Exploring the Laurel Highlands (PA)

[garry]

Here are a bunch of pics from Sundays ride in the Laurel Highlands (southwest PA) near the Seven Springs ski resort. Did about 100 miles of nice dirt roads. No pics of the gnarly bits because I was too busy maintaining forward progress.

Entrance to Laurel Mtn from route 30:


Along Laurel Summit Rd:





I think this is North Fork Rd:




Clinton/Weaver meets Hickory Flats:


On the way to Tunnel Rd (Shaffer, Moore School, Kuhntown, Unnamed, etc):













Near the end of Tunnel Rd:


Either Skyview or Aukerman Rd (connects Tunnel to rt 381):


Lake at the end of Pritts Distillery Rd:


Glade Rd:


Blue Hole/Blue Hole Rd:




Grindle Run meets Pletcher Rd:




Field where Middle Fork meet John Henry:


Along John Henry Rd heading to 653:




Views of the windmills from 653:


Neals Run Rd takes you to the north face of Seven Springs:


Views from along Fire Tower Rd:




Start of Camp Run Rd:


One of my favorite places to take a late afternoon shot along 130 near Stahlstown:

[kendenton]

Very pretty area, and nice shots.  Makes me want to try some dirt.

[garry]

Very pretty area, and nice shots.  Makes me want to try some dirt.

Your Ducati would have handled most of that ride OK. There were some rougher sections that wouldn't be advisable without a beefy skidplate, crashbars (just in case) and the knobbiest/blockiest tires you can find. If nothing else, having a dual-sport opens up lots more roads for fun rides.

[Cablebandit]

I would have liked to tag along for this one, but I'm not real confident with the Vstrom on dirt roads yet.  I'll be spending this winter looking for a cheap dual sport for this kind of exploring.  There are plenty of forest service roads up this way, but I end up scaring the crap out of myself on the DL so I need something lighter that I won't care about dropping.

[garry]

I plan on leading a ride on the loop on my Wee Strom once I get the route finalized. My hope is to end up with a 150 mile big-bike friendly loop on mostly dirt roads. It *will* take some dirt skills, a skidplate and blocky tires to do on a bike bike though.

[mtrider16]

Very pretty and nice pics.  900 ft of vert  

Looks like a fun ride on the bike.

David

[mtrider16]

BTW, do you like the combination of bikes you have?

sportbike, road oriented traile, and Dirty DP?

[garry]

BTW, do you like the combination of bikes you have?

sportbike, road oriented traile, and Dirty DP?

Aside the horrible lack of room in my single car garage (3 motos, 3 bicycles, work bench, beer fridge, shelvings/storage), it's a pretty well-sorted stable. The Wee and the Ninja bike are both fine for sporty day rides or multi-day trips. I wish the DRZ had a 6th gear, but it's OK on the street at speeds up to an indicated 70 or so. I'd rather ride the DRZ than the Wee on dirt roads, but the Wee is MUCH better doing bunches of miles to get to/from the dirt roads. There is definitely overlap between the three bikes and I'd like to find the two perfect bikes to cover all the same uses. Right now, I think my perfect two-bike stable would be:

KTM 950 Supermoto with topcase and the usual mods (exhaust, re-jet, front sprocket, etc)
Husky TE-610 with a large tank, Dirt Bagz and a rear rack. The upcoming KTM 690 Enduro is interesting too, but no rear subframe.

[Joey Stalin]

You need to include a stop for food at the Laurel Mountain Inn on 31. My favorite greasy spoon by far of any greasy spoon ever.

[garry]

You need to include a stop for food at the Laurel Mountain Inn on 31. My favorite greasy spoon by far of any greasy spoon ever.

That's a good spot, close to the loop where it hits 31 by the Hidden Valley ski area entrance. The only other convenient stop for food on that loop is in Normalville where there is a Speedy Meedy gas station and a Subway.