BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

You could catch Logan, then Suffolk. Sycamore might be stretch, so maybe Canton and then Eleanor?

I think Rialto is a good one because there is a bridge that crosses over the road near the top and provides a good viewing point. Also, the riders have to go down it first before climbing back up. You've got action both ways.....some folks are more intimidated by the downhill than the up. Of course, Canton is the other one. As a rider you get to feel like a pro with all the cheering and cow bells there.

I don't know about driving. But if you do drive don't block the course, try to park off the course and walk a little bit so it doesn't get jammed up for the racers and the other spectators. If you're riding a bike you can stay on the flats and hit. #1 (Center, Aspinwall) #2 (Ravine, Sharpsburg) #4 (High/Seavy, Etna) *May need to cheat and ride railroad ballast to get from 62nd st to 40th st or cross the river twice. riders take a quick break in millvale riverfront park before #5, so you might have time to cross both bridges and make it. #5 (Logan/millvale) *Gotta hurry, but you can make it to rialto via the river trail. Don't dawdle. Access staris via 31st st bridge. Now with crosswalks! #6 (Rialto) #8 (Sycamore) - long thankless walk or ride up this hill probably awaits all spectators. *Lots of time to kill afterwards while riders do canton. Grab a beer or coffee #11 (Welsh) #13 (flowers / Tesla) via greenfield ave or sylvan / waldek / bigelow to hazelwood to the top of tesla Or skip #11 / #13 and watch #12 barry/holt/elanor

Live feed at Cycling Fusion. Hopefully this cold I've been fighting for the last 2 weeks clears up so I can ride. http://www.cyclingfusion.com/

@Ben; yes, definitely driving, not riding. I would expect to hit no more than two hills, although I have four perennial favorites that is it hard to choose between. One reason I limit it to 2 hills is that I want to arrive well before the riders, help keep parking in the vicinity of the hills sane for the riders, and wait until the riders leave before I get in my car to leave. We'll figure something out. The livestream from cycling fusion will really help us with our final decision on what hills to watch.

If you have to drive to Suffolk, I recommend parking up by the TV tower and walk along Hazleton to the top of Suffolk. There is actually bus service on the 11 Fineview to take you to this spot, but I won't try to prognosticate how to use that service to get there in time, and if you do try it, you're probably looking at walking over to Perrysville Ave to catch an 8 back into town. Maybe in the next couple of days I will assemble a how-to sheet for spectators with a bus pass. Like with a car, though, there are only three or four you can logically get to using transit alone, and those might require a long hike. Thumbnail guess: High, Rialto, Welsh, Boustead. Possibly substitute Logan or SHB for Rialto, BHE for Welsh.

High St can be nice because of the switchback, but it isn't a very hard hill. Take note that the route turns right at the top of Ravine and finishes up Midway Dr (Hill 2) out of Sharpsburg, so if for some reason you are waiting up by St. Mary's Cemetery you will be disappointed. Also, Canton has been completely cleaned following filming of a commercial about a week ago, and so the entire width is in play. Please oh please if you are watching there -- and please do come to make a huge noise -- stay off ALL of the cobbles so that riders don't get pinched right. It is hard enough dealing with 37%... Unfortunately, I need to recommend rain attire as well...

Suffolk has the remains of some chemical spill on it, and it is slippery when wet. That may be interesting.