I used to live in Western PA and, in fact, have been looking forward to trying the FJR out on some of the great, underrated Pennsylvania roads ... which I will be doing next week when I return from my SS1000 ride to Boston!!
You're definitely on the right track with the roads that you are considering. Some thoughts:
-Rte 62 in Franklin .... GREAT stretch between Oil City and Warren. Plenty of trees, plenty of turns, plenty of grade changes (much different than IL), and not many people! As you pass through Oil City, keep in mind this is the site of the country's first oil boom. The town many not look so great now but this was one of the wealthiest towns in the world at one time! As you ride 62, keep in mind that this is hunting cabin land ... you'll see alot as you ride along the road that divides the river from the mountain. Just look out for deer! Scenic place on this route is past Warren and is Kinzua Dam as well as the nearby Kinzua Bridge. At one time, this was the sight of the highest wooden train trestle in the world but was knocked down by a tornado about 4 hears ago. When I last rode there 3 years ago, the pieces still laid in place so that now it also serves as an awesome reminder of the power of nature as well as the feats of 19th century engineering.
-Alternative route to this (as you already noted) is Route 66 north out of Clarion. Very nice road but not nearly as scenic or twisty as Rte 62. It's also more heavily travelled as this serves as the main thoroughfare between I-80/Clarion and towns such as Warren, Kane, and Bradford (the home of Zippo ... they give tours .... just look for the giant lighter outside their building).
-If you want to combine the two previous roads, start on Rte 62, turn right on Rte 666 near Hickory, proceed right on Rte 948 which will meet Rte 66. This is a fine road which is very isolated and feels more like a back road. Once again, very scenic.
-Route 6 east is nice ... but heavily travelled and heavily policed. Personally, I think it's a bit overrated but it is scenic. Proceed if time is not of the essence. If camping/hiking is your thing and you decide to take Rte 6, stop at the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania" near Wellsboro (middle of the state). Very nice area.
-If the Grand Canyon of PA and Wellsboro sound good, here's another idea for a road that gets little credit. Route 144 north out of Moshannon is about 30 miles of turns, mountains, speed, and no people. I have travelled this route several times and, if speed is your thing, this is the road. Very isolated since there is nothing but forest between Moshannon and Renovo. However, watch out for the downhill turns into Renovo....the first 28 miles will inspire much speed and confidence and the last few downhill turns can sneak up on you!
- If you're hungry, try (
Denny's Beer Barrell) in Clearfield. The food is just okay but the place is legendary for its ... and this is the honest truth ... 2lb, 3lb, 6lb, 15lb, and 50lb burgers!!
-I would say that most of the roads in this general area in the center of the state and north of I-80 are great.
I could go on and on but you can throw darts at a Pennsylvania map and you could come away with a great riding route. Don't be tempted to visit Punxsutawney, however, because it's very disappointing. Even the movie Groundhog Day was not actually filmed there!
Have fun and post a ride report!
) for July 4th week and thinking about Eastern PA. I’m looking for anybody that’s familiar with the area with ideas about roads not to miss and areas for lodging. We’re looking to stay in two or three places and make day trips from there. I’m hoping to find some good roads and also some sightseeing stuff but would like to stay mostly away from major congestion areas. My initial plan is to take I-80 to pick up Route 62 at Franklin or Route 66 near Clarion. I also considered picking up Route 6 at the OH-PA line and taking that across the state to some places of interest. Any other ideas would be appreciated.
![fjackets Real Lambskin Leather Biker Jacket — Quilted Cafe Racer Zip Up Moto Leather Jackets For Men | [1100085] Johnson Brown, XL](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41I7Pm1f+vL._SL500_.jpg)
