Author: Sara Salo

The Portland Bicycle Show

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I can’t imagine a city that loves its bikes more than Portland, Oregon. Its two-wheeled (and sometimes three!) pedaling obsession was proudly displayed this past weekend at the Portland Bicycle Show. While I entered the show a bit groggy from my early morning drive with a sick dog and multiple pit stops, I was soon swept up in the energy of the event and was chatting up a storm. As I grabbed a Clif Bar sample, the energetic guys from Ruckus Components tagged my coffee cup with a sticker and I was off in a flurry to the next booth in line.

I attended the show with dual purposes. My role as School Food Tour ‘Spokes’woman allowed me to connect with many like-minded folks and I was pleasantly surprised with how many attendees were very interested in both cycling and good food.

Along with promoting the School Food Tour I was also there as an ambassador of People for Bikes and spent my days collecting signatures, handing out buttons and spreading the good word of bike love.  People for Bikes is working to gather one million signatures of people who are ‘for bikes’ – unifying cyclists and leveraging our collective voice in Washington DC.  This great program is an initiative of Bikes Belong, a national bike advocacy organization. If you haven’t done so yet, please sign the pledge!

It was a fantastic two days of bike-related celebrations and cycling gear. There really was something there for everyone – children and adults alike had smiles on their faces. A few other photos from the weekend:

There was a freestyle area:

A test-ride track:

Ryan Leech gave an amazing trials riding demo:

Family fun:

More photos here.

Even a girl with sisu needs a little help from her friends…

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Awesomeness is the theme of the week. My appearance in GOOD’s People are Awesome feature got me thinking about some awesome School Food Tour ‘volunteer staffers’ (aka friends who believe in the cause) that deserve recognition and thanks.

Learning to ask for help has been a challenge for me. I am independent, perhaps to a fault, and I pride myself on my “sisu” – a Finnish word that describes “strength of will, determination, perseverance ” (Wikipedia). So when I started developing the School Food Tour concept last fall, I was determined to go it alone. However I soon realized that I had neither the time, energy or diverse expertise to carry out such an ambitious initiative completely by myself.

Now, although I am still ultimately one lone girl on a solo mission, this project has brought together a team of unbelievable people who together have put countless hours of energy into the Tour. I am pleased to introduce…

The SFT Team:

Dustin Fletcher, Graphic Illustrator Extraordinaire

  • It was a serendipitous afternoon – I ran downtown for a quick errand at the kayak shop where Fletch just happened to be filling in for one day. We bonded over our shared love for windsurfing and bikes, and he agreed to help me with my branding. Fletch is the one who really pressured me to refine the Tour concept, create a mission statement and ultimately define where I wanted to go with this project. He also created the Tour’s fantastic logo.


Dr. Felice Beitzel, Brainiac

  • Felice’s invaluable contributions to the Tour are so numerous that I cannot even begin to itemize her accomplishments. She is a fabulous writer, has a creative mind and an appreciation for healthy living as an elite athlete for the cross country ski team XC Oregon. When not busy utilizing her PhD in muscle physiology in her work for Giant Bicycles race team as one of the premiere soigneurs (massage therapist + much more) in the country, she can be found enjoying mochas and strategizing with me how how to advance the Tour. She asks me, “What can I help you with?” pretty much every day. There is no better friend (or proofreader!) than she.


Erin Merz, Media Relations & Publicity Guru

  • A hometown friend and accomplished triathlete, Erin recently came on board to contribute her expertise in media relations. Her involvement has added a whole new dimension to the SFT initiative. We now have a concrete outreach plan and I feel lucky to have her help!


Mom & Dad

  • They continue to stand by me. I love you guys.


Grizwald, Doggy Ambassador

  • This fuzzy siberian husky keeps my spirits afloat with his goofy canine personality and boundless energy.

Other awesome people in my life:

  • A presenter from a cancelled conference who met with me on his own time to share lessons learned
  • The guy from the cube-next-door who offered to look into contacting Michelle Obama
  • The gal from the bakery who saw me drooling over their almond croissants through the window and chased me down the street to give me a free one.
  • Each and every person who has offered me a place to stay once I hit the road

So, thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

xo, Sara