Portland Mountain Bikers: Ride and Party at Trailfest 2014

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

Üma Kleppinger, GoLocalPDX Contributor

This weekend's annual Trailfest is a don’t-miss, weekend-long celebration of local mountain bike trails, advocacy, and community and kicks off the fall mountain bike season in grand style. 

Join the Northwest Trail Alliance this weekend at the 2014 Trailfest and party—and ride—in style. 

The Northwest Trail Alliance (NWTA) is the local chapter of the International Mountain Bike Alliance (IMBA). The NWTA is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that helps advocate for, design and build nearby trails for off-road riding. The NWTA also provides education, outreach, and support for people of all ages looking to get into the sport or looking for new friends to ride and carpool with.

Securing, creating and maintaining off-road access is hard work and Trailfest acknowledges that work―and its rewards―with a festive spirit of adventure and community.

Beginning Friday, Sept. 12, the NWTA has lined up a fun-filled weekend for both members and non-members alike. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, Sept. 12, 6 p.m.
Forest Park Night Ride Poker Ride
Meet at Western Bikeworks (1015 NW 17th Ave) at 5 p.m. for preride festivities and schwag giveaways or at Leif Erickson gate at the top of Thurman Ave by 6:20 p.m. The ride ambles through Forest Park, stopping at five spots along the way, where riders will receive a card. After the ride riders will return back to Triple Lindy's, next door to Western Bikeworks to show their cards for prizes.

Enjoy post ride food and beers by Hopworks. This is an all-level ride; beginners welcome. Lights are required for this ride.

Saturday Sept. 13, 10 a.m.
Stub Stewart Group Poker Ride and Tour
Meet at the Hilltop Day Use Parking area in L.L. Stub Stewart Park. Poker hands will be dealt along the ride with many stops to regroup and learn more about the park. This is an intermediate to advanced level ride, with free-ride options.

Castle Rock Bike Park Blowout, 10 a.m. (Sat)
Meet at the Bike Park in Castle Rock, Wash. Open to everyone, especially kids and families, this event includes a free lunch for all participants. To get there: Take I-5 north to Castle Rock (exit 48). Drive west and follow the signs on Huntington Ave to the Bike Park on Dike Road, just a few minutes from I-5.  

NWTA Trailfest Party, 6-10 p.m. (Sat)
In partnership with Portland Design Works, and hosted by Velo Cult, located at 1969 NE 42nd Avenue, this is the party to be at this weekend. Starting at 6 p.m., enjoy free pizza and beer, kiddie bike racing in the back parking lot, raffle prizes at 8 p.m., and mountain bike movies on the big screen.

DJ Rex Zeppelin spins the tunes all night long. Open to members and nonmembers alike. Drop-in or register online.

Sunday, Sept. 14, 9 a.m.
Sandy Ridge Shuttle Event  
Enjoy a rare shuttle day at Sandy Ridge, the crown jewel of Portland’s local trails. Space is limited to the first 200 riders.

There is no pre-registration available; simply show up early to get your ticket. Timberline Lodge and The Lumberyard Bike Park will provide hospitality tents with snacks and beverages. Santiam Bicycle will supply a mechanic tent and Kona demo bikes to test ride. Ott’s Ski and Bike will have an organizers rally event with prizes and Trek demo bikes available. Beer provided by Hopworks.

Cost for shuttle day is $40 for nonmembers and suggested $10 donation for members.  

For details about any of the events offered over the course of the weekend, visit nw-trail.org.

Üma Kleppinger is a Portland-based copy writer, author and advocate for full-contact anti-bummer living, by bike. She is a recovering sesquipedalian who writes about life in the saddle and outdoor adventure. She is also the author of BikeYoga, a yoga program for cyclists. When not writing, she can be found riding and racing her mountain bike throughout the Pacific Northwest.

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