2007 Hills & Thrills Events
Don't be scared of hills.
HERE'S WHY:
All skates are geared to intermediate and advanced skaters. If you've been street skating for
several months you should have no problem on any of our intermediate skates. There will be hills,
both up and down but there will be a sag wagon and if you can use your brake you can skate any of
our skates.
Due to the fact that our hotel location has changed we've had to create a whole new selection of really great routes for this year. The details won't be worked out until we can skate the routes for time but the following information will tell you what you can expect.
FRIDAY
- Friday Night Skate - (est. 15 miles)Gather up for the skate at 6pm. Intermediate w/ minimal hills. The skate will start at 630. The skate will take skaters through the famed Strip District to downtown where we are likely to skate near, (or basically through), the Three Rivers Art Festival, PNC Park, (the Pirates will be at home that night), and Heinz Field.
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After Skate - Hit the bars around Oakland, downtown, the Strip District, and/or Southside. We will provide you with a list of great places to check out and places were the locals will be heading - this will allow you to go out on your own or hook up with some locals and check out what makes this city a great place to hang out.
If you are not in the mood for clubbing there are some great alternatives. We'll be hitting Mt. Washington Sat. afternoon but there is nothing like checking out the view of the city at night from the overlooks at Grandview! Other great places to see the city from include the West End overlook - if you are interested in getting there or to other great places please let us know and we'll work that out. - Raffles!!! - We will be selling raffle tickets all night and will be raffling off some great prizes for the weekend. These prizes include: 4 tickets to the Sat. June 2nd Pirates baseball game, 2 one-hour massages, registrations for The Big Apple Roll, The Great EsSkate, Skate Boston, a $150 Zephyr gift certificate, a Rollerblade gift certificate, and a few other great prizes!
SATURDAY
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Saturday Early Skate - (est. 15 - 17 miles with a picnic in the middle of the skate)
Gather up for the skate at 10am. The skate leaves the hotel at 10:30am.
This will be Hills and Thrills signature skate - the crown of the 2007 Hills and Thrills. We will roll out of
Oakland down 5th Avenue through the Hill District, through uptown, and into downtown. From here
we take a turn to the cities Southside and begin to climb Mt. Washington either by funicular
(The Incline) or the old fashioned way by skating up S. 18th St and up, and up, and up!
Please bring sandles or shoes - you will want to have something comfortable for the picnic and if you choose to take the Incline you cannot do so without shoes. They don't let us ride it with our skates on, in our socks, or without anything on our feet. Sorry. Also please bring $2.25 in exact change if you plan on riding the Incline. Even if you do not plan on riding it you may think twice when you get there so please bring change either way.
Once at the top of Mt Washington we will meet up at Grandview Park for an afternoon picnic overlooking the city. The view from here is amazing! After we let our food settle we take off for McArdle Roadway (or the Incline) on our way back towards the rivers. From here we'll return to the hotel via the Panther Hollow trail. -
Saturday Late Skate - (est. 10 miles) Gather up at 4:45 the skate leaves at 5:15.
The Fast and the Furious Though this skate will be
short it will not be easy. This is for all you the folks who came for the hills. This skate will be full
of ups and downs and if it's hills you are looking for it is hills you shall get. Included in this skate
will be some brutal up hills and some fast down hills. Once in Bloomfield we will make our way to
Lawrenceville via a trip through the Allegheny County Cemetery which is now the final resting place of
some of Pittsburgh's most famous dead-residents.
We'll climb back up to Bloomfield and head through Shadyside, on our way back to Oakland. - After Skate - Hit the town with Dan and Dave. The Hills and Thrills social committee has put together a great time at Joe Mama's Italian Deluxe - for more info see the latest news page. You will fall in love with this cool little diner!
Sunday
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Sunday Morning Skate - (est. 16 miles) Easy like Sunday morning. Gather up at 8:30.
The skate starts at 9am so everyone can make it back by check out time. This fun and easy intermediate
skate will not have too much in the way of hills. The skate will return in time for check out and if
time permits will include a coffee brake.
If you've not had enough of Pittsburgh please stay and explore - from the hotel there are lots to see and do - check out the Pittsburgh page for a list of great times!
Please send any questions through the contact form.
