[OHPV-list] No bridge, no petrol pedal progress

[Tad Winiecki]

After more research I have refined the no bridge route out of downtown
Portland:

Preliminary route:
Street: (about 10 miles)
Start at Jefferson St. and SW 4th Ave., Portland City Hall
4th Ave. N to Pine St.(or Salmon or Stark)
Right on Pine, E to Naito Parkway
Left on Naito Parkway N becomes NW Front Avenue
Left on Nicolai St. W to (becomes)  Saint Helens Rd.
St. Helens Rd. NW becomes Hwy 30
Hwy. 30 NW to NW Marina Way
Right on Marina Way NW to Fred's Marina
Right into Fred's Marina

Water: (about 4.5 miles)
Right in Multnomah Channel SE to Willamette River
Left in Willamette River NE to Columbia River
Cross Columbia River N to Blurock Landing at Frenchman's Bar Park at
entrance to Vancouver Lake Flushing Channel

Sand: (about 0.1 mile)
Sandy trail from beach E to park parking lot

Street: (about 7 miles)
NW Lower River Road E to (becomes) Mill Plain Blvd.
Mill Plain Blvd. SE to Thompson Ave.
Right on Thompson S to !6th St.
Left on 16th St. E becomes Port Way which becomes 8th St.
8th St. E to C Street
Left on C Street N to City Hall at 210 E 13th St.

Scouting progress
I have ridden my motorcycle on the street parts of the route.  I rode my
recumbent bike from Portland City Hall to Hwy 30 on a Sunday morning and
there were about the same number of cars, trucks, and buses as bike riders
and runners.  The route is flat and easy except for the railroad tracks on
Front Ave. and  Nicolai St. and my bike didn't slip on the tracks.  I rode
my bike on the Washington side street route during Tuesday afternoon rush
hour and there was very little traffic.  There were railroad tracks on Port
Way, but they didn't bother my bike tires.
I went swimming at Blurock Landing and waded around the landing area, a
sandy beach.  Part of the beach is steep, part is gentle slope.  For the no
bridge pedal it would be helpful to have a big flag at the best landing
spot.  There is a concrete wall about five inches high (maximum) across the
trail from the beach to the parking lot.  We could put a ramp across it,
lift the kinetic sculpture wheels over it or make a sand ramp.
I am satisfied with the land route now but I need to scout the water
portion.  I will try to do that after some more preparation on Shimon's
Boat.

Shimon's Boat improvements
Last year when I put foam (a mixture of packing foam peanuts and aerosol
foam)in the hull it kept expanding and squeezed the well against the skeg,
so I had to saw part of the foam away.  This week I put in similar stuff
and after initial expansion it shrank so it came loose away from the sides
of the hull.  I was surprised and I don't understand.
I have made and installed two new support tubes for the outriggers to
counterract the flopping action in waves.  I bought some lawn edging
material for use in making sand tracks but I also need aluminum channel or
I-beam extrusions and I don't know where to buy them.
I haven't figured out where to mount another chain idler for my  propellor
drive yet.
My drive train redesign to change to trike configuration is progressing but
there are some serious weight and interference challenges.  The preliminary
design has a big upside -down U-shape swing arm with two jackshafts and two
live axles for the back wheels.  I don't know what material to use for this
structure - steel tubes, aluminum tubes, graphite/epoxy?  I need something
I can manufacture that will hold its shape under stress (the 800 lb maximum
gross weight) but not be too heavy or expensive.
I have ordered two new 26" industrial trike wheels like the ones I have and
expect delivery tomorrow.  I will modify them to fit a one-inch diameter
live axle.

If any of you has advice on finding aluminum extrusions or choosing swing
arm material please let me know.




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