#41 - Dee's Cafe

#40 - pass

The scene: Pedaling up a steep, gravely road construction sidewalk. A woman walks down towards me. She sees me, my sweat soaked shirt, and steps aside with a smile. "Thank you." I say with a sweaty smile. "You're welcome." She returns the smile, and we cross paths.

Two weeks later, I saw the same woman. Same smile. Same pass. Warm welcome deja-vu.

#39 - Photo Oppotunity

I was pedaling up the northshore trails slight grade toward the Science Center when I noticed a young couple trying to catch the beautiful backdrop with the locked elbow outstretched facebook arm. 'Do you want me to take your picture?' I asked slightly out of breath. The boyfriend obliged readily while the girlfriend looked perplexed. I believe I caught the incline in mid-travel which is always a nice touch. I handed the camera back accepted my thanks and headed on my way, with each pedal stroke reminding me how in a lesser city a cyclist in a similar situation could have quickly sprinted away with a digi cam but in Pittsburgh we don't think twice about random acts of kindness.

#38 - Weekend Backpacking

A quick 1.5hr drive from Pittsburgh lies Ohiopyle, home of whitewater rafting, cycling, the falls, and one end of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) a 70ishmile long hiking trail through the beautiful Laurel Highlands (duh). It has primitive campsites along the way, making it must-hit for backpackers in the region.

My father and I recently spent 3 nights and 3 days hiking about 36 miles on it, and since I did not have cell phone reception most of the time, and don't even have a twitter account, I twittered in my notebook.

Hike in was hot.

Air was thick I was dehydrated at the start but still could have used a starting beer at Falls City.

Alone and humid in campground. Clothes soaked to skin.

Wearing a wet bandanna around my neck I feel like John Waters or a lesser talented better known Hollywood type.

A mouse crawled across my back while I was sleeping last night. I want to keep him and call him Stuart although that might be a little weird.

Fleet Foxes S/T is the best thing to have stuck in your head where there is no sound but trees.

Whenever I hear music the next time I'm going to grunt and jump around like the boomerang monkey boy did in Road Warrior.

I hate Starbucks but I'm going to love the shit out of this coffee.

Flaming Lips - also not a bad thing to have stuck in your head.

Holy shit! It's Bruce Springsteen.

Hiking near a gun club is like hiking in Colombia.

Saw two wild orchids before they were eaten.

Harold was divine bovine.

MRE was spam.

Grundies = less chafing.

Frog the size of a Homie just ran away from me.

Third night sleeping on wood floor is the toughest. I actually miss soft mattress at home.

I can't believe I missed Father Flamethrower and Pittsburgh Policy at Excuses!

It's best to break long hikes into sections, like .7 miles to the rest area - same distance as my house to Dee's.

Diner food!

#37 - Beer is a massage from the inside

Went on the MS150 ride this year with my dad, uncle and a few friends. It's an epic, two day, 150ish mile ride for a good cause. For the first year, they had a beer garden on campus saturday night (it's a two-day ride from north of Pittsburgh to Conneuat, Ohio, on lake erie) The beer tent was freaking mobbed - two free beers for a each participant. I don't think the organizers anticipated how much a bunch of athletic cyclist types dig the hooch. But in Western PA, the athletic cyclist types definitely enjoy finishing a ride with a few suds.

#36 - Crooklyn

I wrote an article for my webzine, working class zero, making fun of Brooklyn Heights hipsters and how they look like Muammar al-Gaddafi, and in the first draft I wrote 'Brookline' instead of Brooklyn half the time because I'm such a goddamn yinzer.

#35 - out of town clothing selection

I didn't realize it until after I packed, but for a weekend away in upstate NY, I packed no less than (3) Pittsburgh related T-shirts, and am wearing one for the drive - Polish Hill Strangler, Rustbelt Homewreckers, Head Board Shop, Black Star Tattoo. My 'Jesus Loves the Steelers' stayed on the hanger since it's not season.