TomInPA
Well-known member
It's been a long winter in the northeast and today promised to warm up to near 70 with a chance of rain in the afternoon. So looking for any excuse to ride, I went out to grab the Pennsylvania Tag O Rama on ADVrider. It was holed up near the border of PA with WV and not far from Ohio at the old Kings Creek Cemetery at Raccoon Creek State Park. So I rode across Pittsburgh to go get it. I was rewarded with some nice twisty roads near the tag, but the slog across the city is not fun. Two tunnels, and lots of construction lane closures.
I figured this tag needed to up its game a bit so today, I went to the Laurel Highlands. The highlands are the western ridges of the Appalachian Mountains southwest of Pittsburgh. The roads are twisty and there is some good riding there. It is still early in the season here, so some of the narrow roads still had cinders and gravel, but most were in great condition. I might have gone a little over the speed limit once or twice.
Seven Springs is still skiing, but was closed today but will reopen this weekend. There is snow, and probably more than Tahoe, but it's getting thin and dirty.
From Seven Springs I took the curvy roads across Indian Head, Millersburg Rd and on to Fallingwater. These were fun roads and reasonably clean and fast. About five miles north of Fallinwater, I passed a couple cars at FJR nominal speeds over the optional double yellow lines, when suddenly flashing lights and a siren from behind. Oh crap, I was sure I was busted, and slowed and looked for a safe place to pull over. Then the pickup truck passed me and went on to his fire or emergency call...made my day!
Fallingwater (the house) is not visible from the road or parking areas. You have to hike in along Little Bear Creek where the green Mountain Laurel are still waiting to flower and the trees are bare.
As the house comes into view, it's not too impressive at first.
Room with a view and crawdad fishing from the living room?
Of course there is a viewpoint where you can take the money shot.
Took a selfie that I'm not posting, and dropped the tag.
I went on to Ohiopyle falls on the Youghiogheny River. (say that three times fast, or one time right). It's not a very impressive waterfall but it eats people with the vicious hydraulic it forms. A guy jumped over the protective fence on that platform the mirror is pointing at in mid-May, and has not been recovered yet. Some lucky rafter on the river will eventually spot him.
Hey, that's it! I rode twisty roads for a while and noticed clouds moving in. Checked the radar display on the GPS and the light/moderate rain was right on top of me, so I headed for home. I got rained on and put away the FJR wet. It looks like it never looked in California.
Apologies for the lame cell phone pics. This was meant as a tag day, but after this winter, I figured it deserved a trip report.
I figured this tag needed to up its game a bit so today, I went to the Laurel Highlands. The highlands are the western ridges of the Appalachian Mountains southwest of Pittsburgh. The roads are twisty and there is some good riding there. It is still early in the season here, so some of the narrow roads still had cinders and gravel, but most were in great condition. I might have gone a little over the speed limit once or twice.
Seven Springs is still skiing, but was closed today but will reopen this weekend. There is snow, and probably more than Tahoe, but it's getting thin and dirty.
From Seven Springs I took the curvy roads across Indian Head, Millersburg Rd and on to Fallingwater. These were fun roads and reasonably clean and fast. About five miles north of Fallinwater, I passed a couple cars at FJR nominal speeds over the optional double yellow lines, when suddenly flashing lights and a siren from behind. Oh crap, I was sure I was busted, and slowed and looked for a safe place to pull over. Then the pickup truck passed me and went on to his fire or emergency call...made my day!
Fallingwater (the house) is not visible from the road or parking areas. You have to hike in along Little Bear Creek where the green Mountain Laurel are still waiting to flower and the trees are bare.
As the house comes into view, it's not too impressive at first.
Room with a view and crawdad fishing from the living room?
Of course there is a viewpoint where you can take the money shot.
Took a selfie that I'm not posting, and dropped the tag.
I went on to Ohiopyle falls on the Youghiogheny River. (say that three times fast, or one time right). It's not a very impressive waterfall but it eats people with the vicious hydraulic it forms. A guy jumped over the protective fence on that platform the mirror is pointing at in mid-May, and has not been recovered yet. Some lucky rafter on the river will eventually spot him.
Hey, that's it! I rode twisty roads for a while and noticed clouds moving in. Checked the radar display on the GPS and the light/moderate rain was right on top of me, so I headed for home. I got rained on and put away the FJR wet. It looks like it never looked in California.
Apologies for the lame cell phone pics. This was meant as a tag day, but after this winter, I figured it deserved a trip report.
