Requesting Criticism under Guise of Feedback

Sat 10/20/12 231# 0m

I'd like to ask for some feedback (by which I mean criticism), please. I've been working with a friend on a project to identify, document, and web-present (which is a neologism which will soon replace the archaic represent, you heard it hear first) murals in Pittsburgh.

Not just any murals, mind you, but exterior, public-art murals that you can bicycle to, because really - what good is encouraging people to drive around to see murals? Consider the civic irresponsibility of encouraging people to get into cars (big, heavy, dangerous, non-sustainable vehicles) and drive around unfamiliar parts gawking out the windows in unfamiliar neighborhoods? Not me, no sirree, I want no part of that. Bad carma.

Below (I hope) is a Google-Map of a small sample of what we've identified and documented - public murals in Braddock, PA. I'd like to ask for your feedback. Does it appear on your screen at all? Is it usable? Does it appear on your tablet, on your phone?


View Pittsburgh Murals by Bicycle in a larger map

Does it seem usable? Is there any other info that you might like to have in a map like this? What would it take to encourage you to take action, to use something like this and get out and see these murals - not necessarily only in Braddock, it could be Bloomfield, Downtown, East Liberty, Garfield, the Hill District, Lawrenceville, Millvale, Mt. Washington, NorthSide, Oakland, Southside, Squirrel Hill, Oakland, the Strip District, Uptown, the West End, Wilkinsburg - they're all over.

Please enter any feedback in the comments below, or send an email to vbush90 "at-thing" geemail-dot-com. Thank you!

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Oct 20, 2012 Week 42 this week: 143 miles

231#

4th Qtr 500 miles 25 mi/day4qtd

2012: 5811 miles

5313, Coffeeneur 5 of 7, Colin, Braddock, Flock

10/19/12 49M

Couldn't start today's ride at the Bastille because of a protest at Alcosan over gray vs green approaches to storm water management plans, so I met S. at the Post-Gazette's North Side plant and started from there.

Rode around the North Side to the 40th Street Bridge and then crossed the Allegheny River. Took a few pictures of murals that I hadn't caught up with yet.

Whitey's Mobile Wash in Lawrenceville:

This 2001 mural by Runco Arts along with Laurie Czerwien, Dean Payne, Dave Yackovich, Ed Conner, and Ron Michel is a bit of a mystery to me. The flag appears to be doubled-over, one in front of another, but why would two flags be hung that way? What's with the tear at the bottom? Is this before or after 9/11/2001?

Cure Restaurant, 5336 Butler Street, Pittsburgh:

At 5313 Butler Street, this could be either

• Some sort of low-fi 4-bit art, or
  
• a sort of cellular automaton depiction, ala Conway's Game of Life, or
  
• something else completely.

My fifth coffeeneuring expedition of the 2012 Coffeeneuring Challenge:

drink: Cappuccino with Two Extra Shots (total Four), Black Pepper Biscotti, very good coffee shop: Cats and Dogs Coffeehouse location: 4059 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA date: 10/19/2012 mileage: 49 miles ride details: Rode with S. 40th St. Bridge, Larry-Ville, Coffeeneuring Trip 5 of 7, Braddock, Oakland, Flock Ride.

Intended to depart Penn Avenue to Braddock for a mural hunt, decided to proceed via Squirrel Hill so as to stop at Pro Bikes and see how Colin Albright, a young bicyclist and bike shop mechanic who was recently attacked and stabbed was doing.

When we inquired at the front desk as to when he might be coming back to work, they said "he's back in the shop" so we went over an introduced ourselves. Colin's a very nice young man, great attitude, remarkable perspective. It was a pleasure to meet him and I'm glad he's back on his feet. He's doing physical therapy three times a week.

Back on the road, Regent Square to Braddock, where we found this mural on Talbot Street:

Departed Braddock via the Rankin Bridge, Homestead Trail, Southside Trail, Hot Metal Bridge up to Oakland, and joined the group mustering at Dippy the Dinosaur for the Flock of Cycles ride. This was an evening ride, meets at Dippy at 5.30 and departs at 6.00, very relaxed, very safe, very fun, very traffic-rules-adhering; they stop at lights and stop signs (gasp!).

There was an abundance of lights and reflectors and it was a bit of Fred-City and I was thinking, I have found my people! As opposed to Critical Mass rides it was definitely non-confrontational and copacetic, I really enjoyed it.

The Flock ride ended at OTB Southside at about 8.30pm, then S and I rode back to the vehicles at the Post-Gazette plant on the north side. It sprinkled rain a bit the last fifteen minutes. Got to see the skyline in the evening from the bike trail:

49 miles on an excellent day.