Day 5: Now I know why four different people were so adamant about me not staying at that motel. Daylight streaming in the windows betrayed it to be worse than I thought. I’ll spare you the gory details other than to say I “slept” fully clothed to avoid having to use the blanket or bedspread. I did learn something cool, though, as I was leaving. Part of the movie, The Mothman Prophesies (which I really liked), was filmed there. The paranormal film stars Richard Gere as John Klein, a reporter who stayed at this motel while investigating the Mothman legend.
On the way out of town, powered up with some caffeine at the Bean Thru drive up window (seen here). On the way out of town, powered up with some caffeine at the Bean Thru drive up window (pictured above).
After negotiating one more stretch of road with no shoulder, and a brief detour, finally arrived on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, and was soon on the Riverfront Trail, happy to be away from all the cars. Here’s a brief video showing what it was like “Rocket Triking Down Pittsburgh’s River Trail.” Along the way, I encountered something you don’t see everyday: a “Public Bra Display to Fight Breast Cancer” (the creative display is part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month). The trail took me straight to the Convention Center for an easy 8-mile morning. After registering, found a good location inside the hall to display the trike, which drew a lot of curious attendees to find out what I was doing.
A little later, got a call from the producer of the Thom Hartmann Program to do an interview on Thom’s radio show, which you can listen to here: “Riding for Renewables.” Thom joined me in urging that Keystone XL’s southern leg be stopped, and had a very creative idea about what to do with the already buried pipeline.
That evening, David Hughes, who put me up three years ago in Pittsburgh when I did my first ride to DC, gave me a ride back to his home. After being treated to some homemade Indian food and a couple of cold beers, I collapsed into a deep slumber.
Day 6: Spent all day at the Power Shift conference enlisting attendees in our campaign to stop Keystone XL’s southern leg. Sent out a ride update to my email distribution list and got a call from an old friend from my Clean Water Action days, John Friedrich, who happened to be tabling just down the hall. It was really good to re-connect with him.
Later got a ride back to David’s home and was treated to another great meal and more cold beers. Another good day.
Tom,
I heard u on Thom Hartmann Radio last week 1480am Phoenix. Nice interview. I get the impression that you’ll be riding the Youghiogheny River trail thru West Newton 35 mi south of Pittsburgh on your way to DC. Just south of Industry appx mm 26, (4 mile north of Dravo Cemetery.) is a Large Orange Sulfur Creek Water Fall. This is from the old Ocean 3 mine that my Grandfather was injured in. For 70 years after the mine closing this sulfur water has been washing out. Within the next 25 years if left alone this hillside is going to collapse and a 2 million cubic yards of acidic mine slug will fall into the river and cover the bank the whole way to Dravo. Take a picture now, don’t stay long there it could collapse on you. Just look at Blythdale Road above it it’s sliding onto the frail. If in West Newton have a good craft beer at the Trailside Pub. Rod and Karen will be happy to see you. Don’t forget to touch the Cedar Creek Park Tufa. Largest on the Continent. Ride Safely! Duane Sampson Native of West Newton, Phoenix AZ -Donora Smog