What could be more fun then skating across the Hawthorne Bridge at 2am?, well how about skating it with 6 other crazy skaters and pausing at midspan for a ritual spit into the river? The Mid Summer Night City Tour was a blast. An event NOT meant to miss next year so be sure to mark your calendar. Bryn, Teddie, Penny, Kim, Angie, Michelle and Nancy met at the Rose Quarter fountains at 11pm, flashing lights, glow sticks, pajamas and excited smiles. Hesitantly we check in and were greeted by the bikers with friendly smiles and a feeling of welcome as we were handed our maps and compared pajamas and lights with a group of two-wheelers. The line up of bikers was huge, the tour started at Midnight and finally at 1AM we passed the start line and headed on our way through the city. Ahead of us for miles were flashing red lights of the bicycles filling the roadways, and the sound of laughter, and occasional wolf whistles as a few topless bikers sped by. Along the route we were greeted positively by encouraging bystanders, as they spotted us on blades keeping pace with our pack of bikes. Bryn in the lead danced on his quad skates and a easy pace passing bicycles as they shrugged and pumped on. The road ways were smooth, fairly level and easy to navigate. We skated with our pack for a few miles before splitting off and taking a shorter alternate route with the goal of avoiding Mount Tabor in mind. We detoured through the lower eastside to Hawthorne and across the bridge down onto the waterfront just in time for the first pack of bicyclist to come up on us from behind, we clapped and routed on the leaders of the pack as they whizzed across the bridge and down onto the waterfront. We followed at an easy pace and made our way down to the Steel Bridge and up the ramps back to the Rose Quarter where they had 3000 donuts, apple juice, bagels and water waiting for the incoming mass. It was over and
it was nearing 3AM, the bicycles were still coming in when we spotted a lone skater cross
the finish line. Next year we hope you will join us in this awesome adventure! Nancy |
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To Glow.......... |
Penny skating the esplanade |
 Or Not to Glow.......... |
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the entire route................ Last year, the ride route went right by my house about 2 miles after the start. I'd never heard of the ride or anything, but I saw a lot of bikers and I had a little energy to burn, so I strapped on my old 'blades and headed out to join them (that's right, I was a bandit). I went with the same attitude I always take; not really focusing on the destination, but rather on the trip, block by block. I wasn't sure how rollerblades would compare to a bike in terms of keeping pace, but things turned out pretty well, and the next thing I knew I was back at the rose garden eating donuts . This year was a bit different, because I knew it was coming up and all, so I had a little bit of time to "build up steam" and get ready for it (IMHO, the easiest way to do a long skate is to not prepare or think about it - just consider it 5-6 short trips back to back) which may have been a bad thing, as I started to get tense. About a mile or two after heading out we started approaching Mt. Tabor. I fully expected two separate routes, one that went over and one that went around, just like last year, but no such luck; this year I had to head up. It took me about 2 or 3 rest breaks to get up to the top, where I cooled down for a few minutes w/ the provided water and apples. I got lots of funny looks on the way up, and heard the now-familiar exclamation of "hey look, a rollerblader" (I think they meant to say "hey look, a lunatic!"). As any accomplished rollerblader will know, the hardest part of a hill isn't going up - it's going down. First, take the fact that the way down was a very long steep downhill route, add that it was bumpy, gravely, and rough, take away any lighting (that's right, pitch black, and I with no good flashlight), and add in a dash of bikers whizzing by at around 15 mph. I stood on the side despairing for about 15 minutes trying to get a biker to help me down. Eventually I used my dinky little key-chain flashlight to get from the left to the right shoulder of the road. I used that same flashlight to proceed downhill doing a slalom-type speed control, until I was finally able to get a very kind courteous biker to let me grab on to the seat of her bike and brake the whole way down. From then on it was really smooth skating, it all passed in a blur. I can't even remember the route we took. The next real significant thing I remember is coming down woodstock and nearing 39th (one of the best places for any of you thrill-seekers). There was an alternate route that turned south on 39th, but no way was I going to miss out on the woodstock downhill. I go to the crest, tucked in, and sailed on down. I'd estimate I got up to about 25, possibly 30 mph by the time I hit the bottom, it was a total rush. After that was the
banana-orange-water rest stop, where I ran into some people I knew, and had to explain to
them that, yes, rollerblades can keep up with bikes. We headed back north until
about Madison, and took that west. I was starting to really fade around then, I
almost gave up, but then someone gave me a map of the route and I saw it was just going
over waterfront, which I was very familiar with. Thus, I went ahead and went over
the bridge, up waterfront, and back over the steel bridge. Let me tell you, going up
the steel bridge was a real push, as I had spent nearly all my energy in various foolish
little "competitions" with the bikers along the entire route (though... it IS a
real validating experience to say to a biker "passing on your left.") |
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 Penny and Kim, RAVIN' Light Show |
  Michelle showing off her Night look |
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FUN! FUN! FUN!
Angie and I had a blast last night. My goal is to devise a slightly longer route for next
year that will stay with the bicyclists more. Perhaps we'll even be shown on the map.
Better yet, perhaps they'll spot us with our own rest area! -- but maybe I'm jumping the
gun a little on that last idea. :)" |
This is too much fun, Bryn after the skate and the donuts |
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Bench break, (left to right) Teddie, Michelle, Bryn, Kim, Angie and Penny front |
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2AM on the Hawthorne Bridge (front to back) Teddie, Michelle, Angie, Kim, Penny and Bryn. 
Midsummer
ride--the weather, the moon, the energy of the crowd and skating down the middle of
Hawthorne at 1:30 in the morning lit up like Christmas. Let's not forget the donuts of
perfection at the finish. Don't miss this event next year. The folks that skated Saturday
Night still have the silly grin of kids that got away with something. A pj/costume and
lighting contest with 3,000 entrants riding into the night with a police escort. What more
could you ask for?
I had a great time Saturday night. Since this was my
first outdoor night skate I was a little nervous. My nerves quickly vanished once we made
it to the Rose Garden. It was so awesome to see all the riders and
skaters with costumes and lights. I was also a little worried about skating along with the
cyclists, but they were all very nice and seemed to welcome us. It was fun skating with
you guys. I will definately be back next year with my lights and glow sticks! 
