Bravo Thick Bikes; Cycling's Transcendental Numbers

5/10/2014 16m

Transcendental Numbers, as everybody knows, it is not a root of a non-zero polynomial equation with rational coefficients — or to put it much more dramatically, it's a number that suggests a basic characteristic of the universe that we've come across but can't explain. For instance, π or e. If you don't think these numbers are weird, then you don't understand string theory. Or relativity, or something.

Anyway, had a call from an out-of-town cyclist who was having major bike problems and was supposed to ride to DC tomorrow. Introduced him to Thick Bikes and they took wonderfully good care of him. Got to talking with Chuck and he asked, what's the optimal number of days to ride from Pittsburgh to DC? And I answered, funny you should ask, there's a formula:

formula for the Optimal Number of Days (OND) Pittsburgh to DC

OND_PGH-DC = N+1

where N = number of decades you've been alive

Experienced cyclists will recognize the eerie similarity to the formula for the Optimal Number of Bikes (ONB)

ONB_now = N+1

where N = number of bikes you own now.

This exposes the First Great Truth of Cycling: The Optimal Number of Anything is: N+1

When Chuck picked up his bike, his buddy Clyde mentioned to Thick that he was popping spokes so they checked out his bike. Turns out, spokes are like fuses; when they're popping off, they're an indication that something else is wrong. About an hour later, Clyde is leaving Thick all ready to roll to DC on Sunday. Bravo Thick Bikes for saving two out-of-town bike travelers.

It was raining pretty consistent but this was my first time in several days to get out on the bike and I was so happy to get to ride again. The rain kept the faint-of-heart off the trails. Met two cyclists near Costco wrestling with a flat. I tried to help with my pump but I wasn't able to reconfigure the components for a Schrader valve, so I had to reach into my kit and pull out my can of Big Air to reinflate the tire. The Big Air holds 40 grams of compressed gas and it pumped the tire right up. Unfortunately, it was the last bit of gas in the canister.

This does call to mind the Second Great Truth of Cycling: The Optimal Quantity of a Gas or Fluid is: 40.

OQ_{gas or fluid} = 40

Anyway, I rode out on the Steel Valley Trail and enjoyed having it mostly to myself. Reversed and stopped at REI, hoping to replace my can of Big Air. Disappointed to see that they're not carrying that product any more. Can't say I'm surprised, since it was a 40-oz. can of propane and it always seemed a bit like a hand-grenade in the making to me - but it sure did inflate tires well.

Saw this amazing product: dry-marker helmets. Wow. I want to get a high-viz helmet and scribble, Hashtag-Tourettes on it. Kids get all the good stuff.

Took a picture of the directions for converting the pump I have from Schrader to Presta, to keep in my phone for future use:

Went back to my vehicle. It was a nice, pleasant, mild-temperature rainy ride. I had my sandals on so it was very comfortable. 16 miles

Unlocked: Utility Cycling Day

5.6.2014 12.6m

Rode to work today (car in shop), then rode to the garage to retrieve the car.

Car is a pain.
Work interferes.
Bike is a joy.

That is all.

West Newton to Pittsburgh Bike Trip

5.05.2014 33m

Day Two of K's first overnight bike trip. Woke up at Bright Morning B&B in West Newton to fresh coffee and a superb breakfast, really very good. Got to our morning preparations and packing up.

We had arranged to have cyclist / photographer / trail-advocate BetsyM. of TrailPhoto.biz come out and take some photographs of us, since we don't have a lot of pictures and this was a special event. It was a pleasant (painless) session and we had the proofs in our email before we got home from the day's ride which was impressive. Quick conclusion: helmets don't add much to photo sessions.

We reversed course, and I'd planned on our stopping in Boston again - and we did, but the shop was closed (Monday), so we opened my bag of snacks in my pannier and made do with what I had. Fortunately, I had a pretty good selection of things to eat.

Back on the trail and I was pleased that the wind (usually out of the northwest) was quite low today. We might have stopped at the Pump House, but we continued through to REI where I used a $20 cash card I'd received that was about to expire. Bought a bunch of trail snacks for future rides.

Rode a few blocks over to Big Dog Coffee. Cappuccino, Latte, rugula, oat bar; life is good.

Back on the trail, rode to Station Square and the van that was still there. Paid $24 for parking for 28 hours, which is like a bargain if you've ever parked in Manhattan.

Between today and yesterday we met several examples of two of The Five Cyclists You Meet on the Trail: the
cigar smoker, and the loud-yelling speedy passer (on your left! hey take your time! passing here!)

This was my first real use of the Garmin -200 GPS tracker, which is rechargeable through a USB cable. It's got a great display, very good mount. I like the upload, particularly with the National Bike Challenge.

Trip Summary: Pittsburgh to West Newton is a trip suitable for low-time overnight cyclists. The navigation is fairly straight-forward, although there are some places in the Get Out of Pittsburgh segment that are not intuitive; generally, if you stop at the puzzles another cyclist will be along within five minutes.

The trip roughly breaks into thirds, with stops at the Pump House - Waterfront (several food opportunities) and in Boston PA (some limited food opportunities). There are three hills on this trip - the two trail bridges along the Kennywood segment of the Steel Valley Trail, and the Durabond Bypass segment between Port Vue and Dead Man's Hollow. Neither are character building but they're significant for the low-time or flatlands cyclist.

West Newton offers an excellent destination: a trail shop (jerseys, shirts, geegaws), the West Newton Bike Shop at the trailhead, The Trailside restaurant, and the Bright Morning B&B. Also recommended to us was The Chuck Wagon for breakfast, but the B&B breakfast was excellent and so we didn't want anything else.

First pedal to last pedal, we took 4.5 hours from Station Square to West Newton (including all stops), and exactly 4.5 hours on the return trip (all stops included). An excellent trip, highly recommended.

Pittsburgh Bike Overnight to West Newton

5.04.2014 34m

Set out today on a K's first bike overnight, from Pittsburgh to West Newton PA via the GAP. Although all Pittsburgh trips should start at the Point, the Marathon was in progress so we parked at Station Square and departed from there.

Stopped at Big Dog Coffee because: well, because it's Big Dog Coffee, why wouldn't you stop there? Coffee and pasties and yum. Back on the trail, rode past Eagle Row and out to the Pump House. Stopped to see the season's first Farmer's Market and Artisan's Flea Market. Glommed a small trinket-sachet bag to keep my Garmin-200 GPS in when it's off the bike, that will come in useful.

Rode underneath Kennywood, saw the coasters rolling by on their first weekend. Rode through McKeesport. I am increasingly verklempt about the choice of route through McKeesport: better to stick on the published trail route, or to take the straightline from behind Police HQ to the Port Vue Bridge and skip the gratuitious ride through McKees Marina? I've developed the habit of taking the long route outbound, and the direct route inbound.

In Port Vue, we moved Beyond The Pale and crossed into new territory for K. Climbed up over the Durabond Bypass, and descended into Dead Man's Hollow and got to see, for the first time on this trip, what the surface of most of the GAP looks like.

Stopped in Boston PA for cold Cokes and a peanut-butter cookie. On the eastern outskirts of Boston, came across this sculpture in a metalworks yard and I don't remember it being there before. If memory serves, I think this was once installed at either a deaf-school or a blind-school in Pittsburgh.

Stopped at the Dravos Campground, once known as the Dravos Cemetery Campground. They've really developed this nicely. Tremendous firewood supply, one Adirondack shelter, water pump, SST, lots of camping space. Continued riding, and we saw the White Waterfall and then the Red Waterfall.

Continued to West Newton, home of (among other things) the best trailhead on the GAP. Rode a bit further, got two Cokes and sat by the river for a bit. Rolled back to the Bright Morning Bed and Breakfast, which is a place I've wanted to stay for a few years but I've never had occasion to overnight in West Newton before.

Bright Morning was great. Excellent condition, lots of hot water, fast wifi, everything just like you'd want. After we cleaned up we walked over to The Trailside restaurant for dinner. Food was excellent, service was very good, price was reasonable. K busted out and tried an IPA, Curious Traveler which had a lemon edge to it and it was very good.

We walked back to the B&B. The bikes were under cover on the rear patio. It was a really nice ride.

Pre-Marathon Saturday; Bugs vs Features

5.3.2014 #219 31m

I was originally supposed to ride with MC in the afternoon, but he suggested we ride in the morning to avoid the rain. That's one of the great things about riding with air traffic controllers; they have a good handle on interpreting the weather radar.

Departed the Bastille at 0930. Marathon-associated activities were happening on the North Side, and then Downtown there was a Kid's Marathon. Has to be a major headache to get the right kids back to the right parents (or at least, the legally designated parents) at the end of the event. I could imagine estranged parents and a custodial snit at the finish line - uhgly. Tough for any helicopter parent - ok, Rutherford, I'm going to say goodby now, I'll see you a few blocks over in fifteen minutes. Lots of potential for agita.

Jail Trail, South Side, a bit of eagle-watching porn. Pump House, Kennywood. Saw a large group of Elder Hikers from Philadelphia on the trail.

Reversed and was surprised to find a headwind, although I was sure there wasn't any tailwind on the outbound leg. I caught what I think was a bee in my helmet, but I got rid of it before anything drastic happened. Stopped at Big Dog for refreshment and wifi, which brought us this trenchant quote on the bugs-vs-features duality:

A man can become so accustomed to the thought of his own faults
that he will begin to cherish them as charming little ‘personal characteristics.’
Helen Rowland 1876-1950

Rather than penetrate downtown and the general Marathon confusion, we stayed on Carson Street to the West End Bridge, and rode that across the Ohio River to the North Side. That's a great transition (if you take the lane) and I love the exit ramps, descending into the Casino complex.

Back to the trailhead, my new GPS gizmo said 31 miles. T-I-L that you need to tell the GPS when the ride is over, or else it just keeps tracking mileage all the way home.

Back in the car, and on the way back home at 1300 when the rain started. It was great to have the ride accomplished before it rained, just like MC had planned.

Reports and Stats

5/2/2014 0m #218

Three awesome Crush the Commonwealth rider reports
• Stef B of Pgh (and the winner!)
  (revised, now with 1000% more swearing)
  
• Adam H of Pgh
  
• ujgreg.tumblr.com
  

Also, Day Two of the National Bike Challenge,
Major Accolades and Respects to the Top Ten Cyclists In Pittsburgh.

Bike Challenge Day One: Anchor Man

5/1/2014 21m

May 1st. First Day of the National Bike Challenge. First datapoint in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland bike rivalry. May Day. History will show, I presume, which is more significant.

Rode with K. today. Started at the Bastille, rode to SouthSide. Met S. Encountered Frank and then Marko. Great to see everybody.

Rode out to the Eagle's Nest. A kind cyclist handed us binoculars so we could see an eagle. Returned and stopped at Big Dog Coffee, because: Big Dog Coffee. Rode around the Southside to Thick Bikes, picked up a rear-view mirror for the bike K is riding (which they installed). Got to congratulate AH on his Crush-The-Commonwealth success. So much awesome.

Back across the Ft. Pitt and the Ft. Duquesne bridges, and back to the Bastille. 21 miles.

Got home, went online, checked my standing in the local mileage roster. #AnchorMan: not just somebody on television news.