Pittsburgh's Dirty Dozen Ride - Steep & Cobbled

Someone asked me recently what is the steepest climb I have ever been up and my mind always goes to Old Priest Grade or Quimby. As it turns out, a reoccurring dream involving a 37% grade that I have been experiencing since January of 1994 is actually a bad memory.

History:
It all started with a phone call in January of 1994 to my friend Rob Acciavatti (Morgantown, WVA). I was visiting the motherland (Bridgport, WVA) and the last day I was in town Rob called me back on grandma's landline and said he was enroute to pick me up for the 12th annual Dirty Dozen Ride in Pittsburgh and I better be riding at least a 39 X 23. He said that it is over 100 miles and goes up the 12 steepest climbs in Pittsburgh and most of them are cobbled. I have been to Belgium and walked the majority of the steep ones with Joe Pettinger & AC and let me tell you those don't hold a candle to the 37% grades that Pittsburgh has to offer.

I asked around and someone was able to send me the results of the Dirty Dozen Ride from 1994 and it was a trip to see the names - Joe Papp, Matt Eaton. For the record my buddy Rob won that year I suffered miserably for 2nd with Joe Papp taking third. The fact that I was born in Hershey, PA must have helped me with the locals. Next time your spinning up Glengary imagine doubling it.


1994 DIRTY DOZEN RECAP

The 12th Annual Dirty Dozen was held on Sunday, January 2nd. 14 riders [including 7 rookies] rode on a cold [high Temp. of 34 degrees F] and cloudy day. Winning 9 hills, West Virginia rider Rob Acciavatti led the entire way through. 10 people scored points. Matt Copcutt flatted going down Zoo Hill, and quit before the first hill. Only 4 people made it up closed, snow-covered Berryhill Rd. The rest of us walked up it. Matt Eaton didn't do Canton Ave. After Ryan McDermitt flatted on the Glenwood Bridge, Tim O'Toole gave Ryan his wheel and sat out the final hill. Steve Whalymayer did the entire ride seated. 2nd place finisher Jake Hess (of California) is no relation to Mark Hess. Thanks to Greg Bachman's wife Amy who drove support with my father Hal in the "Greenhouse". Thanks also to Diane Blackburn who drove Matt Eaton's minivan with beer.



Results:
1 Rob Acciavatti 5 4 2 5 5 4 5
2 *Jake Hess 3 5 . 4 3 3 3 4
3 Joe Papp 2 . 5 2 . 5 . .
4 Phil Rhodes . . 3 3 . . 2 3
5 Danny Chew 4 3 . . 4 . . .
6 Matt Eaton . . . . 1 . 4 2
7 *Eric Dobratz 1 2 4 . . 1 . 1
8 *Ryan McDermitt . . . . . 2 . .
9 Jay Wolkoff . 1 . 1 2 . 1 .
10 *Steve Whalymayer . . 1 . . . .
11 Mark Hess . . . . . . . .
12 *Greg Bachman . . . . . . .
13 *Steve Harouff . . . . . . . .
14 *Tim O'Toole DNF . . . . . . .

*indicates first time racer

Race organizer and cycling legend - Danny Chew has actually logged over 1 Million Miles on a bike. Google him sometime.