Planning on a few days in the DuBois PA area in celebration of NeXXT, a remnant of the CBR1100XX owners group.  Not many left, and only a few people will be there. However, any and all are welcome.  We'll be there Thursday 9/17 through Sunday 9/20 at the Comfort Suites in Dubois.  Any interest, PM me with and I'll get you my cell number.  Also, if you've got a particularly good road in the area, let me know.


We have a couple days of vacation to burn and some other plans fell through, so we were considering taking two days to jaunt to northern West Virginia or to SE Ohio.  Any thoughts/suggestions for either choice?  Haven't ridden in either area in well over 30 years, so it's all virgin territory for us.

Thanks!

I'm lucky enough to get to ride both northern WV and southeast OH as day rides. I would suggest doing both. Head from Dubois to Wellsville, OH and then you can enjoy 200 -300 miles of excellent OH twisties. Then cross into northern WV get some of that on the way back east. I forget where you call home. I would be glad to offer specific route suggestions.

Personally, given a choice, I prefer southeast OH to WV because it's more unrelentingly twisty and (I think) the roads are in a little better shape. In WV, you get mellow scenic sweeper sections between the really nice mountain bits. But the mountain bits are really good.

Quote from: Mrs. DantesDame on September 12, 2020, 02:55:28 PM

No suggestions, but it is nice to see your name! 

Oh, I'm here enjoying the silliness.  Just been too busy to chime in.

Garry, home is in Athens PA 18810 but we're pretty well covered between here and Dubois.  Don't want to be any closer to Pittsburgh than necessary, but we can sure find a way around it if we know where we're headed. I've been eyeing up some reports of the Ohio thing.  Tell me more.

If you can spend three days getting from Dubois to home, I've got a very nice route coming together. Each day is ~375 miles (give or take a bit). I will post a GPX once I get done tweaking it. It hits a lot of the great stuff in southeast OH and northern/central WV. Getting to Ohio from Dubois won't be anything special and I'm sure that once you get to central PA you know what your options are for getting home.

OK, here are the GPX files...

So the first 150 miles (Dubois to Ohio) aren't all that. I tried to string together meandering rural highways to stay off big roads and avoid cities. But it is what it is. Feel free to consider other options to get to the north end of 164 (Lisbon or Salineville a bit south).

Then you get to the good stuff in Ohio: 164, 556, 536, 255, and 26 are the highlights. There are lots more roads in the area just as good (260, 565, 9, 147, 145, 513) but you only get one day. Your day in Ohio ends in Marietta at the Microtel (site of previous ESTx gatherings).

You hop right across the river on Day 2 into WV. 31 is pretty good, a bit of 50 east to make time, then the awesome WV16 south to I-79. Short bit of slab to Flatwoods. WV 15 over to 219. Here you can either go north on 219 and pick up 250 south or go south on 219 and take 66/28 past Cass railroad and the Greenback radio telescope to get to 250. The second option is twistier, but 66 can be dirty in spots. 250 east is excellent past Monterey and McDowell, thru Headwaters and over the last pass at the Conderate Breastworks. Continue past the overlook down the mountain until the twisties run out, then turn around (short stub). Cut north on 615 (Cowpasture Rd) road to Sugar Grove, then up CR-21 to Brandywine. A not to be missed bit of WV33 follows over the border into VA, then turn around and hit it again heading west past Brandywine and Franklin, thru Judy Gap, past Seneca Rocks and on to Petersburg. I'm sure there are a few lodging options in Petersburg but it's not a big town.

The last day heads north up the awesome Mt Storm section of 42 (Might want to repeat it), then a bit 50 over to 220 north and I-68. Your goal is Scenic 40 (aka 144) then up through southcentral PA on 26 and West Mattie Rd to the Breezewood area. 915 north to Raystown lake area. Now you're more on your own to figure out the best way home. There are big roads to make time. Rural highways for more fun. I'm sure you know your way around there.

After I figured out a way to open these with my meager tool set, I decided this was an endeavor beyond our immediate resources.

But it looks WONDERFUL and I can't wait to try it, but it's going to be a dedicated run.  Really looking forward to it. Again, thanks for the work involved on our behalf. 

We did get hundreds of super miles from Galeton northeast to Beccaria/Smoke Run in the south.  Benezette was bumper to bumper stop and go traffic...it was crazy.  Other than that, clean and clear roads, some bumpier than they should have been.  Wykoff was a treat as usual, 44 and 144 delightful, Flower Valley/Glen Hazel into St Marys was great with some gravel on the south end.  Great meal at Kaffe Sol in Mt Jewitt, will never return to the Brickhouse Deli in Galeton.  We had a great weekend, retiring to the Williamsport area to soak up a bit more of the local asphalt.  Thousand Oaks was closed although online sources said they were open.  Mr Stickies in Williamsport rules.