BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

you can take coral st just south of penn through friendship to avoid most of the suckage on penn in garfield.

you could also research routes via oakland or polish hill using google maps

East Liberty Blvd, across Penn, through Friendship. Have you looked at the bike map?

As much as I hate Penn (pretty sure it's the cause of my slightly bent back axle), I still ride it. Every time I'm in East Liberty (which has been a lot this summer) I'm usually in an extreme hurry to get somewhere that just happens to be close to Penn. The Friendship detour does work well though, and is advisable if you like your bike.

For a longer, but mellow trip to town, you could go:

Negly->Neville -> Bounday-> Panther Hollow -> Jail trial.

From E.L., I would probably go on Ellsworth then Fifth, but I have a lot of experience on Fifth Ave and I tell myself I know how to deal with Oakland traffic.

I've taken @Mick's route on a few occasions, fifth really isn't that bad through oakland with the 500 lanes and all.

Also, the Jail Trail is still detoured so taking fifth through uptown is probably preferable at this point.

Longer and mellower would be good but not in the mornings when i have to get to work. 2 bus rides and two bike rides before work is fun but I have to leave pretty early to make it work. not sure i want to leave earlier.

now on days when I dont have to rush to work... that is a completely different story.

I think the Fifth Ave route would be comparable to Penn. Depending on the part of East Liberty you get off the bus in and the part of downtown you are going to.

The jail-trail would be longer, though.

According to Ggole, from 6100 Penn circle southy to 526 Penn ave, is 5.3 miles on Penn, and 5.6 on 5th Ave.

Note: Google bicycle directions was VERY resitant to going through Garfield on Penn.

It likes Friendship along the whole length of that street.

When I moved a point east of Negley to Penn Ave, the route turned off on Negley. When I moved another point to Penn and Millvale, It got off of Penn at Negley and came back at Millvale. When I moved a 3rd point to penn at Penn and Fairmont (one block west of Negley), Google left Penn at Negley to come back at Fairmont. Google has a point.

You might try the route down Friendship. 0.1 miles longer than Penn Ave and much less stressful.

Ellsworth (noting that there is a very brief detour at the moment at Highland) to Neville, to Fifth or to trail..... Similar distance to what you are covering now, fairly direct route from East Liberty Station.

To throw out one more suggestion: take the bus to Highland @ Penn by the huge church.

Take Baum (behind the church) all the way to Gold Way,

Right on Gold Way, and follow it as it curves into Melwood.

Right on Herron (very steep and curvy, and very fun).

Left on Liberty

Right on 33rd (through Dean Restaurant Supply parking lot)

Left on Penn, to downtown.

aka the E Liberty / Polish Hill / Strip District "Z".

Lots of options here!

Pseudacris - Have taken that route before on a flock ride. lots of fun there. that was an option I have been holding onto since I knew that way and wanted to learn some others.

am going to try the friendship route tomorrow.

tried Friendship this morning. little longer but a much nicer ride

I'd mix up bus and bike, and the bus routes do not have to be the direction you're going. For example, your 77 to Highland Park-ish, *outbound* 71AorB up to the zoo, bike down the hill to Butler, then either ride Butler or catch a 91.

Use the buses where traffic sucks or there's a hill that's beyond you (perhaps 82 from Centre/Neville to Herron). Cross-town routes like the 75, 93, 64 get you from one in/out path to another.

Use TransitGuru's system map and super-condensed schedule guide (both PDFs).

For the adventurous, this is a great way to learn the system. You're never truly stuck unless you get a flat.

To be real adventurous, 77 to 71B, ride to Butler, 62 St Br, wiggle over to Etna, catch a 2 to Millvale, ride river trail into town.