New Switchback Infrastructure

1/30/2014 30F #218 17m

Started a bit earlier today, and the rivers had frozen over again over the night. The Chateau trail was still unridable so we stayed on Beaver Street, and took a picture of the new switchback ramp across the street from the PAT building.

Rode the Jail Trail and the Hot Metal Bridge (still sketchy). Stopped at REI for a new brake cable for S's Novarra. Rode around SouthSide, took the Birmingham Bridge, checking on several murals to see what's disappeared and what's still there. (Updating the inventory for pghmurals.com). It's surprising how many murals disappear each year.

Checked out Sir Samelot, no new decorations. Lots of car congestion on Fifth, it didn't slow the bikes down much. Pleased to see cycle-bud and citizen-exemplar SaraW downtown, dressed to the nines. I think it's the first time I've seen her in hashtag-normal clothes. Stopped to see Magnolias for Pittsburgh by Tony Tasset at Penn and Seventh Street.

The Allegheny River was pretty frozen, as seen from the Seventh Street Bridge.

Rode East Ohio Street through Deutschtown, checked out some new work placed over a deteriorating mural in the alley-space at Bistro ToGo

Saw two members of the NorthSide Bike Patrol on their rounds, I am so impressed that they've been out every day through the recent cold spells.

Took a tour around Federal Street and Randyland, checking out some murals. One which had been in a community garden is now in somebody's backyard. Rode West Ohio Street around to Chateau, and that seems like a new fairly calm bike-route back to the Bastille.

This is the Chateau Street view of the new ramp infrastructure, still under construction. I was inclined to ride it but it's not passable.

We think (thanks Stu!) that this is where it comes out on top:

The curious thing is, this doesn't seem like it's engineered for cyclists. When you ride the switchbacks, your head is pretty close to the overhead beams; not a lot of daylight. If I had a camera on top of my helmet and was very slightly up out of my seat (like, if I was climbing a ramp) I definitely would be hitting my head. Seems like great infrastructure, I'm not sure why the ceiling is so low.

Last Day of the Month.
Jan 2013 191 miles, Jan 2014 315 miles.