BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

i was thinking about doing this just to avoid the mess. while i wholeheartedly agree that the protests must happen, i just get nervous and sick in the stomach about doing anything but leaving town.

but i can't fall asleep with bugs around me outside, so i think i'll just go back home for the week.

you could probably just pick a green spot on a map and spend an uninterrupted week there--even the park rangers are being trained and equipped for the g20, so you won't have much to worry about.

What about west on the Steubenville pike to out around the Raccoon Creek area? You could probably rough it or stay in their campground. I have been thinking about doing that for a while. Don't know what the road is like though. Figured I could take a bus to Crafton and ride from there.

Yeah, I'm kind of thinking I'd rent my house out to some^H^H^H^Hboard up the windows and leave town, too. I'll bet the campsites will be jammed

the ride to mcconell's mills and morraine is nice

i was also going to recommend mcconells mills

Park rangers are being prepped? I was told by some city police that they weren't even receiving special training.

i'd hit up round bottom camp ground along the trail it's about forty miles from mckeesport. you can't drive to it. but it's two miles from perryopolis by bike so you can get pbr and a can of beans. Great place to fiddle while pittsburgh burns... If things get worse I'm gonna have to join you.

The Montour Trail just opened a new campsite at the Kurnick Access Area (mile 25.6, I think that's near the National Tunnel). Porta-a-john, water, fire ring, picnic tables.

raccoon creek is real nice, they have camp spots and it is a good ride to get to it.

Steevo I am new to the area. Could you give me some directions to raccoon creek? The only way i know out there is on the highway.

I am also considering mcconells mills but have no idea where it is.

McConnell's Mill is basically straight north up 19, maybe 50 miles from the city.

i heard from one of my fellow couriers that there will be 25 miles of chain link fence downtown during the g20. 25 miles?! sounds like pittsburgh will be closed. and they're passing bills that make locking devices illegal. like bike locks... how about a group camping trip? it looks like i'll be out of work for a few days.

Are you serious? How can they pass blanket laws against locks? I'd like to see some authoritative source before I go off ranting and raving to anyone else otherwise this just sounds like crazy rumor-mongering...

I had been thinking that this might be a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the utility of bikes in a congested setting, and was just thinking I'd stay for the festivities. But I'm really not liking the idea that my elected representatives believe that they have the right to turn the city into a prison camp for the sake of, well, for the sake of what? Here's hoping level heads have prevailed and I'm just hearing alarmist squawking.

a beautiful ride would be

west end circle out of town

noblestown for awhile. like 20 miles into midway

under the traintracks across from 711 onto midway

candor, then onto candor. then the access road along

22, making a left onto it to head west. this is

old stubenville pike.

Take this into florence (the intersection with 18)

stop at unimart there.

head north on 18, take 2nd left onto PURDY rd.

keep going straigt on johan, then right on

frankfurt springs.

left on 18, left into the park.

I saw the SWAT team messing standing around drinking coffee in the zoo parking lot yesterday, looking at a bunch of cones set up in the parking lot. Looked like a really high tech training session.

For real though, 25 miles of fence? No locks? I'd put money on these things being untrue.

Some protesters will show up, some cops will bash some heads and call anyone that isn't well dressed and white "terrorists", the ACLU will put out multiple press releases, boy mayor will go on the news with a deer in the headlights look, a week later, everything is back to normal.

The "locks" law would be geared towards protesters handcuffing themselves to things. That is a remarkably rapid, effective method of blocking entrances and traffic. Maybe there is soem thought to making that more serious than simple trespassing.

25 miles of fence is only plausible to me for use on parts of the parkway deemed to need greater security.

Some protesters will show up...

I think Eric has it exactly right.

I don't think it will be a high level of activity because folks are still evaluating Obama and generally supporting him.

Mick

Willie, to get to Raccoon Creek, you could take the Potato Garden Run ride from Oscars Swan's highly recommended "Bike rides out of Pittsburgh" book.

'tater Garden has been mentioined here a few times.

That would get you within two miles of the park. You could a left on Backbone Rd to the park. (from Mapquest, I haven't ridden it. Maybe there's a better way.) Swan might even have a ride that goes to the park, I don't have the book with me.

Mick

It sounds like Raccoon Creek might fill up fast. Lovely park, lovely place to camp. Tomlinson Run State Park, just over the line in West Virginia, also has camping, cabins, etc. A little more commercial (they have a swimming pool, etc) but after Labor Day it is quite quiet and quite remote.

RE: fence. I heard the same 25 mile thing, but I'm guessing it was supposed to be 2.5 miles, as the same rumor specified that dahntahn was going to be fenced off from 6th to 11th streets. I'd believe 2 miles of fence a lot easier than 25.

Valid information? Probably not.

http://postgazette.com/pg/09238/993205-482.stm

I wonder if that means this will be a good time to report road rage, or not.

it will be a GREAT time to own a dunkin donuts downtown

spakbros: are you the dude with the sweet mustache?

We have decided to most likely going to ride on the alleghany passage just because we have gone out there a few times before and already know what to expect. Right now we are planning on riding to cedar creek park the first night and maybe on to round bottom the next. Might even make it all the way to ohio pyle on the third day. Its still a month away tho so plans might change. So far its my girlfriend, myself, and our dog making the trip. If anyone would like to join us for the weekend please feel free.

Nice. How does the dog travel? My wife and I bought this for our pug, and for beer runs.

Anyone camped at Keystone Park?

Routing something along the lines of http://tinyurl.com/nrdfuv

Is Route 119 a decent cycling road?

lol, no thats Randy, I am the one with the red beard

Well we havent brought the dog out camping with us yet but we are in the process of looking for a small dog trailer like you have or even a trailer for 2 children. We actually have 2 dogs but are only gonna bring one on the trip. I feel safer leaving one home that weekend so the my place will be guarded. Oh yea if anyone has a trailer for sale that would be good for this purpose please contact me. i am looking to spend about a 100 or less. I also was looking into some saddle bags for dogs that REI sells. On some parts of the trail I may let her walk with us for a few miles instead of pulling her, but shes carrying her own food. No free rides

I was throwing the idea around about backpacking, then bike camping, then driving soemwhere and setting up camp and then riding my cross bike around dirt roads. There is a remote area north of Clearfield that I would like to ride, and there is a less remote area (campground) with a mountain road that I would liek to ride in WV (Canaan Loop Road). Any interest?

I'll leave Thursday AM 24th and return Saturday PM 26th