With a week of clear and warm days ahead of us, it's barely hyperbolic to state that you must be legally insane not to get out to one of Portland's great assets, the Springwater Corridor.

For the wary among you, let me to enlist my limited skills of persuasion:

• Wildlife galore. Right smack dab in the middle of the state's largest city, you can walk and ride your bike on this car-free route and see over 100 species of North American and subtropical birds (Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge). 
• Amazing views. Traversing the Willamette River section of the Springwater you have great views of downtown and South Waterfront, plus a super view of Ross and Hardtrack Island. If you ride out eastward, you climb up to Powell Butte for a panaramic view.  
• The east/west trail is smooth like butter. Portland Parks and Recreation has just completed a re-paving of much of the east/west trail, providing super smooth walking and riding.
• Did I mention the wildlife experience? There's also Beggar's Tick wildlife area, the aforementioned Powell Butte and Tideman Johnson Nature Park.
• What's the most fun way to avoid a healthy dose of Vitamin D and early autumn beauty? Roller skating! Completely illuminated by artificial light, thumping with an old school Wurlitzer organ and offering wholesome speed and the real possibility of broken limbs, the Oaks Park Historic Skating Rink is still going strong after 84 years in the Rose City. It's right along the Springwater Corridor.