It was 60 degrees in February, a perfect opportunity to make the most of the waning light of the day by riding my bike home. I got to work early and managed to leave at 3:30, squeezing in some time pedaling in full sun before it got low on the horizon. The clothes I'd brought …
Continue reading "20 commutes in 2020 — #2: Unseasonable warmth."
I was sure glad I had studs because Kepler was a sheet of ice. Not a smooth sheet, but one that had been churned up by car tires and turned by the daily freeze-thaw cycle into a jumble of babyhead-sized lumps. It was like riding on slippery cobbles. I knew it would be a little …
This year, I'd like to bike to or from work at least 20 times. This sounds like a very "low hanging fruit" goal -- especially considering how much I ride -- except for the fact that last year I know that I did it less than 10. For those who don't know of my bike …
A couple weeks ago, Evan mentioned that he caught wind of a new snowmobile route from Prince Gallitzin State Park to Black Moshannon State Park, traversing the Allegheny Front through mostly Game Lands on a mix of dirt roads and doubletrack trails. We did some research and found a GPX file. Time to go explore. …
Continue reading "On the Allegheny Front: Sandy Ridge to Blandburg"
The wind blew so hard that I was scared if I let go of the railing I might actually be swept off the small metal platform I was standing on. I'm not one for heights, and as I'd climbed towards the top of this fire tower, I felt my stomach turn a few times. Don't …
Continue reading "Fire towers and friends with a side of history."
*I started this post last spring but never published it. I found it as I was cleaning out old post drafts and figured it was worth a share, better late than never! Last spring, I was dealing with some hamstring injury issues, meaning I was forced to cut back on the intensity of my bike …
Continue reading "Adventures in Coal Country: Exploring the Houtzdale Line Trail."
I looked up from pushing my bike to see the jumble of rocks continuing as far as I could see. I'd try to ride for a bit, challenging myself to see how far I could make it before needing to dab, but the rocks would often win. Sometimes though, I'd have a good run, cleaning …
When I learned of a work commitment in Scranton the Thursday before a family commitment in Malvern, my brain that has been jonesing for another long ride adventure started scheming. The D&L Trail travels a big chunk of the length from northeast PA to southeast, and it just seemed silly to drive 3 hours back …
I've been struggling with a hamstring injury since the beginning of winter. For most of that time, I didn't even realize it was an issue. My hammie was tight and sore but I figured it was something that would work itself out. About a month ago, that dull soreness turned into a burning pain in …
I have a special place in my heart for this bike. I will never get rid of it. Evan built this bike for me shortly after I started mountain biking again in 2013, with a small frame that had been sitting around the shop where he worked at the time and a lot of random …
helena kotala 