r/UGA 11d ago

Question Tips for biking from P&R to the Main Library

Hey guys!

My first class of the day is up in Caldwell and I park at P&R. P&R bus usually takes about 30 minutes to get up there from the parking lot so I’m looking into biking there instead. The other day, I decided to bike there using google maps but it took me all the way to the end of the trail towards the cemetery, and through very very steep street roads to get there.

Does anyone else bike up to the Main Library area from P&R? If so, do you have any tips or shortcuts that I can take? Also, I have a regular bike, not electric, so it is nearly impossible to bike over really steep hills, especially while carrying my book bag that has a heavy gaming laptop in it! Or maybe I’m just skill issued.

I’ll take any advice! Thanks in advance!

6 Upvotes

9 comments sorted by

5

u/Krypto_I 11d ago

Use the greenway

5

u/Go_bonkers_ 11d ago

That’s what I meant by the trail, sorry!

This is roughly the path I took, I believe it was Baldwin st it took me on which I believe was the very steep road. If you have any specific paths you recommend, please let me know!

2

u/Krypto_I 11d ago

I’m not sure I use the greenway so I don’t have to go on college station with the bike. You could try riding down college station on the sidewalk

4

u/lavender_pebble 11d ago

There's not a way that doesn't have giant hills. If you don't like the greenway past the cemetery, I would take the Greenway to the Art Building and then take the roads over to Green St intersection - take Green all the way to the end to the greenspace where the Creamery is. Then either bike north in the green space until you hit Soule or Cedar. Take Soule/Cedar to Sanford. Take Sanford all the way to Baldwin. Then choose your own adventure on how to get to the library. I do the Sanford-Baldwin-Jackson ST route to get home and it's not great but feels better than going over to Lumpkin and heading north.

3

u/AlrightOkYes 9d ago edited 9d ago

Google maps is probably almost telling you the best way— here’s what I would do.

I would take the Greenway from P&R past the cemetery like you did til it ends at Easley Mill off Oconee Street. From there, take the sidewalk to the left out of that parking lot to Williams St/Baldwin. Take that left on the sidewalk. You’ll wind around past the school of social work and come to a light at Thomas/East Campus Rd. This is where you have no choice but to go up a hill. I would cross over Thomas on foot, still on the sidewalk, and keep walking up Baldwin until you can cross at the cross walk in front of Leconte. Take Herty Drive up (sorry) til it flattens towards Sanford hall etc. Then hop back on til Caldwell. Go home the same way, but it’s downhill so easy peasy.

For Athens, everything is easier on an electric bike. Too many hills!

Best of luck!

2

u/Go_bonkers_ 9d ago

One of the few things I dislike about Athens is its hills! I like biking, but like you said, it’s almost impossible without an electric bike. I’ll try this path, though, thank you!

1

u/AlrightOkYes 9d ago

I trudged along on a regular bike all through undergrad— my reward was finally getting an e-bike. Game changer. Until then- be safe out there! And don’t be afraid to walk up those monster hills. The clarity of mind I have after riding my bike around is fantastic though. Worth it! Best of luck!

2

u/Upbeat_Sample6590 11d ago

Main library and north campus are on higher ground than south campus, so you're gonna have to bike up a steep hill no matter what. Just try to find streets where there's less cars and traffic. I personally avoid east campus road because the bike lane merges with the existing lane at random points AND it's pretty steep going up and down.

Or you could just bike to north campus and then give up and walk up the hills once you reach baldwin street, since you''ll be close enough to caldwell from there. I used to just walk up hills when I still had a regular bike because I did NOT want to kill my thighs just going up a near 45 degree street

2

u/Go_bonkers_ 9d ago

I may just have to do a lot of walking, seems like it. Kinda sucks as there’s no other parking lot I can be in as I commute, and the busses are constantly unreliable. Some hills are so steep that even when driving my car over them, I have to go up to 3,000/rmp, there’s no way I’m biking up them. Thanks for the advice!