What I Did On My Winter Vacation.

Me & My Bike
Photo: P. Blanarik

On Thanksgiving Day I had turkey and all the fixings, excellently prepared by my husband (he always says I help, but really I push microwave buttons.) Then I put my bicycle in a truck and drove 22 hours to Key Largo, Florida. I spent 8 days riding to Key West and back (with a little South Beach Miami thrown in) with two awesome dudes.

We crossed 40 bridges (including the famous Seven Mile Bridge), rode at least 300 miles, had two flat tires, stayed in four campgrounds and two hotels, visited Ernest Hemingway’s house, the Southernmost Point of the United States, and the historic Key West Cemetery, drank gallons of water and coffee (and adult beverages), watched the sun rise and set every day in a most spectacular fashion, and formed a serious love/hate relationship with mile markers (at least I did.)

What a good librarian I am!

The Good (besides all of it)

• I’m a good camper! My tent came out of the box for the first time on this trip. Now I can put up a tent in heavy wind in the dark on gravel while fighting off fire ants.
• I learned exactly how much stuff I need. And it’s not a lot. Next trip: less clothes and toiletries, more fluffy stuff to sleep on top of.
• Getting to know my two traveling buddies. We were together (more or less) 24/7 for 10 days. This included over 40 hours of sitting in a truck cab and riding 5 to 6 hours a day together, plus every meal. We really got to know each other and it was a fantastic experience.
• The ADVENTURE. For most of the trip, we had only a vague idea of where we were going to stay each night. We saw giant lizards, endangered Key Deer, all variety of sea birds, and miles of open water. We rode on beautiful fresh pavement and gravel and sand. We met people who offered us camping space in their yard (“If I’m not home, just throw your sh*t in my yard and go have a beer.”) and lots of fellow travelers. In case there was ever any doubt, Pittsburghers are everywhere.

The Bad (as bad as being in paradise can be)

• Did you know you can get sunburn on your elbows? How about the crook of your arm? Behind your ears? I assure you, you can and it is exquisitely painful. Use sunscreen, lots of it, and make sure you get ALL THE PARTS.
• It’s winter. Things close early and you end up eating dinner at Walgreen’s. Due to poor planning, several times we missed the dinner boat. We did learn, however, that you can get Chinese food delivered to a state park. And to always have snacks on hand.
• You’re going to have a day you don’t want to ride. And you’ll have to do it anyway. And every single mile marker will be a punch in your teeth. And you’ll have a headwind. And you’ll be happy that you did it.
• Coming home to the cold was traumatic. I hate fixing my hair and wearing grown-up clothes again.

Read about far more epic trips than mine!

The Lost Cyclist, David V. Herlihy

Pittsburgh dude! In 1892, Pittsburgh accountant Frank Lenz quit his job to cycle around the world, ostensibly as a correspondent for Outing magazine. After two years and nearly 20,000 miles, he disappeared in eastern Turkey. In what seems like a supremely stupid move, Outing magazine sends another correspondent (William Sachtleben) to find out what happened to the first one.  Luckily, he doesn’t disappear and actually finds the people responsible. Herlihy documents not only the investigation, but (more interesting) Lenz’s epic bike ride around the world.

Off the Map: Bicycling Across Siberia, Mark Jenkins

Despite my love of all things Russian, this is NOT a trip I will be taking. Seven people (three Americans and four Soviets) rode 7,000 miles from the Sea of Japan to Leningrad in Soviet Russia, much of it through swamps on dirt roads.  They encountered angry KGB agents and extraordinary Russians and lived on a diet of potatoes, bread and milk with nary a Walgreen’s in sight. Bag of nopes.

Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die, Chris Santella

We are already talking about 2014’s trip to Key West. This time we want to be there for the full moon. But this book has inspired me to think bigger! Why not RAGBRAI or the Tour de Tuli? Although I’ll pass on the Washington State Challenge (320 miles in 24 hours, with 32 miles up hill!).

Miles From Nowhere, Barbara Savage

For two years, Barbara and Larry Savage traveled around the world on their bikes. Covering 25 countries and 23,000 miles, it was the trip of a lifetime, planned on a whim over dinner. And they did it on bikes way less fancy than mine. The book is a little dated (1983) and their description of riding in the Florida Keys is the polar opposite of mine: the Seven Mile Bridge was described as a “nightmare.” In my case, it was one of the most beautiful, exhilarating parts of the ride! SPOILER ALERT: Barbara Savage died in a bicycle wreck right before this book was published!

Tons more pictures if you’re so inclined!

happy trails-
suzy

Bike sharing

Did you know that in 2014 a bike sharing program will be starting up in Pittsburgh?  This is exciting news for those of us who bike.  Pittsburgh’s bike culture has been growing for years, and the increasing number of bike lanes and “sharrows” throughout the city have been great steps in making the area a safer place for cyclists.  Bike sharing is another great way to promote safe cycling, primarily by getting more cyclists out on the road. Although we’re a long way from being another Copenhagen, I love that Pittsburgh has been making so many strides to help make cycling a bigger part of how we travel.

One nice thing about a bike sharing program is that you don’t have to worry about bike maintenance.  Even though bikes require far less maintenance than cars, you still to know how to do the bare minimum when you ride your own bike a lot.  However, if you do have your own bike and take it to the shop rather than work on it  yourself, you might be surprised to find how easy a lot of basic bike maintenance really is.  Books like Complete Bike Maintenance or The Bike Book can teach you what you need to know about basic bike care and repair.

If you’ve never considered commuting by bicycle instead of by car, you might be surprised to find out how easy it really is.  On days when I bike home from work, I love being able to zip past backed up traffic on the busy street where I live.  Everyday Cycling: How to Ride a Bike for Transportation (Whatever Your Lifestyle), The Enlightened Cyclist: Commuter Angst, Dangerous Drivers, and Other Obstacles on the Path to Two-Wheeled Transcendence, or Biking to Work are all great books to check out if you’re thinking about making the switch to even occasional bike commuting. And if you’re looking for a good way to get to work, Bike Pittsburgh’s Bike Map is a great way to find bike-friendly routes throughout the city.

Finally, I leave you with this: a new design by a Swedish company that could do away with bike helmet hair forever!

-Irene

Ride Your Bike.

May is National Bike Month!

Today is Bike to Work Day!

I live about 5 blocks away from where I work, so riding to work feels almost like cheating.  It’s all downhill and takes literally two minutes. Riding home on the other hand…

As of today, I have worked at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for exactly nine years. Before that I was a bike messenger. Yes, in Pittsburgh. Yes, Pittsburgh has bike messengers. Yes, it’s an awesome job. (In the summer. Not so much in sleet and snow. I’m a baby about the cold.)

After I quit, I stopped riding my bike and promptly got fat. I got back into bike riding again and recently bought a spanking new bike. It’s a thing of beauty. Every time I walk past it, I pet it.

MY Raleigh RX 1.0 Cyclocross Bike

I’ve already put a bunch of miles on it and I’m planning some big rides this summer. I’m doing a 50-mile ride to raise money for Diabetes research. I’m also planning some overnight camping trips on the Great Allegheny Passage and in September I’m going to Washington, D.C. via the Great Allegheny Passage and the C & O Canal.  All camping. Pray for me, folks, because a camper I am not. I’m more of an eat-in-restaurants-sleep-in-hotels kind of girl. For example, I made a list of what to take and it included make-up, hand cream and perfume. That’s definitely a tough guy fail.

Carnegie Library’s website has a whole section of helpful cycling information, including links to trail maps, tour and advocacy groups and even a book list about cycling (fiction and nonfiction!)

Here are some of my favorite resources. And a bicycle cafe.

Bike Pittsburgh

A Pittsburgh-based cycling safety, advocacy, and awareness organization offering
a wealth of local cycling information, news, events, links, and community
information, including an online bike map.

Free Ride Pittsburgh

Free Ride! is a non-profit recycle-a-bike shop recycles bikes. Located inside
Construction Junction.

And this is just awesome bike stuff.

So if you see me on the trail, say hi! I’ll probably let you pet my bike.

Ride on.

-suzy

Momentum Shift

According to Wikipedia, the March Equinox occurred last night at 7:26 PM local time.   We can finally stop thinking about the groundhog; spring is officially here.  All I want to do is go outside and play.

Even though the nights are getting shorter, they’re warming up enough to do some serious stargazing.  The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh has published their 2011 schedule of Star Parties at Wagman Observatory and Mingo Creek Park Observatory.  I personally recommend visiting the Wagman site and using the telescope that was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie and built by John Brashear.  But if you can’t make it to a party, or if you just can’t get enough of that night sky, you can always come to the library and grab a guide.




Viewing the Constellations With Binoculars: 250+ Wonderful Sky Objects to See and Explore by Bojan Kambic













Another exciting part of spring is the local Peregrine Falcon nesting season.  Pittsburgh’s National Aviary hosts live Falcon Cams at the Gulf Tower downtown, and Cathedral of Learning in Oakland.  If you want to know more about what you’re watching, Kate St. John of WQED has put together an incredible Peregrine FAQ, as part of her blog Outside My Window: A Bird-Watcher’s View of the World.  She also covers general bird anatomy and behavior, and describes happenings in the local environment down to the appearance and function of the weeds in the winter.   If you find yourself wanting to get a closer look at Kate St. John’s world, we’ve got books that can help you make your little piece of habitat more inviting.

The Backyard Bird Lover’s Ultimate How-To Guide: More Than 200 Easy Ideas and Projects for Attracting and Feeding Your Favorite Birds by Sally Roth













I’m also looking forward to hitting the local trails.  I’ve always been a hiker, but this year I may actually get myself a bike and explore some of the nearby rail trails.  Of course, when starting any new fitness routine, your doctor should be your first stop.  But after you’ve been declared healthy, we can help you figure out what to do next.  Here’s the book I’ve had my eye on –

Knack Cycling For Everyone: A Guide to Road, Mountain, and Commuter Biking by Leah Garcia and Jilayne Lovejoy.













Are you getting ready for any fun outdoor activities?




-Denise