Bike Overnight at Ainsworth in the Columbia Gorge, 12-13 May 2021

Horsetail Falls, 13 May 2021. Olympus Pen EES-2, Kodak Elite Chrome 100. Since my bike overnight to Milo McIver last month, I've decided that I would like to get in one camping trip a month at least until October. But the concept is easier than the execution, at least for the month of May, as...

Bike Camping at Milo McIver, 14-15 April 2021

The Bantam at the overlook. Milo McIver State Park, 15 April 2021. Camera: Olympus EES-2. Film: Kodak ColorPlus 200. It has been a dry April in these parts, possibly record dry. And around mid-month things warmed up as well. The week of April 11th started downright chilly for this time of year (highs in the...

A sunset ramble to Mount Tabor, 28 Jan 2021

One thing I've been trying to do is take a little bike ride any day that I have a chance. Too much emphasis is put on a "big" ride, but a small ride of 5-10 miles when one has the time is definitely a mental boost. By their nature, these are going to be local...

Another St. Johns Ramble, 23 Jan 2021

Near the north mouth of the Peninsula Rail Tunnel. Camera: Olympus 35RD. Film: Kodak Ektar 100. One of the great things about getting back into film photography is realizing how great of a city Portland is for it. I moved here in 2001 because of transit, walkability, bikeability, a strong zine and comics culture, and...

A pre-Christmas Ramble down Johnson Creek way, 23 December 2020

It's pretty boilerplate, as far as rambles go: I head down to my post office, then south towards Johnson Creek, then east. Boilerplate, but good. And come Wednesday December 23rd, much needed. December was decently wet, at least the two weeks in the middle of the month. This Wednesday was dry and sunny, so I...

Longer rides with the Bantam: A ride to the SW hinterlands, 24 November 2020

I've said it here before: I haven't been biking as much as I feel I should. Blame COVID, blame laziness, blame inertia, blame easy access to a motor vehicle. So of course I feel guilty about my lack of biking, and try to figure out ways to get out on the bike more, beyond my...

The Bantam at Five Years

The Bantam atop Powell Butte, 12 July 2020. Ricoh 35 ZF, Arista EDU 400 film. On this day five years ago, I received my first custom bicycle. Built here in Portland by Bob K of Bantam Bicycles, it was designed to be a fillet brazed, "all-rounder" machine that would handle the more adventurous riding that...

Embracing the Bantam

Bantam Rambleneur near Sacajawea Park, NE Portland. 28 March 2020. Camera: Olympus XA2. Film: Kodak Ultramax 400. After almost five years of ownership, I feel like I've finally embraced the only custom bike I own. And ironically enough, it took a world crisis for me to realize this. You may have recalled me writing about...