ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA
My go-to climb in Blair County, Pa. has been Glenwhite Road from Horseshoe Curve to the top of the mountain. I climb it 3-4 times per year and always love it. I didn’t need anything different but I found something different.
While visiting my mother in Pennsylvania, I was looking to see if I could find a group ride in Blair County. I found the Blair Cycling Club on Facebook but didn’t find any group rides listed. Lots of cancellation notices. But I found something better. It looked like they have a “Mountain Challenge” ride every Tuesday. And they posted those along with a map file.
I found two challenges. On my way home I would stop and ride one. If it went well I would ride the second one if it wasn’t too far out of the way.
The two were the Baumgardner Mountain Challenge and the Williamsburg Mountain Challenge. I was familiar with the areas but not with the climbs. I thought the first one was one I had descended before – Sproul Mountain. When I got on the road I realized it wasn’t.
I drove to the tiny village of Imler. I parked at the fire department and then headed to Osterburg. There begins a one-mile climb to I-99. Once under the Interstate I turned on Mountain Road. This is a 2.5-mile climb over Baumgardner Mountain. As I climbed the gradient got progressively steeper until the last half mile was around 12%.
I was thinking it was an easy climb and thought I would go to the summit in the saddle. But as I climbed increasingly higher that goal gave way just to staying comfortable on the climb. I went over the top searching for the gradient sign and found one – 12% for two miles.
After turning around most of this ride was downhill or flat going back. It really was delightful. I thought I would look for one of Bedford County’s covered bridges if the route did not take me to one. But it did.
I went past the Bowser Covered Bridge. I stopped for a couple of photos and then headed back to the car.
Nice loop. I’d ride it again if the circumstances were right.
The second climb began in Williamsburg. This one would be a little out of the way. I decided if it was less than 45 minutes away I would do it. I turned on Waze and my ETA was 43 minutes. I honored the deal that I made with myself.
I knew Williamsburg mostly from being a rest stop on the MS rides from Hollidaysburg to State College. We always went in by rolling valley roads so I looked forward to seeing the climb.
On the way to Williamsburg on U.S. 22 I passed Turkey Valley Road and turned left. Just a quarter mile up the road is a bat house managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources. But I know it was the former Canoe Creek E.U.B. Church. This was one of three of my dad’s first churches he was assigned to as a probationary pastor in 1958. The other two churches were East Freedom and Mount Moriah.
Just being here was to be in my dad’s presence once again. It brought me peace remembering him and his service to this community.
In Williamsburg, I parked at the trailhead. There is a rail trail here but I would be climbing and not taking the east 1% grade of the former train on the Lower Trail.
Immediatley I began climbing. It was a half-mile climb followed by a half-mile descent that I hated. I knew I would be added that half-mile back into the next climb. There was a little more than one mile of flat and then I hit the wall. The climb began in earnest. It started at 9-10% and never got easier. It was a 2.5-mile climb to the summit and stayed around 10% with some sections of 12%. It was a tough climb,
I’ve read ratings of climbs in the area. I like the Horseshoe Curve. I’ve also ridden Henrietta Mountain which is rated tougher. My memory could use a rain check on Henrietta – I think this was the toughest climb that I’ve done.
My glasses were covered in sweat. I tried to clean them at the top before turning around an descending but I was still sweating. I think I could have hit 50 mph on the descent if I could see the road clearly. I could not.
Near the bottom, I turned and made this into a 17-mile out-and-back loop ride. The valley was pretty and I enjoyed not just riding a nine-mile up and down mountain ride.
Back in Williamsburg, it was time for a treat. Ice cream at the end.
