Promoting long distance unsupported cycling in the Pittsburgh region
Let's put a team together to ride the PA Randonneurs Fleche. The earliest start is April 25th; the recommended is April the 27th, with a finish on Sunday the 28th. (Note that there is a conflict with Crush the Commonwealth, which starts the morning of Friday the 26th.) Details here: https://parando.org/info/event/2024-04-25/360
(Contrary to usual 100K practice, we're starting this one at 7 AM, to avoid the worst of the traffic on Allegheny River Blvd and Freeport Rd.) Starting at the Bud Harris Cycling Oval, this suburban populaire follows the Allegheny River upstream to Oakmont (site of the notable Oakmont Bakery), then north through Rural Ridge and...Read more
The McConnell's Mills 200K route has undergone a bit of revision since its inception: one of the controles (the Creighton Sheetz) no longer exists, and the final leg of the route passes through an area that has become quite trafficky and unpleasant later in the day. So, we've moved the start to North Park, allowing...Read more
Originally, this was to be a revival of an old route into Ohio...the Minerva Cheese Ride, named for reasons that have faded into the mists of time. Sadly, after scouting, I decided that the route is not worth exhuming. So, we're offering last year's Castleman 300 as a far-less-hazardous substitute. Registration closes: Thursday May 16th...Read more
The classic 12-hour ultracycling race has returned, with the addition of a 24-hour RAAM qualifier!
See the event web site for more details: https://www.bikereg.com/calvins-challenge-2024
Okay, first off, let me be clear...it's actually 108K, if that deters anyone :-) This one has a mix of traditional and new segments, with the majority of roads smoothly paved (but a few miles of unpaved dirt and occasional gravel to keep it interesting). Starting at the Park-n-Ride lot in downtown Carnegie, PA, we...Read more
It's been a few years, so let's dust off one of our kinder, gentler 400K routes. Starting at the Comfort Inn in Cranberry, we head north through Evans City (passing the world-famous Evans City Cemetery used in the filming of the original Night of the Living Dead) and Slippery Rock on the way to Grove...Read more
(Since your RBA didn't have a chance to ride it last time, we're going to offer the McConnell's Mills 200K again.) The McConnell's Mills 200K route has undergone a bit of revision since its inception: one of the controles (the Creighton Sheetz) no longer exists, and the final leg of the route passes through an...Read more
The Seven Mountains 600K is a new, 'adventure style' mixed surface route, combining 72% pavement, 21% rail trail, and about 7% gravel road. It starts in Delmont and follows a familiar route to Ebensburg using the Westmoreland Heritage, West Penn, and Ghost Town trails. From Ebensburg you head mostly south towards Bedford, reaching the highest...Read more
Another new 100K for 2024. This one lets us explore in the south a bit...starting with familiar roads through New Eagle and Monongahela (with a sad tip-o'-the-helmet to the temporarily closed Sheetz), then up the Mon River through Charleroi and Belle Vernon to the tiny town of Roscoe and the first significant climb of the...Read more
Introduced last year, we'll start at the Aquatorium in Monogahela. We'll head west, skirting Washington PA, until turning southbound at the West Virginia border through the Castleman's Run Nature Preserve, heading towards a controle stop at the bustling TA Travel Plaza near Valley Grove. From there, more country roads to the next controle at the...Read more