BEST FOLDING BICYCLES

I led a bike ride for my birthday. We were supposed to do 30 things. It was really awesome to have so many pals come out and ride with us and try to accomplish this. Also, even though it was pouring rain when I left my house, and the forecast called for about an inch of rain, the only time it rained we were inside drinking coffee or beer.

Lemme see if we accomplished 30 things:

1. dutch baby brunch with my best friends at Helser's and a bellini, cuz that's how I roll
2. Leisurely coffee at Ristretto, with Timo, Waffles, Mykle and Phina
3. Visit Pygmy goats and
4. domesticated mallard ducks living in a kiddie pool in a backyard
5. Swing on the tire swing on Mississippi overlooking downtown
6. Pose like a Statue of Liberty replica
7. Find a Halloween Snow (Leaf) globe
8. See amazing fall colors
9. Find the new Hydropark on N. Concord
10. Eat giant, delicious autumn apples scavenged from the hydropark
11. Sit in the beautiful benches at the Hydropark & see the art
12. Play Ring Around the Timo (we all fall down!)
13. Ride along Gay street
14. Visit the largest Oregon White Oak in Portland, a native Heritage tree (HUGE! N. Humboldt street if you're looking for it)
15. Find a public park a bunch of us had never been to before - Madrona Park, a tiny secret park behind Adidas
16. find the native heritage Madrona tree that Madrona Hill neighborhood is named after (at said park)
17. Ride along a Parkway not on a Sunday (Omaha street parkway - beautiful right now!)
18. Ride in circles on the Tricycle Race Track at Gammans Park (10-15 adults on full size bikes)
19. Go down the slide in a choo-choo train (me, Jess and Phina)
20. Two grownups on one swing (me & Trina)
21. Wander a cemetery at creepy twilight (Columbian Cemetary in North Portland)
22. See the creepy topiary in the baby grave section!
23. Ride along the Columbia Slough into the sunset
23. Plan how to ward off Zombie Attack in the wastewater treatment plant nature trail
24. High-five 30 strangers in a bar (Mock Crest tavern)
25. NIGHT TIME BIKE POSSE! (Waffles' favorite)
26. eat Mug O' Pickles (Mock Crest)
27. 30 birthday spanks -from a 1 year old
28. Go someplace new I'd never been (Madrona Park, Columbian cemetary, and the Denver street connection to the slough)
29. Learn about important world events that influenced my astrological horoscope at the time I was born
30. Have mellow time with more of my favorite friends late at night! including Jammy Time with some ladies.

Awesome people who came on the ride with me, which is what made it so fun:
Waffles Trina Timo Emily April Zack Lou Nim Mykle Phina Meghan Brian Theo Ted Sang Carl Jess James Rhienna James

We are going on vacation tomorrow. It's back to Seabrook, as my parents entered a drawing when we were there last and won a free stay. I'm super excited to get some time on the beach, and to shoot there.

In other news, school wraps up in about two weeks. On my list of things to do: six illustrations for Animal Farm, a 12 page brochure about bicycling, a series of 3 packages for H&G - an artisan bread company of my invention - and a complete identity system for a local gallery (luckily, this is a group project). It is going to be insane here for a while.

Disclaimer: my selfs may start sucking.