Day twenty-four, Gettysburg pa to state college, pa.

When planning the route for this trip, most of the rides in each state came from Whitehorse print books on the best motorcycle rides in …” whatever”………….

The route we took today came from the Pennsylvania chapter from the Best motorcycle rides in the Appalachians

The author commented that if you did not have much time in Pennsylvania and could only do one ride, then do this one as it gives the rider a great representation of all Pennsylvania has to offer. I have to say this writer nailed it, this has to be my favourite ride of the trip to date, just awesome

We started off heading south west on route 116 out of Gettysburg toward Blue Ridge Summit, coincidently the same road that General Lee took when retreating the Confederate Army from the Gettysburg battle field back in 1863. ( Bit of useless trivia I knew you would be interested in) Down off Blue Ridge Summit we went through Waynesboro and Mercerburg, nice enough riding but the cream of this ride was the some 200 odd kilometers that was to follow, from Mercersburg up the 75N, left on the 30W to climb the nice Twisties to the summit on Lincoln way then right up Aughwick road into Cowan’s Gap State park all the way through the Buchanan State Forest to the village of “Burnt Cabins”, right on the 522 Groghan Pike through to Shade Gap then right again on Neelyton Road to Spring Run. At Spring Run, while having a coffee, we took a couple pics of the horse drawn buggies of the Mennonites, I think ,rather than Armish, ( permission was granted to take the pics FYI) We then headed west on Route 75, Path Valley Road, an awesome fertile valley full of very well groomed dairy farms, some with significant investment in loafing barns, open sided feed pads, silage on the ground ready for baleing, maize growing for Africa, overtook another horse drawn buggy with a wee boy peering out the back at the motor bikes, another wee girl waiting on yet another horse and buggy while her mum bought some Veges at a roadside stall. What an awesome valley to ride through. Pennsylvania is Dairy central to be sure.

I even spotted, for the first time in the USA, a dairy farm not only with actual road boundary fences, but numerous paddocks fenced up with four wire electric for grazing animals outside……… Yes I shit you not, serious……….One of the owners is obviously a kiwi or has visited our fair country and been impressed by the simplicity of our all grass grazing systems. Another thing I noted was no settling ponds or any sign whatsoever of what is done with the effluent from all these loafing barns………

I digress…….. side tracked again………….By and By, along this valley we took a right on Route 274, Big Spring Road to Blain , stayed on the 274 through to Loysville and at Green Park we turned left onto the 74, Veterans way, through to Ickesburg and over another winding summit road and down into Port Royal. ( right on the 75).

Leaving Port Royal we took the 322 through to State College which was also a nice Ride although a bit more like an interstate.

Anyone visiting Pennsylvania with a day to spare, motorcycle or motorcar, who has not driven these roads, I urge you to do so, this was truly an awesome ride with a bit of everything to see. Starting at Mercersburg and finishing at Port Royal on the route outlined on this blog, is a must do ride, seriously. Even In a car equally as good in either direction I would suggest. I cannot talk this ride up highly enough, loved it.

Arriving at State College to be intro’d to Kim Batty where Mark and Tracey were staying, what a top lady, she immediately took us off to a boutique brewery for “adult refreshments” Does it get any better?

Yes it does, after some minor rehydrating at “Otto’s” it was off to Kim’s dad and step mum, Frank and Debs who live on an absolutely gorgeous lifestyle block 5 kms down the road where Frank and Deb put on an awesome BBQ, some of Frank’s home made wine was sampled ( white wine was grapes from Hawkes Bay ) more local beers and adult refreshments, a tour of their awesome house, including Franks Man cave/ brewing room………, the vege garden that has to be fenced to keep out the deer, ground hogs and other foraging beasties…….…a great nights hospitality with Frank and Debs, Red and Corina and Horse and Janelle stayed with Frank and Deb while squit and I were back at Kim,s with Mark and Tracey.

A cracker of a day of absolutely top riding in Pennsylvania and ending with awesome hospitality with great people in State College. Top temp of 27 all day, outstanding.

pics to follow when the internet is a bit friendlier