jonathanf2

I'll never use a dedicated bike case again (usually I borrow a friend's roller case). A cheap/free cardboard bike box from the LBS is both easier to pack, manage and recycle after use. Also I want to go back to Portland again in the summer just to ride the entirety of Forest Park. Mt. Tabor is fun for short interval climbs and there's also Mt. Scott which has a nice long uphill road climb. Also lots of long flat bike lanes to mash the pedals. Though it's hard to decide which bike to bring, because there are both excellent road routes and off-road trails. The dirt for gravel bikes is also more forgiving, even if it rains the trails tend to be soft packed with a good amount of plant debris/peat moss to keep them firm with minimal mud. LA dirt is either dry/dusty or muddy/caked after a good rain.

The only thing I find different in Portland (since cycling is more common) is the lack of bike camaraderie. In LA, I'd say more than half of cyclists will acknowledge each other. In Portland barely anyone will look your way!