I can’t say I was in the mood to ride my bike, today, but with dry roads and nothing but rain in the forecast, I had to take advantage. And anyway, I had to go across town to do a friend a favor, and could probably make it to Skidmore bluffs before the sun went down.
Williams Avenue is always a fun hill. It’s just enough incline to make you notice work, but not so much that it’s defeating. In fact, it’s a fun challenge to try to keep up with the pace of the cars, especially when a song like Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” comes on. The right song always helps me find some extra gas in the tank. I can only hold on to the pace of traffic for so long before my legs are burning, and I’m gasping for air, but always in that inevitable defeat, I find myself smiling. What a joy!
Especially when the reward is a nice view. This evening’s ride treated me to the view from Mock’s Crest, a cute little park at the end of North Skidmore street, overlooking the Port of Portland, a big train yard, the Northwest industrial zone, Portland’s downtown, and of course, the Willamette. I took photos of none of it.
I did, however, snag a photo, rushing down Vancouver Ave. Macklemore & Kesha’s “Good Old Days” was playing from my speakers, and there’s just something about a catchy beat that makes the legs push harder.
As I crossed the bridge over Interstate 5, the trees and buildings cleared from view right in time to catch sunset over the Moda Center.
By now, Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” has come on. It’s almost like your playlist is having as much fun as you are. Dipping between cars and traffic poles, while avoiding slimy patches of leaves, you hit your top speed around the Moda Center downhill bend just in time for the song’s crescendo around the three-minute mark.
The music cools off to an instrumental outro, life spits you out to a view of the beautiful Steel Bridge crossing over the Willamette.
East Bank Esplanade is another wonderful biking section, and it’s make better by the whimsical tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”. Who doesn’t like “Piano Man”?? It hits especially nice as the Portland skyline twinkles across the river.
Passing OMSI, the sun has gone for the day, leaving just enough light in its wake to paint the sky purple, at least for a little while longer.
The last thing to do before settle in for the evening is bid good night to the Tilikum Bridge.
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Originally published on austingil.com.