I'm posting a few days after the fact, but on Monday managed my longest ride so far - just shy of 34 miles. This time my friend, Mark, joined me. We met on Cobbs Creek Parkway - me coming from Lansdowne as usual, Mark from West Philly - and wound our way through Southwest Philly out to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. I've biked and hiked with my family at JHNWR many times, but this was the first time I got there by bike. There's a dedicated path (see picture below) along Cobbs Creek Parkway, and for the most part you're riding the rest of the way through residential streets in Eastwick. There are several projects in motion to improve pedestrian and bicycle links between JHNWR and the surrounding communities, including Eastwick.
Eastwick is Philly's southernmost neighborhood - and tragically, a community long plagued by chronic flooding and an ongoing legacy of environmental racism. Contact the Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition or United South/Southwest Coalition for Healthy Communities to learn more or to get involved in revitalization and justice efforts.
Once you get to JHNWR, there are a variety of hiking and biking trails along and around Darby Creek and Darby Lake, but the main loop is about 3.5 miles. We did a slightly wider loop, spotting a turtle along the path (see picture below), and then headed back to West Philly. I had a meeting to get to, and rode home after that.
Officially up to 81 miles, with plans to push past the century mark this weekend. Thanks for reading, and for anything you're able to do or have already done to support me and - more importantly - PA-IPL.
