March 2 Run: start at parking lot at Bates St./2nd Ave. near Hot Metal Bridge

We'll start at the parking lot at the foot of Bates St. and go over the Hot Metal Bridge and check out the state of the trails on the other side - that will determine which way we go - though I admit to wanting to visit the eagles nest again (towards Sandcastle) now that they have produced another egg - come on, in this weather - those birds are heroic!  Not sure of coffee location.

Last week with the surfaces finally clear we had a nice run based on the standard weekday route - Squirrel Hill, golf course, CMU, Oakland, back to Commonplace, proving there is no place like home.  Except maybe - Tahiti is sounding good right now.  Conversation turned towards career and job changes - leading to perhaps a super endorsement of the revelatory Women don't ask - read it and don't weep - ask!

Feb. 16 Run: Coffee Tree on Walnut Street in Shadyside

Sent in by Elaine yesterday:

We had a delightful, albeit icy, run this morning. From Biddle’s Escape we took the back roads through Wilkinsburg into Homewood and past some grand homes throughout Point Breeze. Let’s just say that we were not nearly as graceful on the ice as the Olympic Skaters seem to be. Let’s hope for a bit of a melt before we head out next Sunday….when we meet in Shadyside at the Coffee Tree. We’ll do a loop taking in some of the new construction/development projects in East Liberty/Friendship/Bloomfield.

Feb. 9 Run: starts at Biddle's Escape at 401 Biddle Ave. (off of Braddock)

Next Sunday we go back to the adorable Biddle's Escape cafe (map), and will undoubtedly run around the Wilkinsburg-Swissvale-Regent Square area, though exactly how has yet to be determined.  Any ideas will be gratefully entertained.

As I am on the DL for a bit, I can't report on last week's run except to say, there were an amazing number of brave runners willing to endure the miserable freezing drizzle outside, even more than were cozily and chattily gathered in the 61C (pictured) by the time I got there.  Talk of trains, taxis, pets, and the Steel City Road Runners.  A few endorsements:

• Books: In the Shadow of the Banyan; Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Story-Ravaged Hospital
• Our own Roberto Clemente Museum
• Uber taxis
• The concept of the "single-serving friendship" - when you meet someone on a train or plane, and... that's it.
• Late addition (discovered by Reid) - Webcam on the eagle's nest in Hays that we've visited at least twice now. Talk about enduring the freezing drizzle!)