Dave Knows Portland

Archives for June 2010

June 12: Cirque du Cycling

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As if there wasn’t already enough to do on Saturday, June 12th, the 2010 Cirque du Cycling takes place on North Mississippi Avenue, from 11am until 7pm.

The Cirque is a street festival, a circus, a bike race and a parade – and a benefit for Albina Youth Opportunity School.

The schedule (emphasis mine):

11-1:30pm :: Grand Central Fun Zone for kids (714 N. Fremont)
12:30pm :: Family Ride registration + bike safety activities
1:30pm :: Family ride departs
1:30pm :: Event opens along Mississippi
2:00pm :: Beer gardens open
3:00pm-3:30pm :: Art Bike Parade
5:00pm -7:00pm :: Two-way street (criterium) racing
7:00pm :: Event closes

The fair is free, (except for the criterium race), but you must register for the rides or parade on the website.

I missed this event last year, but I hope to make it in time to enjoy the beer garden and to watch the criterium – there are often spectacular crashes at these races, it’s just like NASCAR, but without the rednecks and fiery explosions.

Tuesday Timber Tidbits (06/08/2010)

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TimbersSunday evening the Portland Timbers snatched a draw out of the maw of victory, once again. But on the bright side, Dike got an assist and Pore (a poor man’s Steven Gerrard?) scored for the 8th time in league play, and continues to lead the league in that category. Some recaps:

Also at Dropping Timber, Kevin has written a good analysis of the Timbers forward problem, which hinges upon the criticism that Portland has played 8 league games this season and already coach Gavin Wilkinson has gone through 5 different starting forward combinations.

But now some good news; how about that Scot Thompson? The team’s community ambassador has taken to his role with gusto, and still has enough in the tank to play more this season.

In soccer blogdom, Michael Orr, aka mao, who blogs at the Timbers USL Blog at The Offside (in addition to the Hearts Football Blog, also at The Offside, and mao’s football) is grading the World Cup uniforms for the Uni Watch blog on ESPN.com Page 2. Read part 1 for a break down on groups A and B, and part 2 for groups C and D.

In preparation for the July 17th friendly with the Timbers at Merlo Field, the Manchester City FC website has published an amusing Portland fan guide. Amusing, because I don’t think there will be any tickets available for Man City fans at the tiny Merlo Field. It’s a fairly typical tourist guide to Portland, though it has a very British subcategory called Posh Scene.

Local writer, and friend of the blog, Bart King writes about translating soccer chants at his blog, Unexpectedly Bart. (And don’t worry, an anonymous commenter has already filled Bart in on where to find the English translations of Timbers Army chants.)

The Portland Timbers are on the road this week, taking on Austin on Wednesday, June 9th, and Miami on Saturday, June 12th (find a place to watch the matches on Portland Soccer Bars!). And don’t forget, Saturday at 11am during the USA vs. England World Cup match broadcast at Directors Park, the Timbers will reveal their new, 2011 MLS crest.

Oh yeah, and the Timbers released New Crest Clue No. 3: Chevrons!

Portland: Still a Renter’s Paradise

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cheaperTwo years ago, as the housing bubble rapidly deflated, Forbes published a list of the Best and Worst Cities to Rent a Home. Portland renters fared well (though Forbes’ average rent figure of $772 per month seemed unrealistically low). I was then a very happy renter indeed.

Now, two years later, Portland renters again fare well, according to the Rent vs. Buy Index published by Trulia, a real estate news and listing site, with different criteria than the Forbes report.

Trulia calculated the price-to-rent ratio using the average list price compared with average rent on 2 bedroom apartments, condos and townhomes listed on Trulia.com. To create the list, Trulia analyzed the largest 50 cities in America, by population.

Here are the top 5 cities to Rent vs. Buy (price-to-rent ratio in parenthesis):

  1. New York City (33)
  2. Omaha, Nebraska (26)
  3. Seattle, Washington (25)
  4. Portland, Oregon (22)

Average list price for Portland, according to Trulia, is $307,858, and the average rent is $1145. With a price-to-rent ration about 21, Portland falls into the category where the total costs of owning a home in this city are much greater than the costs of renting. (Find more definitions and methodology details on the Top 50 City Rent v Buy Index – pdf).

When the ratio is less out of whack, I may buy some Portland real estate.  But until then, I’m quite happy renting: no absurdly high monthly payments, no paying for major appliances and their repair, and I can (and frequently do) move when and where my whim takes me.

All while saving a lot of money.

June 11-12: 2010 Rose City Used Book Fair

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Rose City Book FairThe 2010 Rose City Used Book Fair takes place Friday and Saturday, June 11th and 12th at The Friendship Masonic Center (5626 NE Alameda). The fair runs from 2 to 8pm Friday, and 10am to 6pm Saturday. Admission is only $2, or $1 with a can of food for the Oregon Food Bank.

This unpretentious book fair is sponsored by the Portland Area Used Booksellers’ Association, and features thousands of books from independent booksellers from Portland and beyond. Over thirty exhibitors will be displaying and selling used books, bargain books, collectible books, prints, and ephemera. In addition experts will be on hand for appraisals, several seminars are scheduled, and there will be door prizes. The event schedule is below:

Friday

  • Collecting Railroad Books and Ephemera with Robert Gavora, 3pm
  • Appraisals by John Henley, 4-5pm

Saturday:

  • Collecting Little Golden Books by Pam Parnell, 11am
  • For What It’s Worth (A discussion of how to determine book values) by John Henley, 1pm
  • A Study in Scarlet: Adventures in Collecting Sherlock Holmes with Jerry Margolin, 2pm

Visit the fair website for more details, including a map and list of exhibitors.

Dave Goes Camping: Silver Falls State Park

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Camp site

Our first camping trip of 2010 took us back to a park we visited a few months ago: Silver Falls State Park. On that mid-March reconnaissance mission we noted that though the campground was not particularly inviting, the park is a quick Friday-after-work drive, has beautiful scenery, and sports showers and flush toilets (the desirability of which is never to be underestimated).

Friday we sneaked out of work early and headed south on I-5. The rain had subsided and the forecast promised actual sun and spring-like temperatures Saturday. We were in denial about Sunday’s forecast of heavy rain . . .

For more (including dutch oven highlights!) read Heather’s account of the trip at Mile73.com: “Summer” Road Trip Season Begins