Category Archives: Outdoors

Beer Hikes

Never fear, more beer is near.  Last weekends Millvale Beer festival was great, here is another excuse to drink beer this weekend.  The good folks from Venture Outdoors have their 3rd Beer Hike of the summer.

Beer Tasting Hike
We’ll walk 2-3 miles of scenic trails and learn about the natural history of one of our local parks. The hike will be followed by an exotic sampling of hand picked beers. Cheese and crackers and other light snacks will accompany the hearty selection of hops & barley beverages. Minimum age 21.
Location: Boyce Park
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Cost: $25.00 member/$40.00 non-member

Big Wheels

So its raining in Pittsburgh this weekend. We have had a pretty nice summer in the weather department, so I guess a little rain is not so bad and it is a great excuse to go to the movies. Check out this interesting flick at Pittsburgh Filmmakers – The documentary B.I.K.E follows a group of NYC artist-punks who create tall bikes by welding two bikes (one on top of the other) and joust in the streets of New York.

More info is available at http://www.bike-films.com

Friday & Saturday: 8pm
Sunday: 4pm
Pittsburgh Filmmakers Melwood Screening Room
477 Melwood Ave, N. Oakland / 412-682-4111 or 412-681-5449

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-72Hx2-e0U[/youtube]

Market Square Water Balloon FIGHT!

This Saturday, July 28th, from 3-5pm, come down to the Market Square Water Balloon FIGHT! This is the first annual organized water balloon fight in Market Square that is free to all and will feature 2 live local bands, The Dirty Sunshine and CK9 and the Old E Allstars, 10,000 water balloons, and a ton of fun!! This is a community event aimed to bring some good, clean, afternoon fun to the city of Pittsburgh. Feel free to bring a team, join the fight individually, or even watch from the sidelines! There will be separate Splash Zones and Spectator Zones. You can also grab a beer and watch the fight and enjoy the music from one of the many restaurants and bars located in the Square.

For more information, contact Vivien Luk @ vivymluk@gmail.com, Cleo Zell @ jcz1999@yahoo.com, or Katie Z @ katieZ@downtownpittsburgh.org.

Where Beaver Road meets Beaver Street

You are in Sewickley.  Only for very special, cool, awesome activities do I recommend that you leave the city limits.  Urban hike is one of those activities.  Read more of my rave reviews of Urban Hike here, here, and here.

I joined the Urban Hike team for the Neville Island Hike in May and enjoyed every minute of it – plus I discovered the Paradise Island Bowl and Paradise Beach.

This Saturday, urban Hike heads to Sewickley.

If you find yourself on Beaver Road, then Beaver Street, then Beaver Road, then Beaver Street again, you’re probably in Sewickley! Join Urban Hike Saturday, July 7th as we explore the Beavers and a few other streets in Sewickley. Take a stroll on the boardwalk to nowhere! Turn your head into a timepiece! What does this all mean? The search for answers begins July 7th at 10 am at the parking lot between the YMCA and War Memorial Park.

Oh, and as usual, wear good walking shoes, bring some water, and slap on the sunscreen. The walk should take around two and a half hours, and there will be lunch options near the end.

Directions are available here.

Here is a picture from the Oakland Urban Hike last summer

Full Moon Paddle

Kayak tours are great times. I took one out for a paddle over memorial day weekend. Even if you are not an extreme sports enthusiast, urban kayaking is for you. These are super, non-rolling kayaks that any one can paddle. You can stop by Kayak Pittsburgh any time and take one out. This is an awesome way to see the city. All you need to do is show up wearing some confortable clothes, you might get a little wet but you won’t get soaked.
This Saturday, the folks at Venture Outdoors have planned an evening kayak. I love the idea of seeing the city from the rivers as the sun goes down. Flickr has some great pictures that other kayakers have taken of Pittsburgh – it is really unique way to see the city.

Full Moon Paddle
The full moon is out and the water is fine! Join us as we follow the full moon through the evening quiet and sights of the Allegheny River. The shimmering skyline provides a humble foreground for the celestial bodies above. After basic instruction and tips on technique, you’ll find yourself enjoying the ease of paddling a sea kayak on the smooth Allegheny River.


(Photo from EmilyO‘s Flickr Account)
Full Moon Paddle
Saturday, June 30, 7:45-10pm
Meet at Kayak Pittsburgh (under the Roberto Clemente Bridge)
$25/member, $45/non-member
Click Here to Sign Up