Zoobomb
Encyclopedia
Zoobomb is a weekly bicycling activity in Portland, Oregon
, United States
during which participants ride bicycle
s rapidly downhill in the city's West Hills
. Zoobomb began in 2002.
Participants carry their bikes on MAX Light Rail to the Washington Park
station next to the Oregon Zoo
. From there, participants take the elevator to the surface and then ride their bikes down the hills in the vicinity. This process is often repeated several times throughout the night.
s, swing bikes, assacres, choppers, non-functional bicycles, skateboards, longboards
, etc.
The Zoobombers are made up of a wide demographic, with a tendency towards young adults. The event is treated in a very lighthearted fashion, including a large amount of socializing between rides. Riders often dress up in costume or decorate their bicycles. Parents have brought their children on rides, and a legally blind person "The Blind Bomber" regularly attends (on a tandem bike, behind a sighted rider). Though not technically a race, there is some prestige in getting down the hill first. However, there is never shame in getting down the hill last, as safety and fun are what is encouraged, not going fast. The participants espouse a "pack out what you pack in/leave no trace" philosophy in an effort to maintain cleanliness in the areas where they congregate. Zoobomb tries to be a positive force in the community by providing a safe environment to have a good time and to support bicycle advocacy and alternative non-polluting transportation.
Though many riders bring their own bicycles, the participants maintain a "Zoobomb pile". This is a tower of minibikes anchored to a bicycle rack at the Zoobomb meeting point. These are spare bikes that are used as loaners for would-be Zoobombers who don't have their own bike. The pile has become a local landmark.
In March 2010, a new pile was dedicated, in a ceremony attended by Portland mayor Sam Adams.
Zoobomb has inspired Hoodbomb, where participants gather at the Timberline Lodge and bomb the 5.5 miles (8.9 km) course of Timberline Road on Mount Hood
.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during which participants ride bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s rapidly downhill in the city's West Hills
Tualatin Mountains
The Tualatin Mountains are a range of hills on the western border of Multnomah County, Oregon, United States...
. Zoobomb began in 2002.
Participants carry their bikes on MAX Light Rail to the Washington Park
Washington Park (MAX station)
Washington Park is a station in the MAX Light Rail system of TriMet, served by the Blue and Red lines. It is located in Portland, Oregon and is a part of the Robertson Tunnel under Portland's West Hills. It is the fourth station westbound on the Westside MAX alignment...
station next to the Oregon Zoo
Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo, formerly the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo in Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located southwest of Downtown Portland, the zoo is inside Portland's Washington Park, and includes a narrow-gauge railway that connects to the International Rose Test Garden inside...
. From there, participants take the elevator to the surface and then ride their bikes down the hills in the vicinity. This process is often repeated several times throughout the night.
Culture
There is an emphasis on unusual bicycles, first and foremost the children's bicycles or "minibikes," but extending to tall bikeTall bike
A tall bike is an unusually tall bicycle often constructed by hobbyists from spare parts. Typically, two conventional bicycle frames are connected, by welding, brazing, or other means, one atop the other...
s, swing bikes, assacres, choppers, non-functional bicycles, skateboards, longboards
Longboard (skateboard)
A longboard is a surfing variant of a skateboard, similar and related to a surfboard or snowboard with wheels. It is used for cruising, downhill racing, slalom racing, sliding, and/or transport. However, most stunts, and the boards themselves are very different from that of a typical skateboard...
, etc.
The Zoobombers are made up of a wide demographic, with a tendency towards young adults. The event is treated in a very lighthearted fashion, including a large amount of socializing between rides. Riders often dress up in costume or decorate their bicycles. Parents have brought their children on rides, and a legally blind person "The Blind Bomber" regularly attends (on a tandem bike, behind a sighted rider). Though not technically a race, there is some prestige in getting down the hill first. However, there is never shame in getting down the hill last, as safety and fun are what is encouraged, not going fast. The participants espouse a "pack out what you pack in/leave no trace" philosophy in an effort to maintain cleanliness in the areas where they congregate. Zoobomb tries to be a positive force in the community by providing a safe environment to have a good time and to support bicycle advocacy and alternative non-polluting transportation.
Zoombomb pile
In March 2010, a new pile was dedicated, in a ceremony attended by Portland mayor Sam Adams.
Related events
There are several annual events hosted by Zoobomb organizers and participants, including:- Zoobomb Century in June
- MiniBikeWinter in February
- Zoobomb Summer Olympics (aka BiffDay) in August
- Alleykitten Invitational
Zoobomb has inspired Hoodbomb, where participants gather at the Timberline Lodge and bomb the 5.5 miles (8.9 km) course of Timberline Road on Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
.
See also
- Cycling in Portland, OregonCycling in Portland, OregonBicycle use in Portland, Oregon has been growing rapidly, having nearly tripled since 2001; for example, bicycle traffic on four of the Willamette River bridges has increased from 2,855 before 1992 to over 16,000 in 2008, partly due to improved facilities. Approximately 8% of commuters bike to work...
- Portland Urban IditarodPortland Urban IditarodThe Portland Urban Iditarod is a race in which teams of people pull shopping carts through a course over four miles through downtown Portland, Oregon. This race occurs on the first Saturday of March—the same date as the actual Alaskan Iditarod—and has also taken place in Los Angeles, San...
- IdiotarodIdiotarodThe Idiotarod is a shopping cart race in which teams of five "idiots" tie themselves to a grocery store shopping cart and run through the streets of a major metropolitan area. The race usually features people in costumes and themed floats. The races are fun competitions where sabotage, costume,...
- Kinetic sculpture raceKinetic sculpture raceKinetic sculpture races are organized contests of human-powered amphibious all-terrain works of art. The original event, the Kinetic Grand Championship in Humboldt County, California, is also called the "Triathlon of the Art World" because art and engineering are combined with physical endurance...
- Shopping cart race
External links
- Zoobomb website
- Archives of Zoobomb coverage on BikePortland.org
- Zoobomb on Gridskipper.com, The Urban Travel Guide
- BBC coverage of zoobombing