USCGC Peduto : Icebreaking on Penn Avenue

6/10 #216 23m

A later-afternoon, after-work ride, on the road bike because the Surly is just falling apart. I replaced the Surly's front wheel, the rear eyelet sheared off (costing the rack-and-fenders, the bike's ass is just gone), and I've worn the rear tire down to where the bright blue inner anti-flat layer was exposed when I checked it this morning. In summary: time for Bike-B.

Started at the Bastille, rode down to the Waterfront. Stopped at the Starbucks and sipped some Wifi and surveyed teh interwebs. 23 miles round trip.

Big News: by the most excellent Jon Schmitz, Bike Only Lanes in Cultural District. It's an 18-month prototype, it's all very conceptual, it affects bus routes (cue in, County government and PAT), and they want to have it effective and in place in 90 days. Just the right way to implement change: flexible and with a specific, short deadline.

It is, like many trial-balloon-compromise-by-committee's, not extremely painful and not extremely effective. And that's good; it's not extreme. It's not extremely painful because it displaces fewer transit routes than other streets would have, and it's not a primary artery. It's not extremely effective because it parallels the existing bike trail only two blocks away along the south bank of the Allegheny River, as shown in this depiction of the proposal on a Google-Map which includes existing bike lanes:

So it doesn't introduce new capability to an area that doesn't have any, and it doesn't introduce worst-case harm to transit, but it does break the ice and introduce a new thing in Pittsburgh - which is not easily done. So maybe it's a best-possible-achievable in a Kissinger-sense of the possible. Which is to say: well done!

Pump House is a Community Center, not a Trail Head (and that's OK)

6.08.12 37m #218

Started at the Bastille at 0900, hoping to be out before the Art Festival folks. Crossed Point State Park before the crowds mustered, Blvd of the Allies, Grant Street, Jail Trail, Hot Metal Bridge.

Rode out to Sandcastle, took the road around Costco, came upon a big traffic jam with police cars and blinky lights and feared that perhaps a cyclist was down but it turned out to be a dog-walking parade which was a great thing.

Continued out to the Pump House. (Read later in the day that Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area gave this statement:

"Due to the increased traffic at the Pump House and the need to be able to use our space for events, tours, the market, etc. we will be installing gates on the lot sometime within the next few weeks. The lot will be open for trail parking as usual the majority of the time, we will however be reserving the right to close the gates/lot for events. We appreciate your help in making the public aware of these changes."

Rode out past Kennywood to the Riverton Bridge, across the Mon. Stopped for a few minutes then reversed. We missed the scene of the overnight train derailment.

Rode past the Valley of the Shadows of Eagles, saw People With Guns who seemed to be Conservation Officers standing among the Eagle Groupies. 'merica. Encountered Yale Cohen (although I think it's more correct to say, YC encountered me because you don't find Yale, Yale finds you).

Stopped at Big Dog for coffee. Iced coffee thank you, soooooo good. Southside Trail in a downpour which did not kill me but did cause me to miss my rear fender. Ft. Pitt Bridge, saw the Water-Jet-Pack folks flying/operating near Point State Park. Crossed Point State Park only long enough to transition from the Ft.Pitt bridge to the Ft. Duquesne bridge. 37.4 miles.

Public Bike Lockers, Who is John Savage? S24O/2

Sat 6/07 21m

Started with a hotel breakfast in Cumberland, glommed some apples for later in the day. Took a picture of these excellent public parking bike lockers in Cumberland.

Usually, in DC or on Long Island, I see bike lockers that are "owned" by an individual via long-term annual lease - so the leasee rides their bike to the Metro station, puts their bike, helmet, shoes, bike jacket in the locker and puts on their work shoes and jacket and boards the train to work. But this is a first come, first serve self-serve bike locker, which I imagine supports shopping in the local business district.

You wheel up on your bike, put your bike, helmet, panniers etc in the box and lock it. With your bike confidently secured you go to a restaurant for a meal, go to several stores in the shopping district, maybe see a movie etc - the notion of leaving your bike exposed is gone and you can shop the area rather than just the store you're locked in front of. This is most awesome.

Went to the train station, got an action shot of bikes as the train pulled in.

Rode the train up Savage Mountain to Frostburg, PA. Why is it called Savage Mountain, why is the town called Mount Savage, why is it called the Savage Tunnel? It's all named after John Savage, and although the details vary the gist of the consistent story goes like this:

John Savage led a surveying team in 1730 that was trapped in the mountains in the snow. Food had run out and the party was starving. John Savage went snow blind and was sick. Either he volunteered or the men took a vote, but there was an agreement that on the next day the party would eat John Savage's flesh for the survival of the group. Fortunately, good fortune prevailed and (depending on the version) a rescue party found them the next day. The mountain, the creek, the town, and everything in the area took the name of John Savage.

Riding uphill from Frostburg, encountered Bob, Jonas, Else, and Julie who I'd ridden with on Thursday in Pittsburgh; a very pleasant surprise. At the Savage Tunnel vista, encountered trail advocate and expert Larry Brock. Friends wherever I go.

The ride uphill from Frostburg to the Continental Divide was unhurried and pleasant enough. The downhill from Deal to Meyersdale was even nicer, and we continued two miles past Meyersdale to see the Salisbury Viaduct. It's really an impressive sight and such a treat to ride across the span.

Over the Top and Down the Hill S24O /1

Fri 6/06 33m

Drove to Meyersdale PA. Breakfast at GI Dayroom, best breakfast on the GAP. Signed in the vehicle at the staffed trailhead for an overnight, I really appreciate that.

Rode east. Saw the "Dick Stiffey" memorial bench. Passed the place where there was a bear sighting early in the day. Made the Eastern Continental Divide fairly soon, then wwhhhheeeeeee all the way down.

Sat and enjoyed the Savage Tunnel Vista. Tremendous visibility and blue skies. There's a perma-potty in place now that I didn't remember from last year. Reached Frostburg, decided that everything was going well and no need to stop.

Descended into Cumberland. Stopped at the Canal Place Bike Shop for a rear wheel issue. Checked into the hotel, very bike friendly as always. Ate at Crabby Pig. Walked over to Queen City Creamery, fantastic ice cream as always.

There was a music festival in downtown Cumberland, people in the streets, restaurants serving dinner to tables on the plaza it was very nice. I was glad to see something of "real" Cumberland rather than the noveau-Cumberland along the recent Canal Place development.

Encountered a group of local cyclists getting ready to kick off a Friday 7pm street ride. They said they were the "Cumberland Bike Party", hmm I've heard of a similar thing in Pittsburgh. A few of the riders wore whimsical costumes, such as the image above.

Bouncing Bumbles and Taco'd Tires

6/05/2014 #217 48m

Oh, what a day. What a great day, I got to ride my bike.

Started early at the Bastille. Riding along the Jail Trail, someplace between Golden Triangle Bike Rentals and Bates Street, I put myself into a bad position that I needed to extricate myself from. I turned the front wheel hard over in an attempt to countersteer, then locked up the front wheel because I didn't have 'world enough and time', and I ended up in a situation where the bike was moving forward in a straight line at about 13 mph with the front wheel turned perpendicular to the direction of movement, with the front brakes fully engaged and the front wheel locked in place. This use of the front wheel as an airbrake or snowplow is inconsistent with the material constraints of a bike wheel, and it succumbed to the harsh abuse I was giving it and the wheel folded like a taco quite dramatically (and it was my fault).

This is the second time I've taken a major fall because I locked up the brakes on the front wheel in a deteriorating situation, and in both cases it was the braking and not the situation that led to my downfall. I might need anti-lock brakes. This was a really good wheel, that I'd spend major change on about 18 months ago. It's a tandem front wheel, 40 spokes. So bummed at ruining this wheel, I thought I'd get ten years out of it.

Anyway, I bounced off the Jail Trail (because: Bumbles Bounce!™) and after picking up the yard sale of bike paraphrenalia strewn around the crash scene, the logistical options were limited. We ended up putting my two panniers on Rusty's bike, and I started walking my bike (holding the front wheel off the ground) along the Jail Trail, intending to cross the Hot Metal Bridge.

After a while Rusty suggested, why don't you hoist your bike on your shoulder like cross riders do? (Excellent song title, btw) and that was an excellent suggestion. Kept hoofing until the Hot Metal Bridge, where I posed for a photo op.

Walked the bike over to a shop which wouldn't open for a while yet. Rusty and S departed to escort some cyclists out of town, and I settled in to wait for the store and bike shop to open. Happily one of the wrenches who was early saw me outside and got me a new wheel toot-suite and I was back on the mission.

Joined my buds at the Pump House, and we escorted some cyclists from Sacramento CA out to Boston PA.

Reversed and rode back into Pittsburgh. Was disappointed that at the Waterfront Costco, the gas station attendant waved us off as we attempted to ride on their lot (around the back of their building); he told us, 'you have to stay on the trail'. I was real sorry to hear that because I think when the cyclists go around the back of the warehouse, it's safer for everybody and presents fewer delays, but it's private property.

Continued northwest past Sandcastle. We got off our bikes and walked across the roadway at the Sandcastle back gate and got grief from a trucker in the road: I'm glad you people can read, most of you cyclists can't. I guess he had us to yell at.

Ended up at OTB. I had Tacos, in keeping with what happened to my front wheel. This was a great meal I really needed. Saw bike-buddy Andrew sitting outside. Discovered that the rack-mount eyelet had sheared off my frame and took a minute in the street to wrestle the rack off. The owner of an adjacent business took great umbrage at our presence in the street, in spite of the fact that there were four open parking spaces; apparently she had dibs on the one we were standing in, and felt that her dibs meant we should run away when she honked at us and edged her car into our space.

So I've been having a non-harmonious week with just a few drivers.

With my rear rack and rear fender now tied to my aero bars, started riding back to the North Side. Rode across Point State Park, saw enough congestion that I don't really need to be there again until after the Art Festival is over.

When we got back to the cars, I was beat. I'd fallen and bounced, I'd trashed a front wheel and broken parts of the rear of my frame. But it was a great ride and no significant injuries, we were able to adapt to the events, and my buds took good care of me. Who could ask for more?

Buzz Jobs, F117s, F18s

6.4.2014 34m #216

Started out at the Bastille, rode over to the South Side and with a sense of ambition that can only be attributed to the early hour set about climbing 18th Street. I did not have the Climbing MoJo today. I certainly packed everything else, but not the climbing mojo.

Rode through Allentown, Grandview Park, and Mount Washington proper. Thought that perhaps fuel was the problem so stopped at The Micro Diner for an omelette. Nice place, good coffee, great omelette.

There doesn't seem to be any bike infrastructure up on top of Mount Washington. Certainly, no bike racks or places to lock up bikes.

Descended via Broswell St, Welsh Way, and South 12th Street which was a lot of fun. Stopped at Thick and REI because: Thick and REI.

Came out of REI, met an itinerant cyclist looking for the trail. I thought I recognized the accent and asked what part of Brooklyn he was from, he said New Jersey. Ha, he thinks New Jersey isn't just a suburb of Brooklyn.

Rode to the Waterfront, into Homestead, up another hill to see It's Your Turn by Ian Green, which is possibly my fave mural. There's just so much in it and it's all so awesome.

Descended down to the Homestead main drag (Eighth Street, I think) and saw this bling-bike-beauty locked up outside a barbershop. It has it all; steering wheel, dually exhausts, "playa" mini-hubcaps, and - like all Pittsburgh vehicles - a Sunoco sticker.

Rode into the Waterfront, stopped at McD to fill up on ice water.

Rode up to Station Square and the Ft Pitt Bridge. A lot of people thought there was going to be a 15-minute set of fly-by's, buzz jobs if you will, by the Blue Angels in F18's. What most people didn't know was that before the Blue Angels, there was a 15-minute demo of the F-117 Stealth Fighter. This is a photo of the formation of F-117 Stealth Fighters over the downtown skyline:

Pretty impressive.

Montour Trail from McDonald to McMurray

6.1.2014 #222 32m

Rode from McDonald, PA (under the trestle) out to the Starbucks in McMurray, PA (grieving the loss of FarmHouse Coffee)



Trail conditions were excellent. Not too crowded, and everybody behaved predictably. Nice experience all around.