Disaster Relief Trials Sweep Portland

This Saturday bicycle enthusiasts will test their resourcefulness at the Disaster Relief Trials (DRTs) in Oregon. The event is a competitive cargo bike disaster drill that encourages community preparedness.

Cargo bikes can haul loads weighing 200 pounds or more of food, water and medical supplies. In addition to hauling supplies, cargo bikes provide a transportation option that is more nimble than cars, especially in the aftermath of an earthquake when transportation and fuel infrastructure will be severely damaged. 

The DRTs will be hosted by the University of Portland, with checkpoints spread out in a “hub and spoke” style, in which supply routes circle back to the university campus. At each checkpoint, riders will complete challenges such as overcoming a 3-foot barrier and riding over rough terrain to gather critical supplies.

Riders compete at several difficulty levels ranging from “Family,” which includes carrying kids and limited additional cargo for approximately 15 miles, to “Responder,” which includes carrying at least 50 pounds and traveling about 30 miles.

In addition to the Portland event, an event will take place in Eugene, Ore., on the same day. Previous DRTs have taken place in Seattle, San Francisco and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Portland DRTs, to be held from noon to 4:30 p.m., will run simultaneously with an Earthquake Information Fair hosted by the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup. Find out more about the DRTs online at www.disasterrelieftrials.com. The event is for cargo bikers and registration is closed, the Earthquake Info Fair is open to the public.

Eugene, Ore., Riders at the 2014 DRT line up their cargo bikes before the race begins. The DRT bring communities together to practice the use of cargo bikes in an emergency situation where roads might not be available.

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