2025 US Van Trip: Pittsburgh & Family

My brother has lived on the east coast since he graduated from college.  I'm the engineer in the family and he is the life sciences guru.  For the last 20 years or so, he has been a professor and Department Chair for the Pharmacy and Chemical Biology Department at the University of Pittsburgh. When ever we get together it's just like we are back in junior high school and we are just as goofy and irreverent and silly and full of bodily function jokes as we were as kids.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

I never would have thought bike riding would be any good in urban Pittsburgh, but my brother has figured out how to take advantage of various bike paths and routes to string together fun rides.  Abandoned rail road right of ways have been converted to bike trails and former RR bridges have been reborn to allow pedestrians and bikers to cross the rivers which surround the town.  We biked from his house to Fort Pitt where  the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers join to form the Ohio River.  Then we continue our tour down the Ohio River past the sports stadiums and then uphill to Riverview Park and the Allegheny Observatory.  The paths were well used by locals and it was obvious nearby office dwellers enjoyed getting out for strolls with colleagues.

Riverview Park with the Allegheny Observatory offered a good view of the surrounding city and terrain.  It was a good turn around point for our ride.

A special treat on the way back was a visit to the "Bicycle Museum".  What started as a hobby blossomed into the worlds largest collection of bicycles.  It was staggering to see what was inside this building.  Truly overwhelming!  It is a must see for any sprocket head.  Let me take you inside for a peek.

Mixed in with regular bicycles are some true jewels.  Here is a "Butt Powered Bike" with stationary pedals.  Motive power is generated by bouncing up and down on the seat. If you have a hyperactive kid, this is their kind of bike!

Pee Wee Herman's bicycle is on display.  What a treasure!

Here are some mid-century modern styled bicycles.  What classic lines.  I could definitely see myself cruising with the wind in my hair on one of these beauties.

 

This bicycles is purported to offer a cushier ride with it's spring mounted cantilevered seat.  Good Idea.  I'd give it a try.

Beth found an example of her first bicycle, a Schwinn sting ray, suspended from the ceiling.

Our visit to Pittsburg wrapped up with a train ride to Philadelphia to see the home of Rocky Balboa, the Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin and some lovely boating companions from our days on America's Great Loop.

My brother and his wife were wonderful hosts for our time in Pittsburgh.  Always great to get together and swap tales of days gone by and well as get caught up with each others adventures.  Regardless of how long it has been since we've last seen each other.  We immediately fall back into the behaviors we honed as unruly teenagers paired with occasional bouts of lucid responsible adults' conversation.  Watch out, we'll be back!