Northeast - Philly pa. Martin Luther King Drive (West River Drive)

looking to do a family ride along the Martin Luther King Drive (West River Drive) in Philly. i never been there . i see lot of riders as i am driving by on rt. 76. any of you ride there? is there nearby parking? places to get lunch?
thanks

It's closed to motor vehicles on weekends, April through October. As a result, it's a very nice four-mile stretch on smooth road- very scenic (watch out for geese crossing the road), and glorious during the spring, when the clematis starts to bloom- very heady perfume that! Probably best to park in the lot by the Italian Fountain circle- get there early, though, as it fills up. Getting on to the MLK from there by bike is very easy- just ask anyone for directions.

That said, here are a couple of caveats that anyone should keep in mind, but especially those riding with families:
1. Be aware that the section between the Art Museum and the Sweetbriar cutoff (approximately a mile from the museum) reopens to traffic at 12 noon. This is a thorn in everyone's side, and a potentially dangerous situation. There is a gate blocking off access to the MLK at the cutoff from 12-5, but do not stand near it. Drivers have been known to crash into it, not realizing that it was there (and in fact, there was one very sad, unfortunate accident that happened that way a couple of years ago).

2. It's best to stay on the road itself, not the path next to it. Even though the path is paved, there are sections with frost heaves and root incursion that can make for a bumpy ride, plus that's often where you'll find walkers and runners.

3. Stay to the right, as usual, but watch for runners who often run on their left, right in your path. And, if you're riding with your family (I'm assuming younger kids too), best to stay out of the center- that's where the faster cyclists hang, with many of them averaging in the 20s.

4. You probably already know this, but be sure to call out "on your left" when passing- this is especially important on the MLK as it can get crowded with other cyclists, joggers, and roller bladers.

5. If it's after noon and you want to get back to the museum or Italian Fountain, it's best to dismount at the Sweetbriar Cutoff gate and walk back over the bridge (left hand side). I normally ride this segment on the road, on the right side, as I'm used to riding in traffic, but I wouldn't do this with a family. The alternative is to cross at the Falls Bridge at the far end of the MLK and come back down the Kelly Drive path, but with all of the pedestrian and bike traffic, you will find this slow going, and there's always the occasional speed demon (on either a bike or skates).

6. The MLK closes pretty regularly in the mornings for runs, walks, and yes, even rides. Check the Fairmount Park site for a schedule of closings here (http://www.fairmountpark.org/pdf/king_closures.pdf). So, the earlier you can get on the MLK the better, to avoid closures and the later re-opening of the Art Museum segment. This Sunday is the AIDS Walk, so the MLK will be shut down for most of the day.


Don't let my caveats dissuade you- all in all, it's a very enjoyable ride. I do it many weekends myself, usually to get out to Manayunk and the SRT. Hope this helps!

we had a blast. little hard to park the car because of the aids walk but we found a place near the water works. we rode up stream toward manayonk and turned around. total 8.77 miles. with a 10 year old on a regular kids bike and my wife and daughter on a regular bike and me on my bike . i was hurting because i have a chest cold and with all the coughing i was doing and dam near popped a blood vessel.(what do riders do about a chest cold)?
anyway we will go back soon.
ant

we had a blast. little hard to park the car because of the aids walk but we found a place near the water works. we rode up stream toward manayonk and turned around. total 8.77 miles. with a 10 year old on a regular kids bike and my wife and daughter on a regular bike and me on my bike . i was hurting because i have a chest cold and with all the coughing i was doing and dam near popped a blood vessel.(what do riders do about a chest cold)?
anyway we will go back soon.
ant

Super- I'm glad you had a good time! I sat today out due to the walk, having to work around the house, and being too lazy to disengage my bike from the trainer (laaaaazy!). As to chest colds, I don't know what others do, but if it's in the acute phase, I take it easy and don't ride, especially if it's cold out (I get exercise-induced asthma and the cold air makes it worse). Otherwise, I just ride slower :) One more weekend of closures, then the MLM reopens to traffic, unfortunately. Something I'd like to see changed, for sure!