Photo by Brianna Soukup

Ryan Lowe hands Cole Kapteina his change after the four-year-old buys an ice cream treat. Lowe has been driving an ice cream truck in the Portland area since 1999.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Damen Lewin, 11, and Ada Lewin, 9, try to decide what ice cream treat they want.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Tito Drice ushers his daughter Paityn Drice away from Ryan Lowe’s ice cream truck after buying her a cold treat. The novelties generally cost between $2 and $7.50.

Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette

Joshua Delgado gives a kiss to his nephew Julian Delgado as they get ice cream novelties from Ryan Lowe’s ice cream truck in Portland. Estrella Delgado is holding Julian.

Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette

Ryan Lowe talks with customers while working in Portland’s Parkside neighborhood. A good driver, Lowe says, needs a human connection with parents, and a neighborhood connection that develops over time.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Lowe gives Keenan Wakem one of his black opal tomatoes to try while Wakem’s kids eat their ice cream.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Ryan Lowe drives around the Oakdale neighborhood on August 25. “Nobody is getting rich off this,” he said. “It’s more about fun and freedom than money.”

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Kim Wells and her daughters, Bella, 5, and Evie, 2, walk off with their ice cream. Wells said her daughters were waiting by the door and they get ice cream from him every time he comes by.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Ryan Lowe pets his dog Sam, a shy Border Collie, who rides around in his ice cream truck with him as he meanders through Portland neighborhoods off Forest and Ocean Avenues.

Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette

Lowe, an avid reader, also sells secondhand books from the truck.

Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette

Not all of Lowe’s customers are kids. Julia Martin and Sam Ascanio both of Portland purchase ice cream novelties.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Lowe says dealing with the kids is simple. “You are nice to them, you smile at them, you treat them like they are humans.”

Photo by Brianna Soukup

Ryan Lowe chats with a customer from inside his ice cream truck.

Photo by Brianna Soukup

“I am trying to keep the ice cream truck alive,” Lowe says.