Church is paved, IIRC. Schaeffer (which splits from Church) is not. Church goes through a steep little valley though, so "easy" is subjective.
Is Wagner paved? I know Cedar Run is (a bit further up Saxonburg).
2010-04-01 23:27:46
13
paved route between middle rd and saxonburg?
I hear Saxonburg blvd is closed btwn green belt and hartwood acres.
Is Wagner to Church just past the HW Acres paved? I've stumbled across some dirt roads back that way in the past,just can't recall where. I'd like to cut back to S'burg from Middle via the easiest route possible.
Thanks.
2010-04-01 23:16:28
Thanks for the reply. One of those roads that runs past a horse farm/riding place is paved and not too steep, but I can't remember which one it is.
2010-04-01 23:58:58
Sarah, what about going up on the other side? I'm not _terribly_ familiar with the roads, but you could always do something like Freeport-->Fox Chapel-->Squaw Run-->Dorseyville (or, Squaw Run-->Old Mill if you like gravel)-->Saxonburg past Hartwood Acres. Squaw Run has a nice little kicker of a climb right before Dorseyville, but, aside from that, it should be pretty easy for a motivated triathlete 
2010-04-02 00:12:02
I get lost on the other side. I am familiar with Middle and I know there is an easy way through just past the park. In the past one way I tried involved nasty dirt roads, one way was paved and pleasant through a little horse farm area. I just cannot remember the names of the roads since it is a while.
btw I found a couple who is willing to ride with me tomorrow -- little do they know...
2010-04-02 00:20:35
I answered my own question, Cedar Run to 910. It's right before the somewhat gnarly switchbacks on 910, but Cedar Run is the horse-y farm route.
2010-04-02 01:01:05
Yeah, Cedar Run is horsey. Taking it to Church includes a nice dip in the valley, but it is a nice road, and that stretch is paved. The Middle->Cedar->Church->Saxonburg loop is a favorite.
2010-04-02 01:11:59
I would be happy to help if you want to do some exploring of that area. Indiana Township is my home turf and I know the roads pretty, but I admittedly have actually biked very few of them. The roads there are just simply too high speed and hilly for most kids growing up to handle.
The area you're talking about however is basically on the border of the roads I know well. The further north and west you go, the less I know the roads. Church Lane is paved I believe, I don't know about Wagner, and I do know that Cedar Run is gravel in some stretches.
Also here is a link to a decent and close by wooded trail/path that is literally in my old backyard 
Don't know if you're the sort who might enjoy off-road biking at all, but the trail marked is pretty flat and well packed-down (though it has a few stream crossings and a culvert under the turnpike. The beauty is that there several branching trails off of it and huge mess of them once you reach Emmerling Park and cross the nice bridge over Deer Run on the east end.
2010-04-02 02:30:57
I would be happy to help if you want to do some exploring of that area. Indiana Township is my home turf and I know the roads pretty, but I admittedly have actually biked very few of them. The roads there are just simply too high speed and hilly for most kids growing up to handle.
The area you're talking about however is basically on the border of the roads I know well. The further north and west you go, the less I know the roads. Church Lane is paved I believe, I don't know about Wagner, and I do know that Cedar Run is gravel in some stretches.
Also here is a link to a decent and close by wooded trail/path that is literally in my old backyard
Don't know if you're the sort who might enjoy off-road biking at all, but the trail marked is pretty flat and well packed-down (though it has a few stream crossings and a culvert under the turnpike. The beauty is that there several branching trails off of it and huge mess of them once you reach Emmerling Park and cross the nice bridge over Deer Run on the east end.
2010-04-02 02:31:45
I would be happy to help if you want to do some exploring of that area. Indiana Township is my home turf and I know the roads pretty, but I admittedly have actually biked very few of them. The roads there are just simply too high speed and hilly for most kids growing up to handle.
The area you're talking about however is basically on the border of the roads I know well. The further north and west you go, the less I know the roads. Church Lane is paved I believe, I don't know about Wagner, and I do know that Cedar Run is gravel in some stretches.
2010-04-02 02:35:06
Oh, I might have confused Cedar Run Road with Shaffer Run Road. Also here is a link to a decent and close by wooded trail/path that is literally in my old backyard
Don't know if you're the sort who might enjoy off-road biking at all, but the trail marked is pretty flat and well packed-down (though it has a few stream crossings and a culvert under the turnpike. The beauty is that there several branching trails off of it and huge mess of them once you reach Emmerling Park and cross the nice bridge over Deer Run on the east end.
2010-04-02 02:37:18
We wound up taking Middle all the way up to the Red Belt. Fun
Looks like you could detour by taking Harts Run to Dorseyville and pick up S-burg after the park, which is another option.
2010-04-02 20:35:50
910 as it drops down to Freeport Rd is not recommended. Made that mistake earlier this morning after poking around out there.
2010-04-05 02:20:31