PA Abandoned Turnpike (Sideling Hill Tunnel)

[JamminJere]

I was going to post this in Ride Reports, but decided to keep it short and figured it wouldn't really interest people in other Regions..

Yesterday I headed out for a ride with my wife Leisa, my local riding buddy and friend, Jeets, and my good friend from Delaware, Kirk, and his girlfriend, Jill. We really didn't have a destination as we headed west from Pottstown, PA.  As we were riding I remembered this post from last winter.

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,47898.0.html

We took all 2 lane highways west except to cross the Susquehanna at Duncannon.. 895 to Pine Grove, 443 to the River, Crossed at Duncannon, 274 west to 75 south. 641 to Shade Gap, 522 to Orbisonia, 994 to Three Springs, 655 to Waterfall, 913 to Wells Valley Rd, 915 up the hill to Oregon Rd (gravel). We parked the bikes and hiked in to the Abandoned Turnpike and the Sideling Hill Tunnel.



Western Portal, the Tunnel is 6,782 ft long and was the longest tunnel on the PA Turnpike.. and is now part of the Pike2Bike trail.. no motor vehicles allowed.

You can access the ventilation tunnel running the full length above the main tunnel.. There are metal staircases leading up to the control room and the room that holds the two large ducted fans that pulled the exhaust fumes from the tunnel.. My pics of the Ducted fans didn't turn out ... Jeets?





Part of the control room... graffitti is plentiful.



Ventilation tunnel is at least 8ft high in the center over both lanes below.. I've never heard an echo quite like the one you get when you yell long tones up in here... eerie..



One of our little bug eating friends... this one wasn't feeling to well...



A couple hundred yards into the main tunnel.. You can see light from both ends once you get in a way when your eyes adjust.  We had flashlights to aid in our exploring.



The exploration team.. Leisa, Jeets, Kirk and Jill

We didn't get back out to the bikes until 5pm and because it was so nice we decided not to ruin it by slabbing it home..  We pretty much back-tracked our route with the exception of omitting 895 because it was getting dark and I didn't want to risk a deer strike so we hit I78 to Hamburg and then home down 662.



Our Trusty Steeds



A great restaurant and ice cream parlor in Blain, PA on 274

We didn't really have enough time to explore the Abandoned Turnpike the way we wanted to... but then there is always another trip..

JJ

[glepore]

Cool. Glad yo finally did this. Curious if Ganassi is still using one of the tunnels for coast down aero tests.

[JamminJere]

Greg,

That was or is at Laurel Hill Tunnel, much farther west than the piece of TP we were at yesterday... If we would have headed west from where we were towards Breezewood, the other abandoned Tunnel is Rays Hill.. and since Sideling Hill has alot of history with accidental explosions while it was first being engineered as a railroad tunnel in the 1880's( but never opened) with at least 9 deaths .. I wanted the spook factor, so we went there..

Good to see you posting up!

JJ

[Jeets]

Jer,

Excellent write up!

I am finished my outside tasks, showered, and sitting downstairs watching the boob tube.

Greg,

Good to see you posting.  I am hoping and praying your condition continues to improve.

[ZZR Rob]

Thanks for the story and pics Jer.
Rob

[DosEquis00]

Nice write up Jer as I remember reading about the abandoned turnpike years ago. I will have to try that route as it sounds like a good one. I think Jeets has become Mr. Region 6 as he is everywhere lately.

[st2sam]

WHOA, neat pics Jer.. Thanks for sharing your ride.
I went to the Hagerstown race over the weekend and rode a few of the same roads your group traveled. (443, 274, 75, 641,.) Stopped at the Duncannon Hotel for lunch on the way home today, didn't realize how many nice roads and scenic country views are in that area..
(IMHO Pennsylvania has it's fare share of great motorcycle roads... )

[Mastros2]

(IMHO Pennsylvania has it's fare share of great motorcycle roads... )

I agree.  Thanks for the share!  It's on my short "To ride to..." list.

[kendenton]

Wish I could say the same about the roads here in NJ  

[Joey Stalin]

Always wanted to check out the abandoned Turnpike tunnels, but since they're either private property (Laurel Hill) or no longer abandoned (bike trail), some of the attraction is gone for me. Some day I may ride up to check out the Sideling Hill tunnel, though.

[Jeets]

Has a Connie, will ride!

Nice write up Jer as I remember reading about the abandoned turnpike years ago. I will have to try that route as it sounds like a good one. I think Jeets has become Mr. Region 6 as he is everywhere lately.

[Rincewind]

Greg,

That was or is at Laurel Hill Tunnel, much farther west than the piece of TP we were at yesterday... If we would have headed west from where we were towards Breezewood, the other abandoned Tunnel is Rays Hill.. and since Sideling Hill has alot of history with accidental explosions while it was first being engineered as a railroad tunnel in the 1880's( but never opened) with at least 9 deaths .. I wanted the spook factor, so we went there..

Good to see you posting up!

JJ

So was it haunted or what??  

Nice trip report, JJ!  Sounded like a great day.  

[scottzilla]

cool.  I like old abandoned stuff.

[PTrider]

Jerry,

It was a great ride.  We had a blast.  Hope to do it again soon.

Kirk

[JamminJere]

Kirk,

Glad  you two had a good time... and Welcome to ST.N!

JJ

[Jeets]

A few more pics...