48°

     48 degrees. My first ride of the year was on a beautiful 48 degree day here in Pittsburgh. I started my day with the gym where I had about 10 minutes of light cardio then worked on my triceps and chest. I went home, at some garbage and then decided it was a nice enough day to get out into the sunshine and ride my bicycle down the the History Center to check out Mister Rogers Neighborhood!

     The ride began in Millvale. Aside from the roads in Millvale being pothole stricken (much like the rest of the city), the ride was dry with very little traffic. It was 1 o'clock on a Monday, I wasn't really expecting much anyhow. As soon as I got toward Route 28, I had to detour around some road construction. Despite the nice new bike lane that was put in on the on ramp to the 40th street bridge, I took the sidewalk. It was my opinion I was much safer on the sidewalk across the bridge then I would have been if I took the bike lane. The bike lanes seems to dump cyclists right into the cross hairs of any motorist making a left onto the bridge. The cyclist begins left of the motorist then has to somehow cross in front of them in order to get onto the bridge. I took the sidewalk, like I always have and had no issues except an excess salt and muck left over from winter. 

Mister Rogers and his Neighborhood. My final destination.

     Getting onto Butler Street was like seeing an old friend. I love being in traffic. I pumped my legs hard and kept up with the cars taking the full lane until 30 somethingth Street when I made my right and jumped down onto Smallman Street. Smallman was a ghost town. I was passed by very few cars inbound however, I was went and I don't have fenders. My little butt was rather damp. There were also some potholes that took extra caution to get around without getting in the way of passing vehicles. I had no issue with any vehicles until Smallman gets narrow just before Lidia's in the Strip District and a Cadillac decided I had no right to be where I was (still taking the lane) and passed me dangerously close as I was bottle necked with no other choice but to be almost under him by jersey barriers. I averaged 10mph for 5 miles and it took me- you guessed it- 30 minutes! Not too bad for the first ride since September. 

     Bike parked and into the History Center I went with my good friend Steve. Steve and I have known one another for 15 years now so it was no wonder we had a blast. The Mister Rogers exhibit was underwhelming. I guess I expected more out of it than just a was figure of the guy and a couple small pieces of the set. At any rate, we took the 'Smart Steps' through all 6 floors of the museum and got all our stamps. When we returned to the bottom floor we claimed our prize at the museum shop- a pickle pin! The History Center is a lot of fun and if you haven't gone you should. I was very happy to get in for just $6.00 with my student ID.

Steve put his Pickle in his car. True Pittsburgh.

I wished they had the trolley wrapped around the castle. They didn't. However, they do have it on display.

     Steve drove me and my bike home, which I had mixed feelings about. I learned real quick when I didn't have a car to never to decline a ride home if it is offered! Happy Riding! 

Fauna