Thread: Moving to PDX area tomorrow. Skool me on the bike scene.

Yeah boys, finally leaving the front range and moving up to the portland area. For work, my wife and I have chosen to live in Forest Grove (teaching at Pacific). I now there are WAY cooler parts of PDX to live in, but a mile commute made it an easy choice. So, comments about how I should live somewhere else are not what I am looking for.

I ride. A lot. And I want to know where to ride around portland. I know about Blackrock (speaking of which, anyone wanna push some trails next Thursday?) I know about Post Canyon, a few Sandy trails. I am a DH rider, who is fit enough to pedal anything and I like to suffer. I own and have raced road, trail, and DH bikes and of course it being PDX will bring an assortment of trendy cruisers. I hear the Fat Farm is the best DH shop in town. Correct? Will going in there with a 30 rack open any doors? Whose got trail recommendations? I like to send it, so the bigger the better, but I also love me some flow. Please help my transition off the top of lookout mountain not be a sad one when it comes to riding. Anybody who wants to ride (moar shredder the bedder), I will supply a steady supply of pbrs. and I promise to talk mad shit. let me bribe you to give up the goods.... so....what you got?

In Forest Grove, you'll be real close to Gales Creek / Browns Camp, which is pretty basic trail riding. I don't get the feeling there's many DH folks in pdx. Other than post canyon and sandy ridge, I know skibowl has lift served riding, but can't comment on quality.

Sounds like you'll be just in time for cx if you're into that kind of thing.

You failed to mention a steady supply of foam barf burps.

Gonna miss you homie!

Syncline out on the other side of the river from Hood River was pretty fun. I only rode it a couple times so I think there were some variations I didn't know about but you can shuttle or pedal it. Also shuttling from timberline down to (rhodenderon?) Is a good ride

http://www.hulu.com/watch/210889

I'll be up there for a week in september. I'll show you how to ride your new local trails.

Welcome to PDX! There's lots of good road riding where you plan to live. Unfortunately, your decision to live in Forest Grove puts you an extra 25 miles from quality mountain bike riding. Meaning a minimum of 60 miles to get to Sandy Ridge for some decent flow trails. For DH, The Glade trail at T-line, Post Canyon and Syncline (watch out for poison oak!) mentioned by others are about 80-90 miles away. Dog River is another good downhill - pretty much requires a shuttle - its about 100 miles from FG. There's a lot of great XC riding off of FR 44 east of Mt Hood - 100 miles from FG.

As Superstator said, the Gales Creek area has some ok trails near Forest Grove. You should also check out the trail system off Rocky Point Road in Scapoose. Sort of a miniature Black Rock.

The guys at Fat Tire Farm on 27th & NW Thurman in Portland are good peeps. A couple sixers of good beer will result in excellent beta.

You will need a Northwest Forest Pass to park at most trailheads on USFS land. You can get them at any USFS ranger station.

if you're just aching to get out, hagg lake is next door to forest grove - hilly 14.5mi mtb loop around the lake...road loop is 10mi and just as hilly

($5/car if you drive in. they also have a yearly pass)

I'll be out there for a TIG welding seminar in October, you will have to give me the scoop then!

Sounds like you already know the deal, and telebob filled in the details. Does kind of suck living on the west side and having to drive thru town every time. It only gets worse come ski season too. I understand the short work commute though; it's why I used to live in Hillsboro.

Just want to add, if you still like getting on the road bike, you're in a prime spot. Endless miles of gorgeous rolling terrain out into wine country.

sounds like you have things covered fairly well
check nwta, brmba, wtf, coda, dod, etc... for local dig/race/crew info
ive heard good things about thrillium and larch mtn from the shuttle monkey crowd but havent made it that direction myself yet, skibowl has a dh course and gets mixed reviews, not much else i know of for true dh
i hit BR weeklyish, although not a huckster ripper i enjoy my flow and am working on developing balls... should be there next tues for some dirty thirty bday shenanigans
enjoy OR, you have got some riding to do...

do not fear the johneraide

My brother teaches at Pacific. Math and computers. But don't go looking for some egghead mathlete named Dr. Parvo. His nickname is The Baron.

And I'll be heading up there Aug. 9 -20 to hang out on our farm and likely be riding Black Rock downhill trails, which is about an hour from our family compound.

Thanks everybody! Things have been a whirlwind and I haven't been on the boards lately, but I am now up in Forest Grove and getting settled. If anyone wants an extra body on any rides (one that will always have a deep supply of pbrs), hit me up and I look forward to discovering the goods around here!

so what, I gotta buy my own damn beer now?

Yes.
Until September, I'll buy if you can get an Epic organized....