STEVE AMEN:
brings kids of all ages outside to have fun.
WOMAN: Woo!
WOMAN: Ready to ski.
MAN: All right.
When I was here earlier, there was like this flotilla
of cop cars parked like all along here.
I thought, uh-oh.
In downtown Portland, Win Goodbody and friends
have been abuzz on social media
because the conditions are ripe
for the impromptu Stumptown Birkebeiner.
It is a Norwegian ski race Portland-style.
Heads up, there's a truck here.
Whenever significant snow is forecast,
the group plans to gather near Powell's Books.
If enough skiers show up, the race is on.
So the idea is that every time it snows enough
to ski in Portland, to meet at Powell's at 9:00 a.m.
So it's just an impromptu urban ski race/parade.
Should we get the show on the road?
The first year, there were eight skiers.
Some people turned out, it looks like.
Today, there are about 30.
There's barely enough snow, though,
and the skis grind on the asphalt and sand.
WOMAN: Oh, yeah.
We grew up in Wisconsin, and the roads are plowed and salted
- the second it snows. - Yeah, just like that.
So we can't do this back there.
Birkebeiner racing began 800 years ago
as part of civil war in Norway.
The name is derived from birch bark leggings
that skiers wore while smuggling
the infant son of the king to safety.
The event is now recognized every year
by thousands of racers in Norway, Canada, and Wisconsin.
But here in Portland, the race today turns out to be
more of a leisurely trek through the streets
as the skiers spread out.
[ people hollering and whistling ]
With more snow in the forecast,
Win Goodbody has bigger plans for tomorrow.
GOODBODY: Okay, well, let's definitely do it tomorrow.
We can use 3 to 5 more inches, like is forecast for tonight,
and tomorrow we might actually do a real ski race.
Several inches of snow fall overnight,
and about 50 skiers take to the streets of northwest Portland.
WOMAN: I think it's fabulous.
Look at all these people skiing and having fun.
I mean, it's just so great.
- Hi, you guys. - Hi.
- Hey, how's it going? - Good. How are you?
[ indistinct conversations ]
They rendezvous at a closed street near Wallace Park
for some friendly competition.
But with this race, they make up the rules as they go along.
I would probably do, yeah, like...
like skaters that are sort of more, you know,
early medium and then a faster skater group.
That sounds good.
And the faster skater group will do knockout sprints.
So we've got this great course that goes up two blocks.
So we start here, we go up to the far roundabout and back,
so it's pretty much an out and back.
We'll just kind of ask people to think about
where they want to fit in,
and then you can also see who's lining up
and decide if that's the heat for you.
[ laughter ]
So are you guys psyched for this or what?
[ cheering ]
All right.
Maybe we'll start off with a slower group.
But the benefit is you're actually also in the first ever
Stumptown Birkebeiner sprint race.
So the grandkids are going to want to hear about that, right?
MAN: All right, starting line.
(in Norwegian accent) Are you ready to ski?
MAN: Yes!
Start your ski poles.
Klar!
[ cheering ]
MAN: Hup! Hup! Hup!...
MAN: The host is tangled in the streets!
[ cheering ]
MAN: Yeah!
MAN: Woo-hoo!
With the novice class finished,
the elite class comes to the line
for the final event.
Uh-oh, he's got the special gloves.
Ready? Go!
[ cheering ]
MAN: Carnage in the streets of Portland!
I've lived in the neighborhood since 1975.
This is just terrific.
I've never seen anything like this.
This is wonderful.
[ cow bell rings ]
WOMAN: Push, push!
[ cheering ]
MAN: It's the wonder of the websites, huh,
that websites can get people to show up.
It's like a flash mob of skiers. It's great.
Did anyone get the potholes? Nice.
Wow, who would have thought we could have ski racing
in Northwest?
Cranberry bread?
No, thank you. I'm okay, thanks.
MAN: Ah, it's amazing.
Classic Portland.
It snows, and they come up with a reason to go play in it.