Long Way Baby

Photo Credit: Paul Heckbert

So after years, (YEARS) of talking, planning, and fuming the bike trail from Pittsburgh to Washington DC is finally going to be finished. (click here to read Post Gazette Article) Notice I said “Going to be finished” and not “Is finished” since it will still be some time before the trail will actually be complete.  Still we have come a long way.

Here in Pittsburgh at least I don’t know if biking has ever been as popular as it is right now. Something happened last week that illustrates for me not only how far we have come, but sadly also how far we still have to go. Last week I took a cruise that sailed out of New York. Since this was my first time in the Big Apple I made sure that I got to go to Times Square and do my share of Gawking. I expected the people, all different kinds of people. I expected  the Pretty Girls and the overpriced everything. I expected the hawkers and the people trying to sell me everything.

I did not expect the bikes.

I was struck speechless at the sheer number and variety of bikes I saw. expensive bikes, cheap bikes, Expensive bikes made to look like cheap bikes. I even saw a guy delivering Pizza on an electric bike. I can’t even begin to estimate just how many bikes I saw both locked up and on the street.  This was the first thing I noticed and I can’t help but wonder if Pittsburgh will ever have the same percentage of people on bikes?

The next thing I noticed and the thing that I think really shows me just how far we still have to go was the bike trails. You see i noticed that there was a bike trail right by the hotel we were staying at in Jersey just across the Hudson and another Bike Trail in front of the Dock where we boarded the ship in NYC. I didn’t really think to much about it until I brought the area up in Google Maps with Biking option turned on

(Click here to see the map)

When I saw the amount of bike only trails that were available in Manhattan alone I have to admit I was kind of ashamed to compare them to the few that we have in Pittsburgh.

So while I Know that we have come a Long way, and should be proud of everything that has been done to promote biking here in Pittsburgh we need to remember that while we are holding our collective heads high we need to use that height to see down the line at what more can be done.

Personally I want to see that trail continue westward Detroit, Chicago anyone?

Bike Trail

Photo Credit: Dbacklover

Last weekend I went riding on the GAP (Great Allegheny Passage) Trail and to make things even better my sister (who hasn't been on a bike in 40 years) My son and daughter, as well as my nephew and his son all went along. The day was a pretty perfect day for a bike ride, sunny without being too hot, and the trail is mostly shaded (as you can see from the photo).

We rode 12 miles total, rested when we felt like it and spent a good amount of time sitting at one of the rest areas half in the shade and half in the sun. One of the things I noticed while on the ride was the amount of talking that went on while we were riding. As I bounced from the front of the group to the back of the group i could hear the conversations all around me. My son talking with my nephew, my daughter talking with my sister, and on and on.

By the time we got back to where we rented the bikes we were ready for the ride to be over but as we returned the bikes there were smiles all around. My sister told me flat out that she would be happy to do this again.

I for one was just happy to out riding and surrounded by family.