Man you have brightened my day immeasurably. My misanthropy level is done to like, five. Thx.
2014-09-15 19:02:57
8
Saturday Night!
I wnet downtown to see seinger-songwriter extraordinaire, Eve Goodman.
http://evegoodman.com/
Then I went to the strip district for the Steel City Square dance.
www.steelcitysquares.org/
Now, I knew there was a "bike lane" on Penn. I read about it here. And I've seen bike lanes befoe. I like them. and all, sure.
I expected it to go three blocks and look nice and all. Y'know?
But THAT bike lane? WOW!
It goes places. It protects bike riders from drivers - on a Saturday night when the drunks are out - WHERE the drunks are out.
It goes through DOWNTOWN!
Riding though downtown without the fear for my life? On a late summer Saturday night? That was wondrous, joyous,.
It was definitely "ineffable" - even with a whole internet at my disposal, I can't find the words to adequately express the feeling I had riding in that lane.
Clearly a religious experience, an ecstaic exp[erience!
Thanks Bike Pittsburgh!
I stopped a cyclist going the other way. I asked him how far the lane went. I thInk I might have conveyed what I was trying to say better facial expression and body language.
That was more like "HOLY C***!*T!!! HOLY F**K ! ! THIS BIKE LANE! ! ! HOLY SH@T!! BIKE LANE! THIS BIKE LANE!!!"
I thinnk he got the point, because he really smiled when he told me it went "All the way to teh strip"
I went to dance - they had a bike rack in front. Many bikes, yes, yes indeed!
I danced. I drank! I let women flirt with me. I let men flirt with me, even.
When I left the dance to go see Lungs Feet Face (or actually to get to the venue too late to see Lungs Feet Face ...), there was a charming couple, who politely insisted they werer going to rede with me. They were wonderfully charismatic (translation : they listened to my meandering tales and smiled a lot).
The woman said that she never does "bicycle things." It is just the way she gets around - which is how I lived pre-Flock, pre-GAP "I have a lot of fun when I ride. I get a lot of exercise. But I never ride FOR fun and I never ride FOR exercise."
I ran into bunches of people who were excited to meet car -free people.
Best night I've had on a bike in pittsburgh since 1977 when a girl named Sandy put me on her bike seat, then sat on my lap and pedaled me home.
Anyhow, this is like a Bike-Pittsburgh "Missed connection!" If you are one of the people I ran into, please contact me!
It made me feel like a urbane s
2014-09-15 18:46:07
@mick, I'd keep that supplier you got there (both literal and figurative). Glad you had fun!
2014-09-15 19:51:42
Should have been, "It made me feel like an urbane sophisticate."
if you can imagine a "sophisticate" who is too damned ADD to finish a post.
Does splleing count?
But it feels to me (as much as I know about these things) that bpittsburgh is tentering a golden age for bicyclists.
YAY! Bike-Pgh! Bravo Mr Mayor, Bill Peduto!
2014-09-16 09:36:43
Where is the "LIKE" button? Or the "SUPER LIKE" button.
Sounds like a great time, Mick!
2014-09-16 10:16:52
This is my favorite kind of thread! Positively jubilant!
2014-09-16 11:00:16
Coincidentally, this, from Rebel Metropolis, a new way to measure cycling's success. I'm pretty sure most of the negative commenters on biking news stories are just miserable farts with no friends; http://rebelmetropolis.org/a-new-way-to-measure-cyclings-success/
2014-09-16 11:46:14
Love that new bike lane. Used it twice this week. I am uncertain what the best way to continue past the bike lane to the point, but I just sort of do a diagonal thing and get in the lane. I find it better to go through the light when red, so I don't have to deal with cars. Is that against the law? I guess, but at least there are not cars on my butt and that makes me happy enough. Pittsburgh is sure changing. Sometimes I just can't believe it. Thanks Bike Pgh for all your hard work and hat's off to the new Mayor continuing Mayor Murphy's bike commuting improvements.
2014-09-17 12:57:54