Day 1 - Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio, and Nile at DennyGibson.com

Day 1: April 9, 2018
Twenty-Two to PA
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There's definitely a lot of anti-logic in this trip. When I first read about Willie Nile playing Pittsburgh, I told myself I'd go only if it was a full band show. I eventually found out that it would not be but decided to go anyway. I also told myself that I cruise there on meandering two-lane only if the weather was clear and the temperature warm. It was 33 degrees Fahrenheit and spitting snow when I left home but I still chose the US route that connects my home with the Steel City. About the only sensible thing I'm doing is driving a closed and warm Forester rather than the top down Miata I'd once considered.

As I neared Circleville, my phone suggested a place called Lot 37 for breakfast and that proved to be an excellent idea. The mural of the "Greatest Free Show on Earth" is across the street from the restaurant in the 1815 Hunter-Griswold House. The place looks good and the food tastes great.

If only I'd known, I could have watched "Peter Rabbit" in the snow at Lancaster's Skyview Cruise-In over the weekend.

The sculptures on and around Alan Cottrill's studio make entering Zanesville, Ohio, on US-22 a real treat. The studio/museum was open today and I was tempted but knew I'd spend way too much time there. In downtown Zanesville, US-22 meets up with US-40 and the two leave town together. Much of US-40 follows the path of the Historic National Road.

I first learned of Randyland when a fellow Cincinnatian, Ronnie Salerno, visited Pittsburg about a year ago. Unlike Ronnie, I did not encounter owner Randy Gilson while I was there. Snowflakes and temperatures in the 30s may have had something to do with that or maybe it was just timing. I was not alone, however, at least four others roamed through the artwork while I was doing the same. Note that I even obtained photographic proof I was there.

While at Randyland, I noticed a brochure touting "Three Great Museums in one Pittsburgh Stop". I looked it over after I returned to my car. One museum is, of course, Randyland. The other two, Bicycle Heaven and Johnny Angel's Ginchy Stuff are just over a mile away which makes the one stop claim a stretch for some people and for some seasons. Calling them great museums is not a stretch at all.

Bicycle Heaven might not be as organized as some museums but it's sure got a lot of very interesting stuff. I'd never heard of a J. C. Higgins Colorflow and I saw two today. Among the very few motorized bikes at the museum are these 1948/49 Marman Twins. The company that made them was started by Zeppo Marx. Yes, that Zeppo Marx. Are there others? Bicycle Heaven says it owns 17 rare Bowden Spacelanders. There are four in this picture and I saw four more prominently displayed downstairs. The fifth picture is of an 1890s bicycle with wooden rims and the last picture shows a bike with all wheel drive. As the descriptive tag explains, it answered a question no one ever asked.

Johnny Angel's is in the same huge building as Bicycle Heaven but is open only on weekends.

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