Ok so my girlfriend and I are planning on coming up to view the race at a friend of mine's house. We're basically torn between one of two options of getting up there (we'll be coming from NL).

Option 1 - Bike Across the city, take the tow path up to manayunk

I'd say take the R6... it's gonna be crazy even by bike... CAN'T WAIT! Get off at wissahickon or East Falls (the Wiss. stop will take you right to ridge ave where they come down the hill). Cheers

Commerce is set to sponsor the event for the next 4 years.

http://www.velonews.com/pr/prn/articles/9862.0.html

Or get off at the Manayunk Station stop, which is right at the bottom of "the Wall".

Ok so my girlfriend and I are planning on coming up to view the race at a friend of mine's house. We're basically torn between one of two options of getting up there (we'll be coming from NL).

Option 1 - Bike Across the city, take the tow path up to manayunk
Option 2 - Walk to Market East and take the regional rail.

One question that i have is can you cross the race path after the race begins or is everyone within downtown manayunk cut off?

Riding your bike is the way to go. It gives you the ability to travel the course, and view the race from different vantage points. I always watch the start on the BFP, and gradually make my way toward Manayunk. Making stops throughout Fairmount Park. Then back to the BFP for the finish. After six hours, you've enjoyed a great race and enjoyed a great bike ride.

You can follow the entire course on foot or on bike. Crossing the course is no problem. There are police and race marshals stationed all along the course, allowing safe crossings.

8 months here and I'm just now realizing I've had the The Wall wrong the whole time. I thought it was the uphill at Ridge and Main, the one with an actual wall with the Manayunk Views mural on it. Well I've got a lot to learn.

Anyway, one quick question before Sunday: is Henry closed off or affected at all by the road closures and police presence and whatnot?

So Kelly Drive -the road itself is closed to traffic. But is the bike/walking path between the road and the river closed to bikes/pedestrians too?


And does the race go down West River Drive too - or will that be just the normal summer weekend closure?

I don't think the walking path will be blocked & the race does not go over to West River.