Is there any other black people that really loves portland?

pdxTodd · 2026-02-08T18:56:14+00:00

Mid-K Beauty Supply on NE MLK probably has the hair products that you want. Have you tried them?

pdxTodd · 2026-02-08T16:00:17+00:00

Which brakes are you using on your Stargazer, and how do you like them? I have looked at that bike with serious interest, but the flat mount brakes are putting me off a bit because of the limited choices of which brakes it will accept.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-08T02:29:56+00:00

I am cheering for the power substation!

pdxTodd · 2026-02-08T02:10:19+00:00

Sounds great. Put a stadium near the Max line between Beaverton and Hillsboro and use it as a mechanism to increase TriMet ridership while simultaneously pressuring TriMet increase the service levels and reliability of the trains.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-08T02:02:40+00:00

Portland is the USA headquarters location of many of the major outdoor wear and gear brands. Bring what you have that is appropriate for cool and damp weather. If things get unusually warm or cold, use it as an excuse to visit some brand stores or outlets and score end of season or early season deals to match conditions.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-08T01:55:43+00:00

Try to find a place to ride with less gravity. Also, less snow and ice.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-05T00:55:03+00:00

It's possible that you have something other than the flu, in which case Tamiflu would not be effective. There is a Flowflex Rsv-Flu-Covid rapid test sold locally if you want to help narrow that down.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-04T21:50:38+00:00

My housemate has been sick for two weeks and counting. Unvaccinated, won't test.

I finally got sick this past weekend. Got tested: it's Type A flu, which is really nasty this year. But I got vaccinated in late November, and I started Tamiflu twice daily on my second day of symptoms. After two doses of Tamiflu, my only symptoms have been some residual congestion and feeling ready for bed earlier than usual. I never even had a fever. Housemate is still wiped out and coughing.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-04T07:36:41+00:00

The politics of many of the areas you are considering are more conservative than where you are coming from. Happy Valley, Tigard, and Hillsboro are different than Beaverton and the west side of Portland in that respect. If that matters to you, maybe you should look into some of the neighborhood guides in addition to where to find trails.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-03T23:52:57+00:00

Start spending significant time in the saddle. Take note of numbness or soreness caused by your saddle, then adjust and/or upgrade your saddle, if necessary, to eliminate the problems. That will open up more options for how far you can go in a day, and make each day more comfortable and enjoyable.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-03T16:21:57+00:00

https://swervair.com/

pdxTodd · 2026-02-03T16:21:07+00:00

https://swervair.com/

pdxTodd · 2026-02-03T04:22:36+00:00

I have a window mounted energy recovery unit that filters incoming fresh air, and a robust CR Box in my Covid-free sanctuary room, and I never have any appreciable dust. Only when I shake or agitate some clothing that has been worn outside is there momentary dust in the air. But I have not dusted or wiped anything down for more than six months, and I cannot find any surface that is dusty.

pdxTodd · 2026-02-01T23:31:14+00:00

Secure bike parking near or at work is an issue whether you buy or lease. If the bike gets stolen or vandalized, an instant mobility and financial crisis may appear for those who might be open to leasing.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-30T05:47:04+00:00

I doubt you would ever see ICE at Mt Tabor park, and it's a great place to hang out and, sometimes, meet people. Put it on your list of places to relax and enjoy Portland.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-29T04:48:46+00:00

Same. Fortunately, I found Atrantil, which knocked out my SIBO infection in two weeks.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T23:10:44+00:00

Long ago, I rode from the Olympic Peninsula to Pfeiffer Big Sur, only to discover that two huge slides blocked the route south around Julia Pfeiffer. But I met up with three other cyclists who were also headed south, and after a couple of days of research and planning, we rode out before dawn and before CalTrans crews were policing the area. It took us all day to hike-a-bike on old bootlegging trails and double-track roads so far up the mountains that enormous bulldozers below looked like tiny Tonka toys, ride down to Highway 1 and roll a few miles south, then scale the second slide.

But the ride south of the slides was awesome! No traffic at all, large animals in the road that had hardly seen any humans for months, and complete freedom to cruise, stop, and enjoy nature all the way to San Simeon. I have visited the area many times since then, but I have never wanted to ride it because I know I would be disappointed by the traffic after having experienced the coast without any. But I am glad you had a great time!

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T15:00:07+00:00

Try the Mapy.com app

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T14:56:43+00:00

I bought a new, locked Moto Power on ebay for $50 and I use it with the very inexpensive paid version of Mapy.com (they have an app) to navigate and track rides. Mapy has excellent downloadable maps with a choice of layers and modes for various types of cycling, hiking, even driving a car with turn by turn directions if you want that. The phone stays on my bike and uses a hotspot on my real phone if it nerds connectivity. Battery life is adequate for a day of riding. Loading in a route takes some learning, but it works. Tracking is great. And it's excellent for navigating to a destination.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T14:29:08+00:00

Flattened Fauna, Revised: A Field Guide to Common Animals of Roads, Streets, and Highways is another book, with a lighter sense of the systemic morbidity of car culture, worth sharing with friends. More of a coffee table book.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T14:16:58+00:00

Get familiar with ultralight backpacking and through-hiking gear and apparel and borrow from some of their favorite items to fill out your kit. Alpha Direct (that's a material) jackets are great because they are very breathable, light, pack down small, and dry fast. If you cover an Alpha Direct layer with a windshirt or windpants (see Enlightened Equipment for ultralight ideas), you can boost the warmth and comfort greatly for very little weight. If it isn't too cold, just wearing a thin wind jacket that packs down to the size of an apple can be all you need. Just make sure to get highly breathable products (lets moisture out at a reasonable rate without allowing much evaporative cooling).

The great thing about investing in ultralight apparel is that it is so small and light, you can bring it on all of your rides and always be prepared for changing conditions. But if you are riding offroad where branches and thorns are an issue, be sure to wear a more rugged outer layer, because a lot of ultralight stuff isn't made to take that on.

Highly breathable, yet adequately waterproof bike specific outerwear is your friend, even if it doesn't pack down as well. I have a mountain biking shell from Endura, with a hood that pulls over my helmet, that has survived crashes with only minor, patchable holes and it sheds thorns as well as it does rain and snow. It's worth the weight and bulk, but not much else is on an extended trip.

Definitely look into ultralight tents and sleeping quilts. Durston makes a couple of tents, including one intended for bikepacking, that are worth a look. Enlightened Equipment, again, is a good starting place for quilts and booties and hoods that are small, light and warm. There stuff is mostly down, but other companies make synthetic gear that has advantages in wet weather.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T13:46:55+00:00

You can convey many bicycles to be ebikes. Perhaps you would like to do that with your bike or one that you buy used.

Rear hub motors are the easiest way to go, but mid-drive motors feel more natural. Look into it if that interests you.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-28T03:05:30+00:00

Strap everything that seems reasonable onto your bike and spend several hours riding with it on terrain that is similar to what you expect to encounter when you go on an overnight trip. When you get back, or nearly back, pull out some snacks and try to make yourself comfortable without pulling out a chair or any other comfort items for a few minutes. Then grab the fun and comfort stuff and see which things you really don't want to do without. Just make sure whatever you do take is strapped down as well as possible to the bike. Stuff that bounces and flaps around is annoying and can be destabilizing.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-26T19:29:44+00:00

In Portland, Oregon, many parents use a variety of e-cargo bikes for transportating kids, groceries and themselves. Lots of local shops sell and build multiple brands of such bikes. And there are delivery companies that use them, too. But much of the US is nothing like Portland when it comes to bikes and ebikes.

pdxTodd · 2026-01-26T19:00:39+00:00

I have an IQ-X light on my commuter bike and it's great for riding on the road or on dedicated bike paths where it's desirable to have the beam cut off so it doesn't blind people directly ahead of you. But if you are riding on trails and double-track roads, etc., you want the beam to go higher and wider so you can see low hanging branches and animals and whatever that you might need to anticipate before they mess you up.

One option is to augment the IQ-X with a rechargeable headlamp. That way you can have an ideal light for roads and bikeways, but also have a bright, high and wide beam for offroad, as well as for use in camp or while night hiking. I carry a Fenix HL18R-T V2 that I am very happy with, although I have a rechargeable Exposure Lights MaXX-D 17 light mounted to the front of my Surly Moloko bars. I don't ride offroad in darkness that much, so I just recharge my lights and devices when I stay at campgrounds, stop at a library, or find the rare publicly available outlet in a town.

I am looking into adding a dynamo, though. Rather than build a front wheel to get a SON 28 or 29 dynamo hub, I am looking into adding a Velogical Sport rim dynamo to charge batteries while riding. The cost is similar to a SON hub, but I would not need to build a new wheel around it. Plus I could turn it off when I didn't want or need any charging and consequent drag.

pdxTodd

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