Hi--

I posted on here a while back when I started looking for a home in the area. My signifigant other and I have finally settled on a condo in Roxborough.

With the rising cost of gas and everything else, we are seriously considering starting to bike to work (he works in Center City, I work in King of Prussia). I was wondering if any of you knew if there are bike paths that could take us to both those locations. We'd be starting out on Shawmont near Ridge.

We are not riders! We actuallly have to buy new bikes and haven't been on one in years, so we want to make sure it's safe and doable. Thanks for any help you can give.

schuylkill river trail. it's a path that goes from valley forge to center city. search around for more info.

i know it can take you to norristown, which would put you near KoP. and to CC, take main st down to
kelly drive, then kelly drive all the way down to the art museum.

The regional bike map may help you.

http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/map/map.html

There is a 350 ft vertical gain from the river trail to Shawmont near Ridge. Very exciting and pleasant going downhill, and some VERY good exercise going back up. Don't let that dissuade you, you'll get in shape very very quickly.

Your answers are yes, and yes.

There are several bike routes, but it sounds like you'll want to stay
on the main bike trail - Schuylkill River Trail.

To the North,
the "Schuylkill River Trail" runs as a flat paved trail

http://trails.montcopa.org/trails/cw...8fb2edc7f2.pdf

Valley Forge, Conshy, Norristown, Spring Mill down to
Port Royal, where you ride along Nixon Street, then up Shawmont,
do the hairpin turn on Minerva Curve, to Umbria to the condos.

To get to KOP, you'd head down Umbria, Minerva Curve, Shawmont,
right on Nixon, right on Port Royal, then left onto the paved portion of the bike trail.
You'll pass Spring Mill RR station, then Conshy, then US Steel, then into Norristown.

At Norristown, it's possible to head to KOP along 202 and back roads,
or stay on Schuylkill River Trail out to Betzwood, turn left, cross over
the bike/foot bridge at 422, the end up near the Valley Forge Park/Convention Center.

Other alternatives are Train/Bike (bikes are allowed on no-peak trains)
(bike to Miquon, train to Norristown Transportation Center, bike to KOP)
or
Bus/Bike - (Septa busses now have racks that hold 2 bikes per bus)
there are a couple of routes from Norristown Transportation Center over to KOP, and also down towards Spring Mill
There's also a 124/125 bus from KOP to Wissahickon as backup.

SOUTH
Heading south, you actually have a choice of how to bike
1&2 are (mostly) on dedicated bike paths
1) go down to Valley Green and ride in along Forbidden Drive to Wissahickon then Kelly Drive bike path.
2) go down Shawmont, Manayunk Canal towpath to Main Street to Wissahickon and Kelly Drive
3) Over to Green Lane, left on Manayunk Ave to Ridge to Wissahickon


Hal

Thanks so much all of you, this is awesome information!