Type 2 Diabetic. Cyclist Flâneur.   Coffeeneur.    Errandoneur
A bike / map geek with a gadget obsession and a high-viz fetish.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Tour de Frack Prologue TdF

07/15/12 239# 22m
A short ride today, but something different; I joined the Tour De Frack for their ride through Pittsburgh.

Parked at the Bastille, rode around the trails to Millvale and met the assembling TdF group. I was impressed at the turnout, there was 50 to 60 riders there. Most were locals, there were some from New Jersey, Ohio, Beaver County, and Butler County.

One of the riders is hauling a Bob-Trailer loaded with six gallons of "frack-water" from Butler-area water supplies, that's a committment - hauling 48 pounds of evidence to DC. It's nasty stuff, and although the Pennsylvania DEP deems these water samples safe for drinking, I wouldn't want to drink any of these nasty brown concoctions.

A bit of logistics and we were off, riding along the Allegheny River, the Roberto Clemente Bridge, and stopping for a photo opportunity at Point State Park. (photo by Barbara Edelman)




Blvd of the Allies, Jail Trail, Hot Metal Bridge where we heard the sounds of a marching band which was playing to greet the Tour De Frack, coming from the new South Side Works River Front Plaza (SSWRFP). That was pretty cool.



Departed the group, made a circuit of South Side Works (which had a band of its own playing), rode north to Station Square, Ft. Pitt Bridge, Ft. Duquesne Bridge, and back to the Bastille.

As a bike ride in itself, the ride was a bit of hurry-up-and-wait, as I imagine all group rides of this size are. It was pretty interesting to observe a bike event as political activity, and I wonder if Pittsburgh will see more of these type events.

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