New Trail!

The GAP trail is open, and all should ride! OBEY!

But seriously, a trail now connects Washington D.C. to the Southside in Pittsburgh; a little fact that would have served my friend and I well when we decided to bike to McKeesport this past weekend.

We left when the sky was gray and mist hung in the air. A perfect day for biking. We raced the whole way out to the industrial abandoned beauty of a town (I find brownfields overtaken by mama nature captivating)and promptly found a dive bar. The ride home would be an easy cruise, although the sun decided to make an appearance by the time the Yuengling hit my brain cells.

While flying through the sketchiest part of the ride, a no-shoulder gem of a highway that connects more fair-weather trails, I felt I could not be peddling much faster. That is exactly when I heard the crash of metal and saw my friend's back tire fishtail in front of me. Gash straight to the tire. No patch kit. No pump. Genius.

Hopping the barrier, we decided to walk to tracks to Southside. Not too far into our haul up the rail we discovered (actually a discovery I can take NO credit for) a trail not 20 from the tracks. After patching the tire with some dolla' billz (because the method is really that badass) we finally made our way home. No better way to celebrate an adventure like that than to bike another 4 miles for Mexican and Avery Brewing Company's Maharajah.

Neglect

Aight yinz...

So I have forsaken my poor baby blog, but all for good cause: BIKE TOUR!
I have so much to share, but I won't wear ya'll out with a huge dialogue. For now, I will simply say this: biked safely from Seattle, up around the Olympic Penninsula, and down to Eugene safely! No serious wrecks.

1st day back in Pittsburgh: doored!

Enjoy the carnage.

-The Velodict

Clipless Fail

I love my clipless pedals. There is no better feeling than hauling up a hill out of your seat so fast you want to puke. This feeling is facilitated by clipless, which allow you to charge hills like a battle-hungry warrior. There is really only one disadvantage I see to riding in this manner, and I experienced that disadvantage just the other night.

Riding clipless means just the opposite really...you are clipped in to your pedals, so to speak. This means that, every once in a while, you don't properly eject your feet from your pedals. This happened to me (pre-tequila mind you)the other night at the busiest intersection on Butler in front of a line of traffic and 4 of my friends. While biking (actually we were stopped at the light) to the bar I slow-motion crashed to the pavement. Skidding my knee, hands, and slamming my thigh into my frame, all I could do was humbly laugh.

Really if I learned anything from this experience, it is simply this: don't stop at intersections! That and everyone should always have a video camera attached to their helmet.

-The Velodict

Tour-ito

Went on a fantastic tour with a few fantastic people the other week. The great state of Pennsylvania (and, in actuality, some fantastic non-profits in PA, WV, MD) implemented a trail that runs between Pittsburgh and D.C. This little gem is, by far, the most forgiving trail in existence today. Okay, I don't have the authority, nor the breadth of knowledge to make that previous statement, but just flow with me here.

ANYWAY. two novice bikers rocked this trip so everyone should give it a shot (though, these two are exceptionally cool cats). Here is a short summary of the extravaganza camp/bike fest we had:

1. Left for trip at, approximately too late (7:30 p.m.)
2. Treated to a free drink/dinner at June Bug's in Sutersville (Thanks Rex! You rock!)
3. Biked in total darkness until we pass out in a park.
4. Wake up to realize campground is 10 seconds further down from where we parked our butts.
5. Pick up a fourth badass biker in Connellsville.
6. Hiked Ho Chi Minh Trail II in Ohiopyle to second campground.
7. Swam in ice water and then raged at 1 of the 3 bars in Ohiopyle.
8. Passed the eff out (complimentary drizzle included).
9. Took a shortcut around Ho Chi Minh Trail II (complimentary mountainous terrain and absurd high graded and intense traffic road included).
   
10. Biked in downpour.
    
11. Ate salvation sandwiches in Connellsville (eggncheeseawesomeness!)
12. Biked the rest of the BEAUTIFUL trail home to the 'Burgh.

I highly recommend this trail to anyway on the area. One of the best weekends and rides I've ever done, hands down!

-The Velodict

I'll Take My Eggs Scrambled

New Pedals! Crank Brother's Egg Beaters off the trusty rusty craigslist site. As with most craigslist purchases, this one was not without a good story in tow.

Last week, I saw the brand new set of pedals for sale and immediately called up the owner. He agreed to meet me halfway between his home and LVille for the exchange; this place called Verona. I had never biked to Verona before, but why not give it a shot. A nice ride and new gear: two for the price of one.

I set off on my bike a good half an hour before our rendezvous, only to soon discover that Verona is not quite as close to Pittsburgh as I had previously expected. I also had to weave between the northside and mainland in order to avoid some nasty roads. Anticipating a late arrival, I called up the dealer to let him know I would be arriving a wee bit late.

"You're biking here? No, no, no, I will just meet you in the next town you get to." Realizing there was no use in convincing this guy otherwise, I agreed to his terms. Upon meeting, we chatted a bit about bike tours and Pittsburgh riding. He then gave me the pedals and said, "I feel you are really going to like these. I just want you to have them and enjoy them on the road!" I could feel myself tearing up, but I restrained and gave him a huge hug instead. Just about the sweetest thing anyone has ever done! Sam, if you ever read my teeny little blog, THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU SERIOUSLY ROCK!

Needless to say, I am still getting used to the eggbeaters, but with a little more love, I see some serious pedal companionship in the near future.

-The Velodict

I've Been Yinz-ed

I haven't re-wrapped my handle bars since, oh say, never. The original bar tape was looking pretty tattered so I picked up some flashy new wrap at the store the other day. The selection was weak (which I guess is an opinion, but it's really edging on a fact) and so from my bountiful 4 choices, I chose yellow.

A few things occurred to me while I was re-wrapping my bars:

1) Never put 500 miles on a bike, go on a gargantuan tour, and ride that same bike for another 8 months without changing the bar tape. Peeling that stuff off filled my kitchen with the sweet scent of high-school boy's changing room (gross).

2) Always pay a few extra dollars for the nicer bar tape. I got the cheapest (although, like I mentioned, my choices were limited), and the bar tape was not tape at all, but rather just bar wrap without the tape. ANNOYING.

3) I officially have some sub-conscious adoration for the 'Burgh, as my bike is now BLACK AND YELLOW. great.

-The Velodict

W'arsh Board

I happen to be a bit of a musician. And by musician, I mean I play percussion; and by percussion, I mean I strum the ol' washboard now and then. So really I'm not a musician at all. Self described, I am a whisky-drinking, bluegrass listening, subconscious hillbilly, who likes to get tipsy and bang an extremely loud piece of metal. Yeah. Just typing it makes me want some bourbon.

ANYWAY

The Northside's Parkhouse has open pick nights every Wednesday, and last night I decided to try my hand in the jam business. The only real trouble was figuring out how to transport my board from home to the Northside. I quickly learned the board is really cumbersome to haul; it does not fit in my panniers, and the rear rack net doesn't quite reach around it (or hold it taut) . Finally, after perspiring, shading beet red, and wrestling the board around, I rigged the musical mishap to my backpack and headed over the bridge for some bluegrass fun. Where there's a will, there's a way.

-The Velodict

Oh, and I was gifted with this little memory the other day. Thought I would share it with ya'll (traffic jam in Hungary)