Photos from Michaux SF Pennsylvania

[TowPro]

Looks like i will also be back on the 20th, but riding 2 up with my Wife, so I will probably forgo the group ride because I got to keep it "slow and steady" with the wife on back (hay, she kind of new to riding). But if you see a bright green/orange jacket on a White F800, waive and I will try to stop and meet you guys.

[KathiK]

I may be riding alone too as I am pretty new to dirt and not comfortable on the gravel at higher speeds. I was considering riding to Michaux but they are calling for some rain in my area on Saturday. If the weather is questionable I will trailer my bike and look for some parking there.

[foxtrapper]

Kathik and TowPro, please do consider coming anyhow. The dirt roads of Michaux are almost groomed, they are so easy to ride. I drove a lowered Miata through it all from Mt Holly Springs to Waynesborro on Ridge Rd. The north end is rougher, but hey, I drove a Miata through it!

As for speed, I'm going for a ride to look at pretty colors and such, not a race. The speed limits are pretty low in the park anyhow, and I don't feel like collecting tickets. If some speed demons take off and leave me (us) in a cloud of dust, so be it.

The idea is a scenic ride, not a race. With some destinations along the route that folk have said are worth stopping at to admire.

[Lupin 3rd]

+1 to everything foxtrapper said!

I'll just add that there's really only one spot that had deep gravel in the southern half of Michaux, and that's around Snowy Mountain Rd.

From my experience with group rides on the street, EVERYONE RIDES THEIR OWN PACE. Then wait for everyone to regroup at each intersection (and/or view in this case) and ride on.

[foxtrapper]

All right Lupin, I'm following you. My paper map of Michaux show one set of roads, my DeLorme mapping software a different set of roads, Google maps yet another bunch or roads, and my Tomtom doesn't think there are any roads. I'm giving up trying to put a route into a GPS.

I'll bring my GPS and my paper map of the park, just for giggles. I hope you know where the scenic stops are, I pretty much don't.

I like your loop ride plan. That works much better for folk who truck their bike in. I might have to do that myself. Besides, I've got to be home before dark on the 20th, for my sons Halloween party.

[TowPro]

Here is a link to a Zip file that has some some GPX files in it. This is the complete Trans PA Trail, but you will also find 3 files named Route 12, 13 and 15 in there. They are SoPaRiders "best of Michaux" routes.

http://tinyurl.com/9vls2wq

[JaxObsessed]

I was looking at 12 13 15 yesterday. Thanks for putting them into a gps file, Will!!!!! Jeff is THE MAN, and his attention to detail is incredible.

Maybe JaxWife and I will be up leaf peeping on Sunday. We will be sticking to the road mostly. Depends on several things falling into place.

[SoPaRider]

I rode nearly all of the unpaved roads that run through Michaux S.F. in both directions on the Wednesday the 10th, Thursday the 11th and Tuesday the 16th of October, 558.5 miles worth, including the paved connector roads! Other than fresh limestone that was being put down as I was flagged by the dump trucks and grader on Woodrow Road between Ridge Road and PA Route 233 (Pine Grove Road) on the 11th, which by the way wasn't alot of fun going down hill (east), but wasn't nearly as bad going up hill (west), sort of like riding in deep snow, the rest of the roads (other than a mile long section of Biesecker Gap Road that is!) are in the best condition I've ever seem them in, just why this is remains to be seen? I ran into a few hunters North of U.S. 30 on the 10th and 11th, even saw a few deer and dozens of turkeys, squirrels and chipmunks, but that wasn't the case south of U.S. 30, as there were dozens of hunters and their vehicles on every unpaved road in the forest, what was interesting was that I didn't see any animals, of any type, south of U.S. Route 30!? What I did see and got were alot of bad looks from several of the hunters and even a verbal blast from one of them as he drove by me in his maroon, super clean jeep, that probably doesn't see dirt roads much on Rattlesnake Run Road. Keep in mind that the number of hunters and their vehicles will increase to the hundreds on Saturday and you can expect to run up on them on a regular basis, most will wave you past, others who don't think you have the right to be there, will do there best keep you behind them, plus you'll need to pay extra attention to oncoming vehicles as well, seeing as the roads aren't that wide and many vehicles I passed didn't mind taking their fair share of the road and more in some cases. If you google the PA Game Commission website and click on the 2012-13 Seasons & Bag Limits page, you'll find there will be open hunting seasons of one type or another through Saturday February 23rd, take note that Piney Mountain Ridge Road will be gated soon after the last day of antlered deer season on Sunday December 8th and won't reopened until Friday May 24th, 2013. Also note that the Pine Grove Furnace State Park Fall Festival (www.pinegrovefriends.org) will take place on Saturday the 20th (11:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.) and Sunday the 21st (Noon-5:00 P.M.) of October and the 10th Annual Michaux Team Challenge (MTeC), run, bike and paddle, will take place on Sunday October 28th, in and around Long Pine Run Reservoir on Milesburn Road. I plan to limit my rides through Michaux to Sunday's until after December 8th, I ride in Michaux to get away from the day to day rat race and normally I can ride there any day of the week and rarely see anyone else, that all changes in the fall once hunting season opens.

SoPa

[Bearcat]

Rode from E. Berlin to Michaux today but my routes are limited to paved roads, but that's OK, there are some really nice riding in and Around the Forest. I did ride up to the old Michaux POW camp and saw the remains of the old barn, didn't walk around much, everything is pretty overgrown. Is the Bendersville road gravel or paved? Anyone know?

Brad

[JaxObsessed]

I don't get preachy, but I'll make this exception.


Hunters are exactly the folks who have the largest lobby in the state .... Pretty depressing actually. They really think we don't belong there period, because we scare the wildlife...... Which... I'll give them, but more than marginally less than fucking shooting at them. It's probably best to avoid them altogether, as Jeff suggests. I do. Another reason to avoid them is that they are in there stomping around shooting and spooking the crap out of the deer which makes them act differently than normal... ie being on the move during the light of day, crossing roads and running for their lives in broad daylight.


Another point of caution is the horsey crowd.
PLEASE respect the space of horses!! They are skidish and hate motorized vehicles, especially little loud ones. Approach very slowly, as far away from them as you can be safe, making as little sound and movement as you can. These folks also have a huge lobby and many think we don't belong there either.

Both of these groups have been successful in banning bikes in other areas, so lets be good stewards of the riding we have left.

[chasbo]

Originally Posted by JaxObsessed

Both of these groups have been successful in banning bikes in other areas, so lets be good stewards of the riding we have left.

Speaking as a mountain biker for the last thirty years, I completely understand treating hunters and horse riders with respect. Most I have run into have been super nice, but there is a minority of those groups that despise everyone else using state forests.

[JaxObsessed]

Hi chasbo, glad to see you didn't move far!

I have stopped and talked to many hunters and horse folks and you are 100% correct, most are decent folks who just don't want to be fucked with.

Originally Posted by chasbo

Speaking as a mountain biker for the last thirty years, I completely understand treating hunters and horse riders with respect. Most I have run into have been super nice, but there is a minority of those groups that despise everyone else using state forests.

[chasbo]

Originally Posted by JaxObsessed

Hi chasbo, glad to see you didn't move far!

I have stopped and talked to many hunters and horse folks and you are 100% correct, most are decent folks who just don't want to be fucked with.

Yep, still a semi local LOL. It is nice to live basically on Michaux's doorstep for a change. Now if I can jump through all of PA's licensing hoops, I will be able to ride the KTM through there.

[JaxObsessed]

COlor me Green!!! Good for you.

[Skyclad]

Originally Posted by chasbo

Yep, still a semi local LOL. It is nice to live basically on Michaux's doorstep for a change. Now if I can jump through all of PA's licensing hoops, I will be able to ride the KTM through there.

If it is already registered in another state, you are good to go. Otherwise it is more time consuming than difficult.

When dealing with horses, if you are passing in opposite directions, it is a good idea to just turn the bike off AND remove your helmet. Remember, not only are horse skittish around noisy things, but strange looking creatures can make them jumpy. Every rider that I have every encountered appreciated it when I took my helmet off.