Community ‘Cross Race to Benefit Gateway Green

Friday, November 14, 2014

Üma Kleppinger, GoLocalPDX Contributor

golocal-biking

Whether you’re a season pro or just ‘cross-curious, join the Friends of Gateway Green Saturday, Nov 15th for a family friendly cyclocross race celebrating and supporting the creation of Portland’s first recreational bike park.

Gateway Green is envisioned as an open space and recreation area, as well as a working test site for “green" innovation. Connected to Portland's 40 Mile Loop (a pedestrian and bike route encircling the city), Gateway Green stands to become a regional destination for locals, tourists, and green industry professionals.

Located in East Portland which suffers from a lack of open and safe greenspace for the community to gather, play and be healthy, Gateway Green with provide opportunities to demonstrate new sustainable technology, as well as recreation for area residents from across the region. Gateway Green's design will provide a number of trails in varying degrees of challenge to address Portland mountain biker’s needs for urban recreational access.

In addition to the exhibition style cyclocross race, the event will offer up numerous raffle prizes, but such local bike businesses as Chris King Precision Components, Cyclepathbike shop, Filmed by Bike, Bicycle Timesmagazine, and Velo Cult Bike Shop, Rapha, River City Bicycles,Mountain Shop, Nutcase Helmets, Gracie's Wrench, and The Lumberyard. All racers will be entered into the raffle; additional tickets and non-racers may purchase tickets for $20.

Proceeds from the Gateway Green Community Cross race will go directly to the Build Gateway Green capital campaign. Friends of Gateway Green has been awarded up to $41 million from regional government Metro to develop the park, but need to raise an additional $2 million by December 2015 in order to receive matching funds.

On-site registration will begin at 9 AM at the park: More information and race schedule.

Üma Kleppinger is a Portland-based copy writer, author and bike addict. A recovering sesquipedalian who writes about life in the saddle and outdoor adventure, she is also the author of BikeYoga, a flexibility and recovery program for cyclists. When not writing, she can be found riding and racing her mountain bike throughout the Pacific Northwest.