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Critical Mass Pittsburgh 2016 thread

Continuing on the success of the 2015 thread, let's get this year's show on the road. This Friday, 29 January, the weather forecast looks pretty darned nice for January, and follows on what looks like pretty darned nice weather for at least 48 hours prior to ride time. I say we form up a ride. All the usual statements from past events apply: * Plan on arriving there between 5:45 and 6:00. * There, of course, is Dippy, the dinosaur statue by the Carnegie Museum and Library in Oakland. * Brief discussion 6:10. * Tires on pavement 6:15. * We will follow the law: Stop at stop signs and red lights, signal turns, use the right lane if more than one lane that way, use the full lane on two-lane streets unless it is safe to get farther right and there is space in which to allow traffic to pass, which usually translates as take the lane and stay there. * Remember that cars may legally cross the yellow line to pass you if it is safe for them to do so. If it is not, they have to get in line and follow you. You do not need to relinquish use of the lane, no matter what speed you are going. * It will be dark. Front lights absolutely required; rear lights not absolutely required but expect to be advised that you are not well lit and/or not very visible from the rear. Additional lights will be available if you need them. (We're here to help you, not abuse you.) * The ride will be fairly short. This is about technique, not speed or strength. That said, let's ride. Often we have a route picked out in advance. At this writing, I do not. Discuss below.
stuinmccandless
2016-01-24 15:29:50
Oh dang this just reminded me I'm going to be in Orlando Fla this Fri.! They have a good one.
edmonds59
2016-01-25 16:45:45
Plan A will be a memorial ride to Mike McDermott's viewing. He will be laid out at Wolfe Memorial, 3604 Greensburg Pike, which is under seven miles, probably less than an hour's ride, from Dippy. Google's idea of how to do it I am willing to consider variations on that route. In particular, it is not too out of the way to go past the spot where he was hit, not that I want to revisit it on this trip. Note that 6:30 p.m. was about the time that Mike got hit, though. If we form up at 5:45 and leave precisely at 6:00, I think we could get there by about 7, and so have sufficient time to pay our respects. Coming back, I suggest we leave and ride together, at least at first. Of course, it will be dark; maybe still some dim light on the way there.
stuinmccandless
2016-01-28 08:03:54
Should have posted this when I put up the Facebook post. This is tomorrow/today/Friday, Feb 26, 6 p.m., at the dinosaur in Oakland. We have two reports of law-abiding, lane-taking cyclists getting pulled over on the North Side and threatened with tickets. Anyone up for a nice little ride down the length of North Avenue? Dippy to Craig to Baum to Gold to Herron to 28th to Penn to 16th to East Ohio to Cedar to North, to Allegheny Avenue to around past the Science Center, then back over the river on the Fort Duq Bridge, and go our separate ways from there.
stuinmccandless
2016-02-25 21:45:43
This is definitely on. Should be nice later on. If you're on wheels today or can get them to Oakland by 6, feel free to join us. I have heard nothing further on police trouble, and have ridden through the North Side a dozen times in the last week or so, so I anticipate no trouble.
stuinmccandless
2016-02-26 07:43:07
I'm here! The weather and street surfaces are great!
stuinmccandless
2016-02-26 18:09:00
I won't be there. Home, not feeling well. Won't be there this time next month, either.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-24 14:16:58
The ride for Friday, Sept. 30 is on! Initial thought is Bellefield-Centre-Bigelow-Bloomfield Bridge, then one way or the other on Liberty. Inbound, _not_ use the DZBL, and stay on Liberty all the way downtown; return on Forbes. Outbound, _not_ use the DZBL out to Centre, then Aiken, Ellsworth, Fifth, around the CL and return to Dippy. I'm open to any ideas, though.
stuinmccandless
2016-09-25 18:09:10
DZBL?  I got that BL is bike lane.
edronline
2016-09-26 14:01:34
The DZ is Door Zone
rustyred
2016-09-26 14:55:40
Ty
edronline
2016-09-26 21:45:10
I think I'm gonnahafta cancel. I'm not feeling well, and the 60% chance of rain does not inspire me much.
stuinmccandless
2016-09-30 05:28:33
If there is a CM tonight, I will not be there. Anyone else who wants to ride, go right ahead.
stuinmccandless
2016-12-30 15:11:45
Recycling this thread for 2017. We had a ride last month, just me and one other. A nice little jaunt up around Aliquippa Street. If there will be a ride today, I will not be there. Pouring rain at 7:30 a.m., but it's supposed to be 65 and sunny later on. Whoever's there, take the lane, follow the rules, and have fun!
stuinmccandless
2017-03-24 07:50:43
We're well into 2017 now, but I don't know how to change the title. Anyway, we're on for this Friday, 26 May 2017, 6pm at Dippy, light rain or shine. We won't ride in bad conditions.
stuinmccandless
2017-05-20 14:36:54
June 30, 6 p.m., is still on at this point. The weather as of Tuesday morning says 30% chance of storms, but a lot can change in three days. Thunder cancels, light rain does not. Final determination by 4:30 on Friday.
stuinmccandless
2017-06-27 09:59:54
We're on. Dippy at 6. I'm figuring a long loop across the Bloomfield Bridge, Liberty Ave, 28th, Penn, 16th St Br, E Ohio St, Cedar Ave, 9th St Br, back into downtown and disperse. Will consider any other Plan B.
stuinmccandless
2017-06-30 16:23:42
Canceling tonight's ride (28 July 2017) due to predicted heavy rain.
stuinmccandless
2017-07-28 06:54:40
At this point (Wednesday evening), I still plan to conduct a ride. It is not on the BikeFest calendar. But with enough new people around, I might get one or two to show up out of curiosity. Dippy at 6, review of the rules at 6:10, roll at 6:15. The route plan is a run-through of the new bike lanes. Loop around the back of Hillman Library, onto Boquet, R Forbes, Copenhagen left onto Craig, maybe turn it into an actual left and head back westbound on Forbes to continue past Bellefield. If it seems worth the bother, maybe repeat it to get the hang of it. Or try to figure out how to make a left off of outbound Forbes onto Bellefield. Loop Filmore back to Craig and Forbes, then R onto Bellefield. Three left turns, return to Dippy. Something like that. Cameras rolling. Let's see if I get any takers, hopefully brand-new people who have no idea of the history of all this.
stuinmccandless
2017-08-23 19:15:41
I'm planning to be there
fultonco
2017-08-25 12:49:39
Ended up with three, including Devo Helmet Ben. I attempted to video the adventure, using a hand-held iPhone 4. Far from ideal results but I captured enough of the activity.
stuinmccandless
2017-08-26 10:19:18
Brief tweet thread I sent on the bus on the way home. With any luck, I will expand this to a full blog post, with video.
stuinmccandless
2017-08-26 16:17:02
Oh, bother. Both next Friday (9/29) and the last Friday in October, I have a late afternoon commitment I cannot wiggle out of or delegate.
stuinmccandless
2017-09-22 19:07:19