Eve of the Eye of the Sturm of the Century

01/12/12 #240 26m 45F

Rode 26 miles around the city, figuring that after the last two days of rain the Montour Trail would be way too soft.

The next two days promise the Sturm of the Century, which is a pretty easy standard to achieve since we're only 12 years into the Century.

Started at the Bastille and I got a good look at the site where an old warehouse has just been taken down, somebody just got a beautiful riverfront property to do something with. I really appreciated the way they handled the truck traffic and the trail during the project, and I kind of miss the alternate route they constructed because with its mud and orange snow-fence, it was as close as I'll ever get to riding on a cyclo-cross track.

I rode around the Stadia to Millvale and the 40th Street Bridge. Railroad Avenue, Point State Park, Blvd of the Allies, Grant Street, Jail Trail.

Second Avenue, Junction Hollow Trail where I fell into conversation with a bicyclist riding home from work. He had a very effective front light, a CygoLight, and he was explaining that it was expensive and he'd bought it for his wife to use but he ended up getting to use it, sort of a two-wheel Gift of the Maji thing. I would have enjoyed continuing to talk with him but our routes diverged.

Rode up the hill via Boundary Ave to CMU, turned around after catching my breath and descended back to the Jail Trail, Hot Metal Bridge, SouthSide Trail, Station Square Trail, Ft. Pitt Bridge, Ft. Duquesne Bridge.

On the way back to the Bastille I encountered a dense flock of ducks who just didn't want to get out of the way, and in spite of my yelling "Move Duck Move" in my best Jens Voigt voice I ran over one with my rear wheel. I got off the bike to see what was up, and to see if it was suffering or dead, but none of them seemed to be the worse for wear.

The victim was probably calling Attorney Edgar Snyder.