Go Red Event

Last night (Friday Feb 7th 2014) was the Go Red Event held yet again at OTB. The goal is to raise money to fight heart disease. I have a strong belief that you should always be looking for ways to reach outside of yourself and do things to help others. Plus you get to help kick heart disease in the balls.

Anytime I get the chance to kick Heart disease in the balls, well I’m going to take that chance.

Let me take a moment to tell you about the organizer Meg. 2 years ago she had to have open heart surgery. Which isn’t something a wonderful woman in her 20’s should have to face. A thing like this could have broken the spirit of anyone. Spirit is something Meg has in abundance. I am honored to know and humbled to be able to help make the night a success in whatever small way I could. FGOB provided one of the prices for the raffles and I showed up, had fun and bought more than my share of Jello Shots

Or as I call them “My Kryptonite”

I don’t know how much money was raised and the truth is the money isn’t as important as what else I saw. Spirit, lots of spirit. People coming together not just to drink and have fun and hang out with friends after a long cold winter. These people came to support Meg and make a statement

(for some of the drunker ones that statement was F*** CANCER!!)

People can be so Amazing and Wonderful! This is something I have come to believe more and more over the past few years. Over and over again I have watched as someone steps up and does the unbelievable. So when I left the Party (far too early) I left with the feeling that I had been a part of something that was in a word

Wonderful.

Reverse Keg Ride

Every year East End Brewing holds two rides. One in the spring and one in the fall. Both of these rides are fantastic fun and better yet, both end with beer. Really good beer. Yesterday was the Reverse keg ride.

Allow me explain. In the spring is the keg ride where we deliver fresh kegs of Pedal Pale Ale (The spring and summer beer) to some lucky drinking establishment. (Yes we deliver the kegs by bike). In the fall we return some of the empty kegs from OTB Bicycle Cafe back to the brewery.

As usual Flock of Cycles (that being the official name for some of the best people in Pittsburgh) marshalled the ride (That is helped keep everyone safe). I'm not sure of the numbers but I am sure that this was the best Reverse Keg Ride I have been a part of. I was one of the last people to make it to the brewery but since my marshalling job was to run sweep with one of my most favorite people it's ok. (thanks again Sarah)

Here is a pic of the pre-ride Gathering at OTB. (click to enlarge) We had a good sized group for a cold and wet November day. The rain started at about the same time as the ride but only lasted a few minutes. The riders were dampened but their spirits weren't. The only part of this ride I have a problem with is the one hill that stands in our way (this is Pittsburgh after all, if you only have one hill then you consider yourself lucky.) I made it up the hill and since I was a sweeper  (riding the back of the pack to make sure no one got left behind.) It was ok that I was one of the last people up the hill.

We got to the Brewery with no problems and aside from a couple mechanical problems (that were quickly remedied) everyone made it to the Brewery safe, sound and happy.

Here is the Post ride at the brewery, again click the picture to enlarge. At the brewery we all got to be the first people to taste the fall / winter beer Snowmelt. (a personal favorite of mine) As you can see from the pictures costumes were encouraged. There was a contest for the best costumes and everyone got the reverse keg ride glass (that you see in the first picture) This ride is one of my favorite rides of the year, and one that I try very hard to make it to. I enjoy the ride, and the beer of course, but I love the people.

This ride reminds me of why it is so good to ride in Pittsburgh.

I will end this post with some pics from the ride.

Pre-Ride at OTB

 

Marshalls

Duck, Duck, Goose

Pretty Kitty

Scott the Beer Master

A good bad weekend

Now just so you know I am trying very hard to keep this blog from being a boring "I did this and I saw this and I ate this" blog. I want to provide you with post that are both enjoyable and informative. This is why I have been taking the time to do the interviews and reviews. That being said, this post is going to be a little light on content but there are things I just have to get off my chest.


Been a mixture of good and bad this weekend. I went to both thick bikes and OTB on friday. I got to have a good dinner and hang out with my friends Paul and Jenny as well as have a wonderful conversation with one of the most intelligent people I know. All while enjoying beer and just a little tequila. It was a great night. Both at thick bikes and OTB I was welcomed by name and I still find it strange. This may sound a little self deprecating but I am still not used to being a part of a group instead of on the outside.

It is good if stange to me.

Dinner and friends went well even if I did for the second time that week end up flying back to town in order to catch my bus. (For everyones information if you ride across the Smithfield St bridge on the shared sidewalk/bike path at 9:45 at night at 20 mph ringing your bell and screaming "COMING THRU!!" You will cause some people just a little stress) To the girl who clung to the railing screaming I am very sorry but the last bus was at 9:55.

Karma is a bitch

I woke up the next morning sick with a sore throat and ended up missing the Keg Ride for East End Brewing. (that ended up at Schenly Park Dammit!!!)  and only got 26.8 nmiles this week which leaves me at 203.61 miles for the year and 123.3 miles under my goal. (GRRRRR!!!!) I am hoping to finish several interviews, and reviews (a very nice multi tool and my new Headlight)

One last note. If you are reading this and want more I have been posting a lot of small things at the Fatguy Orange bike Facebook Page so if you want more head on ever there and like the page so you don't miss anything.

Pedal for the Pantry

Saturday was the day of the Pedal for the Pantry and let say first off that I was not only humbled by the number of people showed up and participated, but Gobsmacked at the number and diversity of the people who came out.  Above is a picture I took of part of Team Fatguy heading to Polish Hill and to our second stop (Wholey's Market). There was around a hundred riders join in the fun and Team Fatguy had 14 people going out for the slow, easier ride. (Map posted below of approx route)

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide

What really grabbed me about the Pedal for the Pantry ride was the numbers of different people. I saw your typical "Line of Sight" bike messengers, your typical "Full Kit" roadies and several people on BSO's who showed up and had a great time.  Both the longer ride and the shorter ride were modeled after and Alleycat style of race. Each ride had a manifest - A list of stores and Items that should be purchased at each store. Riders who got to all the stores and back to the endpoint of the Race first won.

My first ever Spoke Card

However it should be known that unlike many Alleycat races it was strongly suggested that all rules of the rode should be followed. Even to the point of announcing that anyone caught doing otherwise would be Disqualified.

You might be wondering how the day went, and how much food was collected by all these crazy riders?

I'm getting there.

You see it became "A thing" to tell the people working at the registers (and those waiting in line with all of us) what we were up to. I ended up talking to the guy in line in front of me about what we were doing and what a great day it had turned out to be.  As I was walking out of the store he approached me and handed me a monetary donation for the food bank.  I know I can't be the only one this happened to. The day was full of stories

The guy who walked down to the store and brought back several cases of canned goods just to get a better chance at the raffles. 

The Father and son from Erie who came down for a film festival and ended up coming along for the ride. 

The Girl who wrecked and still came in third place for the woman. 

If someone did the ride and ended up without a story they simply weren't trying.

So how did we do?

 If you're thinking that looks like a a lot of stuff to haul by bike you would be right. The final totals for the night were.

987 pounds of non-perishible food

187 pounds of non-food (diapers, laundry detergent, and bathroom tissue)

1164 pounds of donated goods gathered & delivered by bike inside of 4 hours.

-- According to the Food bank people it is a weeks worth of Groceries for 200 Families.

Again I repeat myself by saying I was Gobsmacked.

It has taken me these past couple of days to think about what I saw and try to find these words. I know that I wasn't the only one staring at all this food with tears in my eyes thinking about all the people riding all over the city collecting the food and bringing it back to make sure that the people who need it can get it. Just some quick napkin math tells me that the group rode about 2300 miles most in small groups or ones and twos.

I wanted this post to be about what a great group of cyclists we have in Pittsburgh, but the truth is we aren't anything special (at least things like this should be the norm) A need was made known and more importantly someone showed us a way to meet that need. All of us know there are people in need but we all feel overwhelmed at the idea of doing something on our own. But as a group we end up doing so much more than we ever thought we could.

I could go on to tell you about the prizes that were awarded or list the people who won prizes. Then I realized that those things don't really matter and I would like to believe (I do believe) that just as many people would show up if there were no prizes. Those who raced hard raced hard because that is just the kind of people they are. The others rode the way they do because that is just the kind of people they (we) are. 

I for one can't wait to do this again.

The Ides of Flock

 Video of the March Flock of Cycles ride

My long bikefast is broken. Thank the cycling gods! Last night I headed over to Oakland to join in the fun that is the monthly Flock of Cycles Party ride (facebook link).The ride was as fun as always and I was very happy to see that there were several new people (First time Flockers) in the group. We had a good showing for a still chilly march evening which makes me wonder what the rides are going to be like when the weather gets warmer.

The ride was a laid back tour of the city (look at route here) that took us through Oakland, Bloomfield, The strip District Downtown, The Armstrong tunnels, Across the 10th st bridge and into the South side. The ride ended with food drinks and fun at OTB bicycle cafe. (When the weather gets warmer and it stays light longer, I have noticed a tendency to end the ride with a pot luck picnic in a park.)

Eventually I wished my friends a good night and hopped on my bike and headed to town, with the plan of throwing my bike on the bus and heading home. This became quite a challenge. It seems my long Bikefast had its effect on more than my mental well being as I rode slowly into town my legs complaining the whole way.

For those of you who don't know what a Flock of cycles ride is like, allow me to give you a description. First off take everything you believe about cyclists and group rides (hipsters looking down on you, Lycra clad riders trying to form a peleton, annoying cyclists blowing through stop signs) and forget it. Now imagine hanging out with friends and talking, listening to music and catching up with people you like but haven't seen in a month.

It's like that just on a bike.

The ride is slow, fun and best of all accepting. My first flock (several years ago) was an eye opening experience. I was rather fearful that I would be looked down on for being old, fat, and slow. I knew this was supposed to be an easy, everyone staying together, fun ride. I didn't believe it. I knew I was going to be the one slowing everyone down. when we got to the hill (you can't avoid all the hills in Pittsburgh no matter how you try) I was the last one up. I was so close to quitting.

But I didn't.

A couple of the people rode with me. The rest waited at the top of the hill. (I found out later that it is normal for the group to wait at the top of the hill to allow everyone to re-group.) No one looked at me like I was the one slowing them down. everyone accepted me. I've worked very hard to return that favor and accept and do what I can to help those around me.

I will be interviewing Marcel from flock of cycles in an upcoming post so be sure to keep a lookout for that.

Links in this Post
Flock of Cycles Website
Flock of Cycles  Facebook
OTB Bicycle Cafe

Pedal for the Pantry

Last night I managed to get over to OTB for a bit of dinner and an adult potable (or 2) I needed to do something to life my spirits. I have ridden since the midle of Janurary and to tell the truth I'm starting to get a little twitchy. It seems my goals for the year are mocking me and all I do is work and sleep.

It is taking its toll on me. Mentally and Physically.

When I walked in a pretty girl smiled at me from behind the bar, a friend of mine was sitting at the bar, and the seat next to him was open. The gods were smiling. A snowmelt and tandem later and I could feel the tension leave my body. My friend, we will call him Paul (because that is his name) is putting together a great ride for the beginning of april. The ride is called Pedal for the Pantry and it will benifit the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. This is a ride and a cause that I am firmly behind. In my younger, married, father of four life places like the food bank made a huge difference and I don't want to imagine what that part of my life would have been like without them.

So this is more than just "A ride" to me.

I felt like I had to do something more. That still small voice inside was pushing me. As we sat and talked about everyting that needed done and all the companies that had donated prizes that still small voice nudged me again. I hate it when he does that.

"You know what you have to do." Said that voice inside. He sounded cocky but he usually does, he's usually right.

So I sponsored a prize. I'm not telling what prize I sponsored (you have to show up to the ride to find out), and Im not writing this to brag since what I did really is no big thing. I'm writing this to first off, let you know about this great chance for you to get out, have a good ride and possibly change a person's life. Secondly, I'm writing this in hopes that others will read this and decide they want to do more, to step outside of themselves. If so I would strongly encourage you to head over to the Pedal for the pantry website or the facebook page and get in touch with Paul and find out what you can do help. Somethings I can think of off the top of my head:

• Go on the ride
• Sponsor a prize (even if it is 25$ gift card)
• Donate food (more on that later)
• Spread the word

I know a lot of people who are saying "Terry I don't even own a bike, I can't go this 'RIDE THINGY'" Well that's ok because you can always bring food to the event. Here is a list of the Most needed Items. You can bring them the Over the Bar bicycle cafe 2518 east carson between 1 and 4 on the day of the event.

So step up and step outside of your comfort zone and reach out to those less fortunate.

Good News

I just saw this over at the Bike Pittsburgh blog. Yet another tasty place to eat has been upgraded with a kick ass bike corral. This is the second Bike Corral to be placed in Pittsburgh, the first one is in front of OTB bicycle cafe in the Southside (My favorite place to eat). This corral serves double duty since it  takes over what used to be a no parking zone that was frequently ignored. So when car-holes complain about losing parking spaces in Shadyside (a place well known for to little parking) you can point out that if you parked there you were breaking the law.

Mini Rant Begin

You know kind of like the way car-holes complain about cyclists going through stop signs and the way that cyclist slow them down and keep them from ignoring the speed limit signs on the road. 

Mini Rant End

Still this is a great thing to see going into Shadyside. We need the infrastructure more than ever. The popularity of cycling is growing and more people are taking to their bikes as an option to their cars. The only way that people will continue to do this is if we can make it easy and convenient for them to do this. I am not talking about the hardcore fixie riding twenty something who doesn't own a car or see a reason to own a car. I'm talking about the people who just want to go out for a evening grab some food and maybe a drink or two and don't want to have to use a car, find parking, and pay for parking.

Remember these are the people who could be in that car behind you tomorrow morning.