Friday, June 13, 2008

Getting There By Bus Or Train

If gas prices got you down, or if your bike is your vehicle then you may have the option to take public transportation.




View the Full Size Map

Here is a brief overview of Bikes on Board rules for Local Bus and Rail Systems:

SEPTA Weekend Bike Rules -

  • Bikes Racks on All Buses
  • Regional Rail - 5 bikes per space permitting.
  • No Bikes on Trolley Lines
  • Market Frankford El, Rt 100 and Broad St Subway Bikes allowed 2 bikes per car Best Bets

NJ TRANSIT

  • RiverLINE - Hanging Bike Racks on All Trains (6 bikes per train) Best Bet
  • Atlantic City Line/NE Corridor Line - 2 bikes per car.
  • Bike Racks on Buses
  • Bikes Allowed in Baggage Compartment on Motorcoach Buses

PATCO

  • Bikes Allowed On All Trains Lindenwold, Woodcrest, Broadway, 8th and Market and 15-16th Locust have Elevator Access to Trains Best Bet

Best Bets are services that offer the most hassle free bike on transit experience.

Be aware that space for bicycles on trains is limited and others may have the same idea as you. Leave as early as possible.

For more information about taking your bike on the bus or train go the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia bikes on transit page.

Find a bus or train route near you - http://phillymap.com

Contact Us

We can answer your questions about taking your bike on transit, please contact John Boyle, the Bicycle Coalition Advocacy Director, at john@bicyclecoalition.org or (267) 253-7958.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Bike Freedom Valley Route Markings

Bike Freedom Valley Route markings are white and are the stenciled letters BFV with an arrow pointing where you need to go.

Typically there should be 2 arrows before the turn and one after to confirm that you made the correct turn.

All markings are in white EXCEPT THE EXTRA LOOP OUT OF VALLEY FORGE IN CHESTER COUNTY, which is PINK so you can tell whether you're entering the park or on the extension loop.

REMEMBER, there are no markings in Valley Forge National Park, however, you can pick up park maps at the start, Villanova, or Betzwood at the park entrance.

What's a cue sheet?

A cue sheet is a list of directions cyclists use to get from one rest stop to the next around route.

For those of you new to cycling and/or organized rides here's how to use a "cue sheet" to follow your route.

Typically a cue sheet has:

1) the segment mileage (mileage between turns)
2) total distance
3) abbreviated direction, i.e. L =left, R=right, etc.
4) street name and other information

The cue sheet is set up in columns as seen in the short sample below:

Seg Total Way Directions
.02 2.2 R at Traffic Light, Meetinghouse Rd
0.0 2.2 QR Hudson Ln
0.8 3.0 > Maple Ln
0.3 3.3 BR TRO Maple Ln

The cue sheet should also have a Key at the begining or end listing all the abbreviations use.
The most common are:
L = Left
R = Right
BR = Bear Right
BL = Bear Left
QR = Quick Right (quick refers to the distance from the previous turn)
QL = Quick Left
TRO = To Remain On
> or Bec = Becomes

SRT = Schuykill River Trail (on our cue sheets)

Thursday, May 15, 2008

FAQs

Notice the section on the right, filled with your frequently asked questions. If you don't find the info you want here please feel free to email me: jill@bicyclecoaltion.org

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

If You don't find it here?

Don't forget, for more info check the link to "Older Posts" at the bottom of the page.

If I drive where do I park/How do I get there?

There is plenty of on street parking for Bike Freedom Valley.

Registration is at Lloyd Hall behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art at Kelly Drive and Waterworks Drive. Across Kelly from Waterworks Dr is Sedgely Dr. You can park anywhere on Sedgeley. There are also several lots near the Lemon Hill Mansion. For Center City Parking information go to philapark.org

Of course you could come to Bike Freedom Valley via regional rail, subway or the PATCO High Speed Line. Bikes allowed on all lines all day on Sundays or put your bike on the front of a bus. When you get close you can bike to the start. This reduces your carbon footprint and saves your legs for a great ride.

If you need transit or trip planning info go to www.septa.com and ridepatco.org.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Volunteer for Bike Freedom Valley

Volunteer opportunities abound.

Choose from the following:
Rest Stop Volunteer or Captain: help feed and hydrate our riders
Registration: Day of Registration at the Ride Start, Check-In pre-registered riders
Route Marking: Ride the route in the the weeks before and mark the route for our riders
Route Vetting: Ride the marked route in the week before the ride and make any necessary corrections or additions to the markings
SAG: Drive a segment of the route in your vehicle and pick up stranded riders and take them to the next rest stop for help and/or ride the route as a sweep or help those on the Schuykill River Trail
Finish Line Festival: Serve food and drink or hand out t-shirts to our riders and volunteers
General Transport: in the days preceding the ride sort and transport supplies in preparation for the ride
Clean Up: at the end of the ride put away the items from the Finish Line Festival
Shopper: Buy supplies from our list with our cash and deliver them to the central sort point

To Volunteer: jill@bicyclecoaltion.org or 215 BICYCLE x 3#

Volunteer for Bike Freedom Valley

Volunteer opportunities abound. Choose from the following:

Traffic Directors in Valley Forge (no signs are allowed in the park)
Rest Stop Volunteers at Villanova, Valley Forge and Spring Mill
Start set up
Finish Clean up
Food Service at the Start/Finish at Lloyd Hall
Route Marking
Route Checking
SAG Driver
SAG the trail on your bike
Loading and sorting on the 19th and 20th in NE Philadlephia

Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Route Choices

Registration is open soon.

The routes:

You can ride a mostly flat ride ride on the Schuykill River Trail. Mileage options are: 8 miles on the river drives, 22 miles on the Schuykill River Trail or 44 miles into Valley Forge National Historic Park, with a few small hills in the park.

You can ride more challenging rides on shared roads. Mileage options are: 35 miles to Villanova and Conshohocken, 50 miles to Villanova, Valley Forge National Historic Park, and Conshohocken, or 68 miles which adds an 18 mile loop in Chester County outside Valley Forge Park.

All rides return on the Schuykill River Trail. Work hard on the way out, relax on the way back. There is an option to ride a few hills in Manayunk and avoid the towpath.

Depending on your ride there will be rest stops at, Villanova, Valley Forge, and Spring Mill (Conshohocken) as well as a Finish Line . Don't foget our famous tomato pie will be at all rest stops this year.