Fort Royal and BRP here I come....too good to miss

[MacDoc]

WIth 5 days of superb weather forecast ...and I'm only three hours by slab to the north I'm playing hooky

Good ( tho chilly ) ride today to get to State College and cheap and nice digs.

Finally got warm - down at State College - cool and cheap motel Nittany Budget Motel - 64 tax in with breakfast, great internet and very nice room - bike is right outside the window 600 easy KM with some fun in the middle 44 and some other roads from Letchworth thanks to the TomTom.

Then a newly paved 892 after a fill up at Pauls, across to Wykoff as icing on the cake then some pretty sweeps and slab to State College. Good day thos chilly

Here is the route http://goo.gl/maps/FvBnu 532 KM - there were some additional twists in between Letchworth and COudersport thanks to TomTom winding road option.
The only one I recall is Alleghany 1 - have to refine that

Also there is the option to do 144 S out of Coudersport to go south then pick it up at Wykoff at the iron bridge where 892 comes out

I AM heading further South to the BRP later this morning. ( edited at 4 am )

Here is the suggest route including slab from State College to the beginning of the Skyline Drive at Fort Royal
http://goo.gl/maps/5kFuk

•••

Left TO around 6 am in light rain but it cleared.
Chilly but dry ride to the border- forgot to activate my Nexus card - the short stop was useful - sun was just coming up as I cleared the border.

Now HERE is a photo of something you can rarely see...that's a clear Toronto skyline from across the lake photographed all the way from Lewiston...

Click on it to blow it up

Rolled through small towns along 104 - Ridge Road - nice but won't do it again. Whats with the Yanks and their flags....this thing is ginormous - those are hydro pole and street light - hard to believe how big that sucker was..

FIlled up but did not go in - likely a mistake as I was pretty chilled and out of layers ( well had one left ) and was only 90 km from Letchworth and a second breakfast so toughed it out. It really never got above 13 all the way until I hit the Interstate on the way to State College tho is got a tad warmer going down from Coudersport.

Was happy to see the Letchworth Inn - warmth and food and top notch coffee....old time charm and prices.....

Top drawer dining for great prices

in an amazing setting

Under $10 and you get $8 of that back when you present the park ticket

this was a very welcome break

lovely scenery

Finally saw some blue sky tho stayed cold. Colours are just starting - this caught my eye

It's my new route to PA - not much longer....much more civilized

 

[djez]

I'm wondering how many more weeks before Letchworth turn to beautifull fall color.

 

[MacDoc]

WIth the cold snap I'd say either of the next two weekends....it was starting all over PA but just hints.

 

[MacDoc]

HiHo - off to FRONT Royal - glad I got that straight.

 

[mimico_polak]

I need your job! LoL It's tough getting away as is let alone during the week! Nice pics, enjoy the trip.

 

[MacDoc]

Bleeding cold out - started out at 10 tho I suspect was cooler as the temp on the bike lies a bunch.
Says it was 3 last night.
Warmer the rest of the week.
Warming up with oatmeal and coffee at McDs
1/2 way to Front Royal

11 am

Love thos Interstates for getting places....boring but do the job.

Sun coming out, 16 and Blue Ridge

I suspect last post til tonight - pretty rural

 

[MacDoc]

Got tired of being cold

Bloody hell 10 degrees. Lovely ride on the Skyline so had some fun and some touristing - did 50 miles and bailed for the warmer valleys - 21 and civilized 30 miles east LAtte and soup - I'm in culture shock ....of a good kind.

Now have to figure out how to avoid Washington.....or drive through midday.

 

[regder]

Got tired of being cold

Bloody hell 10 degrees. Lovely ride on the Skyline so had some fun and some touristing - did 50 miles and bailed for the warmer valleys - 21 and civilized 30 miles east LAtte and soup - I'm in culture shock ....of a good kind.

Now have to figure out how to avoid Washington.....or drive through midday.

Washington is actually really nice outside of the touristy and ghetto areas. If you have the time it's worth a walkaround

 

[MacDoc]

Been there and enjoyed the museums but not interested this trip.

MAde use of the light and warmth so holed up in Chambersberg at a Starbucks. A quick 200k made a big difference for tomorrow.
Poor Hardley rider just couldn't support the speeds over time.
Passed me twice then gave up when the speeds went up.

Boogied on the slab so now in range of home if I decide but given the weather more likely to wander a bit more in the PA and upper New York state.

Too crowded S of Washington tho Culpeper was a nice town.

 

[woobie]

Did they send you in at the border? If they did I was a car or two behind you lol.

Hope you have a great trip, I'll be heading down for a day ride Wednesday since I have to be home every other day to take the rugrat to work at 4.

How's 44 these days?

 

[Sunday Rider]

If you got time to kill, have you been to the Glenn Curtiss Aviation Museum? Lots of cool old bikes there and planes. They are bringing back to life a plane in the back, amazing work. http://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org/

Map: https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF...10104&ei=rudAUrKJKYq62gX534GABw&ved=0CKIBEPwS

Good roads in the area, pretty countryside.

Nice trip report, thanks.

 

[BlueVFR]

We rode up 54 and 54A once, didn't know there was a museum there. It was just a one day ride out that way so didn't have a lot of time to explore.

If you got time to kill, have you been to the Glenn Curtiss Aviation Museum? Lots of cool old bikes there and planes. They are bringing back to life a plane in the back, amazing work. http://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org/

Map: https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF...10104&ei=rudAUrKJKYq62gX534GABw&ved=0CKIBEPwS

Good roads in the area, pretty countryside.

Nice trip report, thanks.

 

[MacDoc]

Did they send you in at the border? If they did I was a car or two behind you lol.

hehe - yeah that was me- apparently I was supposed to activate the Nexus card - read the rules - didn't read the instructions.
They did it at the border - was a welcome break from the cold anyways.

Originally Posted by Sunday Rider
If you got time to kill, have you been to the Glenn Curtiss Aviation Museum? Lots of cool old bikes there and planes. They are bringing back to life a plane in the back, amazing work. http://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org/

Map: https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-...&ved=0CKIBEPwS

Good roads in the area, pretty countryside.

Hey thanks for that tip - I think I'll likely do that. Have lunch at the Corning Glass Works ( I've seen the exhibit - it's fantastic - but the food is soooo good and then the Glen Curtis Museum is just a bit north.

The roads are good if not challenging - I set TomTom for maximum winding so we will see how the ride up to Corning goes.

 

[MacDoc]

Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

Pics here start at 18
https://picasaweb.google.com/113408714888195024530/PASept22?authuser=0&feat=directlinkas you've seen the others.

The SKyline Drive starts in Front Royal - $10 to get in. Traffic was light - quite a few bikes out - everyone bundled up but lovely riding conditions

and I had some fun pacing with this guy and girl....love the licence plate.

couple of highlights - Blue Ridge Parkway living up to it's name

Deer are always lurking - there was a whole small herd the other side of the wall

got down to 10 and I'd had enough cold after 50 miles so warmed up in a sunny spot

that was the furthest South I went - the Parkway goes on for another 500 miles or so.

opted for warmth - 21 when I got down in the valley and much welcome decent food after too many McDs.

lovely little spot - great small town but expensive which is one reason I opted to head north

 

[Sunday Rider]

Re: Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

You are up really late! or up really early. Looks like a great day for riding once it warms up. If you do the Curtiss Museum, make sure you see the movie at the beginning of your visit. It is well done and sets things up very nicely. It is not a huge place.

Thanks for the Corning tip, never thought to stop there at all.

Great pictures, great looking meal there at that last place.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

Yeah expensive soup and latte - $18 !!...Washington excess at it's finest but was tasty and a good latte. Woke up after a long 12 hours riding and a high speed slab run which is tiring.
The town was Culpeper VA - loads of small shops and eateries
http://www.culpeperdowntown.com

Woke the second time at 8 am so clearly needed the sleep - bloody cold out 5 degrees but sunny
Thanks for the tip.
Might wait a bit to take off - lolligagging over breakfast.

 

[kiley]

Re: Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

Hey Mac
Just wanted to say thanks for the tip on Letchworth Inn.
I was in the area Labor Day weekend but somehow missed the park.
I have Friday off this weekend and weather looks fantastic so I’ll stop in for lunch there on my way down to Badford PA.

Anyway thanks again and enjoy your trip.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

Thanks and actually there was a another rider that tipped me off a while back and when I saw the sign I said let's try - glad I did
enjoy

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

Blew in 1/2 hour ago after messing up my schedule for dinner at Letchworth or Corning.

Realized I was already too far north thanks to TomTom's wanderings so not so far from home. Beat the sunset to the border ( worried about deer ) Nexus was a treat then boogied on home on the slab.

Feel pretty good given second 12 hour day. 2100km give or take a few....slab, windies and twisties - some cool spots I hope I can chase down again.

Thought I was going to end up in Coudersport via TomTom meanderings but horrendous log jam at construction on the southern end of 44 so discovered some new stuff further east and stayed east.

Made these notes mid-ride

TomTom paid off - lovely ride through the valleys and over a couple of ridges - Bald Eagle PArk was good for some twists twice and big rolling sweeps along the valleys - lots of Amish in the area

Somewhere in Pennsylvania

$20 for soup latte and a cookie in Culpeper and left a tad hungry - nic setting - nice people

2 hours later somewhere west and north in PA -

$3.19 for barbecued chicken breast, broccoli salad and apple crumble....enough to be stuffed and want to take the crumble home at the middle of nowhere gas and grocery stop
Locals all trooping in for the same takeaway lunch....can't blame them...."okay" food for cheap and there was a decent choice of sides as well. Chicken breast and two generous sides $3 bucks. Decent coffee - real milk too $1.29

Picnick table outside 16 degrees - lovely break - so much for lunch at Corning - still a long ways away and I'm no hurry...

There is simply nobody on these roads....what a treat

HWY 75 was a lovely road for a fair distance and had some interesting side roads that TomTom pointed me on. I HIGHLY recommend this for anyone touring - bit clunky interface but the Winding Roads is simply too good to miss.


Colour definitely starting but I noticed it looked very dry and yellowish in a number of areas.

This was sweet tho

Just a fabulous riding day....started chilly but flawless blue sky all day and got up to 22. Had too many layers on and needed a break so turned the Burgman into a clothes line

of course had to reverse the layering once it got back down to 12 as the sun went down.

While I was taking a break a bunch of guinea fowl were playing silly buggers in the road.

Spotted a flock of wild turkeys earlier in the ride but too shy to get a shot.....TomTom scored on that - a really nice and very rural road.

TomTom steers you around the major routes and when set on max Winding Roads some are narrow but all are paved ( that's a setting ). You do have to stay alert as it throws in some sharp and unexpected turns as it takes you off the beaten path.

This was a surprised and some of the sport riders might want to check out Bald Eagle State Park - there seems to be several and each road through them was ahem "interesting"

There were three of those on the one route and lovely elevation changes as well.....

TomTom sure finds these sweet signs far more often than I could...

of course it's redneck country down there....lots of rod and gun clubs - there was even a gun party on next weekend so the sign said.

Pretty decent caliber too

all in all a good three day ride tho it pushed my cold limits in the morning....seriously considering a heated vest now - good for my still wonky shoulder.

 

[Sunday Rider]

Re: Day two - Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

Glad you got home safe and sound. It was a beauty day to ride, and you did that and then some!