Yellow Tent Adventures

We roll down hill one last time. Third times a charm and I relax into it. Savor the night air, perking up in the chill as we bomb downhill and into the city lights. Rounding up near PG Stadium, the kids gather. The guy with Bart Simpson on his bike asks if we had fun. [...]

Time for one more run before light rail stops running. Time to hang out on top of the hill. 80′s music plays out of a cassette deck and small groups of people sit or lay out under the night sky with the lights of Portland glimmering in the distance. “Leave no trace. No beer cans. [...]

I thought I was going fast enough. Certainly fast enough to feel the thrill but not feel unsafe. Then the bomb passed. At once I understood the true essence of zoo bombing. I was an interloper, a spectator, a poser. That man dressed in armor with his legs tucked behind him, leaning low on his [...]

What a ride! The group gathers down by the light rail stop. The train comes and fulls with people and bikes and then whisks off to the zoo station. Back at the elevators. Even more people pile in. We arrive at the top for the second run. Hell Run is announced. Hell Run? What is [...]

This is more beautiful than I expected. Streaming lights snake down the mountain, glowing red trails behind them. I’m near the rear of this train and loving every moment of it. After whoops die down, it’s quiet, peaceful, beautiful. Only the sound of wheels whirring and click-click-clicking along.

Tail lights flashing we all wait at the top of the hill.  Instructions are given. All I remember is “announce on you’re right and on your left”. Then there is a count down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Zoo Bomb!!! The cry goes out with joy and laughter and [...]

Room for me? YES! And the 20-somethings squeeze tighter making room for a woman their mom’s age sporting a full-size mountain bike with a zebra attached. They laugh good-naturedly as I doubt, then sure enough, I’m in and we rise to the top. The woman in front of me is wearing a backpack with a [...]

No need to pay your TriMet fare. No one checks on Sunday night I’m told. Then the train stops at the zoo station. Everyone off. A large group of adults is gathered, waiting for the elevators. Most with kids bikes. The type with a coaster brake. One has a head of Bart Simpson mounted on [...]

Zeb is 8 years old and this was his first zoo bombing too. He thought it was fun … but not quite what he expected. Quite honestly, he thought we were going there to free the wild animals trapped in cages. He thought he would be a hero. Instead, he screamed, then hurled as we [...]

I’m 48 years old and I’ve just experienced my first Zoo Bomb. Exciting. Exhilarating. Speed. Thrills. And yet it was a beautiful, communal experience. Red tails lights floating down a hill. You would think that all the premier events would be reserved for Friday or Saturday night … but Sunday is the night for Zoo [...]