Saving snakes and McKeesport made

House hunting unexpectedness kept me off the Montour Trail today, so I decided to ride in the city instead.
While stopped for a swig of water at Point State Park, I heard a clatter behind me, and looked to see a cyclist whose entire crank arm had fallen off her bike. Well, hey... need some tools? I have tools! Her friend re-attached and tightened the nut with a pair of pliers I keep in my bag.

I'd planned for a long, warm day and brought lots of foodstuffs and water and ate carbs before riding. I did very well most of the day as far as energy levels and hydration, which lasted 7 hours all tolled.

On the way out to see how far on the GAP I could get, I saw that Costco has re-installed their bike racks. Not very important to me, but I know some folks would be pleased to see this.

I lunched at the Pump House and got a bit of a burn on my arms again sitting out in the sun.

 I noticed a rather large garter snake lying on the Steel Valley Trail.

I took a few shots of him and then proceeded to find a stick to coax him across the trail so he didn't get squished. We created a backup of about 10 cyclists in both directions while I pushed him over to the side he wanted to go. I was told I was doing a good deed to save such a large snake. I might have picked him up to speed the process, but I know from experience that garter snakes exude a stinky oil when threatened, so I opted for the stick method.

We're going beyond Kennywood today!

I made it all the way out to the McKeesport police station. A new distance record on the GAP!

I see the McKeesport Police like the bike lanes too.

Someone should ticket all these vehicles!

I saw Religious Icon Bike Guy on the way back, that's two Sundays in a row I've seen him. He didn't have any snarky remarks about my panniers today. The absence of port-o-potties along the Steel Valley Trail is distressing. I was forced to discreetly squat in the shrubs in Duquesne. Not happy about that. Not one bit at all.

I rested and snacked at the Waterfront and watched the river traffic.

Then I realised I needed to be in Oakland by 5:30 for dinner with Hubby. I would have to really crank it to be there on time. I've got to stop agreeing to have dinner after a day of riding. I rode like my ass was on fire along the EFT and Strip and up Polish Hill. By the time I got there, I was really thirsty and loopy and my knee was angry. Dammit, no more damn dinners after riding! I'm putting my foot down on this issue. I'm killing myself to avoid being late to appease my spouse.

After dinner, I limped back to the North Shore and mugged for the ESPN cameras for tonight's baseball game.

A very lovely day on many levels and 43.8 miles logged.

Hellacious Headwinds reap Extreme Exhaustion and Designs Dashed.

Today was a Montour Trail day. The plan was to ride from Logan Road to Boggs Road and to do it in 5.5 hours, but with many well-laid plans, things don't go as intended.

I planned for rain and hunger and thirst, drained phone batteries and flat tires. I didn't plan for incredible headwinds and a case of what might be exercise-induced hypoglycemia or maybe my iron and b-12 anemia? Whatever the cause, I hit a wall. I had a really hard day, it took 8 hours to complete what should have taken less than 6.

Choosing a path

An old gas station along the trail

One of several tunnels

I noted on the way out that this place sold ice cream.

This tunnel grows huge stalactites and stalagmites of ice in the winter

Whoa, a runnel! My first experience with a runnel.

Using the runnel is fine going up, but going back down with a heavily laden bike is dangerous. Ruby nearly dragged me down the steps.

That's OK, I didn't need any water. :/

 I'm on a 50 mile journey and water was hard to find. Booo. I snacked and drank all along the way, I tried to include salty things, complex carbs, simple carbs and protien, but my ratios were off, I guess. I bonked hard and early. I didn't make it to Boggs. I got as far as Quicksilver and decided it was best to turn around.

I'm NOT running away from home!

 I must have received 15 comments about how 'over-packed' I was.
"Long Trip?"
"Going camping?"
"Running away from home?"
"How far are you going?"
"Multi-day trip?"
"That's a big haul!"
"You're over packed!"

Ugh, really? I'm NOT over-packed, you jackasses! I need and may need all this shit I'm hauling around! I ride around the city with both panniers and don't get all those comments! What the hell?

Hey, this looks like a nice place for a nap if there was a shade tree here.

Ice cream on the return leg!

Religious icon bike guy's bike.

I encountered "Religious Icon Bike Guy" who stopped to chat while I was resting on a rock. He seemed genuinely disgusted that I was using two panniers and not doing an overnighter.
I caught up to him at the ice cream place and snuck a photo of his bike. He smirked at me when I entered the shoppe as if to say "You'd have been here sooner if you weren't lugging all that crap." In actuality, I was fatigued beyond belief and I was there hoping sugar from an ice cream cone would level out my glucose. It didn't do much, unfortunately, other than taste really good.

A gentleman in an Escape to the Lake jersey slowed down and rode along side me for a bit and seemed concerned by my sluggishness. I was 45 miles into the ride and going a snail's pace of 5 MPH, and still had 3 miles to go. I was bonked, and hit the wall a long time ago and the headwind in both directions was killing me physically and mentally. I assured him I wasn't far from home and that I would be OK.

I rested again at this tranquil waterfall.

I took the 'fearsome' roads to and from the trailhead. No incidents!

When I got home, finally... I remembered that I had promised Hubby we would go to dinner. I was late. I slept in the car on the ride to the restaurant, barely ate and nodded off at the table. I'm not sure I'm cut out for long-distance rides.

48 miles on a windy day.