PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland merged its twin reputations as 'Bridgetown' and as a bike-friendly city on Sunday during the 13th annual Providence Bridge Pedal. More than 17,000 cyclists took advantage of the opportunity to ride across Porland's bridges car-free.

The annual event has grown to become the second largest community bicycle ride in the country and the third largest in the world.

kgw.com/Providence Health System

Bikers head over the Steel Bridge.

This year, a new longer route crossed 11bridges along a 37-mile route, with shorter and family friendly options for recreational cyclists serious cyclists.

A portion of the proceeds from the event were to be used to buy automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and donate them to selected gathering places in the community, such as stores, schools and libraries. An AED is a portable device used to restore normal heart rhythm to people experiencing cardiac arrest..

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