Perma frost- perma ride

So another snow storm hit Thursday but that didn't keep me in! I've been carrying on my tradition of riding no matter what the conditions. Here is a photo as I finish a ride. My house sits just past the road sign seen here. Friday evening I attended a retirement gathering for a good friend of mine and later that night i got called in to work for a customer so there wasn't any riding. Saturday morning, after returning home earlier from the callin around 1:30am, I looked over a few maps while drinking my coffee before departing the workshop (basement) for Kittanning around noon.

Why did I chose to bike to Kittanning? Why not! I knew there was a Sheetz downtown so it became my turning back point. Anyway there was some cool places to travel thru like Craigville, Buffalo Mills, Worthington, WalkChalk and West Kittanning.

Saturdays weather was fairly mild compared to the previous few days. Especially my Thursday evening ride which proved to be extremely difficult due to the heavy snow falling. I was lucky to know the roads so well or there would have been a good chance of getting lost. Many times I almost missed turns in the road because of the snowfall. Visibility was at best 10' in front of me.

It was however a very successful ride especially since I crossed paths with a couple from Rattigan (Bill & Sandy) who where at the bottom of their driveway. We talked for a good 15 minutes and I'm glad to have meet them. But anyway back to Saturday... mild weather, a couple pages of Google maps for Armstrong County, several Cliff Blocks, Jelly Belly Beans, fresh tracks of Pantera & Iron Maiden downloaded to my mp3 player, and my full fender Trek Portland loaded with tools weighing in around 30 pounds and I was off!

Taking my normal route thru Fenelton then taking a few new turns to Bottom Creek Road which was cool since it was mostly gravel and mud. This spit me out in Craigsville where I continued on to Buffalo Mills and climbed up into Worthington. Almost cresting the hill I got a cool surprise when over 20 BMX riders came cruising down the hill. They spread out full width across the road hoopin & hollerin as they passed by me making me dodge my way thru them all in good fun. I regret that I was to slow getting the camera out for that photo op.

The First Sign I say when nearing Kittanning caused me to stop and think "No peddling?" I'm not welcome? Do I need a permit? Oh yea I'm pedaling not peddling so I proceded into Kittanning and down to the Sheetz (which was to busy for me to go in and wait so I turned around for my return).

Leaving Kittanning behind me as I climb up from the river.

This ride took me around 4 hours which included stop times and turned out only to be 50 miles round trip. I had a great time and got the chance to see some places I hadn't been to before. Maybe next time I'll work this into a some type of loop. Anyway I'm off to eat!

stork