those also have food service.

I just learned of these recently, so on my last trip down I took in the McMenamins one which was okay. Only pizza or sandwiches available, and their organization was a little lacking and we had an entire pizza delivered to us on a hot metal plate with no napkins, plates or anything else other than a pie tool and nowhere to set anything down at (no tables/trays/etc) other than the floor and a seat next to us. Luckily I always carry a couple of handkerchiefs, but still, there's definitely room for improvement there. Still worth it, but I have to wonder if some of the other movie theatres with food and adult beverage do it better. It was quite a trip to be drinking beer on a bench in the hallway of a converted high school though! (That was while we were waiting for the previous showing to exit, that theatre is housed in an old high school or junior high school.)

I've been saying it for some time, and I'll say it again; if I were to move away from the Pacific Northwest and move back, Portland would be my first choice in cities. Every time I visit I'm very impressed and I think it is better than Seattle in any metric. It seems like a great place to live.

adventurepdx

I like the Laurelhurst Theater on E Burnside and 28th and the Academy on SE Stark and 79th. And the Hollywood on NE Sandy and 41st. While it's a thing to complain about McMenamin's mediocre food and service, they do really nice things with the theatres themselves.

calamarichris

Heh--thanks very, very much for the tips!

And thanks for the tips about the adult-theaters, but I have one of those right across the street from my condo. Those places are great, but you have to be careful: the chairs are so big & comfortable and they recline flat as a bed (AND you can lift up the armrest and turn your chairs into a twin bed pretty much), and they bring cocktails to your chair. Twice I've paid $19.50 (plus more for drinks) twice for two 2-hour naps. Slept through Lincoln AND Star Trek: Descent into Darkness.
Went back and watched it again, and couldn't believe I'd slept through all those explosions.

I'm compiling all these suggestions, and trying to figure out a fun route. Many thanks Gents!

fietsbob

Out here the Balcony has the beer/wine sales and Pizzas are delivered from the adjoining business ..

the under 21's still have the whole main floor. its a late 2nd run venue ,
the movies are released to the DVD rentals at about the same time, or soon after..

adventurepdx

You don't have to worry about that in Portland. The chairs are standard theatre chairs, they only do beer/wine/cider, and they definitely don't deliver to your seat!

Medic Zero

Interesting. I wouldn't have thought California would go for the drinks in theatres thing, but I left a couple of decades ago...

dtrain

I'd give the nod to the Banks-to-Vernonia Trail over a ride to Astoria.

Some great places to taste beer right in the heart of downtown: Rogue, Deschutes, Bridgeport, is 10 Barrel open yet? I'm not as familiar with the eastside, but Apex was pretty cool.

Hood River to Rowena Crest and back is a great ride that my wife and I do together.

I'd also skip the Willamette Valley as a full trail - but there are some nice parts for sure.

Bend is worth it and the cycling and breweries measure up nicely.