When I arrived in Portland from Germany about four weeks ago to work as a visiting reporter, I asked a friend: What do I need to do to get a quintessential Portland experience, to do what the locals do? He said: Eat, drink, hike - and ride a bike. After all, it is part of The Oregon Bucket List of 29 essential experiences.

So that's what I do, every day. I bike to restaurants, I bike to bars, I bike to work. I haven't tried biking to go hiking yet - but I might one day, given how difficult it is to get to all those beautiful hikes carless. And yes, I do know about the Columbia Gorge Express, which I highly recommend. But you can't go to the gorge every weekend, can you?

At home in Munich, where I usually work as a reporter for Sueddeutsche Zeitung, I also ride my bike, if not as often as I do here: For one, the route from my home to work is very boring, and our public transportation system is very, very good. Also, I am just too lazy in the morning.

Here, however, the morning commute is so much fun. I live in North Portland, and the route to work downtown is basically all downhill. Plus, the bike my landlady lets me use is the most beautiful two-wheeler I've ever seen, and also really fast.

After four weeks of bike rides, I can confirm: Cycling in Portland is in many ways wonderful, but there are things that I don't quite understand yet.

For instance: What about the high-tech cycling gear? Almost everyone I see on my commute is not only wearing a helmet -- which I get, even if I don't wear one myself -- but also breathable shirts, high-functioning bike pants and sometimes even gloves and special shoes. Most of you look as if you are commuting from Vancouver at least, if not from Seattle. But are you really? And if not: Do Oregonians just sweat more than us Germans? Can someone enlighten me?

Second: How come your car drivers are so considerate? On any given 30-minute bike ride in Munich, I would have to slam on the brakes at least once, because drivers in Germany still seem to be adhering to the old principle of "I have more horsepower, therefore I have the right of way." Here, I am out on these streets a lot, and I'd call cycling my favorite pastime (apart from eating and drinking and hiking, obviously). Yet only once did a car not check their rear view mirror before changing lanes. I also ignored a car's right of way once, it had to wait for me to pass, so I guess we're even. But seriously, if there's bike-awareness training for car drivers that we could adopt back home in Munich, I really would like to know!

Finally, the whole shouting-before-you-overtake-thing amazes me. German bicyclists often ride on old, squeaking bikes, while yours mostly are sporty, well maintained and fast. Yet none of you seem to have a bell. Why not? Wouldn't that be more convenient than shouting?

Also: What is it that you shout in those situations? I only ever understand the "right!" or "left!" at the end of it, but is there a verb before that, like "I am going to overtake on the right!" or "Attention, I will pass you on the left!"? I guess you need to use words to make it clear which side you are going to pass on. In Germany, we only ever overtake on the left, so the bell is just a general way of warning, very much like the horn of a car. But I think, a bell would suit you Portlanders. Also, they come with lots of funny sounds. Think about it!

I, for one will get a bell. I might be the only bicyclist ringing my bell in Portland. At least, that way you'll always know it's me.

-- Karoline Beisel, kbeisel@oregonian.com