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

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Enjoying two new routes

2/04/2014 28F 26m #220
Tuesday's ride started at the Bastille. The NextStormOfTheCentury is inbound and I thought I'd check out the trails before losing the use of them for a few days.

The Chateau Trail from the Bastille (aka Pittsburgh SCI, nee Western Penitentiary) down to the Casino was okay - some clear stretches with intervals of 1" of snow/permacrunch. Rode the Jail Trail, which was lousy by the Jail and much better for most of the trail to the Hot Metal Bridge.

Rode the Steel Valley Trail (Baldwin Borough Trail, Keystone Metals, Sandcastle) and it was not good. Probably 2" of snow, frozen bumps and ruts, good exercise but not a fun ride. As usually happens, it deteriorates from the big orange triangle that serves as a river navigation marker down to Costco.

Stopped at Waterfront Starbucks for a cup of coffee and a WiFi Break, just to make sure everything is correct everywhere on teh InterTubez.

Rather than return via the Steel Valley Trail, I crossed the Homestead Grays - High Level Bridge (which I have not biked often). It was a great transition across the Mon River. Left at Homestead and right at the foot of Murray, took my newly discovered Bartlett and Greenfield route down to Second Avenue at the chute and rode into the Swinburne St. Trailhead. I love that route from Squirrel Hill to the Hot Metal Bridge.

Rode the Jail Trail and First Ave inbound. Stopped at Point State Park for a bit to watch the few bits of river ice drift by.

Crossed the Ft.Duquesne Bridge and used my other new fave route, Western Ave and Chateau St to get back to the Bastille. 26 miles and a great ride.

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