Sunday Parkways 2017; Kate bikes solo

Audrey and Kate participated of another round of Portland's Sunday Parkways bike rides today. The girls rode a little over 5 miles, starting from home and then traveling to Khunamowkst Park and Fernhill Park and then reversing course to head back home. GPa joined the girls for part of the route.

Unlike previous Parkways, Kate rode her own bike and was not towed in a trailer or on a tag-a-long. There were several stops and the obligatory sugary treat as an incentive (in this case, a sno-cone), but she made the whole trip under her own power.

Father's Day bike ride

Audrey and Kate strapped on their helmets and headed out for a bike ride during the Sunday Parkways event in North Portland today. They met up with Honey and GPa and Grandpa Dave and Judy at Arbor Lodge Park for an informal Father's Day gathering. The girls played on the playground and with stilts from Circus Cascadia, listened to Celtic rock and Indian dance music, and ate snowcones, hot dogs, and Cheetos.

 

Checking out a new park

Audrey and Kate and their friend and neighbor Olivia biked over to check out the new Khunamokwst Park today. They stopped for frozen yogurt on the way home.

Ice cream treat

Audrey and Kate and their cousin Lily went for a bike ride to the library this afternoon. Afterwards, they took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a warm-weather treat in February by getting ice cream at Baskin Robbins.

A February(!) bike ride

Audrey and Kate took advantage of the unseasonably warm winter weather and went for a bike ride on the Springwater Corridor today. They got on the trail at Oaks Park and then rode up to the new TriMet bridge, stopping to throw some rocks in the river. Audrey pedaled her own bike the whole way, about 6-7 miles round-trip. They stopped for lunch at Cha Cha Cha in Sellwood on the way home.

Winter Sunriver trip

Audrey and Kate spent the MLK holiday weekend in Sunriver with cousins Lily and Cora. They drove down on Friday night. On Saturday, the girls swam at the SHARC and ice skated in Sunriver Village. On Sunday, they drove up Mount Bachelor to find snow to sled in (there was no snow in Sunriver itself; it was rainy and in the 40s), and went on a bike ride to Fort Rock Park. They also watched a lot of cable television and splashed around in the hot tub.

Pretty posing

While on a ride through the neighborhood this evening, Audrey and Kate discovered a yard with a couple of benches that were perfect for picture-posing.

Pedal power

Audrey and Kate wound down their summer vacations with one last trip to swim at Grant Pool. On their way there, they stopped at the food-cart pod on Sandy Blvd. near their house for lunch. Audrey helped make part of their lunch by pedaling a bike-powered blender to make a smoothie.

Bridge Pedal

Audrey and Kate did the Bridge Pedal with Honey Grandpa today. As with last year, they did the 6-bridge ride again, with Kate riding in the bike trailer pulled by Mama and Audrey riding on her trail-a-bike with Dada. It was overcast most of the ride. They got a late start due to a bike "traffic jam" at the start of the ride at the Hawthorne bridge and had to hurry along a couple of times on the Marquam and Fremont Bridges as the police started clearing bike riders off of the bridges to re-open them to auto traffic. After the ride, they got free popsicles as a treat. They had lunch near the Saturday Market, then wandered around to look at the wares. Seeing other kids with balloon animals, they sought out the artist, who made Kate a mermaid and Audrey a bunny. Kate really liked hers; Audrey, not so much (she expected it to look different).

Fremont Fest

Audrey and Kate decked out their bikes with ribbons and flowers from their yard and joined their friends Charlie and Finley for the bike parade and festivities of the Fremont Fest. They checked out a new Toyota Prius, got their faces painted, saw other friends (including Audrey's friends Hannah and Stella), ate hot dogs, and bought cute new skirts from one of the vendors. Afterwards, they played at Finley and Charlie's house for a bit before heading off to Laurelhurst Park to join their cousins for a park concert.

Sunday Parkways with Lily

Audrey and Kate rode in another Sunday Parkways today, this time with their cousin Lily. They took in the sights in North Portland and collected samples and swag given out by vendors and community groups promoting their wares or causes (the most popular being some rather loud whistles given out by a group promoting trails and bikeways).

Sunriver 2013

On Wednesday, Audrey and Kate packed up their stuff at Camp Sherman and headed further southeast to Sunriver for part two of their family vacation in Central Oregon. They shared a big house with Jill and Lily and Cora and GG and Michael. They walked or biked just about everywhere they wanted to go, which was usually either the North Pool or the SHARC (aquatic center). They also took a train ride and got ice cream in the Sunriver village and took a trip with their cousins to a nature center, where they learned about owls and checked in on some other injured birds of prey.

The girls enjoyed having lots of time to play with their cousins, making up games and performances with them (which Kate usually appointed herself the director of). On the last day of the trip, the girls went with GG to Maverick's where, after a handful of tries, Audrey climbed to the top of a climbing wall. (Click here if the slideshow below doesn't appear or doesn't work.)

Camp Sherman 2013

Audrey and Kate spent several days in Camp Sherman for the first part of a week-long family vacation in Central Oregon. They had a lot of fun playing with their cousins, eating lots of yummy food prepared by Mark and Sharon, staying up late, and spending lots of time at the swimming pool. Audrey ventured out on a bike ride to the Camp Sherman store with Mama, and the girls and their cousins were entertained with a piñata Mark and Sharon brought, looking for frogs, and an interactive story told by Grandpa Dave. The kids also spent a lot of time playing with a hammock and digging in a dirt "bakery." (Click here if the slide show below doesn't appear or doesn't work.")

Sunday Parkways with Hannah and Noah

Audrey and Kate took in another Sunday Parkways, this time in Northeast Portland closer to their house. They biked with Audrey's school friend Hannah and her little brother Noah.

East Portland Sunday Parkways

Audrey and Kate rode in the year's first Portland Sunday Parkways event today, which was held in East Portland. Honey Grandpa joined them for the ride, and Honey met them at the end of the route in Lents Park. As with last year, highlights included getting outfitted with "fish hats" and seeing people they knew (in this case, Audrey's friend Hannah from school).

Biking to school

Audrey's school is celebrating Earth Day with a week of conservation- and sustainability-themed activities. Students were encouraged to bike to school today, which Audrey did with Mama. She biked the whole way from home to school on Klickitat Street (a distance of almost 2 miles), stopping to walk only for safety's sake when descending the steep hill down to busy 33rd Avenue.