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| - I had my first experience with Open Streets Pittsburgh this past Sunday. The route was from Market Square to the North Shore to the West End. My friend & I biked from Southside- it was literally the most perfect weather to go bike riding, it was about 75 degrees, sunny with a breeze. I couldn't believe how many people were in Market Square! We arrived around 10:00 am which is when Yoga was starting- it was packed. I recommend arriving early to find a good spot. What I enjoy the most about Open Streets is that there is something for everyone. Don't want to go on the route to walk, run, or bike? There was plenty to keep you active and entertained in Market Square alone. After yoga, they had Zumba classes scheduled and other exercise classes as well. They also had plenty of vendors out- I had the opportunity to try Blume Honey Waters, which was awesome and refreshing. We took advantage of the full route and had a lot of fun riding through the neighborhoods. Although the streets are blocked off, there are some areas where cars still need to cross and the organizers/volunteers did a great job of slowing down the participants and letting the cars go. The West End Bridge was completely closed off, which was pretty awesome. Of course, we had to stop and have a photo session there- the view of the city from the West End Bridge is just gorgeous. There were plenty of water stations and other vendors as well. There was something going on in each neighborhood- vendors, water, bathrooms, and additional exercise classes. There were also plenty of activities for children to do along the way and The Children's Museum even had free admission!
Although I did enjoy my experience and plan to return again, there are some things to keep in mind:
- do not expect to have the opportunity to ride your bike fast on this route. There are just simply too many people. Trails are meant for that purpose. You will have to ride slow, and you will need to ride with great cautiousness, as some bikers were seen stopping in their tracks and we even saw another biker run into someone because they had stopping suddenly. That can be really dangerous. Also- there are a lot of children participating in this with their parents. So you will need to keep an eye out for little riders and be mindful of their presence.
- people will be walking along the route and many of them will be in the middle of the road. If you are riding your bike, you will have to be mindful of them and will need to either go around them or beep so they can let you pass. Which brings me to my one complaint- I do think that the organizers should try to encourage walkers to walk on the far right side of the route. I think that for their safety and for the safety of all participants, it makes the most sense. It simply doesn't make sense for every biker to need to go around the walkers, when they have side walks available to them. For walkers with dogs or children, this is especially important, as you are putting your dog or child at risk of being run over by a biker by walking in the middle of the route. It would be awesome if this could be reinforced- it really is a safety concern.
Overall, I had a good time and look forward to going again. I am interested in seeing what other neighborhoods will be featured and I'm really happy that this will be an ongoing event throughout the Summer.
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