The Hills of Bethel Park
Lying on an undulating landscape of small hills and valleys, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipality of Bethel Park can be rather difficult place to get around with a pedal bicycle. Because the area has been a great place to train for my two-wheeled excursions, I was intrigued by a suggestion to help create a hilly bike ride, patterned after The Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen.
The Dirty Dozen is a regionally famous annual ride that features some of the nastiest hills within 10 kilometers of the Steel City's Downtown area. It attracts 300 or more riders, who want to test their cycling prowess (or lack thereof), and a gaggle of spectators who gather along the route to cheer them on. A similar ride on the challenging terrain of Bethel Park might also attract riders, showcase our town, and promote fitness within the community as a possible side effect. This blog post will discuss the route and will identify some of the logistical considerations to be addressed in order to have a safe and successful ride.
The Bethel Park Community Center, on Park Avenue, seems like a logical place to begin. It is centrally located, has a fair amount of parking, and indoor restrooms. The Municipal Complex and services are close by and Reginald's Coffee Shop is next door. From the front of the building, the event could make a nice departure on Park Avenue, heading toward South Park Road.
Besides the logistics of securing permission to use the Community Center and its parking, other details include registration, signing a liability waiver, a bicycle mechanic available for pre-ride adjustments, a table with electrolyte replenishment drink, fire/EMS support, and a police presence to control traffic so riders can cross South Park Road (SPR).
After crossing SPR, the ride continues on Park Avenue to a left turn onto Woodlawn Avenue, which ends at a T-intersection with Route 88. Help from police and/or course marshals is desirable here, as well, to control traffic while riders make a dog leg by turning right onto busy Route 88 and then quickly left onto Stoltz Road.
Stoltz continues on long slightly downhill trajectory to a right turn onto Kings School Road (KSR), where the minor 1st hill is encountered. Major and minor hills are distinguished in the description of this route. While not precisely defined, minor hills are generally shorter in length and lesser in grade but do represent obstacles to be overcome along the way. As is the case with all complex subjects, there is some subjective interpretation and room for debate. However, there will be time for all that after a quorum of riders have completed the course.
This 1st minor hill, on KSR occurs approximately 2.7 miles into the ride. It is a gradual warm-up climb of 0.4 miles, at a grade reaching close to 8%. This garden variety rise in the road is nothing to become too worked-up over. Upon reaching the top, at Jasmine Drive, a nice downhill follows all the way to the light at Route 88.
When the light is green, riders can safely cross Route 88 to continue on KSR. After crossing the light rail tracks during a slight descent, the 2nd hill and first major climb begins. It starts gradually and involves two roads, Kings School and Cherryview Lane. Where KSR bears left, riders continue straight onto Cherryview Lane until reaching a Y-intersection with and a left turn onto Wilson Drive. This hill is about 0.3 miles in length and reaches a grade of 10.5% during a portion of the ascent.
Once on top, riders travel through a residential area on Pudding Stone Lane, Glen Hills, Glen Ora, and Delafield Drives. The 3rd hill is another minor climb on Delafield, which begins at the intersection with Southampton Drive. Although only 0.1 miles in length, the grade is a grunt of 9.6% on the way to the top. A drink of water might be in order while pondering the ride pattern that is establishing itself and before proceeding on.
The long downhill, on Irishtown Road, to Clifton Road allows riders a brief rest before taking on the major 4th hill. A left onto Clifton is followed quickly by a right onto Irishtown and its hilly extension. This hill is 0.6 miles long with a peak grade of 9%. From Clifton, the road rises, curves left at Mapleview and is followed by a right hand curve toward Braun Road. The length and sustained grade make this a major effort.
Upon passing Braun Road, on the left, we continue up, briefly leave Bethel Park and Allegheny County to enter Peters Township and Washington County. Our exit from the municipality is brief because, at the top, we descend to a left onto Churchill Road, re-enter Bethel Park, and turn left onto the lower end of Braun Road.
Braun Road, from Church Hill to Irishtown Extension constitutes another climb. It may yet be included as a minor beast, for a grand ride total of 20 hills. At the top is the intersection of Braun and Irishtown that we passed earlier. Here, we turn right onto Irishtown and head back down to Clifton and a left turn.
Clifton has some traffic but enough of a berm to avoid riding in it, if not inclined to take the lane. After approximately 0.3 miles on Clifton, a left turn onto Brush Run Road (BRR) is made. It is here that the major 5th hill begins. One has a couple of options here. Continue onto the main part of the hill, called BRR that utilizes the road with the same name or take an upward side trip before addressing BRR.
At Fairoaks Drive, there is a climb on Mountain Avenue that some intrepid masochists might contemplate with a wry smile. Mountain Avenue is a narrow dead end road on what might have once been a goat path headed up the steepest part of the wooded hillside ahead. A grade topping out at over 12% for 0.2 miles makes Mountain Avenue a worthy challenge.
After summiting dead end Mountain Avenue, care must be taken when descending it because the road is rough and there may be ascending riders who are tacking across the face of the climb. A collision with another cyclist would not make for a pleasant outing. Patience will ensure a good time is had by all.
Once down safely, the rider may continue onto the main route and climb number five. From Clifton, to the Horses With Hope stables (on the left), the BRR hill is 0.6 miles in length with a grade topping out at over 9%. It levels out there and continues to the intersection with the Montour Trail. The route turns right and uses the trail, which has a crushed limestone surface.
While climbing the BRR hill, we briefly leave Bethel Park and Allegheny County again for Peters Township and Washington County. Once on the Montour Trail, the route re-enters Bethel Park and will stay within the municipal limits for the remainder of the ride.
Riders will stay on the Montour Trail until the beige colored J. R. Taylor Memorial Bridge looms ahead. Immediately before crossing it, the route bears right on a connecting pathway that leads down from the main trail to a right turn onto Highfield Road.
After a short distance, another right is made onto Fruitwood Drive and a 0.4 mile downhill approach to the minor 6th hill on the course. At the bottom, a right turn is made onto the lower end of Highfield Road that looms ahead. During the ensuing 0.3 mile climb, the grade reaches 13%, the steepest thus far! A good argument for major hill status could be made for Highfield Road.
After holding this tiger by the tail for 11 miles, a brief downhill respite can be enjoyed as the ride moves toward the major 7th hill, Rocky Ridge. At a distance of approximately 0.6 miles, this climb tops out at a grade of more than 15%! On a clear day, the view at the top is worth the effort.
After enjoying the view and catching the breath, the ride heads for another brief spin on the Montour Trail. Some backtracking is needed on the trail, down the spur path, but this time onto Clifton Road for a brief downhill to the beginning of the major 8th hill, known as Dashwood.
Dashwood Drive starts its climb from the intersection with Clifton. On the 0.4 mile rise from the Piney Fork Creek basin, the grade tops out at nearly 13.5% before leveling off at Cork Drive. From here, the route runs parallel to the Montour Trail, using Irishtown Road to its terminus at Logan Road. A left turn is made onto Logan and is followed shortly thereafter by another left onto Patterson Road. Care is needed when making these two lefts because this is a busy intersection of several streets. Perhaps help from the local police and a course marshal or two will be needed here to guide riders safely through. There are plans to build a traffic roundabout, thereby making the whole traffic situation a bit less dangerous and congested. A bridge for the Montour Trail is also planned to take users over the intersection, thereby completely avoiding it. One day...
Once on Patterson Road, the route uses several residential streets to make its way through the Ruthfred Acres section of town on the way to Bethel Church Road and our next hill. Eventually, riders end up at the intersection of Logan and Bethel Church Roads. This busy spot will definitely require traffic control for riders from police and/or course marshals. The route calls for a left (from Logan) onto Bethel Church followed shortly by another left to immediately begin the major 9th climb on a combination of Woodford and Eastview Roads. The hill covers approximately 0.3 miles at a grade reaching a shade over 11% before the top and the intersection with Apple Road.
After getting to the top, a downhill cruise follows and involves some backtracking to Logan Road and the intersection with Bethel Church Road. This time a right turn is made and is followed quickly by a left and a sharp descent onto Brookside Boulevard (BB). The previously mentioned traffic marshaling will be needed for this 2nd passage through the busy intersection (Logan and Bethel Church) and jog (onto BB).
Care is needed as BB dives across a stream and some railroad tracks before turning right onto Comanche Road, our minor 10th hill. The 0.2 mile ascent reaches a grade of 10.7% after passing the intersection with Sioux Road and curves to the left. At nearly 19 miles, two-thirds of the ride distance has been completed but a little more than half the hills still remain to be conquered.
The "Comanche Hill" ends at Seneca, where the route turns right.
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