Sept. 29 Run: Default location at Commonplace Coffee in Squirrel Hill because...

The Great Race takes place next Sunday, so those of who aren't among the brave 15,000 who registered, will take off from Commonplace on Forbes and figure out something that won't get us too tangled up in the course, but will get us involved in the excitement.  It might be a good idea to arrive by foot or bike, since they barricade some streets at some point in the morning.

Last Sunday's run was another discovery, as Joanne led 18 of us up, and up, and up into the misty hills of Morningside to reach some spectacular views, and also cute little streets we'd never seen named Downlook and 55 1/2.  We returned to Mildred's Farm - which looked a bit disheveled - and to that unforgettable spot where on one run years ago, some random guy got out of his car and started running with us in his pajamas.  Hey - maybe he's on this list!   Coffee at Tazza d'Oro was slightly raucous as we monopolized about half of it; probably the regulars were relieved when we finally left.

Virginia has promising news stemming from last week's adventure:

I wanted to share a cool spin-off from Michele's run through Braddock last week. The minister at Michele's and my church (Waverly Presbyterian) saw the photo on facebook of our group at the Welcome to Braddock sign. Since she's working with some of the groups there, especially the Braddock Youth Project, she was talking to Michele's husband Brian about helping the boro organize a 5K run as a fund-raiser in Braddock, and have kids from the youth project design the race shirts.  The Braddock Youth Project offers summer and after-school programs, but lost its funding for the after-school program this fall. So the money would help restore some of those efforts and more.  I'll keep you posted if this idea evolves into an actual event....

And Aimee has a line on a tour of the Churches of Wilkinsburg possibly coming up.  Not to mention the autumn leaf extravaganza in the parks, and the South Side StepTrek route.  Watch this space...

Sept. 22 Run: Highland Park run, meet at Tazza D'Oro on Highland Ave.

Next week, Joanne has offered to guide us through Highland Park (also Stanton Heights and a visit to Mildred's Farm at harvest time.) Meet at Tazza D'Oro at 7.

This week - where to begin?  Surely Michele put together the most memorable and dramatic feature-packed run of runs, perfect to open our 20th anniversary RG year (well, it's more or less around now.)  Starting right in front of the looming iconic and still-flaming Edgar Thomson Steel Mill, zigzagging up and down the Braddock streets to view the whole range of modest houses and venerable storefronts, (falling-down and boarded up, and also thriving and cared for), gorgeous Victorian edifices, quirky artists' dwellings, community gardens, new housing and business development, historic landmarks, murals galore - the whole place pulsing with proud history, economic devastation, creative reconstruction, and future hope.  Also Joanne's grandmother's birthplace and the store run by Michele's grandfather.  All this culminated with the most special warm welcome (coffee, bagels, etc. included) from Mayor John Fetterman and his wife Gisele and their adorable kids in their new extraordinary loft home, its giant windows facing onto the afore-mentioned Edgar Thomson Works, back to where we (and much of Braddock) began.  And a 10-minute ride from Squirrel Hill.  We learned about Gisele's inspiring and rapidly expanding brainstorm, the Freestore,

about Braddock's heroic road to recovery with the Mayor's help, and the documentary film being made about it this very moment. All power to it!  (Whoever is reading this: all contributions of clothing, linens, diapers, etc. to the Freestore will be happily received.)

(Thanks to Virginia for the photos and to Michele for the experience.)

September 15 Run: Braddock, PA! Braddock Ave. and 13th St. (map link in message)

Meeting/parking place is "grassy area on the left hand side of Braddock Ave. and 13th St." in Braddock PA.  Here's a Google Map.  Write in to the group email if you need a ride or directions and someone will surely provide it.  Please try not to miss this one - it promises to be memorable.   Michele is the moving force for this amazing and special run - here is her description (edited to not reveal some surprises.)  THANK YOU MICHELE!

Roye

This just keeps getting crazier and crazier!  

1.  We are running through the streets of Braddock - crazy!

2.  There is a woman in town filming a documentary about the community and how it is struggling to survive AND is interested in us coming there and might want to follow us around a bit!  HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!?!?

3. Unique after-run feature to be revealed later!

We will do short out and back along the Edgar Thompson Works.  It is quite a place to see!  I think I have us about 4.5 miles...  We might be stopping along the way though to admire some of the unbelievable architecture!   Did I say this was going to be CRAZY!?

The mayor's wife Gisele runs a "free store"
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-east/donations-make-price-right-at-braddock-free-store-659124/

so if anyone wants to make a "thank you" gift donation, they can bring their clothing donations OR 

a pack of diapers. They are better than gold at the free store.   HOWEVER no one should IN ANY WAY feel obligated to donate.

That is the run down on the run!  I'm expecting more details about the documentary.  I'll pass any important 

Info onto you!

See you Sunday!

Michele

P.S.  Google maps directions from Forbes and Murray:

Head east on Forbes Ave toward Shady Ave

About 4 mins

go 1.4 mi

total 1.4 mi

           

2.

Turn right onto S Braddock Ave

About 7 mins

go 2.1 mi

total 3.5 mi

           

3.

Continue onto Kenmawr Ave

go 0.1 mi

total 3.6 mi

           

4.

Slight right to stay on Kenmawr Ave

About 1 min

go 0.4 mi

total 4.0 mi

           

5.

Continue onto Braddock Ave

About 3 mins

go 1.1 mi

total 5.1 mi

           

Braddock Ave & 13th St, Braddock, PA 15104‎

Sept. 8 Run: Commonplace Coffee in Squirrel Hill again - destination unknown at the moment

Next week will begin again at our default meeting place, as the fall flurry of activity seems to be diverting our creative juices into other parts of life - but we will always get back to the run, and several ideas are germinating.  Like:  Step Trek!  ranging up and down the South Side Slopes - admittedly mainly walking but we can get some running in there also.  Also:  Braddock!  possibly meeting its famous eccentric mayor.

However, this week's Commonplace run was anything but commonplace and PtB managed to think of a completely new route, melding the Wendy Bennett Trailhead run with the Oakland streets run with the Schenley Oval, which she revealed was once a horse race track with a frighteningly rickety grandstand.  We ran down a long staircase that appeared out of nowhere, beside a jumble of hidden houses all on top of each other, and then passed the Potato Chip Building at CMU, all of which seemed to pop out of an illustrated children's book. The following day Sharon took us though another new route in the Frick Park direction - glorious right now - continuing the staircase theme and visiting the site of the long-awaited, newly planned Frick Environmental Center, which some of us remember as the smoking ruin we ran by the morning after it burned down years ago. It will rise from the ashes.

Endorsements:

• Gaby & Jules - finally OPEN - lines out the door.  Macarons have been tested and c'est si bon!
• J.Jill - South Hills Village, even better the website, but wait for the great sales AND free shipping.
• Stretch: the Unlikely Making of a Yoga Dude
• Idea for wedding gift:  Jerusalem cookbook with related spice box from Penzey's (they will help)

Addendum:  more items from PtB:

·         The route:  http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/280119647

·         source of fantastic historic photos, including the horse race track - http://digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/ 

·         jjill sale:  http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/index.aspx.  Free shipping at the minute. Returns are super easy to a store.

·         Literary genius - http://www.gwarlingo.com/2013/at-a-time-when-poetry-was-forbidden-seamus-heaney-was-a-lifeline/