no helmets in Pennsylvania

[Northern Bill]

I just came back from a wonderful weekend of riding in Pennsylvania. Here in the Toronto area we are truly deprived of decent roads.  My favourite local road has 3 decent curves in the whole ride and the speed limit is around 30mph.  Sometimes I wonder why I bother.  Anyway, Pennsylvania is a mere 4 hours away so I shouldn't complain.  My first ride when I got there,  from Coudersport down through to Renovo,  was about 50 miles of continuous curves. Averaging around 50 to 60 mph I passed one car and was passed myself by one bike.  This is my 27th year going there and I am still amazed that so many riders go without helmets.  I am in full support of the Darwin law but I am still surprised. In the earlier part of the day yesterday there was a constant drizzle with temperatures well below 50. I had my heated liner on and heavy gloves yet I saw many riders going without a helmet and some without gloves. They must have been freezing!

[Perazzimx14]

If you think the roads in Pennsylvania are curvy, a few days in West Virginia would make your head do this: 

[Diploman]

Pennsylvania, as you note, is a mostly-unknown (to outsiders) jewel of serpentine country backroads.  Most people are not aware of the fact that Pennsylvania has more miles of paved roads than any other US state.  This is mainly due to its endless labyrinthine network of meandering 2-lane country roads connecting hamlets in the hinterland.  When the weather is good, it can be a paradise for a rider with time and no pressing agenda to arrive somewhere on schedule.  Relaxing rides through lushly green, rolling farming country.  Not as spectacular as West Virginia, but much more extensive.  Small downsides:  Most small interior roads are laced with frost heaves created by winter ice expansion under the pavement.  These are periodically shaved off and levelled when maintenance is done, but many roads are overdue.  It can be a bit bumpy.  The asphalt typically used in Pennsylvania is formulated with a type of locally-quarried sand that includes countless particles of sharp-angled quartz - this provides good traction but seems to wear tires more quickly than anywhere else in the US I have seen.  But overall, PA is a great place to ride, especially if you stay away from the major highways.

[Northern Bill]

A few pictures of my Pennsylvania trip.

[Northern Bill]

how to upload images


 

forgot the pictures on the last post

[hidn45]

That's nice country.  Lived most of my life within a mile or so of US Route 6, mostly in Warren & Tioga Counties.  Good riding, for sure, but, yes, you need to keep track of which roads have been paved & which need to be....

Much the same in the Southern Tier of New York - home of the Western New York Family Guzzi Rally (shameless plug).  See y'all there!

[cookiemech]

The asphalt typically used in Pennsylvania is formulated with a type of locally-quarried sand that includes countless particles of sharp-angled quartz - this provides good traction but seems to wear tires more quickly than anywhere else in the US I have seen.

FINALLY! After riding (pretty much) year-round in western PA since 1979, I have an explanation for the fact that my average tire mileage, front and rear, on a wide variety of motorcycles, is 5000 miles. I could never figure out how people were claiming 10K to 15K miles (and higher) when I am hardly what I'd consider an aggressive rider.

Good thing I do my own mounting and balancing . . .

Thanks!

[Adk.IBO]

My daughter is a dr of Physical Therapy with a neurological certification that works in the brain trauma unit at UPMC. Every year she's been there she gets several patients of motorcycle wrecks that had no helmet on. Usually a sad story of those close to them affected by the bad decision of no  hemet. Stay safe out there!

[Tom]

Oh boy!  A helmet thread.....

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Back in 1974, I rode bicycle with a guy 5,400 miles from Cali. to Maine. His comment at the end was that Penna. was the most overall beautiful state and it had the steepest hills.

[Shorty]

My home state. My family been there  for 200 years. Beautiful place, many nice folks. Excessive taxation, and   ground zero for the rust belt, not a lot of opportunities. I go home a couple times a year. It ain't West Virginia, but it's about 15 miles away. My home town:



photo sharing

[redhawk47]

how to upload images


 

forgot the pictures on the last post

GB500!!

[kingoffleece]

We love riding in PA.  And yes, those roads are so coarse you can almost hear the rubber being ripped off the tires!

[Northern Bill]

I have only been to West Virginia once and that was a long time ago so my experience there is limited and vague so I can't comment on those roads.  What I like about the roads in the Coudersport area is that they are continuously curved. On Friday and Saturday I rode over 300 miles of nicely curved roads with virtually no traffic.  I have been on tighter roads elsewhere but the Pennsylvania curves that I go on seem to allow for a fairly consistent speed of around  50 mph with fairly good visibility. When they are signed 25 mph or less I know to slow down and be a little more careful. There is one stretch called the Wycoff Run that goes down hill (or uphill) for 10 miles with beautifully banked curves for the whole distance. When you are on that stretch you are continually banking from one side to the other and on my 500 I am constantly shifting. For me, that is what motorcycling is about.