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Weekend getaway-Gettysburg

laoch

New member
Anybody going? 13-15 April.
Gettysburg is my hometown and I live just outside of town. While I won't be attending in an official capacity, I'm more than willing (time permitting) to go riding with anybody who's in town.
 
I know they have rides planned; I was just throwing it out there that if anybody wanted to "wander around" with a local I'd be there. I'm sure I can squeeze out at least one day for a ride (busy time for me). And of course I like meeting new folks.

I'll play it be ear and we'll see what happens.
 
I know they have rides planned; I was just throwing it out there that if anybody wanted to "wander around" with a local I'd be there. I'm sure I can squeeze out at least one day for a ride (busy time for me). And of course I like meeting new folks.

I'll play it be ear and we'll see what happens.


Ditto. I know every good twisty within 150 mile radius of Gettysburg.
 
We're just across the river in Lancaster County. Anyone wanting to do a covered bridge ride around Lancaster, let me know.
 
We're just across the river in Lancaster County. Anyone wanting to do a covered bridge ride around Lancaster, let me know.
Thanks for the offer -- my wife and I would love to do that -- I hope we can figure out how to do it and the MOA-member guided battlefield tour!
 
I'm heading up but prefer to do my own rides, while gathering later with new and old friends. Can you local guys recommend some roads or areas worth targeting? Hitting some covered bridges, Amish country, scenic rides, would be great.
 
and if anyone wonders why, it's because anyone who rides slower than me is a moron, and anyone who rides faster is a lunatic.
 
I'm heading up but prefer to do my own rides, while gathering later with new and old friends. Can you local guys recommend some roads or areas worth targeting? Hitting some covered bridges, Amish country, scenic rides, would be great.


Here's a good day ride. And here's a shorter one that maximizes your chance of running into some buggies.

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I rode thru the Amish country on my way to the rally last year. Few really nice roads around there.

If I recall Route 183 & Route 30 were the roads I went thru Amish country on. Nice sites & a few curves around the farms.

I didn't make it down to Gettysburg last summer, but did take a run out to Hyner Mt in Northwestern PA. Beautiful roads & a great view from the top. Looks to be about 2-3 hour ride from Gettysburg.
 
We're just across the river in Lancaster County. Anyone wanting to do a covered bridge ride around Lancaster, let me know.

I believe I've been on this ride. I highly recommend it...I unfortunately (?) will be south of the border that weekend and will miss this.
 
I rode thru the Amish country on my way to the rally last year. Few really nice roads around there.

If I recall Route 183 & Route 30 were the roads I went thru Amish country on. Nice sites & a few curves around the farms.

I didn't make it down to Gettysburg last summer, but did take a run out to Hyner Mt in Northwestern PA. Beautiful roads & a great view from the top. Looks to be about 2-3 hour ride from Gettysburg.


When people say "Amish country" they often mean the Lancaster area. I don't ride there just because it's too congested and touristified. There are Amish communities all over the middle part of the state.

I would avoid Rt 30 east from Gettysburg all the way to Philadelphia like the plague. The really great section of it is west of Chambersburg, specifically between Fort Loudin and Breezewood. That's the way to go if anyone wants to visit the Flight 93 Memorial. I can provide a route map for that.

Hyner is on Route 120 south of Renovo. That is one of the great rides in the state. I'm not sure what condition it will be in in early April though. I stay away from the part of the state north of I 80 until late April when the highway department gravel has been washed off and the road crews have a chance to deal with the worst of the winter potholes.
 
Here's a route to the Flight 93 Memorial. I'd take Rt 30 all the way outbound, then come back by taking Rt 26 south at Everett. Note that there aren't any convenience stores or gas stations between Everett and McConnellsburg, so I always make a pit stop in Everett. On the way out, Breezewood is a gob of Interstate gas stations, restaurants, and convenience stores, so it's a good place for a fill up and pit stop.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K5KWAGX1-xE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

30 isn't great until you get through Chambersburg to St. Thomas. Chambersburg itself has some very nice Victorian houses on Rt. 11 near Wilson College. Lee was there just before Gettysburg, and it was burned by Confederates later in the war for not paying a ransom. John Brown also lived there while organizing the raid on Harper's Ferry. Route 116 south of Gettysburg was one of the primary retreat routes for the Confederates after the battle.

I've marked a couple of nice lunch spots. Some of the plotting for the Whiskey Rebellion was done at the Jean Bonnet Tavern.

For lunch or dinner in Gettysburg itself, I recommend the Dobbin House and the Appalachian Brew Pub (which is right beside Lee's HQ during the battle). A little further afield, I like the Boiling Springs Tavern and the Hofbrauhaus.
 
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A few other recommendations for things to do. You'll definitely want to visit the Gettysburg Battlefield Visitor's Center. It was just built a few years ago. The Park Service started charging for it then, but it's worth it. I also recommend the Eisenhower Farm which is just off the battlefield, a few hundred yards from where Pickett's Charge started.

The U.S. Army War College and Army Heritage Center are at Carlisle, about 30 miles away. The Heritage Center has a nice open air display. The College itself is kind of interesting but you can't ride a motorcycle on Carlisle Barracks unless you have a DoD registration sticker and are wearing something hi viz. But it's a small post. I'd be happy to do a walking tour if anyone wants (there is parking outside the gate). It is the second oldest installation in the U.S. military and for a while was the Carlisle Indian School where Jim Thorpe trained for the Olympics and Pop Warner coached football.

If you head south, the Antietam Battlefield and Harper's Ferry aren't too far. If you opt for that, I recommend the Bavarian Inn or Blue Moon Cafe in Shepherdstown for lunch. There's also a nice Civil War museum in Harrisburg but the ride there from Gettysburg is fairly congested. And you could also pop over to the city of York and tour the Harley factory!

Oh, and one other thing--the closest BMW dealer is Velocity Cycles in case anyone has any issues.
 
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Gettysburg MOA Weekend

My friend and I will be riding from North Carolina on R1200R's. Mine is a 2009 Alpine White and his is a 2008 Granite Gray.

Rockbottom,

Thanks for the ride suggestions. By the way, the dobie dog photo is great! I cannot believe that the Westminster Kennel Club "judge" named a dust bunny with eyes as best in show. The Doberman, the German Shepherd or the Dalmation were all better examples of true canines and either one would have been a better choice than what the "judge" selected.

Bill
 
My friend and I will be riding from North Carolina on R1200R's. Mine is a 2009 Alpine White and his is a 2008 Granite Gray.

Rockbottom,

Thanks for the ride suggestions. By the way, the dobie dog photo is great! I cannot believe that the Westminster Kennel Club "judge" named a dust bunny with eyes as best in show. The Doberman, the German Shepherd or the Dalmation were all better examples of true canines and either one would have been a better choice than what the "judge" selected.

Bill

I'd never seen another R12R other than at the rally last summer and then I stopped for gas last fall and there were two at the pump. It's my favorite thing I've ever owned in my life. I bought it in July 2010 and have about 32K on it now.

I lost my 9 year old Golden Retriever to cancer last month and it devastated me. I lasted three days and bought the five month old Doberman. It's a much, much more intense experience than having Goldens. He's at the vet being altered right now.

On Westminster, here was a tweet I made this morning: "I've always considers the Pekingese the perfect dog. To use as alligator bait. "
 
Rockbottom has done a nice job of putting together info for a ride to the Flight 93 Memorial.

I live in Somerset county, just 4 miles from Route 30 and about 10 miles from the memorial.

In my opinion the section of 30 from Bedford, Pa. where route 31 splits off @ the Jean Bonnet Tavern west to the memorial is one of the best!
http://www.jeanbonnettavern.com/

The Jean Bonnett is a GREAT STOP!

The memorial is a moving tribute. They expect 400,000 visitors this year!

Shameless plug coming:
If you don't make it to the memorial while in Gettysburg.........

Our 10th Annual Laurel Highlands BMW Riders Campout is in June, Fathers Day Weekend and held in Somerset, only a few miles from the memorial.
Our event is listed on the MOA calendar.

Jason
 
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