Shortly after my last post, the Pittsburgh area got hit with the worst series of snowstorms we've had in a very long time. In the end, February 2010 was the snowiest month we've ever had, and this winter season is shaping up to be one of the worst on record (currently number 6 on the all-time list, but winter isn't over yet...). This week we finally got a break, and the snow started to melt. This weekend we had sunny skies and temps in the mid- to upper-40s, so I decided to take KJ out on the tandem to cure our cabin fever.In the winter I like to plan our rides to include an indoor destination. It is better (and a heck of a lot more comfortable) to have a warm place to take a break, instead of stopping at a park. Especially if you've worked up a sweat pedaling, you don't want to be cooling down out in the cold. So I decided that KJ and I would go to the Squirrel Hill library (one of KJ's favorite places to go).
Having ridden very little so far, and with exercise primarily consisting of snow shoveling, I try not to worry about how fast we're going, and just completing the ride is an accomplishment. That was definitely true in this case, because what is usually an easy ride up into Squirrel Hill was a bit of a struggle. Sometimes, riding with someone else helps to push you and keeps you honest. When we got to Frick Park (roughly halfway to the Library), I suggested to KJ that we could play in the park instead of going to the Library. KJ wasn't interested, so we pushed ahead to the Library. I may have grumbled at the time, but in hindsight I'm glad we pushed ourselves to do the extra distance.
It was strange to be out riding and still see people who were out shoveling snow from the parking spots in front of their houses. The roads were generally dry, but there were placed where snow was still in our way (particularly the downhill (Eastbound) bike lanes on Forbes Avenue). Even when there wasn't snow, there were issues with debris (mostly rocks and branches) in the road.
After the Library, we stopped at the Dunkin' Donuts in Squirrel Hill (KJ's new favorite place to stop...) to get out sugar fix before heading home.
