camaroz1985
June 1st, 2009, 09:27 AM
I figure I will try my hand at this ride report thing, though this first one will be generally lack luster as I forgot my camera.
This is a trip I have taken many times (though with one small change that made it a lot more fun). I have been taking this general route about once a month (sometimes more often) as I go to visit my girl friend at college.
The trip is from Harrisburg, PA to Indiana, PA the long way. It is 175 miles.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh87/camaroz1985/Ninja/Ride%20Reports/20090529%20-%200531%20-%20IUP/Home_to_IUP_01.jpg
The ride is very nice and scenic. It makes a 3 and a half hour ride seem a lot less tiring. Even after taking it 6 or 7 times I still enjoy it quite a bit.
The new addition is this segment, Highway 305.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh87/camaroz1985/Ninja/Ride%20Reports/20090529%20-%200531%20-%20IUP/Home_to_IUP_02.jpg
I had driven this road in my car, but this was the first time on my bike. It has nice twistys, though the pavement leaves a little to be desired in spots (not unlike most of PA), and there are a lot of gravel driveways on this road so you need to be extra careful of the stones that wash out from rain and that are kicked out by cars.
I had a nice weekend visiting and got an extra surprise (the real reason I am writing). My girl friend is an RA and had to do check-ins for a few hours on Sunday morning so I got to go out for a little day trip (which I normally don’t get to do when I’m up there).
I have been reading Pennsylvania Ghost Towns: Uncovering the Hidden Past (http://www.amazon.com/Pennsylvania-Ghost-Towns-Uncovering-Hidden/dp/0811734110/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243872228&sr=8-1) and saw that there were three such towns in Indiana county. The first (Whiskey Run) there is nothing left of, the next (Wehrum) is accessible via hiking trail (not enough time nor the right footwear for this). So I set my sights on the third town, Iselin. It was an old mining town only 14 miles or so away from Indiana.
I could have spent my whole time there (and maybe I should have, but more on that later), but I had heard that PA-286 between Indiana, and Clearfield was a nice road to ride, and wanted to try that too. So many things to do and so little time.
I decided that I would go up 286, (but not the whole way to Clearfield), then head to Iselin for a quick look.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh87/camaroz1985/Ninja/Ride%20Reports/20090529%20-%200531%20-%20IUP/090531-Day_Trip.jpg
286 was a very nice road. Not as twisty as I had hoped, but still pretty nice. The pavement was very smooth, and there was some nice scenery. Saw a lot of bikers out, and most were very friendly.
I then headed to Iselin, and was sort of disappointed. I knew there was a modern town there, but I was hoping for a more defined area where there used to be houses and other buildings (guess I was thinking more Centralia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania), which reminds me I need to get back there). I think if I would have looked around more, maybe I would have found more, but I just drove down the main road as I was running out of time.
Anyway, so that was my day ride, 105 miles through the hills of Western PA. I headed back home Sunday night along my same route as before.
Total mileage for the weekend, 455.
On a side note, while in Indiana I read more of the book and noticed Greenwood Furnace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwood_Furnace_State_Park). That was the state park I drove through on the way there. I had no idea of the history of the place, but now I know where I will be stopping on my next trip to Indiana. (I have made a goal for myself to go to all the places in the book.)
Next time I will take some pictures and make this a little bit more interesting.
This is a trip I have taken many times (though with one small change that made it a lot more fun). I have been taking this general route about once a month (sometimes more often) as I go to visit my girl friend at college.
The trip is from Harrisburg, PA to Indiana, PA the long way. It is 175 miles.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh87/camaroz1985/Ninja/Ride%20Reports/20090529%20-%200531%20-%20IUP/Home_to_IUP_01.jpg
The ride is very nice and scenic. It makes a 3 and a half hour ride seem a lot less tiring. Even after taking it 6 or 7 times I still enjoy it quite a bit.
The new addition is this segment, Highway 305.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh87/camaroz1985/Ninja/Ride%20Reports/20090529%20-%200531%20-%20IUP/Home_to_IUP_02.jpg
I had driven this road in my car, but this was the first time on my bike. It has nice twistys, though the pavement leaves a little to be desired in spots (not unlike most of PA), and there are a lot of gravel driveways on this road so you need to be extra careful of the stones that wash out from rain and that are kicked out by cars.
I had a nice weekend visiting and got an extra surprise (the real reason I am writing). My girl friend is an RA and had to do check-ins for a few hours on Sunday morning so I got to go out for a little day trip (which I normally don’t get to do when I’m up there).
I have been reading Pennsylvania Ghost Towns: Uncovering the Hidden Past (http://www.amazon.com/Pennsylvania-Ghost-Towns-Uncovering-Hidden/dp/0811734110/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243872228&sr=8-1) and saw that there were three such towns in Indiana county. The first (Whiskey Run) there is nothing left of, the next (Wehrum) is accessible via hiking trail (not enough time nor the right footwear for this). So I set my sights on the third town, Iselin. It was an old mining town only 14 miles or so away from Indiana.
I could have spent my whole time there (and maybe I should have, but more on that later), but I had heard that PA-286 between Indiana, and Clearfield was a nice road to ride, and wanted to try that too. So many things to do and so little time.
I decided that I would go up 286, (but not the whole way to Clearfield), then head to Iselin for a quick look.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh87/camaroz1985/Ninja/Ride%20Reports/20090529%20-%200531%20-%20IUP/090531-Day_Trip.jpg
286 was a very nice road. Not as twisty as I had hoped, but still pretty nice. The pavement was very smooth, and there was some nice scenery. Saw a lot of bikers out, and most were very friendly.
I then headed to Iselin, and was sort of disappointed. I knew there was a modern town there, but I was hoping for a more defined area where there used to be houses and other buildings (guess I was thinking more Centralia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania), which reminds me I need to get back there). I think if I would have looked around more, maybe I would have found more, but I just drove down the main road as I was running out of time.
Anyway, so that was my day ride, 105 miles through the hills of Western PA. I headed back home Sunday night along my same route as before.
Total mileage for the weekend, 455.
On a side note, while in Indiana I read more of the book and noticed Greenwood Furnace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwood_Furnace_State_Park). That was the state park I drove through on the way there. I had no idea of the history of the place, but now I know where I will be stopping on my next trip to Indiana. (I have made a goal for myself to go to all the places in the book.)
Next time I will take some pictures and make this a little bit more interesting.