A couple of options I can think of
-You could take the sidewalk up Bates
-You could get a better headlight (>150 lumens)
-You could bike part way then put your bike on a 75 or 81 bus to Oakland.
2012-07-11 14:18:28
9
Getting to Oakland from the South Side
I'm taking a class on Monday nights near Station Square that isn't over until 9 pm. I normally ride home to Regent Square on the South Side trail --> jail trail --> through Schenley park on the Panther Hollow trail to Oakland --> home from there. The part that concerns me is riding through Schenley park when it's nearly dark. I've only ever seen one other person in the park at that time of evening, around 9:15-9:30 pm. Is there another way I can get up to Oakland from the South Side that is safe and reasonably well lit? Thanks!
2012-07-11 13:59:55
Or take the Birmingham Br. instead. I prefer riding the sidewalk on 5th to messing with Forbes. Once I get to Halket I hop over to Forbes, its just the off ramp area that sucks.
2012-07-11 14:28:40
Cross the smithfield st bridge and then ride forbes ave all the way. There's one spot where you have to watch for merging traffic from 376... other than that it's really not that bad.
2012-07-11 14:31:17
Thanks for the replies. I was hoping for some backstreet routes though! I do have some good lights on my bike, it's being in a deserted spot that bothers me.
2012-07-11 18:26:56
Would it work?
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1418798
2012-07-11 19:26:14
Another option is riding to the end of the jail trail, up Greenfield ave to Beechwood, left off Beechwood onto Foreward then back to Beechwood near Colfax. It's very direct, low(er) traffic and a bit less climbing.
2012-07-11 20:00:58
As a resident of Oakland, I encourage avoiding going up Bates (from either Eliza or ss trail-Hot Metal Bridge.)
The best bet is to go SS trail to 18th > then head over to the Birmingham Bridge (with bike lanes) then up 5th (mostly via sidewalk- heads up around the used car dealer) into Oakland proper.
Once you crest 5th ave @ Craft, your options are to continue down Craft & hop over to the Boulevard of the Allies thru Schenley, or drop from 5th over to Forbes then head east.
Haven ridden up Bates a few times, I must say that I am biased and despise that road with a passion.
I will usually go 2 miles around to the long way for the Birgminham / 5th route.
2012-07-12 04:57:13
I live close to the top of Bates, so I often take it.
Or rather, I take the sidewalk next to it, going up.
Going down, I keep up with traffic well enough. Even MV drivers don't mess with a man while he's falling down a cliff.
2012-07-12 21:11:57