Views From The Eliza Furnace Bike Trail

Achievement: #15. Bike the Eliza Furnace Trail

You may not have been aware, but Pittsburgh is apparently an up-and-coming place for cyclists. In recent years, much has been done to expand the bike paths available, and also to add bike lanes to frequently-traveled roads in the city. There is even now a connecting bike path from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC! (That, of course, is an Achievement for another year!)

We decided to try out the popular Eliza Furnace Trail today. It starts at the edge of downtown, goes past the jail, and goes up to the Hot Metal Bridge in the South Side. From there, you can cross over and keep connecting all around the city on bike paths!

We went down during lunch time and rented bikes from Golden Triangle Bike Rentals. They have a discount during lunch hour, and they provide you with some helpful tips, and a map, and a little fanny pack on your bike to keep your camera! I was won over instantly. 🙂

(They also have a little trailer that I soooo want to put the Lucybug in the next time we attempt this!)

We could not have picked a better day. It was cool and breezy, even though it was sunny and beautiful. We took the trail all the way down to the Hot Metal Bridge, crossed the Monongohela, and came back through the South Side, crossing over the Smithfield Street Bridge to get back into the city.

Eliza Furnace Trail
The start of the trail is a little weird – you are on a separate bike path, but very close to 376 Parkway East. You can see the river from the path though! Here is the Birmingham Bridge, which connects Oakland and the Hill District to the South Side.

Eliza Furnace Trail
Here I am with my bike, looking like I was meant to ride that thing!

Eliza Furnace Trail
This is the Cathedral of Learning from the Hot Metal Bridge before we crossed.

Eliza Furnace Trail
I like industrial settings, and I thought this concrete plant looked neat set against the perfectly-blue sky. This plant is along Second Avenue, and can be seen from the highway and the Boulevard of the Allies.

Eliza Furnace Trail
You can get right down to the river from the South Side, and here is a view of the Birmingham Bridge from there.

Eliza Furnace Trail
I was sure that dock was going to fall in if we both stood on it, so Michael ventured out alone!

Eliza Furnace
And then he acted like a duck, which does not count for Achievement #62, because it was a live duck and not a statue 🙂

Eliza Furnace Trail
Here we are on the dock… on the part that was still above real ground.

Eliza Furnace Trail
Michael on his bike in the South Side, in between the factories.

Eliza Furnace Trail
Railroad tracks through the South Side. We got to ride alongside a train for a bit, which was loud, but very neat.

Eliza Furnace Trail
Then we crossed back over the river on the Smithfield Street Bridge to turn in our bikes! We will surely be back again soon though!!

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