riding partner

[goddess1222]

hello. i have only been on the boards for a couple days and keep coming back. i am looking for a female riding partner who doesn't mind helping out a serious rookie. i am still learning to ride on my clipless pedals, and have gotten some great advice from women on these boards (thank you to all of you). i am having a challenge finding "safe" places to practice. so just in case i fall, i won't get run over. if anyone is interested i live in the portland area, and would love some help. or if you have any ideas where i should go to practice, please let me know.


thanks,

goddess1222

[leona]

hello goddess1222!
I'm also a rookie and have never used clipless pedals, so I can't help you much in those areas. But, I do have a suggestion for a good place to practice: The Springwater Corridor.
http://www.parks.ci.portland.or.us/Trails/SpringwaterCorridor/SWaterWelcome.htm

Have you been on this yet? It is really cool. It's paved and there are no cars on it. I rode it a few weeks ago to do the Powell Butte off-road trails and I really enjoyed it.

Good luck!
Leona

[goddess1222]

thanks leona,

springwater has been recommended to me. i have been down there for hood to coast race, but that's it. i will definitely have to try it. tell me, are there a lot of dogs on the trails?

goddess1222

ps. i am really doing well on clipless. i am quite proud of myself. i have fallen many times, but i guess that is part of the deal. if you need help or advice, i will do my best. what type of cleat do you have?

[leona]

Congratulations on doing well with clipless! I still have the fear of the clipless (I'm using toe clips for commuting and nada for trails). Someday, when I switch over, I'm sure I'll be asking you for help.

I don't remember seeing too many dogs on the Springwater. I mean, I wasn't dodging dogs or anything :)

How much do you ride? I've been commuting on my bike for about a year and I love it. It's not too far of a commute, but it's really nice getting out on my bike everyday. Even when it rains.

Take Care!
Leona

[goddess1222]

hi leona! unfortunately, lately i haven't had much time to ride. right now, all i need is a frame pump and i am ready to get out on the road. thanks for the heads up on the springwater trail. i love dogs, but sometimes around bikes they can be a little unpredictable. i don't commute to work only because i work crazy hours. not safe for me. i would loooooove to be able to though. i am so sick of driving. and traffic around here gets bad right around 3pm. you know how it is. do you encounter any rude drivers when cycling home?
any time you want to get together and ride, let me know. i would love to have a buddy to pass the time with once and a while. also, we are safer in numbers. at your leisure, no pressure. i thinks it's great that you commute. keeps the air so much more clean.

have a super day,
goddess1222

[ramona]

HI Goddess 1222,

Not sure if you're still on the boards, but thought I'd chime in. I ride the Springwater Corridor fairly regularly, as well as the 205 bike path and I-84 bike path, to bike-commute to work. The only thing I don't like about the Springwater is that it's a bit bumpy. No problem with the dogs though. I've found the owners to be very considerate.

I've also turned to the clipless and love them. Have fallen twice, but not too bad either time.

You might want to tap into REI - they have a women's biking class that I took in Sept that was great. Got out to do some rides, practiced bike repair, met other women to ride with. I'm also looking for someone to ride with on Sats, as my boyfriend usually works and I'm free.

Good luck...R

[goddess1222]

hi ramona!!! yes i am still on the boards quite frequently. well, everyday really. i find such wonderful support here. the REI bike classes sound cool. i will have to check it out. thanks. as for riding, i would love to go with you some saturday. my BF is usually busy studying that day so i am also pretty free. i just bought all my winter weather apparel and i am dying to wear it. i got some pretty cool stuff. let me know. i am still quite green, but i took my maiden voyage ride last sunday with my BF. i did great. i also went again that afternoon by myself. a little scary, but i finally did it. hope to hear from you...


goddess1222

[ramona]

Hi Goddess...
Sounds great! My BF is working this Sat and I'm not seeming to get any riding in this week (too crazy at work), so I'd love to ride on Sat (11/16). I live near the Springwater Corridor and would be happy to ride that. Another, new, route is from Oaks Park to OMSI. That path just opened and sounds like fun.

Post back here and we can set a time/place (anyone else want to ride?).

...R

[goddess1222]

i have forgotten that this saturday i am doing a 2 hour endurance ride in spin class. oops. sorry. can we make it for another time? how are you on mondays? i assume you work, but i can always meet you after. i am pretty wide open on mondays too.

next saturday i can meet you at 2pm or so? i don't know if this is too late in the day for you. just let me know. we will figure it out.

goddess1222

i second that!! anyone else want to ride?

[spideysgirl]

I would love to have riding partners once in a while also. I live in Portland, OR. I am new to road riding as I just bought a new road bike, but I've been mountainbiking for many years. I don't mind riding slow or fast.

I am usually free on weekends and some afternoons.

Have fun!
Cyndy

PS. today is 11/25 Monday. Does anybody want to ride today? It's too gorgeous out NOT to ride!

[ramona]

Spideysgirl,
Afraid I didn't see your note until just now (7pm) but it was a great day for riding! I rode to and from work today. Cold (29) this morning, but clear. Not quite as cold, but lots windier, this evening. As I ride into the winds blasting out of the Columbia River Gorge (I ride the along the Columba on Marine Dr or the I84 bike path on occasion), I keep reminding myself that it's great endurance training. I should be in great shape for my first x-c ski excursion in a few weeks!

Goddess 1222 found a way to email me that I haven't figured out how to do myself, but perhaps she could help us in that. My boyfriend and I are going to ride around Hagg Lake on Thursday, as all our kids are with their "other" parents and we're skipping the big t-day to-do. But I wouldn't mind someone to ride with on Sat, as I'm sure he's gonna be working. With luck, this great weather will hold (great for biking, not so great for skiing tho!).

Hope you found someone to ride with today! :cool:

...R

[ayermail2]

Just click on the little "PM" (private message) box at the bottom of the post you are interested in emailing someone about....

[ramona]

Thanks for the info, Ayermail2! I'll try that...r

[goddess1222]

hey spideysgirl and ramona.... lets try to set something up for the near future. would love to ride with you both. maybe this would be a great opportunity to ride springwater. any other suggestions i am open to.

i second ayermail2. when i e mailed you , i actually sent you a private message. should work ok. just click and go. same for you spideysgirl. what do you say? lets get together.

goddess1222

[spideysgirl]

Sounds great! Just throwing out suggestions here, but I might be free Sunday afternoon for a ride. Possibly free Saturday, but not 100% on that yet.

I rode from Oaks Park to downtown yesterday. The path is paved now and it is such a beautiful ride. Did a total of 11 miles in about 1 hour. That is the only section of Springwater that I have ridden so far. I'd love to explore the rest of it.

sg

[goddess1222]

sunday afternoon sounds great. i am interested in the oaks park ride. is it an actual path or is it in traffic? traffic still makes me a little nervous, but in numbers it may be better. i didn't know this but my boyfriend told me that on the east side of the willamette, going down on the waterfront toward omsi, it is all paved on that side. have you ridden this? he says it's great.

how about it ramona, are you in? spidey and i would love the company.

[spideysgirl]

Yes, they just finished paving that section. I rode it and it was really nice. I wasn't sure how smooth it would be so I rode my mountainbike, but I will definitely take the roadbike out next time. We parked at the Oaks Park trailhead and road past OMSI along the river across the bridge, past heroin plaza, then back across the Hawthorne Bridge towards OMSI and back to Oaks Park. Great ride, no traffic. Only one little section is on back roads.

Cyndy

[goddess1222]

sounds lovely. heroin plaza? hmmmm. i may have missed something. where is this?

[spideysgirl]

Oh! We have nicknamed that part of the waterfront "heroin plaza" because the drug users hang out there.

:p

[goddess1222]

cute...... too bad it has such a bad reputation

[ramona]

I'm in, but would prefer Saturday. I've heard the Oakspark-OMSI ride is a good one, though short. The trail's supposed to be nicer than the Springwater...not as bumpy. But I do need to get out and ride!

We were tentatively going to dirt-bike with the kids (his & mine, hopefully) on Sunday, but my boyfriend's been sick all week, so not sure we're doing it. I'll have to be iffy on Sunday.

Let me know what you all decide! :-) ...R

[spideysgirl]

Ramona, I'd ride on Saturday and/or Sunday. The Oaks Park ride loop was about 11 miles, took about an hour. Short, yes. I'm open to suggestions. I can easily ride longer. You can get ahold of me via email and let me know when. I'm flexible. email is spideysgirl@hotmail.com.

Thanks!
Cyndy

[ramona]

Hi Spideygirl!

Looks like my weekend's shaping up differently than I'd planned. We're not going to dirt bike tomorrow, so I'm free, and today I have to take my son back to Salem. But boy is it a beautiful morning and soooo tempting! With luck, tomorrow will be the same!

How about around 11am tomorrow? We can meet at the trailhead at Oaks Park (I assume it's fairly obvious and easy to find?!). And anyone who wants, can join us. I may bring a boyfriend and daughter or two - tho that's pretty unlikely. I'll also post to a group I took a women's riding class with from REI. It was a neat group of women, many beginners on the clipping in, too.

Goddess, you in?! Let me know if 11 is a good time, then I'll post to the other group.

Come one, come all for a "Fist Day of December" ride! :D

[goddess1222]

won't be able to make it. so sorry, i will be downtown most of the evening on saturday and i am trying to figure out how to get the bike down there too. you all have a lovely time, and sooner or later, hopefully SOONER, i will be able to join you all.

such a gorgeous day today