Thursday January 17top

Salmon to Sea Slideshow

Alder Creek Kayak makes good twice! First with the best abbreviated slideshow description ever: “Man likes water. Salmon like water. Man tries to imitate salmon. Man suffers like salmon.” That man is local river rat and professional guide Bill Erickson, who attempted a 900-mile kayak trip down the Salmon, Snake, and Columbia rivers (dams and all!). Second, Alder Creek made good on its promise to bring kayak polo back by January. The tips and rolls continue on Sundays through Feb. 17 (see aldercreek.com for details). Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe, 250 NE Tomahawk Island Drive., 285-0464. 7 pm. 285-1819. Easy. Free.

Sunday January 20top

Vanport Kermesse

Meet Jeff Mitchem. Local urban designer, 20-year race veteran and newfound savior of your lack-of-cyclocross sorrows. Inspired, in part, by a kermesse (part circuit race, part festival) he saw while studying in Belgium during the early ’80s, Mitchem describes his new off-season creation “like ’cross meets road” racing. With no barriers to leap over and no mud to exfoliate your skin (the course is mainly over the old roads just outside the Portland International Raceway track), cyclists just have to be prepared for bumpy pavement, rain and some historical artifacts from Portland’s past. That’s right—each first-place finisher in 16 categories will receive a rock salvaged from the roadways of Vanport (the former city of public housing that suffered a Katrina-like flood right here in Progressiveville, circa 1948). Portland International Raceway, 1940 N Victory Blvd., 823-7223. 9 am Sunday, Jan. 20, 27 and Feb. 3. rivercitybicycles.com. Moderate-Difficult. $12-$20 ($50 for the series).

Viking Erg-a-thon

Twenty members of Portland State University’s Viking crew team will be demonstrating proper ergometer (indoor rowing-machine) technique, just as their newest coach, James Rawson, taught me back in the day. And let me tell you, getting your erg on is not as funny as it sounds. It’s actually a tremendous tool when first learning to row and for maintaining proper form thereafter. In addition to these free lessons, the PSU team will be providing information about area rowing clubs, plus there’ll be free coffee from Urban Grind. And anyone who makes a donation gets a free two-week membership to 24-Hour Fitness, where you can continue erging for another 14 days! Portland REI, 1405 NW Johnson St., 221-1938, 624-8600. 10 am-7 pm (rain or shine). crew.groups.pdx.edu. Easy. Free (donations welcomed).

White River Snowshoe

Fresh from talking runners into eating 570 Hostess Sno Balls and Ho Hos in last month's Ho Ho 5K, the X-Dog crew now plans to take on YouTube in the new year. Enter X-Tube, X-Dog's own site of video uploads (a few of which, oddly, are posted to YouTube). Score thus far: YouTube: 1; X-Tube: 0. But it’s still early, and YouTube ain’t got nothin’ on what X-Dog claims is the oldest and largest snowshoe event in the West, taking place this Sunday. White River West Sno-Park, Mount Hood., 10 am. xdogevents.com. Easy-Difficult. $15-$25.

Tuesday January 22top

Climb to Fight Breast Cancer

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, known for its "Climb to Fight Breast Cancer" fundraiser, has added a new destination to its usual list of ascents (Baker, Adams, Hood, Kilamanjaro, Elbrus, Rainier): the volcanoes of Mexico. Fortunately, the "Mount"-less names of the peaks are not the only things that stick out—both El Pico de Orizaba at 18,850 feet and Iztacchíhuatl at 17,343 are, respectively, the third- and seventh-highest mountains in North America. But don't take my word for it—check out the recruitment meeting this Tuesday at REI. Come back the following night for Reach the Summit’s informational meeting, also at 7 pm. Seems only natural to double up! Portland REI, 1405 NW Johnson St., 221-1938, 624-8600. 7 pm. 221-1938. Free. Easy. Free.