Urban Hike

Save the date! June 3 is next Urban Hike

skdk2727 — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:51:03 +0000

Have you ever wanted to see a “Strip Show”? Well, have we got one for you! Urban Hike ventures into Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District on Sunday, June 3 to visit perhaps some familiar landmarks, and introduce a few less well known sites.

We’ll “expose” all the details soon, so for now plan on spending a couple of hours walking 4 or 5 miles, with stops along the way for local culture and history.

See you soon!

P.S. For those of you who may be new to the area, the Strip District is actually a strip of land along the Allegheny River, filled with shops, restaurants, and history. It is in no way a red light district. And please forgive the puns — we simply could not say no to the temptation.

4/28 — Beechview hills await!

skdk2727 — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:10:28 +0000

Spring is finally here! Well, maybe spring came a few weeks ago, then we had summer and now we are back to spring (or maybe winter?), but whatever the weather, Urban Hike is ready to go!

We are kicking off the 2012 season in Beechview on April 28th. We will meet at 10:00 a.m. at BREW on Broadway Ave. (1557 Broadway Ave. – map) Free street parking is available on Methyl Street, on ether side of Hampshire Ave., or there is a parking lot off Broadway near the intersection of Hampshire Ave. and Fallowfield Ave. It’s $0.25 for 15 minutes, with parking allowed for up to four hours. The hike should last about three and a half hours or so.

Don’t want to deal with parking (or with driving on the steep and twisting Beechview streets)? Why not take the T! The Broadway Ave. at Hampshire stop is just a few steps from BREW.

If you think you’ve seen Pittsburgh’s hills before, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve been to Beechview. Bring your sturdy walking shoes, and your endurance, as this hike will take us up and down numerous hills, and might possibly set the record for most number of city steps encountered on a single urban hike. We’ll be walking about four miles, with a few stops along the way. Don’t forget to bring water, snacks, and sunscreen, although we will hike rain or shine.

Recap:

Where: Beechview, meet at BREW on Broadway (map)
When: April 28th, 10:00 a.m.
What: Urban Hike
Who: Come one, come all, and bring friends

Questions? Contact info@urbanhike.org

Sneak peak!

kaypcc3 — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Your Urban Hike planning team got out this past weekend to do a test run of our upcoming route…check out this sneak peak of one of the neat things we will see on the hike…the steepest street in Pittsburgh! (Don’t worry, we’re walking down this one…)

First hike of 2012

skdk2727 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 03:03:49 +0000

Save the date: the first hike of the year will be on Saturday, April 28th. We can’t wait!

Urban Hike Scavenger Hunt in Squirrel Hill – Noon on 10/22

madmik3 — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:34:55 +0000

We are just a few days away from the Squirrel Hill Scavenger Hunt! We have been working really hard, and you don’t want to miss this one! Knowledge of the neighborhood is not required, and in fact it will be a great way to learn about some unusual features of this super cool area. Don’t worry about sending an RSVP, and don’t break open the piggy bank, because no fee is required. Just show up at the public parking lot behind Gullifty’s (behind the 1900 block of Murray Avenue) with a team of no more than 5 people, and be ready to go at noon (12:00 p.m.). If your friends are busy, we’ll put you on a team with new friends.

Bring one digital camera per team, and your cable for downloading pictures. The camera should be clear of any other photos. A pen/pencil for writing answers is also helpful. If you want to park in the lot behind Gullifty’s, the meters have a pay station that takes credit cards — $4.00 for 4 hours. Otherwise, it’s possible to find street parking if you don’t mind a bit more of a walk.

We’ll be there, rain or shine!

Questions? Contact info@urbanhike.org

Save the Date – Urban Hike Scavenger Hunt

madmik3 — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:35:46 +0000

The wait is over, and the location of the annual fall scavenger hunt is … Squirrel Hill! Stay tuned for more details, and mark your calendars for noon on Saturday October 22nd.

If you have somehow missed our clue hunting extravaganza in years past, the drill is this: you show up by yourself, or in teams up to 5 people. We will hand you a map with boundaries and clues, and it’s up to you to find answers. Some clues require picture taking, so bring a camera and a cable to download your photos onto a laptop. The group will later reconvene to score the answers, announce winners, and, of course, hand out prizes.

We’ll see you there, and if you have any questions in the meantime, as always, you can find us at info@urbanhike.org

Sharpsburg Surprises Again!

madmik3 — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:37:28 +0000

Urban Hike seeks out the unexpected in each place we visit, so we’ve seen it all – castles in Wilmerding, boxing rings in former fire stations in Spring Garden, and secret societies in Swissvale. But, Sharpsburg really packs the surprises into its less than one square mile of surface area. If we say any more we’ll ruin the fun, so just come on down and make sure you leave those old, stretched out socks at home because Sharpsburg will knock those off before we round the first bend!In addition to your newest stockings, we recommend you wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle and some sunscreen.

Dogs are welcome, but be warned that this hike will include a few awesome indoor attractions.

The terrain is relatively flat and there aren’t any city steps on this hike, so feel free to bring the buggy.

Any questions? Contact us at info@urbanhike.org.

Lunch
We’ll be hiking right through lunch time, so we hope you’ll stick around for some food or drinks at Silky’s Crows Nest at the end. If the weather is nice, they’ve promised to save us some of their deck seating with river views. They have asked that we get one check per table, so please bring cash or a generous attitude! (Hike will end around 12:30, so plan to stay later if you want to eat.)

Directions – Car
We haven’t been able to find a good address for the Crows Nest, but directions are simple. Get yourself to Sharpsburg (it’s between the 62nd Street Bridge and the Highland Park Bridge on the north side of the Allegheny River) and you’ll surely find yourself on the accurately named Main Street. Cross streets are numbered, so just head for 19th (low numbers in the west and high in the east) and then turn towards the river. You’ll go through an underpass and when you come out, surprise!, there’s the Crows Nest.

Directions – Bus
Sharpsburg has two buses that run fairly frequently on Saturdays (rather unusual for such a small town, eh? ;> ) – the 1 Freeport Rd and the 91 Butler Street. Get off on Main Street at 19th Street and head towards the river.

Recap:

When: Saturday, September 24 · 10:00am - 12:30pm

Where: Crow’s Nest,19th & River Road

What: Urban Hike in Sharpsburg

Who: Everyone, Anyone

Urban Hikes sets its sights on Swissvale

madmik3 — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 04:38:40 +0000

So, you’ve seen the Edgewood-Swissvale exit on the parkway and you’ve sped through Swissvale to get to Kennywood, but have you even heard of Swisshelm Park? And did you know Swissvale’s secrets include super-sized subs, spruced up old houses, and the headquarters of the Secret Society of Odd Acquisition? No need to stall any longer! Saunter over to Swissvale on August 28th and Urban Hike will steer you through the sights of Swissvale and Swisshelm Park. After the hike, stick around for soups, salads, and sandwiches at Cafe dez Artz.

A few important details:
1. Sunday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m.
2. Swissvale shopping plaza – Church St & Monongahela Ave, 15218
3. Hike will be 4.5 to 5 miles and contain several steep blocks, but no steps
4. Sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and beverages encouraged
5. We hike rain or shine!

Parking and Directions
Find your way to S. Braddock Avenue near Edgewood Towne Centre. Church Street intersects with S. Braddock near where it passes under the train tracks and busway. Turn the only way that you can onto Church (right if you’re heading outbound and left if you’re heading inbound) and drive to the next light, which is about a block. The shopping center will be on your left. We have been told that parking isn’t enforced on Sundays, so you can park on the street or in the lot.

Buses: P1 (East Busway) and 61B