Welcome 2008 National Biker Roundup

The site chosen this year sits at the gateway to the beautiful Laurel Highlands recreational area. The area is also home to many excellent motorcycle rides and destination attractions. As a local rider I have assembled MY favorite rides and biker friendly stops for you to share. Above all we wish you a safe ride!

The routes I suggest are “scenic off highway” therefore contain sharp curves, roadkill, and often deer entering your right of way especially at dusk. Caution should be taken to obey speed limits, road signs for sharp curves etc. If you are a flatland rider prepare to be shocked by sudden curves.

Let me emphasize that if your looking for RURAL rides they are all East and South of the Westmoreland county fair grounds. West is Pittsburgh and it’s suburbs, and North is well…just boring. Rt. 30, RT. 31, RT. 130, are the key west to east routes

LETS RIDE!

1.      Ohiopyle

Why? Ohiopyle is a Pa. State park with a beautiful waterfalls and home to whitewater rafting on the scenic Youghiogheny river. Make a left on Rt 981 from the fairgrounds to the BP station in Norvelt, bear left at the stop and go straight thru the next stop so the old high school is on your left and a ball field is on you right. When you arrive in Kecksburg make a right on 982 and follow to Rt. 31 If your already thirsty stop at Sach- N-O’s, on the left ¼ mile before hitting the 31 intersection, Vickie is expecting you! Make the left onto 31 east and you will be going up 3 mile hill. After you crest the top make a right on County Line Road. At the second stop sign make a right on 711 south. At Normalville make a left on 381 south and you will arrive in OhioPyle. Park in the big parking lot on the right after the bridge. There are restrooms and photo ops of the falls. Extend your ride by making a right out the lot and making a quick left on Sugar Loaf Rd. A few miles up the mountain you will see a sign for a scenic Overlook on the left. Bring your camera! Continue into Confluence make a left then a right onto 281 north. Now you have a choice of taking Rt. 31 west back to 982 and Sach-N-O’s or continuing North to Rt. 30. If you have a couple hours left on your Butt follow 31 east in Somerset and take 601 north to 985 north to Jennerstown. Take Rt 30 west left to the best biker bar in western Pa. Walat’s. It’s on the left at the top of the mountain! You should be hungry enough by now to try their famous 24oz ham sandwich! Walat’s is a true motorcycle stop and hosts 20+ poker runs a year! Continue on Rt 30 west to 981 in Latrobe, make a left and follow back to the fairgrounds. You should allow 6 hours to enjoy this scenic ride.

2.      Flight 93 Memorial.

Why? The heroes of this 911 tragic plane crash can be honored and you can leave a memento behind of your visit. All before the Feds spend millions sanitizing the experience. Make a right out of the fairgrounds and STAY right towards Pleasant Unity Take Rt 130 West until it ENDS at a T at 381. Make a left, Powdermill nature preserve is on the left and is an educational stop ( I usually pass up ) stay on 381  thru Rector until it ends at Rt 30.   Over

Make a right on Rt 30 east. At the top of the mountain is Walat’s biker friendly bar & wow! Sized burgers & fries. Stay on Rt. 30 east past Stoystown. You want to make a right on Highland road, you can spot it on the right between a big white block building and a large green steel oil tank at the Highland Tank Company. Go straight about a mile and make a left at the flight 93 memorial sign. After paying your respects retrace you route back, or Make a left back where you entered the memorial road and take Lambertsville Rd to Shanksville. In Shanksville you can take Brotherton Rd. To Rt 31. Make a right on Rt. 31 west and follow back to 982 & Sach-N-O’s A nice side stop is a right off Rt 30 east on 985 South and on the right is the Quecreek Mine rescue site where 9 miners were pulled from a flooded mine up a 24 inch rescue shaft. And the Coal miners café is on your left at the 30-985 intersection in Jennerstown.

3.      The Johnstown Flood museum. And Inclined Plane.

Why? Some good history here, and of course a nice ride!

Make a right from the fairgrounds and STAY right towards Pleasant Unity. Bear right on Rt 130 west and follow until you intersect Rt. 711 in Stahlstown. Make a left on 711 north. You will intersect Rt. 30 go straight thru the traffic light to the traffic circle in downtown Ligonier. Follow 711 north out of town ( no speeding, they have their own police!) Make a right before the Sheetz gas station onto Rt. 271. Stay on 271 to Westmont ( they also have their own police ). Watch the signs to make a left to see the Inclined Plane. It is the steepest in the world and you can actually put your car or motorcycle on it and ride to the bottom! Or you can do it on the cheap and just take pictures of the view of Johnstown from above. Pay attention to the geography and you can see why the flood was so devastating. Get back to 271 and make a left down the hill into Johnstown. At the bottom traffic light make a right on Haynes towards 401 and a quick left on Napolean as soon as you cross the bridge over stoneycreek make a right at the light onto Market st. On the right a few doors up on the right is Scott’s By Dam, home of the biggest and best Taco you can imagine! Scott and his son’s sling beer & food with the best of them. They are always packed during the Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally. From Scott’s the flood museum is making a left at the end of the street onto Washington st and going one block or so. The return trip follows 271 back thru Westmont, you have a choice of retracing your steps or extending your ride by GOING STRAIGHT when you get back to the “Picken Chicken” intersection on 271. There is a stop sign there that you do not have to stop at if you stay on 271, however you want to stop and go straight across the road down Northfork Rd. This passes the Northfork reservoir and is a really narrow and twisty fun road. You will intersect 985. Make a right and follow to Jennerstown & Rt 30 west. Take Rt 30 west to Walat’s & try the huge fish sandwich this time. ( Allow 45 minutes for food if their busy, it is worth the wait! ) Stay on Rt 30 west and make the left on 981 back to the fairgrounds. Allow 5 hours for this trip with stops.

Locals love to give directions so if you get off course, stop and ask! As far as the stops I recommend, They are all small family owned business that welcome your trade, and take care of us local riders year round. Patience may be required if the crowds exceed capacity! When you get back home let me know if you enjoyed one of the rides! Sixty9harley@comcast.net RIDE SAFE !