Category Archives: Outdoors

Blue Run Trail

Until recently, the sign naming “Blue Run Trail” at the entrance wasn’t even there; I only remembered the area being called that from visiting in the 90’s. The Indiana Township website and municipal building simply didn’t seem to have any information about the trail, and until I visited the area the other day to write this article, I was planning to introduce it with an extended musing on the motives for not even bestowing upon the area an official name. I’m happy to report that a (rather weathered-looking) sign now graces the trailhead and makes locating the trail slightly easier (and will hopefully attract more visitors).

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In Case You Missed It…Streetfilms Visits Pittsburgh

Thanks to the folks at BikePGH for the heads up on this video. Streetfilms, which is part of the Streetsblog network. The Streetsblog network is an awesome collection of blogs, news stories on sustainable transport, smart growth and livable streets issues Continue reading →

Fall Run Park

Stairs and (frozen) waterfall at Fall Run Park (Photo by Andrew)

Fall Run Park is a delightful little park in Shaler Township, located off of (guesses, anyone?) Fall Run Road. From the parking lot (which is located just past a small jungle gym and a soccer field), a gentle trail leads over numerous bridges (appositely mirroring its mother city’s plethora of said structures) to a waterfall. The waterfall, the park’s primary attraction, is a genuinely impressive spectacle (at least for this region; no humble half-hearted trickle is Fall Run’s cascade). It may not rival Angel Falls in any manner, but that’s part of the beauty of this park; because it’s relatively unknown, crowds are at a minimum.

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Snowing and Sled Riding in the ‘Burgh

: Image via Wikipedia

Before I get started, there has been a pretty lengthy debate as to whether riding a sled in the snow is termed as sledding or sled riding. Now, I never considered the term sled riding EVER to be incorrect since I’ve grown up in either central/western PA my entire life. As soon as I went to college, though, things changed. For example, here’s a conversation I had with my friend from New Jersey:

Me: “Hey Brian! Do you want to go sled riding with us on Flagstaff Hill?”

Brian: “. . . What? You mean sledding.”

Me: “No. I definitely meant sled riding.”

Brian: “No. Sled riding doesn’t make sense. You meant sledding.”

Me: “You ride on a sled… which is why it’s called sled riding. We’re going sled riding.”

After a long-winded discussion and bringing in a few of our friends, it was decided that Western PA people didn’t know what they were talking about and sled riding was incorrect.

So what is it? Are you going sled riding or sledding?

Since we are all yinzers here – and with all the snow coming our way – we are going sled riding this weekend! Continue reading →

Hartwood Acres: Trails, Celebration of Lights, and More…

Stables at Hartwood Acres (Picture by Andrew Tsou)

Hartwood Acres is probably now best known for its Celebration of Lights, an event that consists of driving through the park at night to view an elaborate display of holiday lights (currently in operation, this year it is slated to run until Sunday, January 9, 2011). Donations are requested for cars traveling through the event (this year’s suggested donation is $12). For this event, visitors must enter via the Saxonburg Road entrance. The event begins at 6:00 PM every night and runs until 10:00 (on Fridays and Saturdays it runs until 11:00).

Hartwood Acres also has a summer concert series that tends to boast a wide variety of acts; these events are held at the amphitheatre near the Middle Road parking lot. These concerts are free, and if memory serves, parking is usually expanded for these events (the Middle Road parking lot is not the largest area imaginable).

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