Day 5 - Thursday - more magic back roads - some dirt

Learning from last day's findings and insufficient Cue sheets -- making up a totally new ride from scratch. Linking good looking minor roads over promising looking terrain as can be judged by the available topo map material -- only missing detail, paved or dirt stays uncertain until visited.

Let's go and find out! Again heading down town and following the route out of "upper" town towards obviously lucky picked roads so far. Nice and shaded, low to no traffic, different views of the country side -- gently rolling and already featuring a few nice smooth descents.

Proceeding toward Diamond Valley road for a little easy incline in well shaded woods -- some green moos on the road to watch out for. Reaching the top and finding the per "original" route designated road to get on was a pretty gravely descent. The groups some what disliked and we decided to try to follow the paved road further and to eventually cut this off. So far so good and also the bridge under construction (or such) was on good shape for us.

Passing a little lake and a few nice down hill turns until finally no option but dirt -- proceeding. John happened to get a flat/side wall cut what was fixable. Heading on, the gravel got a little ugly for about 1/4 mile before decent hard packed dirt road let us down hill and out of this. Ending up on route again just a little shorter. One more dirt section to be cut out... Then part of the group decided to go ahead on known little bigger roads while Py, Lenny and Johnney cut back into the "wild" to find the original route, a shorter section of dirt road was in great condition and no big deal. A few climbs, one even rated CAT 4, great roads and some wild life to watch. And to top it off a pretty neat descent down in Cold Springs. Then just flying back into Huntigdon and stopping at the Cafe. Good day :-)

Day 4 - Wednesday - experimental GPS+topo map based "one the fly" navigation into the lands of the Amish after big roads hedache

Rolling down to 22 in weird warmish misty foggy air. Starting with some trouble (weird route crashed GPS) into a ride, following for way too long major and heavy traffic roads plus near misses... getting Py pretty upset about this route while spotting nice back roads just in parallel to the main road. Pretty much no discussion and he took over navigation not exactly knowing where to go and what to expect -- but nothing can be wrong just riding a beautiful small back road for miles with great views into the valley and Amish farms and work shops along side.

Scouting out on the fly while riding a route a alternative route following minor roads as much as possible. The groups seamed all sudden so overwhelmed by the views that some really easy sight seeing pace set in... well, fine.

Reaching Belleville on a good nice route -- Lunch/Coffee stop at a little Cafe.

Figuring the next segment of the ride while having Coffee and a quick oatmeal/banana snack.
At this point back or near the original route -- but not following it right up the main road but heading right up out of town on on more beauty of cycling road... Belleville Lane toward Barville. Then taking Barville Mountain Road to cut over the pass. This was going to be one of the first worse while mentioning climb getting a Strava rating of CAT3 -- and hey, including the extra fun of a dirt road in good shape!

After descending hitting again the original route, not too bad from now on and also no really good alternatives in sight. And on a slightly rolling road returning back into Huntigdon for a refreshment and the final climb up to the house in Snyder's run.

Energy for the the return. Getting really hot now -- later the needle of the thermometer was getting very close to the 100F mark at high humidity.

Day 3 - Tuesday - Fishermen's Loop

Improving weather on Tuesday, but still damp. The muddy puddle all over the short dirt road out of the house not really drying up. Py mapped out the Cue-sheet to Garmin for easy navigation via bikeroutetoaster.com. Working just fin and with overlayed topo map on his computer all is under good control. Besides Kev's two flats while heading out all is going as planned.

Lunch stop about 1/2 way at some general store. Brief reassembly after going wrong head start of a few of them... toward a little climb. Slightly rough/gravelly road for the steeper part of descending and some road work later along a beautiful smooth descent. Fun fun. Getting a little "the idea" of the area. Virtually traffic free roads, great!

Making a little distance towards one more climb before returning on top of this great view ride road with a blasting fast descent back into town.

Day 2 - Monday - Local post rain exploration, Raystown Damm

A wet damp and rainy morning, late start. Bob figures some local little funny looking out up down and back from dead end roads and repeat ride to check out the area. Not much to say, just riding a little around and a little set of climbs, nothing really exiting, but good to get started.

Starting into a week of cycling in Pensylvania

Early Sunday morning carpooling with Lenny to the residence for the next 5 days near Huntigdon, PA just above the Raystown Reservoir. Smooth "sailing" all the way out West directly via Manhattan and Lincoln tunnel early morning. After setting up at the place for the next days a quick afternoon spin down hill down to town meeting the rest of the group at a Cafe finding some Internet local hot spot -- non at the house.

Nice little climb back up to the house on "Snyder's Run".

Flat Lands -- RP 2 Orient Point

A little longer Island ride all the most scenic way out East to Orient Point. A great day, a slight North-East wind -- a little head wind component going out East and a bit support returning. Few riders, good group, good moving. Lunch in Greenport -- it's a while since Py was there :-)