Squ'ill Latte, Two Murals and a Mystery

07/10/12 239# 38m

Rode from the Bastille at 0600 using the Ft. Duquesne Bridge to get to Point State Park, where a nondescript pile of beach sand sat in a mess, the remains of a once-brilliant sculpture. It was a bit early in the day for "this, too, shall pass" but we takes what we finds.

Crossed the Ft. Pitt bridge, Station Square Trail, Baldwin Trail to Keystone Metals. There was a well-written summary on the Bike-Pgh forum explaining the status of the Keystone-Sandcastle trail. Reversed, Hot Metal Bridge, Panther Hollow Trail to CMU.

Fifth Avenue, Wilkins, Murray, and Forbes into Squirrel Hill (aka Squ'ill). Commonplace Coffee for a lavender vanilla latte and Allegro Hearth Bakery for pastry. Doesn't get any better. Highly recommended.

Forbes, South Braddock, into Regent Square; found this mural, Bird's Eye View, by artist Kristin Williams in 2003.

It wasn't until I took a minute that I realized it was a bird's eye view of the neighborhood I was standing in, very effective.

Lancaster Street, Frick Park, Nine Mile Run Trail. (Why is it called Nine Mile Run? I don't know!) Intercepted Duck Hollow Trail, crossed the railroad tracks to Second Avenue.

At Second Avenue and Elizabeth Street, saw this mural called Piece by Piece, Step by Step, by artist Kip Herring, on the Elizabeth Pharmacy:

There's a lot to this mural and I'd like to understand more about it.

At Hazelwood Avenue, turned and joined the new Hazelwood trail segment. While riding along this brand new trail, I saw something that I couldn't identify, but it reminded me of an iconic image from my youth:


I think it looks a lot like the Apollo Lunar Module (LEM), but perhaps I am just getting into my dotage --



Continued on the Hazelwood Trail to the Hot Metal Bridge. Rode the Jail Trail to its northern end at Grant Street, was pleased to see some new signs offering guidance to itinerant bicyclists.


Rode to the Smithfield Street Bridge, ducked down the ramp to the Mon Whorf Trail, took the ramp to Point State Park - where I saw a mini-gaggle of DPW folks preparing to clean up a big wet sandpile.

Joined the Convention Center Trail along the Allegheny River. Rode out to 28th Street, reversed, back to the Point, and the Ft. Duquesne Bridge. Saw a group of very athletic people participating in either some sort of exercise-boot-camp or some sort of a hazing ritual, doing such things as climbing down the bridge walkways face-first, head-down - which looked really strenuous to do. Rode back to the Bastille for 38 miles.

Boggs to Farm House Coffee to Groveton

7/7/12 241# 65m

First, something that really matters: Bill Strengthening Hit-and-Run Penalties Signed Into Law. The PA Governor has signed legislation increasing the penalty for a fatal hit-and-run accident to at least equal the penalty for a fatal drunk-driving accident, removing a perverse incentive for DUI drivers to leave the scene of an accident rather than stop and render assistance. Very nice!

Started riding from Boggs westbound with S. at 0630, met R. at MP~18 a little later, rode through the National Tunnel and stopped to check the two new bridges at Morganza Rd and Georgetown Rd, which I've read will be formally open on July 28. Some riders may (or may not) have taken the opportunity to make sure the bridge could hold their weight.


Continued to world-famous Farm House Coffee, stopping for their chocolate chip ice cream and assorted beverages. FHC is always an excellent stop.


Back on the bikes and rode westbound, conscious of the increasing heat and glad to ride through the cool National Tunnel again.



R departed our company at Route 50, I left S at the Boggs trailhead and continued east to Groveton. I was a bit disappointed that the Enlow Station was closed, I had planned on obtaining some cold drinks there but the water fountain at the ballfield was working.

After reversing at Groveton eastbound I think I mini-bonked around MP5, it took me a very long time to get from MP5 to Boggs / MP11.5. I think I had eaten enough for the planned 40-mile ride but didn't eat enough for the extra few miles I tacked on.

Sixty-five miles on a hot day. How hot? The handlebars were hot. Saw a few deer and some other unusual critters, it may be that the heat and drought are causing problems for them, too.

---

July 7, 2012 Week 25 this week: 152 miles

244#

3rd Qtr 152 miles

2012: 3168 miles

Early Bird Doesn't Get Cooked

07/5/12 240# 32m

Rode from Boggs, which is my favorite trailhead ever on the Montour Trail, to Morganza Road and site of the new bridges.

A very nice day, quite warm, bright sun. I started early to try to beat the heat.

The National Tunnel was an oasis of cool and dark in an environment of hot and glare, I almost wanted to stay in the tunnel but that would indeed be very troll-like.

The new bridges look very snazzy, and it looks like the work remaining is the side walls of the bridges and the approach ramps.

On the return I stopped at the 980/50 intersection - which soon will be the one remaining bridge-to-be-built, I guess - and stopped at Lil's Grill for two ice teas, one for me and one for the water bottle. Very refreshing.

It does seem like the stretch between MP19 and MP21, which I think is the stretch on the airport side of Venice / Route 50, is bereft of shade now that the conversion to rail-and-trail is complete.

If the weather trend stays like this, I think the next six weeks will be times of early morning rides due to the heat.

Pillars of Sand

07/4/12 242# 27m

Met my friend M at the Bastille at 0730 in an attempt to beat the heat and the crowds attending today's Pittsburgh Regatta. (because, yinz gotta Regatta n'at)

It was a great morning for a ride. At the Science Center we saw about a dozen riders in Bike and Build jerseys, they do rides that support the affordable housing movement in the US.

Passed the stadiums, rode out to the 40th street Bridge, hoped for a coffee at Espresso a Mano but they were closed for the 4th, rode the Strip district which was unusually empty so I took advantage of the situation to take this photo of a mural on the side of the Hermanowski Building:


Rode the Jail Trail where I was happy to see some new signage at the north end of the trail at Grant Street. Hot Metal Bridge, Baldwin Borough Trail, Keystone Metals, reverse, Big Dog Coffee which was awesome as always, I had a blanca mocha and split a cookie with M. Coming outside we talked with two riders, both with Surly LHTs, who are riding to DC in a few weeks.

Trail to Station Square, noticed a trail closure and a well-handled detour where the open-air Tribune Amphitheatre used to be (U2B). Rode around via Route 51 to the approach ramp for the Fort Pitt Bridge, met two other opposite-directions bicyclists who were trying to simultaneously squeeze between the elevated crosswalk and the fence, I took it as a positive sign that we're getting more bicyclists.

Descended into Point State Park (aka Pittsburgh's Front Lawn), I'd really like to understand the variety of flags they fly there - today was a red flag with a Union Jack in the corner. We saw this completely awesome sand sculpture:



And then we realized that the crowds for the Regatta were building quickly. We rode across the Ft. Duquesne Bridge and the North Side, and there were an awful lot of people on my the trail. It was a good time to be getting out of town.

Coming around the Science Center I saw a rider on an E-Zip electric assist bike, first time I've seen one of those on the city trails.

Boston, West Newton, Memphis Belle's doppleganger

07/02/12 244# 28m

Rode 28 miles on the Great Allegheny Passage.

Rode from Boston PA to West Newton PA along the GAP. It was a hot day, and my first ride since the Pittsburgh-DC ride of the previous week. This was a good chance to deal with several minor bike tweaks that needed to be done - adjusting the aero bars, cleaning the chain, retaping the handlebars, tightening the mirror mounts, etc.

There were quite a few bicyclists passing through the trailhead, mostly moving north through Dead Man's Hollow (which is quite tree-lined). Mostly seniors.

On the way back, we took advantage of the water-pump at the Dravo Cemetary camp ground. I love the water pumps along the trail, although I wonder if anybody is checking the water quality the way the NPS does along the C&O. The water was clear and delightfully cool.

At the end of the ride I saw a B17 Flying Fortress in the landing pattern for the Allegheny Airport - apparently the movie-prop Memphis Belle coming to town for 4th of July joyrides. I see the best things on bike rides.

Pittsburgh - Washington DC Bike Ride Summary

06/30/12 244# 0m

This was an excellent ride. Although group rides over six people can be difficult, this group ride went well. The usual challenges of a large group are (1) the tragedy of the anti-commons in decision making, and (2) the slowest-common-denominator - the tendency of a group to be as slow as it's slowest member at any given point. Those aren't character flaws, it's just the nature of groups. This group went well.

Weather and trail conditions were the best I've ever seen. We had a seven-day trip where it rained once, and that was a brief downburst while we were inside eating. The C&O was better (iow, dryer) than I've ever seen it. We may be burning off the atmosphere with global warming but the short-term effect on the C&O Trail is mildly positive.


Daily Reports
Day 1, Point State Park, Pittsburgh to Belle Vernon PA
Day 2, Belle Vernon PA to Confluence PA
Day 3, Confluence PA to Cumberland MD
Day 4, Cumberland MD to Little Orleans MD
Day 5, Little Orleans MD to Williamsport MD
Day 6, Williamsport MD to Leesburg VA
Day 7, Leesburg VA to Washington DC

New Equipment
I was evaluating two new things this week: a bicycle cooler pannier and the Eagle Creek Pack-It products.



The bicycle cooler panniers were great, they worked as advertised. I put cold water bottles in them in the morning, and even on a very hot day they were cold several hours later (to the delight of my companions). They clipped onto my racks without adjustment, they stay in place once mounted, and I didn't need to use the supplemental mounting hooks at the bottom.

They wore well, I used them for a week on a dry dusty trail and although the outside got dirty the inside was clean as new. On two of our days (day 5 and 7) having the pannier coolers let me move cold drinks to people on the trail where a car couldn't get to them, and I really liked that. These Stone Cold Outdoor bike cooler bags worked real well.

When I recently camped with my Ortlieb panniers for the first time, I came into the question of how to organize the contents for easy retrieval / repacking - it wasn't working when I filled the bags with a lot of loose, little items. I sought advice on BikeForums and the wisdom was to use bags inside the panniers, preferably vertically oriented for the Ortliebs, and a few responses recommended the Eagle Creek Pack-It system.

The Eagle Creek bags worked well in my duffel bag. They compressed my street clothes and bike clothes, and the silnylon bag was a good laundry bag. Although I initially scoffed at buying bags to put inside my other bags, they do work well and I'll use them again.

K. was experimenting with gloveless riding, and seemed to like it at the end of the week.


Food Enroute
On this ride (and on other recent rides) I've been eating more real food and less pseudo-food like PowerBars, etc. I've found that there's enough regular food around to be scrounged.

Restaurants / Food
These eateries were great:

• Rivers Edge Cafe, Confluence
• Sweetie's Bakery, Confluence
• Queen City Creamery, Cumberland
• Crabby Pig, Cumberland
• Schoolhouse Cafe, Oldtown
• Weaver's, Hancock
• Tony's Pizza, Williamsport
• Waffle House, Williamsport
• Del Rio, Leesburg

This place I won't visit again:

• Bill's Place, Little Orleans (re the Klu Klux Klan sticker on display and "spook" jokes)

Lodging
These places were great and I'll stay at them again anytime:

• Belle Vernon Comfort Inn
• River's Edge B&B Confluence PA
• Fairfield Inn in Cumberland

These places I will not stay in again:

• Parker House, Confluence (they messed up the reservations and copped a major attitude about it in 2010, and in 2012 they messed up the reservations and had an attitude about it. Great facility, lousy management.)
• Town Hill B&B in Little Orleans (bad location [hill/distance] for a bicyclist; bad shuttle policy and fee; messed up arrangements; very expensive for bad service and a good breakfast.)

The RedRood Inn in Williamsport is a low-cost, low-expectations overnight and they do well at it.

I thought the Hampton Inn in Leesburg was absolutely great but the logistics of getting to the hotel from White's Ferry were difficult and time-consuming.


Bike Shops
These bike shops were very helpful and went above and beyond:

• West Newton Bike Shop
• Confluence Trail Connection
• C and O Bicycles, Hancock
• Bicycle Outfitters, Leesburg

Wildlife
I saw deer, a fox, three snakes, bunnies and small animals, an indigo bunting, a blue heron, a white egret (egrets, I saw a few, but then again..). Most curiously, I saw goats carrying saddlebags, I saw sled dogs pulling a recumbent tandem, and I saw a horse going through the McD drive-through in Williamsport. A good week.

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June 30, 2012 Week 24 this week: 316 miles

244#

2nd Qtr 2013 miles

2012: 3016 miles

Leesburg - White's Ferry to Washington DC, Day Seven

06/29/12 38#

Final day of the ride, from Leesburg to White's Ferry and then to Washington DC.

The Hampton Inn was great, very bike friendly, excellent breakfast. The ferry crossing is very cool. The logistics of staying in Leesburg and riding on the C&O were problematic and time-consuming, even with our own support van; I don't know if I'm sanguine about planning that again.

The forecast called for a high temp of 101F, and we actually had a temp of 104F when we got off the bikes with a "feels like" heat index of 117F. (insert, "but it's a dry heat" here). This was a very hot day.

At the first hiker-biker campsite one of the riders used the water pump to douse their head and sleeves in cold water, and the second hiker-biker several people were using the water pumps to cool off, and by the last hiker-bike at Mp16 everybody was happily getting completely under the bracing water to lower their core temperatures. It was that hot.

The PerkyMobile™ met us at Seneca with cold drinks, then joined us again at Great Falls. We were pleasantly surprised to find the snack bar with cold drinks at Fletcher's Boat House, I didn't know that was there.

The northern part of the ride benefited from the shade of the overhead canopy, but in the city the trail was baking. We had an alternative route of the W&OD trail in case the C&O was too boggy-wet (which was not the case), and the W&OD follows a power line right-of-way and I imagine that must have been a difficult route with the sun and heat today.

We met a few cyclists around Georgetown that we'd also seen along the route over the last few days, puzzling over why the trail ends abruptly and the mysterious location of Mile Post Zero, and we were able to help them find their way.

Between us we used a combination of the (paved) Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal to reach the destination.




After we were done riding there were still logistics to attend to, with two vans in nearby garages and bikes and bags to stow. We joined the holiday weekend, Friday 4pm exodus from DC and the traffic wasn't that bad at all.

Driving to Pittsburgh, after Frostburg we encounted heavy rain and hail, and after we passed through there were tornado warnings posted in what appears to have been a super derecho. The parkways in Pittsburgh were hobbled with weekend closures and it would have been easier to cross the city on bicycles, but we got through and got home.

It was an excellent bike trip, the weather was marvelous and statistically unlikely, we had six flat tires including two dramatic tire blowouts, one major equipment failure (rear derailleur hangar on the C&O), one bee sting but no major injuries. I think an excellent time was had by all.