Abandoned Turnpike

July 30, 2021September 1, 2021

BREEZEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA

I have been here perhaps 10 times. Maybe 15. I’m sure I could look it up but I’m lazy. But I wanted to bring my friend, Tim, with me.

We left Woodbridge at 6:30 and drove out I-66, stopping in Linden at the Apple House Restaurant for some apple butter cinnamon donuts. We arrived in Breezewood at 10:00 a.m.

Apple cinnamon donuts from The Apple House Restaurant

The entrance to the Abandoned Turnpike used to be a dirt singletrack. I was never able to ride up the pitch and only once dared to ride down it. Today I noticed that it had been widened and paved with some asphalt. Both Tim and I were able to ride up the path to the beginning of the trail.

There was a gate across the road and the jersey barriers were arranged that one could not take a bike. We had to do the Limbo, ducking under the bar with our bikes.

We were only in about a mile when we passed two guys coming back. One was riding slowly and the other was pushing his bike as his had a flat. I offered any help and was willing to give him a tube but he said he would walk. They were almost back to the cars.

I mentioned to Tim that there is a lot of broken glass here and to always be vigilant. We rode our Trek Checkpoints with knobby tires so I was feeling pretty secure. I also thought that the turnpike looked like it had been swept at some point. Although there was broken glass, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been.

I talked to a family from Carlisle at the entrance to the first tunnel and Tim went ahead without me. Brave guy. In the tunnel I hit something, probably falling cement from the ceiling.

The distance, end to end, is just 8.5 miles so an out-and-back ride is just 17 miles. That seemed too short of a ride. So I added a valley loop and created two KOM segments on Strava that I could compete for. Tim could too but having never ridden this before Strava would not show his first effort as a PR.

I went ahead on Hess Road and captured both KOMs. I consider these as garbage KOMs. First, is because very few people ride here. Second, no one knew these were segments before I created them. But I have ridden here before and would be happy with PRs. But they were KOMs and I will take them.

We finished the loop and headed back inside the tunnels. As I came out of the second tunnel I could feel some squishiness in my front tire. I looked and told Tim that I was flatting and was going to ride ahead.

With less than two miles to go, I had hoped to ride as far as I could before it was unrideable. Being so close I didn’t want to take the time to change the flat thinking it would be faster to ride than perhaps walking. And walk I did.

It was about 3/4 of a mile when I could no longer ride. At that point, I had to walk. I could have changed the flat but I was so close, or so I thought. End of the ride for me. But I should have changed the flat.

Although I blamed glass, I think it was just as likely broken asphalt or broken concrete inside the tunnel. I found no debris in the tire.

August 30, 2014July 23, 2015

T-Town Turnpike

TREXLERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

Well, it’s not really the Trexlertown Turnpike. I began the day hoping that my sister, Betsy, and I would take our dad to the Great Allegheny Passage at Rockwood and ride about 12 miles to Fort Hill. But he said he was too tired to ride (he is 85) and I had kept him out late past midnight at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game.

Pumping Station Road Entrance

Betsy previously had expressed interest in riding the Abandoned Turnpike at Breezewood. Fresh off buying lights for her bike last week at the 25 Hours of Booty, we both drove to Breezewood.

Entrance off Pumping Station Road
It is not marked

I had my Trek Domane and a Trek MTB with me. The pavement on the Pike2Bike ranges from average to poor, with a lot of poor. All things being equal, I would choose a mountain bike over a road bike but it’s not bad on a road bike. It’s just better on fatter tires. However, since I had both with me it meant I had to leave one in the car so I chose to leave the MTB in the car instead of the road bike.

Entrance off Pumping Station Road

Entering from Breezewood, and after climbing the steep trail up to the start, you have your choice of four lanes of pavement, although it is often hard to tell. You start out in the left “lane” – that is where the entrance puts you. My experience is to ride the left lane to the Rays Hill (first) Tunnel. After exiting the tunnel, ride the left lane for a couple of miles but then switch over to the right lane before reaching the Sideling Hill (second) tunnel. After exiting the second tunnel, stay left. These are my suggestions only and know and there is no perfect line to follow.

Eastern entrance to Sideling Hill (second) Tunnel

I flatted after exiting the Sideling Hill Tunnel. I couldn’t find any glass in the tire but there is a little bit of glass on the trail. I think it was probably a pinch flat from the rough pavement.

Closest intersection to Pike 2 Bike

Once out at the far end, we rode another mile just to see where the roads lead. Then we
turned around and went back.

Exit of Sideling Hill Tunnel, looking west

After our ride I drove to Trexlertown. The last couple of years, the cancer support group, Spokes of Hope, was at Trexlertown to honor pediatric cancer survivors. This year, the invitation did not come until Wednesday, so we scrambled to get participants, both big and small.

Valley Preferred Velodrome
Trexlertown, Pa.

I arrived at 3:30, we took some practice rides on the track at 4:00 p.m., coached by Cindi Hart. The kids stayed down (on the track). The grownups stayed up. Cindi ran us through some drills but in the end I think it was just the two of us.

Cindi Hart

After the practice ride I went on to over to the Bob Rodale fitness track. Three lanes: slow bikes on left, roller bladers in the middle, fast bikes on the right. What a great track to ride.

Cancer Survivors and Warriors

At 7:00 p.m. (scheduled) or 7:15 or 7:20 (actual) we were introduced to the crowd at the Valley Preferred Velodrome. We took 3-4 laps and the crowd cheered the entire time for the survivors and cancer warriors. It warmed my heart.

The races are a blast to watch, especially the Madison where teammates take turns and sling their partners ahead when they make the exchange. The German-Austrian duo of Marcel Kalz and Andreas Graf killed the field, lapping them in both the 50 and 100 lap races although American and local favorite, Bobby Lea, was not there.

Josh Grecco

My dear cousins, Stacey and Gary Gravina, came over from Phillipsburg, New Jersey to see me (or maybe just see the races). It was so great to see them and their boys.

Barry and Stacey

Abandoned tunnels in western Pa., velodrome in eastern Pa. – I’d say it was a good day.

June 3, 2014September 27, 2016

Abandoned Turnpike

BREEZEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA

I told the 4K for Cancer Team Portland team that I would probably meet them on the abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. I think I told them that.

I drove to Bedford then biked on US 30 to Breezewood. I did this, in part, to see if it was scarier than hell. It wasn’t although getting through Breezewood was no treat. Curb to curb and uphill, I chose to go in and out of service stations and then wait for traffic to break before riding on ahead.

The western entrance to Pike 2 Bike is just over the first rise on US 30. There is a small sign marking the entrance and a trail that leads to the turnpike.

Western (Breezewood) entrance to Pike 2 Bike
Right up that dirt path

Once on the turnpike one is on 50 year-old (at least) pavement. It’s all ridable but some sections are better than others. I came to the first tunnel and felt the cold air coming from the entrance about 100 yards away. Once I entered I thought my headlight wasn’t bright enough. And it is spooky in there if not downright scary.

I thought any moment I would meet the 4K as I was running late. I came to the second tunnel and still no signs of the 4K. This tunnel was much longer than the first. It took a while to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel (literal).

At the end of the tunnel and still no 4K, I went to the end of the turnpike. Nothing. This was my first time at the western end. There are no signs or markings to show where this begins. Just a driveway. Actually, 100 yards away is a driveway with a sign stating private but that trail is 100 yards away.

Western Entrance to Private Drive
Actual entrance which looks similar is 100 yards south

I tried to call Mary Natoli, a rider on the 2013 ride and alum who helped this group on Sunday, to see if she had anyone’s contact information. Getting no answer, I started to look up the 4K office to see if they had contact info when the 4K van pulled up followed seconds later by 3-4, then 7-8, then 15-18 riders.

Source: Joanna Wang
Runfastandeatlots.blogspot.com

I asked them how their ride had been and they said very hard. They had been on miles of gravel and I asked who’s cue sheet did they use. One they made. Oh kids, don’t deviate from my maps. Sigh.

Source: Joanna Wang
Runfastandeatlots.blogspot.com

We came to the first tunnel and too many riders climbed to the top of the tunnel. It was hard to watch. I have the fully developed risk gene – they don’t.

We rode out together to Breezewood. I gave them my three rules for riding in (western) Pennsylvania.

Always stop at Sheetz
Know that Pennsylvania has a 4 foot law (passing)
No motorist knows about it

We were only about three miles from the end of the turnpike trail and Aaron said the team reported from the support van that it was raining very hard at the end. And we weren’t in it. That would end. It really was raining hard at the end.

I rode with Aaron Hoxworth, Helen Smith, Jamie Roberts, and Jocelyn Godlberg to Sheetz in Breezewood. After a restroom break, we rolled out, still in the rain. A car pulled up, rolled down the windows and the driver yelled “Go 4K Team Portland! Our son is with Team San Francisco.” They had Iowa plates. (They were the parents of Jeffrey Robson.)

Jocelyn, Aaron, Helen, Jamie
My 4K Teammates for the Day

Crossing the Juniata River we ran out of the rain. And we had a flat. I was riding with Aaron and Helen, having passed Jocelyn and Jamie on the descent over the river. Then I noticed we were missing the two girls. I doubled back and found Jamie and Jocelyn changing a tire.

When I arrived I used my tube and changed Jamie’s flat because tubes are precious commodities to riders on the 4K. Either that because I was so impressed she knew how to pronounce Juniata. She also told me she liked coming up here, Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and described in detail eating at Panera in Altoona. Panera was where I took my friends on my first recovery ride after cancer and it holds a special place for me.

Jamie was conscious not to leave any waste behind. Rather than try to put her tube back in my bag, she wore it around her neck. I told her up ahead about 1/2 mile was a “trading post” which surely would have an outdoor trash can. We rode there and she offloaded her spent tube. Then the five of us rolled on into Bedford where I said goodbye for the night knowing I’d ride the next day with them.

Bedford, Pa.