Gardens, Murals, Directions and a Second Ride

08/13/12 235# 92m

Quite a day of riding. Starting at 0615 with S. at the Bastille. Rode around town looking for unfound murals.

Olde Allegheny Garden, which is a neighborhood garden located at 1311 Arch Street in the Mexican War Streets on the North Side. There are 40 plots tended by neighborhood residents. When I look at the artwork and the fence, I think that Randy Gilson has been here.



410 Sampsonia, North Side, home of the Tom Museum (adjacent to House Poem at 408 Sampsonia):



Life in Motion at 508 Jacksonia Street, by Monique Luck and Leslie Ansley


Welcome to Deutschtown, Cedar Avenue and East Ohio Street, by David Edwards in 2007:


East Carson Street Treasures, Terminal Building, David Haybaker 2006:


This 2008 mural by Lucas Stock at the Veterans Leadership Program, 2417 East Carson Street, was based on a sketch by Lucas Stock, with open spaces in the sketch filled in by neighborhood children.


Took a picture of these unusual bike racks at the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community:



Stopped at Big Dog Coffee for a muffin and coffee. Departed the South Side to ride down to Keystone Metals. Found a few bicyclists heading to DC who were confounded by the navigation challenge (and lack of nav support) so we extended our ride to guide Craig and Libby to the Durabond Bypass.

Coming back over the Riverton Bridge S took a picture of two siblings working their way to DC, #kkcurls. Cool to see somebody 'of a certain age' embracing Twitter when I don't completely understand the Twitter niche myself.

Trail conditions were excellent. Met a few other riders who were also puzzled at the Pittsburgh-Boston transition .

Hot Metal Bridge, Jail Trail, Ft. Duquesne Bridge, back to the Bastille. GPS track here.

Got in my car, planning on driving home, found a text message inviting me to a 3.30 ride from the Boggs Trailhead. Took a brief nap at the trailhead waiting for the rendezvous.

Met K, S, R; rode to MP32. Chance encounter, met an old college professor on the trail. Continued along to MP32, stopped at Subway for sandwiches and drinks.

This second ride was also a lot of fun, a bit of a challenge after the first ride. We got back to the Boggs trailhead just before rain started to fall. GPS track here.

I ended up riding from 0615 until 2000. Today's weather was magnificent for the time of year, cool and partly cloudy. Excellent company, great riding, lots of mileage - it doesn't get any better than today.