News I started snowboarding at thirteen, on a church ski trip. When I came back, all toasty and exhilarated, I tried to share my joyous discovery with my family. There was a great silence. "Filipinos don't like getting cold," my little brother said. And that was the end of the discussion. In my own (admittedly limited) experience, minorities on the slopes are still a bit of a rarity. The belief persists ...   More

News If you asked me where my drinking water came from, I imagine my response would be similar to many others: "The tap." That, or some New Age nonsense about the cycle of meltwater, et cetera. Many of us gloss over the fact that our drinking water doesn't come straight from some sparkling woodland spring and deposit itself directly into our Kleen Kanteens. It goes through a lot of treatment first. ...   More

News I don't know about the rest of you, but when I go to Mount Hood, I enjoy the security of knowing that I won't be killed under a massive slab avalanche. That security is due to the work of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, which monitors snow conditions in Oregon and Washington, issues forecasts, and generally promotes mountain safety for all of us snowboardin', mountain-climbin', outdoor-lovin' ...   More

News Strengthen your dog-to-dog support network and sign yourself and your pup up for the Oregon Humane Society's 2009 Doggie Dash on Saturday, May 9. Neither you nor Poopsie has to be in top racing condition for the 1.5-mile course along Naito Parkway (cars will be blocked, of course). Waterfront Park will be transformed into a "barking lot" (their words, not mine!) for an estimated 5,000 people and ...   More

News The cock has crowed: Growing Gardens has just sent out the call for hosts for the 2009 Tour de Coops, where you can let other excited Portlanders pick (ha!) your brain about urban chicken coop design and other fowl play (ha ha!). Terrible puns aside...given the DIY aesthetic of this town, I am excited to see whatever magnificent castles Portlanders have put up for their urban-friendly fowl. ...   More

News Beer. Bikes. There. I'm pretty sure I got every red-blooded Portlander's attention. Registration is now open for this year's Urban Assault Ride on May 31, the biggest bike scavenger race in the world. Teams will have to plot their own courses around the city and tackle challenges like bike jousting (ouch) and inflatable slides (yay!). And while we know you're in it for the adventure and not ...   More

News Rachael Scdoris of Alfalfa, Ore., is 24, legally blind, and at this exact moment, commanding a team of sled dogs across Alaska's icy Iditarod Trail in the famous 1,161-mile race. She's currently in day 12 of a race that took her 12 days, 10 hours, and 42 minutes to successfully complete her first time in 2006, the first legally blind musher to do so. Yesterday, she crossed the Eagle Island ...   More

News So, you're a responsible citizen who abstained on March 15 because of work or other obligations. Good for you! And don't worry, you can still cut yourself a piece of the St. Patty's Day pie. Head over to the Bike Gallery on Tuesday, March 17, in your best green gear and get two extra drawing entries (no tickets required) to win a Madsen utility bike at the Bike Gallery and Madsen Cycle's St. Patrick's ...   More

News Rachael Scdoris of Alfalfa, Ore., is 24, legally blind, and at this exact moment, commanding a team of sled dogs across Alaska's icy Iditarod Trail in the famous 1,161-mile race. She's currently in day 12 of a race that took her 12 days, 10 hours, and 42 minutes to successfully complete her first time in 2006, the first legally blind musher to do so. Yesterday, she crossed the Eagle Island ...   More

News Not all the news is glum these days. The 31st annual Shamrock Run this Sunday is experiencing an 18 percent jump this year in participants with more than 19,000 expected to attend. And race officials say the increase comes on top of last year's 45 percent jump. Run coordinator Steve Hamilton has been involved in the event since its beginning and attributes the “burst of growth” ...   More