The 2014 riding season has come to an end

Another year of riding the trails around Pittsburgh has come to a close. Our 2014 Bike for Cambodia event was the best ever, we raised $2265 with surpassed the previous record by over $500. I hope to have a page up with pictures and more details before too long.

Fall Folage Ride, Saturday October 11, 2014 staring in Meyersdale, PA

Meet at the Meyersdale train station in Meyersdale, PA (use 527 Main St. for on line mapping or your GPS navigation) at 10 AM on Saturday, October 12th and ride down to Frostburg, MD and then back. Below are the directions to the trail parking from the Great Allegheny Passage web site. From Pittsburgh it will take approximately 2 hours to reach Meyersdale, PA so please plan your trip so you can arrive in plenty of time to make the 10 AM start.

From the PA Turnpike

1. Take Somerset Exit #110.
2. Proceed through 3 traffic lights and at the 4th, turn LEFT onto E Main Street.
3. At the next light, bear RIGHT onto Berlin Plank Road (becomes Rt 219 S).
4. Go 3 miles then turn RIGHT onto Garrett Shortcut Road.
5. Continue 8 miles to a stop sign and turn LEFT onto Rt 653.
6. Proceed slowly through Garrett and turn RIGHT onto Rt 219 S.
7. Go on Rt 219S about 2 miles, then turn RIGHT onto Business Rt 219.
8. Once in town, turn LEFT onto Main Street by the fire station.
9. Proceed 4 blocks up the hill, and across the tracks you will see the train station on your left.

From Meyersdale, PA to Frostburg, MD and back is 32 miles so expect to be riding for 3 to 4 hours. If you want to ride a shorter or longer distance just let the ride leader know your plans. Some of the highlights of this ride are the crossing of the Eastern Continental Divide, bicycling through the Big Savage Tunnel (don’t forget to bring a light if you have one) and the magnificent fall foliage.

At Frostburg we will stop for a bit and have lunch before heading back. I recommend packing a simple lunch and something to drink for our stop in Frostburg. If you want to purchase lunch, the Trail Inn Café near the Western Maryland Railroad depot is the only lunch place near the trail. Other than Meyersdale and Frostburg, there is nothing else along the trail for food or beverage so be prepared.

The Fall foliage should be nice so bring your camera or smart phone for this ride! The temperatures may be a bit chilly when we start the ride plus we do go through a tunnel so please make sure you wear layers.

I encourage you read about the Great Allegheny Passage to get more information on the ride areas.

Bike For Cambodia Saturday, September 27, 2014

Join us on Saturday, September 27, 2014 for a leisurely bicycle ride to raise money to purchase and repair bicycles for children in Cambodia. Many children at the New Hope Children's Home are in need of a new bicycle or need to have a bicycle repaired but cannot afford to do so. The average purchase price of a new bicycle for a child in Cambodia is $60 to $70. This year we are excited that interns from SEAPC will be riding with us. These young men and women are all from New Hope Children’s Home in Cambodia.

Registration begins at 9 AM behind the Millvale Riverfront Park pavilion and we will start bicycling at 10 AM.

The Millvale Riverfront Park Pavilion is at 70 Riverfront Drive and getting there can be a bit tricky so please consult your GPS or favorite mapping site or a good map before heading out. If you are coming south down PA28 when you exit at Millvale stay in the middle lane through the lights and turn left under the bridge. The Millvale Riverfront Park pavilion is near the Three Rivers Rowing Association’s Millvale Boathouse.

We will be riding down to PNC Park, Heinz field and ending at the old penitentiary before returning. An option on the way back will be to cross over at the Fort Duquesne Bridge to Point State Park and then back to Millvale. Expect to ride for approximately 1 to 2 hours. This is a family friendly ride and it open to riders of all ages and fitness level.

If you need to rent a bicycle for the ride, Bicycle Heaven has graciously agreed to open early for this event. Even if you don’t need to rent a bicycle, you have to visit Bicycle Heaven and see their amazing collection of vintage bicycles and related items.

Please bring checks made out to SEAPC with Bikeathon in the memo area or donate on line at SEAPC and designate your donation for the Bikeathon.

Check out the Bike for Cambodia 2013 page for photos and more from last year’s ride.

Bike and Dine Thursday, August 20, 2014 starting at the Millvale Pavilion at 6:30 PM

Don’t forget that our next ride is this Thursday, August 21, 2014 meet at the Millvale Riverfront Park Pavilion. We will start our ride at 6: 30 PM riding down along the river past Heinz Stadium and PNC Park to the old penitentiary (SCI) and then over to The Point and back. The distance is approximately 13 miles round trip and should take us about 1.5 hours.

You have the option to to do a shorter distance if you want - just let me know before we start riding. This trail is paved almost the entire way and is easy riding. If you are interested in the route you can view a previous ride here.

After the ride we will be heading to Subway at 124 Grant Ave. in Millvale for dinner. Don't forget your bicycle lock if you plan on joining us for dinner.

 

This is our last scheduled Bike and Dine for this bicycling season. If you haven’t ridden a Bike and Dine now is your last chance.

Panhandle Trail Ride Saturday, August 16, 2013 at 3 PM.

Saturday August 16 we will be riding the Panhandle Trail beginning at 3 PM. We will meet at the Walkers Mill Road parking area. To get there from Pittsburgh take I-376 South and take exit 64A to I-79 South (toward Washington, PA). Take exit 57 which is the Carnegie exit. At the bottom of the exit turn right and go approximately 1.5 miles until you will see a small sign for the Panhandle trail parking at Walkers Mill Rd. Turn left and go approximately .1 miles until you see the parking areas on the left and right hand side of the road. From the Fort Pitt tunnel it should take you about 15 minutes. From RCC in Oakmont allow about 40 minutes.

This trail has some areas with picnic tables and portable toilets along the way but as always bring plenty of water and any snacks you may want. We are planning on riding to Burgettstown and back for a total of 34 miles round trip. You can ride more or less miles just make sure the ride leader knows if you are going farther or shorter than the group. More details on what there is along the trail by following this link (will open a PDF trail millage chart).

CANCELLED - Ride on the Butler Freeport trail on Sunday July 20, 2014

This ride is cancelled due weather and trail conditions.

Bike and Dine ride on Thursday July 10, 2014 from Homestead to McKeesport (and possibly Boston)

Meet on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at the parking area at US Steel pump house (near the Lowes store on Waterfront Drive) and ride to McKeesport and possibly Boston and return. We will start our ride at 6:30 PM. This is a great trail and is paved all the way to McKeesport. The ride is approximately 7 miles each way to McKeesport and should take approximately 1 hour round trip. If we continue from McKeesport to Boston it will add approximately 4 miles each way. After the ride we will have dinner somewhere at The Waterfront.

 If you are interested in the details from a previous ride just follow this link.

Pittsburgh JazzLive Festival ride along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, Sunday June 22, 2014 at 2 PM.

Meet at the Second Ave and Swinburne St parking area on Sunday, June 22 and we will begin riding at 2 PM sharp. We will head down the trail, cross the Hot Metal bridge and then bicycle along the South Side portion of the trail and cross over the Smithfield Bridge and head to the bicycle parking area on Sixth Ave near Penn Ave in downtown. We will park out bicycles (don't forget a lock if you have one) and enjoy El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico from 3 to 4:15 PM at Penn Ave Stage I.  We may also take in The Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra and Allan Harris who are performing from 4:15 to 6 PM on Penn Ave State II.

Our return trip will depend on what time we leave the Pittsburgh JazzLive International Festival and traffic. Turn by turn directions for our route from Second Ave and Swinburne St parking to downtown are available here.

Update - the JazzLive venues do not have seating so be prepared to stand or bring something to sit on that you can carry on your bike.

Bike and Dine, Tuesday June 10, 2014 from Millvale to the old penitentiary and The Point

Meet at the Millvale Riverfront Park Pavilion on Tuesday, June 10th. We will start our ride at 6: 30 PM riding down along the river past Heinz Stadium and PNC Park to the old penitentiary (SCI) and then over to The Point and back. The distance is approximately 10 miles each way for a total of 20 miles round trip.

You have the option to to do a shorter distance if you want - just let the ride leader know before we start the ride.

  

After the ride we will be heading to Subway at 124 Grant Ave. in Millvale for dinner. Don't forget your bicycle lock if you plan on joining us for dinner.

Update:
It was a great ride. See what you missed.

Ride on the Butler Freeport trail, Saturday May 24, 2014 starting at 2 PM.

We will start at the Cabot trail head and heads toward the end of the trail in Butler. We will start riding at 2:00 PM and expect the ride to last approximately 2 to 3 hours (approximately 11 miles each way). You have the option to turn around at any time if you do not wish to ride that long - just let the ride leader know so that we will not be looking for you at the end of the ride. Saturday's weather is looking great with a high around the low to mid 70s with low humidity. Be prepared with sunscreen and water.

Bike and Dine ride on Wednesday May 7, 2014 from Homestead to McKeesport (and possibly Boston)

Weather permitting, we will meet Wednesday, May 7 2014 at the parking area at US Steel pump house (near the Lowes store on Waterfront Drive) and ride to McKeesport and possibly Boston and return. Will will start our ride at 6:00 PM. This is a great trail and is paved all the way to McKeesport. The ride is approximately 7 miles each way to McKeesport and should take approximately 1 hour round trip. If we continue from McKeesport to Boston it will add approximately 4 miles each way. After the ride we will have dinner somewhere at The Waterfront.

Spring is almost here - are you ready to ride?

Spring officially arrived on March 20, 2014 but the weather in the Pittsburgh are is not very Spring like. Many of the bicycle trails are not in great shape yet but I am ready to get out and do some riding. Our first group bicycle ride will be in April and will be a bike and dine ride. A bike and dine ride is were we do a local trail and afterward go to a restaurant (OTB Bicycle Cafe, Subway, etc.) to share a meal. Usually we start riding around 6:00 to 6:30 PM and finish up before sunset. Once I set a date and location the ride calendar will be updated.

If you are not on the group email list and would like to be added there is now a contact form on the right side where you can sign up. You can also keep up with this blog by clicking on the join this site link on the right side under the Followers area.

Winter hibernation

Just in case you didn't notice this blog is hibernating for the winter. The weather in Western Pennsylvania this winter has been brutal and not conducive for bicycling. I hope sometime in April of 2014 we will be back out riding. Until the weather improves, think about getting your bicycle in shape for the spring, check out the numerous regional trail web sites and you might even want to follow them on Facebook.