I am trying to take a bike to work challenge. I live in the South Hills near Caste Village and work in Coraopolis. I do not ride regularly but I am interested in swapping my SUV for a two wheeler. Is this even possible? I thought about creating a blog following my adventure from biking beginner to professional commuter. What do you think?
Yes! Totally create a blog, even if it's only your family and friends (and us) who read it. I don't know much about the area you live in, but a lot of folks on this board commute from outside the city and will have good ideas for you.
You could start with a "park and pedal" strategy, whereby you drive your bike to a reasonable starting point. This might be important for you, because access from the South Hills is notoriously difficult. But, if you could get to the Montour Trail you could ride off road all the way to Groveton, and then just a mile or two on road into Coraopolis.
P.S. Kudos to whomever it is that is sponsoring the Bike to Work Challenge.
Oh it's a self-imposed challenge. I like the idea of it and thought maybe it would inspire someone else to try. I don't do enough for the enviroment and my Explorer certainly isn't helping.
It'll probably be 20-ish miles each way...doable, but it's a bit hilly betwixt one and the other, so working up from a partial to a full commute would be a good idea.
I'd suggest working your way over to Carnegie, and pick up either Noblestown Rd or Ewing Rd to Robinson. From there, you could head down the hill to the Montour Trail, or work your way over via Forest Grove and down to 51.
I'm sure there will be others along with more detailed route suggestions.
Google maps bicycle options shows the direct, but totally gruesome path of going right down Highway 51, with a sensible detour along Neville Island. If you do Saw Mill Run at rush hour, you might want to make sure your will and life insurance are up to date. If it were not for all that traffic, it would be an incredible route -smooth, flat, straight. That's a 17 mile (one way) trip, which is a helluva distance for commuting.
You aren't all that far from the Montour trail. That is a lovely, mellow trip. But at 45 miles one way? Kinda like running a marathon - before breakfast.
A compromise might be to go down Brownsville Rd to 18th street, then the southside trail out to the West End interchange. SR 51 along the Ohio is certainly rideable on Sundays, others here might be able to tell you how it is on weekdays. The Neville Island detour is highly recommended. This is 19 miles, one way.
It's a helluva commute. Hard-core athletes might do it in a hour. Most people here would do it in 1.5 hours to 2 hours.
Personally, I would take three hours and stop along the way for krimpets and tea.
I think the way that is most likely to succeed for you would be to park & ride, as others have said. Start out by driving as far as Robinson (sorry) and pick up the Montour trail to ride to Cory, do that for, mm, 3 weeks. Then back off and only drive as far as Carnegie, and go from there. Then back off to Mt. Lebo, etc. I think if you do it otherwise you may burn out on the idea almost immediately.
Definitely blog it!
First, the suggestion to ease into it is a good one. This just came up in another thread, too.
I was once the proud owner of a 20 mile, each way, commute, from Pittsburgh (Morningside) to Sewickley. 90 minutes was average. I worked out an arrangement with my employer to work two or three days from the office, and the rest from home. Personally, I would never do a commute of that length every day (FWIW, my employer moved offices from the Shaler area to Sewickley, so I didn't take a job in Sewickley, and I found other employment with about five months). Why? Well, for me, I couldn't justify being tied up with work for 11+ hours each day. Perhaps you can, and if that's the case, go for it.
I'm not suggesting you don't do the bike commute--I'm merely suggesting you may need to balance your desire to go green with other obligations.
I'll toss in the idea of combining the bus and the bike. This gives you the ability to avoid both driving and biking in some aggravating areas, and lets you get through Mt Washington rather than over or around it. It also allows you to bike instead of waiting for a bus.
I'd bike to anything headed Downtown, go thru the MtWash Transit Tunnel, and get off at Station Square. Get over to and ride downstream along the river trail and StaSq's driveway to the far end, where you can hop a 28X (a G2 after April 4) at the Duquesne Incline out to Ikea, where it's an easy drop to the Montour Trail.
There are other bike-bus options, but that's the cleanest.
These are all great suggestions. It's going to take me a little while to figure out this route. It looks like an adventure.
What do you think about picking up the trail at Rennerdale? Then riding that up to groveton?
Wow that is a hike.
I would take grove road to weymen and cut through the T stop go past the carwash and cut through mt lebo, get on scrubgrass down into heidelberg,
50 to the light where you can go left and cut down to noblestown.
ewing road up the hill to baldwin, cut through settlers cabin then you decide:
Campbells run then through the mall parkinglot to
get to the trail
or backtrack some on bayer road left on old stuebenvill then right on cliff mine down the hill and the trail is at the bottom
That sounds like a good one, I'm trying to map it out. Do you hve any idea how long it would take?
You will inspire other people. Maybe they won't bike to work, but they may bike the mile to their local bar or to the grocery store.
The important thing to remember is that a commute like that will be hard on your lungs for a little while but it will be worth it. I have no other suggestions other than to start small.
re: “bike the mile to their local bar…”
Related post, I think Carnegie already kind of has that, they could add to their sign "A nice place for DUI offenders."
For me, from Mt. Lebo to Robinson mall is 45 mins. Maybe another 10 to get thru the mall.
I've also ridden the Montour trail to the Panhandle trail to Mt. Lebo. I want to say two hours
The thing I am nervous about is roads. I get nervous around bike riders when Im in a car, so I can't imagine when I'm on the bike. I wanted to take the trail but 40 miles one way may prove to be too much for a morning commute.
If you're not yet comfortable riding with traffic, I'd suggest you work on those skills before doing a long on-road commute.
As has been mentioned above, start simple, and expand your ride as your skills, confidence, and stamina progress. The drive-n-ride or bus-n-ride options are good ones to get started. Heck, if you want some off-road miles, drive to the Montour Trail trailhead at Boggs (just off 980/22), park, and ride down the 11 miles to Coraopolis.
It might also be a good idea to come out for a few group rides in the city, so as to become more comfortable on the roads in a supportive environment.
Good luck!
It is certainly something I am going to have to work my way up to. This is going to be a slow process. What if I made my way to greentree road? I think then I would have to take cambells run.
Come in for the Tweed next Sat.! This would be a cool experiment for you; Ride to the Castle Shannon T station, take the T to town, ride to Doughboy Square and do the Tweed and ride with folks, then take the T on home. On a Saturday, assuming you don't work Sat, so no pressure to get to work. All fun.
Don't want to jinx anything but the 10 day forecast is looking +.
It if were me, I'd do something like this although I'm not sure what Streets Run/Baldwin Rd is like traffic wise at rush hour. I'd echo what everyone else has said about easing into it.
bd, it looks like your "A" starts a little farther out than atimb actually is. But now that you mention it, Baptist to Brownsville to 18th to the South Side trail and out Carson/51/Neville Is would not be bad
Oh, Mick said that.
+Mick!
oops, you're right, he did.
You guys would have been able to keep better track of the things I've said, if you had remembered to have your tea and krimpets this morning.
Just sayin'
Now that I've had a day to think about this, this would be the ideal commute for a folding bike that you can carry onto the bus with you.
The DuqIncline stop I mentioned is also a 21A Coraopolis stop. So, bike to local bus stop, bus to StaSq stop on ECarson at Smithfield St Bridge, bike to the far other end of StaSq, fold the bike, hop on a 21A, ride to wherever you are in Cpls, get off bus, and hike or bike to your place of work. The reverse trip is almost identical, only board your South Hills trip at the StaSq stop at the end of the Smithfield Street Bridge.
Carrying a foldie onto a PAT bus at rush hour will also do wonders for promoting cycling as a real option. Go for it!
I road a fold up bike in England but it was really tiny and uncomfortable, have they got ones that are decent?
RE: folders.
I took one of the 8-speed Dahon models at REI for a spin last year. 'Twas not a high-performance bike by any stretch, but 'twas comfy and fun, at least for the few miles I rode.
Then isn't there a trail around that area that I could pick up to groveton?
Bike trails in Google are dark green - none near you there, unless there is something they aren't showing and I don't know about.
Seems to me Steevo's route is similar in many ways but skips the Banksville valley and hill. Scrubgrass really does go past (not over) a lot of hills.
I'm thinking that Steevo meant Grove to WILLOW (not weyman).
Casle Shannon-> Mt lebanon Blvd to Orchard (wiggle over to) Cochran -> Scrubgrass -> A few miles on scrubgrass.
Then I'm seriously lost, but I have no reason to doubt there is a good way through there...
This one uses some of that, I don't think I'll be able to use many trails, there just isn't any around the airport it seems, that sucks.
Some edits to your route:
Take N. Meadowcroft in MtL
L on Beverly
R on Cochran
Scrubgrass to Washington Pike/50
If it were me I'd take that (roughly) to Cubbage/Collier St/Ewing/Ridge
Ridge to Campbell's run
Drop thru the mall and come up Hookstown
Right on Ewing
A lot of the route you've chosen is high traffic and/or narrow.
I wouldn't ride Stubenville if you paid me to.
Campbell's is alright but Ewing/Ridge is virtually untrafficed.
Swallow Hill is a lot of climbing.
I appriciate all your advice, I have no idea what the traffic is like on these roads so I will take all the help I can get.
[EDIT: After I posted, I saw Chris beat me to it. I'm just guessing, but it looks to me like he KNOWS.]
I think I'd stay on Scrubgrass to the end rather than going up Swallow Hill Rd. It's longer but skips a hill.
I rode that turf in the 70's. If I rode it again, I might change my mind.
Easy way to decide: When you get to the bottom of Swallow Hill, the steepest part is right there. If it looks like fun, do it.
IIRC, it used to make my parent's car slow down.
The route from Library to Scrubgrss looks good. The wiggle at Cochran and Bower Hill is interesting. After you ride it once or twice, you will modify that wiggle - but I'm not sure if I would make it a bigger one or eliminate it.
You might make half a dozen other minor wiggles that aren't apparent from the map.
I can't say from Scrubgrass out to your place of employ.
Mick
I live on his route! And my wife works very close to his end destination. I'm not nearly as good as Steevo but I'm pretty familiar with this one particular route.
Speaking of, my wife recommends Hershinger over Hookstown Grade Rd.
Thank you very much! I've google mapped it out, it looks feasible. Google thinks it will take me 2.5 hours. That will be intense.
None the less here is the link to my blog.
http://cyclingtothemoon.blogspot.com
Foldie or not, do keep the bus-bike combo as a Plan B or C. Maybe you get entirely wiped out on the way in, and don't fancy a second 20+ mile trip. Just hop the 21A back toward town, exit at the stoplight just before the Duquesne Incline, cross WCarson, ride thru Station Square, and board your southbound bus up on the Smithfield Street Bridge. At last count, about 3/4 of the buses typically used on the 21A have bike racks, so while a rack isn't a sure thing, most times it will.
I agree, I'm a little bit aprehensive because I've never ridden a bus before. I need to have that as a backup plan.
You might try riding the bus - at least you can accurately judge beforehand how long that will take you.
Mick
The 41- and 46-series (and associated expresses) come into Downtown on Wood St, turn at Sixth Ave and go back out on Smithfield. The 21A is on a detour because of construction Downtown. You'd have to jump off the 41/46 on Wood, cross Wood and head down to Stanwix, about 3 blocks, to get your 21A. Reverse that in the afternoon.
The bike transfer simplifies and shortens the transfer in that you don't have to go Downtown and deal with all the congestion. I suppose you could walk the bike transfer, but that's a lonnnnnnng walk. Quick ride, though.
