‘Breakfast on the Bridges’: a monthly Portland commuter tradition

 If you choose to commute by bike, there is a lot you might encounter on your morning ride – nice things like spring flowers … or not so nice things, like angry motorists.

But on the last Friday of each month, in Portland, Oregon, you’ll also come across fresh-brewed coffee, doughnuts and other early morning treats.

It’s an event called “Breakfast on the Bridges,” where volunteers set up sort of mobile breakfast parties for bicycle commuters (and pedestrians, and anybody else who wanders by). And it’s been going for over 20 years.

“A really nice community”

During April’s event on the Blumenauer Bridge, volunteers had set up folding tables on the sidewalk close to the entrance and were making pancakes on a griddle – and doling out other breakfast snacks.

Portlander Ian Lindsay stopped by with his daughter, Maren, on his way to work (and school drop-off). He recalled the first time he encountered Breakfast on the Bridges a few years back.

“We were doing our normal bike ride and suddenly there was a tent full of doughnuts. Which we were like, ‘what is going on?’ ” laughed Lindsay. “So yes, we pulled over.”

Now Lindsay makes a monthly ritual of it. On that first visit, Maren was a kindergartener strapped to his bike; now she’s pedaling her own bicycle. In fact, many kids stop by on their ride to school – and, as Maren explained, the hosts have adapted.

“When we first started coming here, there was coffee and, like, milk. And then we came along, and they saw that there was kids coming all the time. So now they have orange juice and they have doughnuts. And now they’re adding pancakes, which I’m loving,” Maren said.

While the children rode off quickly to make it to school before the morning bell, retirees like Robyn Jensen lingered for a leisurely morning.

“It’s just really wonderful. It’s a really nice community – meeting new people,” said Jensen. “I mean, look at this feast.”

There were cyclists encountering the event for the first time, drawn in by shouts of “Coffee! Doughnuts!” by those who were already enjoying the offerings. And there were also experienced breakfasters like Quinn Segal, who tried to hit all the bridges in a single morning.  

“This is my third bridge of the day,” laughed Segal. “There was deviled eggs up at the first one. And now there’s donuts down here, coffee at all of them.”

Friends greeted each other and strangers asked about each other’s bike lights and panniers. Volunteer-turned-guest Timo Forsberg likened it to a cocktail party.

“Breakfast on the Bridges is great because people just walk up and talk to you,” said Forsberg.

“There was this one time when there was this very attractive young woman who came up and just started talking to me … and I’m like, ‘this is very strange. I don’t know why she’s doing this.’ But now we’re married,” he said. “So Breakfast on the Bridge brought me a happy wife, a happy life.”

The first breakfast

Breakfast on the Bridges (aka BONB) is the brainchild of Ayleen Crotty. She came up with it during 2002’s Bike Summer festival. The summer-long, volunteer-run event is a celebration of what Crotty calls “bike fun” – a calendar of open rides that anyone can join, exploring neighborhood history or taco trucks, or “midnight mystery” rides heading to unknown destinations.

According to Crotty, Portland was already known for being a bike-friendly city. It had robust bike advocacy and investments in bicycle lanes, and was on its way to a designation as a platinum-level bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists. But Crotty said that in addition to making bicycling safe, Portlanders also wanted to make it fun.

“‘Bike fun’ is this under-recognized, powerful force,” said Crotty. “A pamphlet or a website isn’t gonna make me ride my bike.” But being in community, and having these experiences, she said, can be transformative.

Crotty hosted a breakfast on Portland’s Broadway Bridge three times that first summer – featuring a pretty simple spread of muffins, coffee and cookies – and it was such a hit that she and a crew of volunteers decided to keep it going all year long. And then … they just kept going.

“It’s a really simple formula, but somehow it still works. It’s cool to stop somewhere and have a micro-event on the way to work – you almost feel like you’re getting away with something,” laughed Crotty.

Leveling up the bike fun

Over the years, BONB has gotten more deluxe. It spread from one bridge to others. And the different bridges try to outdo each other.

Coffee is of course a must – most bridges go through about five gallons on any given breakfast day, with beans donated by a local roaster. There are also donations of local doughnuts. And the pancakes. But also homemade breakfast burritos, and fryers popping out fresh beignets.

All of the ingredients, cookware, coffee mugs, and tables themselves are hauled by bike, of course. And in addition to what the donors and hosts provide, individual cyclists will also contribute – dropping off a batch of cookies, or a pizza box full of crisp-cooked bacon.

Lance Poehler, who coordinates breakfast on the Blumenauer Bridge, says each of the hosts takes great pride in their own bridge. “We often engage in friendly competition, serving more coffee or hosting special food days like ‘taco Tilikum,’ ” he said, referencing another of Portland’s bridges.

On holidays, the hosts will celebrate the occasion – wearing Halloween costumes or St. Lucia’s Day crowns, or crafting Valentines. Spend too long hanging out on the bridge? BONB will write you a tardy slip for your school/employer (not legally binding, sadly).

Even if you don’t meet the love of your life, like Timo Forsberg, you can still end up with a nice bike ride, a nice community hang, and a pretty great breakfast.