Join us on a Sunday Excursion to the Grotto!

THE GROTTO by Bike
(A Bike Temple Sunday Excursion)
Sunday Sept 19th, 2010
10am
Elevated Coffee (5261 NE MLK Blvd)
...Leader: Sister Carye

Oh the Grotto -- one of Portland's seven wonders perhaps -- The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, a 62 acre catholic shrine and botanical garden right off 82nd Avenue and Sandy Blvd! -- where you pay a $4 elevator token to visit the upper cliff to see the lifelike Mary and more! We will attend Noon Mass, and have a little potluck brunch afterward before we wander, walk the labyrinth, and seek peace within. More info on the Grotto's history: http://www.thegrotto.org/index.php/about-us/history/

More Details:
Bring money for the elevator, a potluck brunch-lunch item to share...and don't forget the Grotto has a huge gift shop! This field trip also encourages any other explorations of the area that may come up. Arrive early at the coffee shop to enjoy your morning 'heaven', we'll leave on bikey time. The tour will probably head back around 3pm depending on interest.

RSVP via the Facebook event page here.

Join us for another Joy of Monogamous Sects!

The Bike Temple is pleased to announce another edition if its popular Joy of Monogamous Sects rides, each JOMS ride features a bicycle ride to visit a new and different house of worship in Portland, followed by discussion and review at a nearby watering hole.

This is a respectful visit to an established place of religion, in most cases this will be the first visit for everyone in the group.

This month's ride: Realizing the Humanist Ideal
A visit to a meeting of the Portland Secular Humanists. More info about this group can be found here.

February 21st 9:15am
Random Order, NE 18th and Alberta.

We will then ride to the Friendly House at 26th and Thurman, the festivities start at 10:00.

Those festivities being: "Realizing the Humanist Ideal" From the description on the calendar:

Realizing the Humanist Ideal presented by Steve Jacobs Like all philosophies and religions, Humanism exists to solve human problems. The Humanist manifestos define the philosophy in terms of a worldview, the values derived from that worldview, and a method “established for realizing a satisfactory life”. The method (the focus of this presentation) is embodied in the set of processes Humanists use to define their worldview, establish their positions, and evolve their philosophy. How well Humanists and Humanist organizations embrace and hone these processes will determine the degree to which they can realize their ideals.

Then perhaps on to New Old Lompoc at 23rd and Raleigh?

Any route advice between the Broadway Bridge and 26th/Thurman? I can navigate on my own, but I'd prefer to have a clue if I might be leading a group!

"Joy of Monogamous Sects" -- ride this Sunday

Join the Bike Temple this Sunday on our first "Monogamous Sects" ride to a Sunday Service at the First Presbyterian Church. Sunday, Jan 10th, 2010.

"Monogamous Sects" rides will be a ride to visit a single Portland church and attend a regular worship service, then ride on to another venue for lunch to discuss the service. (These differ from the popular "Joy of Sects" rides where we visit several different churches in quick succession).

We chose the Presbyterians for the first ride because we went there on the Christmas Eve Joy of Sects ride and had a great time, and they suggested we return for this service because the hand bell choir will be performing again. It's a terrific venue, the building is large, grand, and about 130 years old. It's made of wood -- all wood, big beams, bony pews, shiplap ceilings, wood floors, so there's plenty of eye candy even if you don't fancy listening to the service.

After the service we'll adjourn to a restaurant and talk about the service.

The pace will be slow or very slow, total distance about 4 miles.

Feeling shy? No worries, come anyway, there's usually about 10 people on our rides, and a couple of those are new each time.

Schedule:
10:00 -- meet at Pasture Ted's house for snacks and socializing. 60 NE Tillamook St (just north of Rose Quarter)
10:30 -- ride
11:00 -- service begins
12:10 service ends, ride to restaurant
12:30 - 1:30 discuss/debrief/decompress/socialize

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A few other notes:

Church info:
* http://www.firstpresportland.org/
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyterian

Family-friendly
* Despite the racy name, the ride/service are family friendly, and probably a bit dull. (We like racy names to keep ourselves amused).

Purpose? Why do we do these rides?
* Cultural exchange -- see what happens inside Portland's churches.
* For those that kinda like religion but don't want full immersion, you can visit a few churches and talk about it with other folks.
* Model for a bicycle religion -- what would a bicycle religion look like? What rituals/activities/social services would we like to adopt from conventional religion?

For more info, post on the message board or contact Pasture Ted at 530-848-3615 (not a 503 #), or email ted101 at gmail.