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Pennsylvania Information

For some great riding don't forget route 32 from Easton down through Yardley. Here is the link for Bucks Cohttp://visitbuckscounty.com/unty info
 
looking for some local knowlegde

I hope thread is the correct place for this

I am trying to use a business trip as a catalyst to go to Deal’s Gap Tail of the Dragon

I have to be in Birdboro Court for my company on May 17th

So here is my plan:

On Tuesday May 11th or a few days sooner (if I can get away with it) drive my truck with my bike from Boston, Ma to the Birdboro, PA area

Find some place safe and legal (and free if possible) to leave my truck as I plan to unload my bike not to return until Sunday May 16th

Are there any cool roads that will get me down to the Front Royal, VA and the beginning of the Skyline Drive?
If not, which would be the fastest way to get there? I would like to stay off the slab as much as possible. If I do have to use them, no big deal

From there I plan to ride down to dragon, I would like to take skyline to the blue ridge parkway the entire way, but really would like to be there in 2 days, so might have to detour to some bigger roads to make up time. I will trying to do between 300 and 350 miles a day, spend a day at the gap and then return back to load bike no to truck
And be ready for work on Monday

So here are the local knowledge question

1. Safe, legal, free, places to leave my pick up truck, in or near Birdboro, Pa and or near answer to question number 4

2. Best bike route from Birdboro, Pa. to Front Royal, Va. Do not want to go to far out of the way but don’t mind a few extra miles if it keeps me away from the slabs or traffic lights.

3. Fastest route in case of wash out/rainstorm

4. Does anyone have any suggestion to a hotel that is very close to the Birdboro courthouse, 9:00am trial?

I have been studying maps of the area and this is not my first road trip, but as we all know, nothing beats local knowledge

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

If anyone is in the area, who has some free time and local knowledge, wants to lead the way that would be just great. I have been known to bend a couple of traffic laws so I promise not to hold up anyone’s riding style
 
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Almost forgot how we like to eat. Check out Rt655 valley between Rt22 and 322. Look for Belleville on the map. Now comes the good part, Allensville a small town west of Belleville has a great restaurant with an all you can eat buffet. It is all home cooking and I stuff myself every time we go there.

As you sit eating you will see Amish buggies of different colors going up and down the road. Sunday is a day of rest and a time to visit for the Amish. Just watch out for those round slick thing on the road.

Great valley to explore, it has some nice side roads and if you travel Rt 305 out of Belleville you run into Greenwood Furnace State Park.

Have fun and great eats.

Peachey's burnt down this week.......... However, Greenwood furnace is still there.
 
I..............
1. Safe, legal, free, places to leave my pick up truck, in or near Birdboro, Pa and or near answer to question number 4

Have not ridden that far S and E in Pa to help with roads, but do have a lot of experience finding a place to park.

Try the Anonymous listings, call MC dealers in the area, Call large towing companies in the area, many have large lots and for a 6 pack or $10 gift cert at the local Denny's they will let you park. Trucking companies or truck repair facilities the same, a little sweet talk and assurance that they are not responsible for the truck, just assurance that they will not tow it.

That is what I have had the best luck with.
 
Jason is correct Rt 144 from State College, PA to Rt 6 in the north is a great ride. Also look at Rt 44 north from Avis.

Elk can be seen along Rt120, Rt 255, and Rt 555 (look near Pennfield on a PA map)

Jerry

Close, but no cigar.

Rte 144 doesn't go to State College. It starts at Potters Mills, goes to Bellefonte, then on to the Allegheny Plateau.

Similarly, PA 44 crosses US220 at Jersey Shore and travels up the Pine Creek Valley until Waterville where it leaves the creek valley and climbs up on the plateau. From there, you're on the plateau until Coudersport, where you intersect US 6.

Take PA120N from Lock Haven (Stop for a view at Hyner Lookout and watch the hang gliders) to PA555 at Driftwood and on to the Medix Run Hotel. Take a rest on the deck at the hotel and have a burger. Afterward, follow PA2004, the Quehanna Highway, thru the nature area, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quehanna_Wild_Area then south on PA879, across the Susquehanna, to PA144. Follow PA144 south until Bellefonte, where you pick-up I80, I99 or US322 (at State College).
 
Centralia, PA is not far from the rally. An abandoned town due to a still burning mine fire sounds intriguing to me. Does anyone know if it worth a look and can you even enter the area anymore? I ask because I don't accept the "if it is on the Internet it must be true" theory.

http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm

Yep, it's been discussed here briefly already. Here's the thread:
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=50783&page=3

Start on the bottom of the page, at post #45.

A few more posts on the following page or so.
 
Jason is correct Rt 144 from State College, PA to Rt 6 in the north is a great ride. Also look at Rt 44 north from Avis.

Elk can be seen along Rt120, Rt 255, and Rt 555 (look near Pennfield on a PA map)

Jerry

If you can make 144 run through State College, I'll give you $100.00:)

The southern end of 144 is at US322 in Potter Mills (Seven Mtn). Its northern terminus is at US6 in Galeton. The route runs east of State College (and probably pre-dates that community) and passes through my hometown of Bellefonte, crosses the Bald Eagle Valley and then climbs up the Allegheny plateau.

US322 goes through State College (big yawn), then northwest to Phillipsburg, Clearfield and Ohio.

Enjoy.
 
Okay, you want some local favorites?

PA 994 - entire length from Orbisonia to PA 26
PA 641 - from Roxbury to end at US 522
PA 74 - from Carlisle to end at PA 75
PA 233 - from PA 194 to end at PA 997
PA 125 - from Pine Grove to Shamokin, but turn left near US 81 entrance and use Mollystown Road shortcut through Jolliet back to Good Spring and PA 125 again
PA 849 - from Duncannon to end at PA 34
PA 339 - from Mahanoy City to Mainville and then Mainville Dr to E Bloomsburg

Also: cross the Susquehanna on the old paddlewheel ferry at Millersburg over to PA 34 - schedule limited, so check website

There are too many to list today. More later.

Fred

You've got my week covered. I did 994 and 641 today and 233 and 74 yesterday. But I'm also a big fan of 30 from 75 to 160.
 
:ear I want to see which ones you missed.

I haven't missed much in the area, I have showed some seasoned back road riders that live there, roads they never knew existed. I have made 2-3 trips a year for the last 10 years averaging 750-900 miles/ trip in that area, just to find ride the back roads.

Names like st Johns/Hobbie/mountain rd (depending on what map you look at), Pine mtn. Rd, Pine-Logantown road. Cider Press rd, Mollystown, and Lincoln roads, 2 seperate Gold mine Roads. West county and powder Glen roads, Blue ridge trail, Switze Road, Alden mountain. Running gap Rd, (a jeep trail at best) that I rode on my RS, Copper mills Rd, another goat path. Blue balls Rd.

Some to the SW, Mountain house road, Enders, millers creek and Carsonville Rd (S of Carsonville), Marsh creek Rd. I have to go, but there are dozens more I know like the back of my hand, along with the widly popular and known roads.

And don't be surprised, if you don't know some, as I have showed some big mileage back road, NC riders some great roads they didn't know existed too. I am just a map geek, what can I say.
 
I was wondering if our membership would be interested in some of those off-the-beaten track routes ? I was thinking about doing a GPS file just north and northwest of the rally site but when I think about it there are just as nice roads going east and southeast or west.

I know the roads you mention but two names, so I have to look at a map. There are plenty of ridges and hollow roads, my favorite is Devils Hollow near Devils Glen Road, its a GS road and I am not sure why the names unless they do not wish visitors.

The Carsonville area I usually hit coming home from Hermys BMW and approaching it from the east. I do the Millersburg Ferry crossing once a year and explore the back ways to Jersey Shore - Allenwood - Lewisburg area or come up the east side of the Susquehanna river.

The Back Mountain area offers numerous twisty roads, there is a nice loop west of Harveys Lake that was an organized car racing track till someone hit a pole in the late 1950's....... its a baby LeMans. Or near Tunkhannock the sport bike community blasts up Sugar Hollow Road. Giants Dispair is used for Hill Climbs is just east of Wilkes-Barre and it puts you into some great riding heading south into the Leigh Gorge. Also RT 29 is popular from W. Nanicoke north. A great road off of it is the Mooretown that gets you west to RT 118...........nice twisties and pavement but the shoulders could be safer.

Of course everyone raves about RT 339 and 125 but those little roads around them are just as sweet.........matter of fact way east, I like Buck Mountain near Hazleton better than 125. Off of 339, Red Ridge to Nuremburg and then east on the mountain road is wonderful, down the road you have Moss Glenn, Turkey Hill or the Catawissa road and Cold Run down to 895 is scenic. In the Zion Grove area, Ridge and Fern Glen roads are twisty and scenic.......great back way from Centralia to 339 to Bloomsburg. ......another ridge road.

But I still want to make a great loop between the Harveys Lake - Bloomsburg - Hughesville- Exchange all scenic to yourself roads for our membership. But the great motorcycle sites will sway them to the popular known roads.

My advice to visitors is frame an area and get lost. Use the south and main branches of the Susquehanna River and RT 118 to the north enjoy everything in between. To the east frame the Susquehanna river with I 80 to the north I 78 to the south and stay on this side of the Delaware river. If the roads are busy keep making turns. Set your GPS to have Bloomsburg your home and enjoy.

Pennsylvania has too many roads........
 
I was wondering if our membership would be interested in some of those off-the-beaten track routes ? I was thinking about doing a GPS file just north and northwest of the rally site but when I think about it there are just as nice roads going east and southeast or west.

It takes the right kind of rider to enjoy these roads, about 5% of the 2% of riders that profess liking twisty stuff. If you don't mind narrow tight and technical they are wonderful.

Of course everyone raves about RT 339 and 125 but those little roads around them are just as sweet.........matter of fact way east, I like Buck Mountain near Hazleton better than 125. Off of 339, Red Ridge to Nuremburg and then east on the mountain road is wonderful, down the road you have Moss Glenn, Turkey Hill or the Catawissa road and Cold Run down to 895 is scenic. In the Zion Grove area, Ridge and Fern Glen roads are twisty and scenic.......great back way from Centralia to 339 to Bloomsburg. ......another ridge road.

Yea, I take a different Buck mountain Rd to Nuremburg, as the 339 gets rough as soon as it crosses the county line heading to Zion Grove, I will have to try Red ridge next time. I head straight at the Mountain Rd intersection and head over to Weston Rd toward Sugarloaf, and Sugarloaf mountain Rd, then up to the Hobbie area, most of the paved roads around Hobbie are great. Out of Catawssa, the Logging rd was paved a couple years ago and is a good path to the 339.

I find most areas E of I81 to be too populated with lots of drives, houses, and low speed limits with roads full of Volvo's and minivans, so I stay away.

Pennsylvania has too many roads.......
.SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...........................
 
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I recommend riding Ridge Road. By my calculation, there are about 7,000 with that name in Pennsylvania.

Between each valley? :)

I'm betting his Ridge Road is PA144 from Moshannon to South Renovo. But, that leaves 6999 other possibilities.

I'm wondering which Marsh Creek road he means?
 
Between each valley? :)
I'm wondering which Marsh Creek road he means?

The one from 144 E to Balnchard, and in that area the 445 is is one of the most technical in PA, IMHO, off camber turns and all.
 
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