BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I also took my track bike. Sounded like it would work but the snow was too heavy.

It wasn't my rear tire so much, but the lack of control up front. My steering was really bad on some of those roads. In slush it was fine an in snow that wan't messed with, but tire tracks, and a host of people walking over the snot packing it down here and there? I really couldn't control the bike. I could have rode home if there were not cars, but the idea of how hard it was with cars behind you was not a good combination.

I had to be careful when I would start. My rear wheel spun a few times before I figured out how slowly I had to start. I think I forgot what riding in snow was like and I remembered how slow a single speed fat tired bike intended for cross country was and I didn't want to use it.

i rode to the store after i got home, unplowed sections of loose pack were damn near impossible, but the slushtracks down the middle of the lane were definitely rideable.

im switching to running for exercise till the snow melts it just to hard to ride in this stuff

I think shoveling is the official cross-training exercise of winter.

Sorry to hear that. Is it a situation where even the roads you'd use are impassable or just sidewalk?

My experience this morning was that the sidewalk that connects from Bates to jail trail was impassible for me. I inferred the jail trail would be too shook my head for a moment, and... well no other option really, started out on 2nd avenue.

I found that the cars were surprisingly slow and respectful as I made my way in, something they would NOT have been in good weather. Just my experience. Good luck.

Photo #2 made it into this morning's print edition

http://old.post-gazette.com/photooftheday/

I saw that guy when I went out for lunch yesterday! Ridin and smokin.

As a matter of fact when I went out I saw about 4 cyclists in 15 minutes! Bravo hard ones!

The dangling cigarette makes that photo. The photographer, Larry Roberts, was also taking pictures of cyclists at the Menorah ride, I think he has an eye for cyclist photos.

That is wonderful.

Does anyone know that guy? Is he a messenger at Jet perhaps?

See, when I thought of riding in the snow yesterday, I was imagining riding in the amount of snow in that picture, but that was not reality.

like a boss

You can check PennDOT's Brady Street webcam to check the condition of the Jail Trail.

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/district11.nsf/TCID330?OpenPage

It wasn't plowed this morning on my way in. I sent a 311 message and this afternoon it has been plowed.

Thanks kordite, bookmarking that link, and for bugging the city to clear our most heavily used "highway"

confirmation of limited trail status.

I just got home and can confirm that the Eliza Furnace Trail and Panther Hollow Trails have been plowed.

The Parking lots at the trail heads have NOT been plowed.

As of 3pm Hot Metal Bridge (and its end ramps) have also NOT been plowed.

Well I road my hybrid bike to work this morning. The ride to work was at 4:15AM and it was fine, but the ride home was really pretty bad. Tons of traffic and I don't cross the Highland Park Bridge on the road anymore, so I attempted to ride the sidewalk. Not possible because they plowed all the snow onto it. Kind of makes you realize how no one could care about a sidewalk for walkers or whoever wanted to use it. Just plow the snow onto it to make it impossible to get past. Took me about 20 minutes to cross the bridge with my bike in tow. I am done until it melts. I can't shovel that entire bridge and it will freeze over and be wildly crazy with the mounds they plowed on it. I do ride on the road into work because there are so few on the road. Ah well, I guess I am done for a while. Kind of bummed out. I love the snow, but it is bad for my commute. I can walk to work, but it takes an hour and a half give or take, but the sidewalks would be impassible. I am just a car driver now.

@gg - I'd still 311 it. It may well be an intractable problem, but if there is no written record, the problem never happened. Just say exactly what you said here, using the online form.

12/26/12 - Going to work was ok because the snow had not yet begun at 5:30 AM. By the time I left work, approximately 3:30 PM, it had slowed down but the roads were a mixed bag, to be sure. Any place where the cars had driven over the snow was treacherous. The North Shore Trail was not plowed. Fortunately, I saw only one or sometimes two sets of tire tracks and two sets of footprints. A good workout was achieved by riding through 3-4" of snow to the Allegheny Station for the "T". Got off the "T" and rode home, about a mile. The roads were mostly wet with some slushy spots. Had another workout shoveling the drive, steps, and walkways. The stuff at the end of the drive, where the plow made its deposit, weighed at least 50 pounds per shovel-full. Slept well.

as of ~7:30pm the "Great Northwest Passage" (~Putnam & Mellon Park) was walkable. Hawthorne Trail in Frick Park was rideable thanks to all the dog and human feet compacting the snow.

I now have 700x35 kenda small block 8s on my single speed cross bike. The roads and trails should be better to ride on also by now.

Does anyone actually routinely plow these trails for bicycling or pedestrian use after a storm? The only place I saw last week that was cleared was the entire trail along the river, maintained by the 3 Rivers Casino. It was completely clear !! Kudos to the Casino for doing this. Although I don't believe it was done entirely for the bicyclists, I am not above being appreciative of being a beneficiary of their efforts.

"Does anyone actually routinely plow these trails for bicycling or pedestrian use after a storm?"

They generally do a reasonable job of getting the Eliza Furnace Trail. After the snow last week, they got to plowing it the next day. But when we had more snow on Friday/Saturday they only plowed about half of it. I sent a message to 311 and from the PennDOT webcam it looks like they went back and finished the job.

there have been photos of the EFT plowed as of 3:00/4:00 pm today, but then it started snowing again.

No current update on Hot Metal Bridge / ramps

The night of the first big snow fall I was behind the sweeper on the trail from the Point past the convention center. It was clear to the parking lot where Donzi's used to be. That's better then many of the primary streets were that day.

The Hot Metal Bridge Loves Snow...

Eliza Furnace Trail ramp to HMB:

Bridge Surface:

Bridge Ramp on Southside:

@stefb yes, he works at Jet and Green Gears and is a lovely fellow!

Trail was not plowed this morning. Some parts had enough clear space for wheels, but for the most part it was an icy fun time.

Probably should have just taken Second Ave, but that is a harrowing adventure.

I took liberty in to town today and there were patches of snow and ice in the bike lane still. I don't know if that was a better choice than fifth into town at 6am? Not sure how traffic is on fifth at that hour, but there is a lot more traffic than I would have expected on liberty and less than I normally encounter on the way to the jail trail through oakland and Shadyside. I did see the sidewalk on the 16th street bridge finally being salted this morning. I dislike taking the road on that bridge.

On the way in I choose between 5th and jail trail normally preferring the latter. But the weather had me switch over to 5th because I was sick of checking the Brady Street camera every morning. I imagine you'll find the traffic not bad at all at that hour.

Per Elmo, Icy fun time most like in store for the way home most likely unless... am happy to ride along with anyone either direction on 2nd figuring safety in numbers, and if we can get real numbers maybe we can get the city to notice and do something.

Just throwing it out there, maybe it's not catching because it's a dumb idea, but it feels right to me:

http://bike-pgh.org/bbpress/topic/time-to-claim-2nd-avenue

I used to take Fifth downtown on occasion: usually around 8:30am.

There are a lot of buses, access vans, and pedestrians from Bigelow to Carlow. And there is a bit of a pinch point at Robinson to watch out for. Hands down, the fastest way into town and I like the view of the S Side heading in.

@byogman, I like your idea of a safety-in-numbers 2nd Ave commute. I'd join in if I were still working downtown.