Thought I just posted this, but the forum seems to have eaten it. Sorry if this goes up twice.
I was riding around my neighborhood (Greenfield) Tuesday night and ended up in the midst of a group ride that turned out to be the team decaf Tuesday night ride. Really great bunch of people (thanks so much for letting me ride along with you for the bit that I did!)
I'd really like to do the whole ride some Tuesday night, but I'm looking at a map and noticing that after the ride (to get home) I'll have to go through some areas where (if I'm understanding the stories and reading the map right) cyclists have been attacked with disturbing frequency lately.
Can anyone advise me on a safe way (if one exists) to get from Tazza D'Oro to Greenfield/Squirrel Hill/Oakland/thereabouts? (Actually, get me to any point on 5th ave and I'm good.)
I'd be on here asking if someone wanted to ride to (and from) the ride with me, but at this point I'm not sure enough of my schedule ahead of time to know which Tuesdays I can make it til near the last minute. (Also, part of the problem will be sort of solved when/if my Saturdays open up - daytime seems a little lower risk than evening, but for now I'm looking at the Tuesday rides.)
Thanks!
If I'm around I can ride back as far as 5th with you; I live in Sq'Hill.
I always ride to the Decaf rides when I can get away on Tues nights. I take Shady --> Alder --> Highland. Then reverse it, Highland all the way to Alder on the way back.
Those rides end early enough and Highland is reasonably well-traveled. I've never been scared or had a problem there. The road surface sucks and there are some unpredictable drivers/pedestrians, though.
+1 to Sarah's suggestion.
Your best bet is probably Highland straight to 5th avenue. You'll probably find somebody going your way. In any case, all the conflicts so far have been pretty late at night.
Thanks - that calms my nerves a good bit. (Sarah, I pm'd you with my cell # in case riding out together works out.) thanks again!
highland straight to fifth comes to a T... at which point you would have to get on fifth (not recommending that) or ride on the sidewal to somewhere (wouldn't recommend that either due to the tight sidewalks and traffic control boxes).
highland > alder > shady is the best way.
you can also try highland to walnut to wilkins to murray for a little variety. pretty much the same ride with a similar climb, but different scenery.
@cburch:
missed a street between walnut and wilkins maybe. (although once I get to Walnut I'm in familiar territory so all's good.)
yeah i meant to add aiken and a tiny, fairly friendly, bit of 5th. sorry
I like Highland, Right on Kentucky, Left on College and up through Chatham.
Ha. I saw all you guys tearing down Highland just south of Tazza d'Oro as I was headed home from work yesterday. Warmed my heart a little as I rode with my ulock in my hand thru that hood.
Was the 'bent the same fella who posts on here?
If it was near Tazza, that guy on the 'bent was probably John Strait, who often does the Decaf rides.
So, no, it wasn't me, but we work in the same place. Ask bjanaszek how much bike rack space multiple 'bents in the loading dock take...
Ask bjanaszek how much bike rack space multiple 'bents in the loading dock take...
Oh my word. They're like Hummers!
beechwood is an alternative for a less-steep way into squirrel hill. it's a bit out of the way, but you're on a bike, so live it up. but if you do that, i recommend taking a left on walnut from highland or shady, and taking it to the end at denniston, then ignoring the no left turn sign and turning left onto fifth.
there are a lot of fun ways. you can take highland to alder to [spahr/college/maryland/summerlea] to ellsworth, then take that to morewood and go through cmu. or you could go up wilkins, or shady, or beechwood, or through chatham, or, my personal favorite, murray hill!
@Mick Regarding the Chatham route, it is pretty and quiet, but according to my girlfriend, an alumna from the school, the Chatham cops frown on people using it as a throughway, especially random guys riding through an all-female (undergrads, at least) college campus.
Just a word of warning that they might stop you at some point, though I wouldn't let that stop you from taking that route.
+1 for Murray Hill. +10 for Negley if you're *really* looking for a good time.
I've never ridden through Chatham, tempting as it may be. There are big "PRIVATE ROAD" signs everywhere.
Back to the original concern, I'll be coming home from the HP volleyball courts (below the reservoir) at 10:30 tonight. I ride every week and generally take Highland but I'm seriously considering getting a ride in a car until this shit calms down. This sucks. I suppose I could take One Wild -> Butler -> Lawrenceville -> Bloomfield but that's WAY out of the way.
Salty, as much as traffic can suck, Negley may be a decent option for that time of the night. For once, more car traffic may actually be safer...
I've never ridden through Chatham, tempting as it may be
I ride through there occasionally. Have exchanged smiles and waves and pleasant comments with Chatham security guards etc. You'd be fine. Aside from the speed bumps it's a very nice climb up from 5th, on a very peaceful road. Might not be all that well lit after dark though, they have actual gas lamps (the mantle kind, not the open flame kind) rather than street lights.
I think they mainly don't want trucks and car traffic cutting through for no reason. I suppose if it became a bike superhighway...
I always assumed Highland was way better than Negley - hasn't most of the crap going down (aside from the coop thing) been around Negley?
my understanding is that it seemed to be centered near peabody, which is at the corner of elb and highland.
oh well, i wussed out and rode in a car. i feel defeated, like i let the hoodlums win. it would have been a nice night for a ride.
People have had trouble on Negley in the past -- I recall hearing about it a few years ago. Same BS, getting jumped by kids or having stuff thrown at them.
Murray Hill is cobblestone, just fyi to the OP.
I have ridden through Chatham with no problems too, although I prefer Shady since it's more direct.
@salty: (Re good time up Negley) I like to fill my panniers with rocks first.
Thanks hidden V - although I ride those roads all the time (shadyside ->sq hill), know that area really well. I was mainly worried (with all the news lately) about how close one can get to the ELB/Negley intersection area and be (more likely) safe, so I'm good now.
I used to avoid Chatham, but then, I ended up living on College Avenue for 10 years, so I often went through.
Never once have I have stopped by security there.
Coming down from Sq Hill, you have to be careful because the speed bumps are killers.
i don't really think there's any alternative to just taking highland into shadyside. ELB is where the problems have mainly been, so that's out. any further east and you're heading into larimer/homewood, and that's surely no better than highland. i recommend just riding with someone, and i can't see a better way than just staying on highland. the busier, the better, don'tyouknow.
My gf's incident last week was on Negley right by the gas station there. Also the cyclist who was sucker-punched about 2 months ago was at Negley & ELB.
