Hi folks,
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I should be getting my bike back from the shop in time to attempt to get to and join in the Friday Night Lights ride posted on the Events calander for day after tomorrow. I've never ridden with anybody else, never in a group, and never purposely at night. I've got lights and a vest (from jogging at night).
So I'm posting for two reasons - 1) do I need more of a light than the superbright LED lights I got? (it's not a head light, more of a "don't hit me!" light) and 2) if anybody's headed that direction from Verona/Penn Hills area via 380/Frankstown (or a better route?) and wouldn't mind company, please let me know.
Thanks!!
EJ
edited to add: also, not sure how getting home will go. do people usually (cringe) drive to the meeting point? is it cheating to get picked up at the end or peel off in the correct direction at an appropriate time?
not sure about the ride itself, but in general, lincoln is a much better alternative to frankstown. from what i hear, allegheny river boulevard is a better alternative (i've only ridden frankstown from rodi to coal hollow). and depending on where you're headed and where you're coming from, crossing the hulton bridge and riding freeport road is usually not bad, though i don't think i would want to do it at night.
Thank you for the point to Lincoln - I'd forgotten about it since it's only use to cars is to escape rush hour - it's horrible to drive on and thus should be excellent for biking. I hope I can handle the hills!
Minimum lighting for me for night riding is a red blinky on the bike (seatpost, fender, or back of rack) and a red blinky on the helmet. Front, one too-bright-to-look-at light on the handlebars. Freshly charged or new cells in each. If you're going to be out more than 4 hours, have a backup set.
Myself, I always ride with an orange safety vest, day and night, and a reflective strap around at least one leg.
You might want to check for outbound late-night 81B Lincoln trips, if you don't care to deal with roads solo. The last trip leaves Downtown a bit before midnight and gets to the Lincoln Loop at 12:30a.
Thanks Stu! I admit, in my glee, I'd forgotten that a bus passes right in front of my house, literally. I'm so used to the either/or (and last place I used a bike as transportation, it was because there wasn't any other option). I'll pick up some more blinkies and brights after work today on my way home. Christmas Bike is my next project, but I can't get it done for tomorrow.
So it looks like my best bets are to hop a 77A or 77B (IF they have racks), or a 500 (SUPPOSED to have racks) and get off either in PH or across Hulton Bridge, respectively. Anybody know the chances of a late night 77A/B bus having a rack? Has PAT done a better job lately about ensuring that the "mandatory" Rack n' Roll buses actually have racks on them? (Last scuttlebut I found on this bboard was early 2009). Thanks guys!
The stock response is that about 3/4 of the buses have racks, maybe a bit more than that when you subtract the 1900s that would be off the road by that time of day and the 8600s which don't service those routes. I don't think the dispatchers pay any attention to the rack-and-roll route list.
So, it's a crapshoot, but your odds are actually pretty good, I think.
EDIT: Found the latest info. About the fifth post on the 2nd page. Dated May 4, 2010.
awesome... I've been keeping an eye out as well, and I have yet to see a bus near me without a rack. I'm golden 
