Lights in the Parkway Ride - December 19th

Greetings all.  Tis the season to bundle up and go for a ride.  Allentown is letting Bicycles through  Lights in the Parkway (LITP) on equal terms as all other vehicles this year and Bike Allentown wants to show them we are thankful.  We are planning a group ride through the display on December 19th at 5:15pm.  Front and rear lights are required by law and we are going to request that everyone wear helmets for good measure.  There are many options for getting to the start of LITP but I am going to keep this simple.

There are two parking lots off Fish Hatchery Road should you want to drive over there with your bike.  The lot closest to 24th Street and the one I am recommending parking at is the Fly Fishing Shop - coming from 24th you will cross under 78 and you will see a small sign for that lot shortly after on the right - head down the hill and park wherever there is space.  There is a bridge across the Little Lehigh right there that we can cross and head towards the 5:15 start at the beginning of LITP.  We should leave this spot no later than 4:50pm for good measure - that will leave plenty of time to get there and take pictures and things of the such and meet anyone who may have taken another path to the start.  If that lot is full - there is a second lot at the Fish Hatchery which is only about a quarter mile ride from this spot.  If you park there - you will come out of the lot and make a left - you will have to ride a small distance on Fish Hatchery road - cross a small bridge and make an immediate left onto the gravel path - that will take you to the lot at the Fly Fishing Shop.  Please be there by 4:50pm so we can all head to the start as a group.  Admission for LITP is $9.00 if you buy your tickets at the start - BUT - you can buy them in advance for $5.00 at either the Christmas Barn (located in the parking lot by Bogert's Bridge - this the entrance at the traffic signal at 24th Street and Fish Hatchery Road) or Allentown City Hall.

If you are going to head over by bike - the options of getting there are unlimited.  The main entrance to the Lehigh Parkway and the start of LITP is off of 15th Street - you will not miss it.  If you are going to meet us at the start of LITP - please try to be there no later than 5:00pm so that we can get ourselved organized, photographed, etc.  We will head off as a group and proceed to ride through LITP at a very leisurely pace so that we all have time for oohs and aahs.  The display concludes by the red covered bridge (Bogert's) at the traffic light on 24th at Fish Hatchery Road.  There is a Christmas Barn set-up at the end with gifts, hot chocolate, et al.  You can choose to hang out there for a bit, head back to your car or head back from any other direction from which you came.  The lots that I recommended for parking are just a very short bike ride back on a gravel path from this point.

Please come join us and bring your family and/or friends - it is sure to be a good time and we would like a decent sized group to show our appreciation to Allentown for letting bikes through this year (even though they should be allowed through anyway - but that is a different story for a different day).  

Afterwards I intend to head to Ringer's Roost on Liberty Street in Allentown to enjoy some holiday cheer and warm my arse.  Feel free to join in the celebration.  Ride on!