Donald Miller and the Ride:Well Team Bike America

Portland, Oregon (Friday, May 9th) For todays update, I want to say a bit about bike culture here in Portland. Bicycling Magazine listed Portland as the top cycling city in the country this year, and I think that’s been the case for the last several years. They had this to say; "What perennially puts Portland atop our list is that you don’t need to know anything about bike lanes or city planning to see that it is a haven for cyclists. Just hang out in a coffee shop and look out the window: Bikes and riders of all stripes are everywhere…." This really is true about Portland, and I confess I take it for granted. We even have bike-through coffee shops. Not sure what I would do with a cup of coffee in my hand, riding the streets, but at least I have that option. Second on the list is the city up the freeway, Seattle Washington, though apparently Seattle has contributed 240 million to building bike lanes and paving more than 450 miles of bike paths, specifically to knock Portland out of the number one spot. Worst cycling city: Dallas, Texas. That means all you cyclist in Texas can come out and join us on the city ride there, and maybe we can contribute to raising the biking profile in the Lone-Star State. I actually know a few great riders in Texas, so I am sure there is some hope.

The picture above was taken on the Freemont Bridge here in Portland during the annual Portland Bridge Pedal. Each year, on a Sunday morning in August, the city shuts down all the major bridges crossing the river and more than eighteen-thousand cyclist take the thirty-two mile journey in and out of downtown Portland. This year the ride will take place on August 10th and I’ve got more than a few friends flying in with their bikes just to take the ride. If you want to come to Portland and do the ride, August is always a beautiful month. You can learn more by googling "Providence Bridge Pedal" or by visiting www.providence.org/oregon/events/bridge_pedal/

With less than a month from the cross-country ride, I’m finding myself making to-do lists and getting things done in preparation for being away from the house for two months. I hope to have the new book complete, at least in rough-draft form, then I will be editing on the road, wherever I can find a quiet place and a few hours to work. Other than that, I am automating all bills, having breakfast with as many people as possible, and cleaning up the house for a guest who will take over for the time I am gone. Nothing much else to report. I can’t wait to be making these updates from the road.