Showing posts with label Pennsylvania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pennsylvania. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Tour of Bradford PA, Into Allegany State Park NY - Day 2

40 Miles
3700 Ft of Climbing






In the previous post, you all saw my foreplay with Bradford, PA... riding there from home, visiting some local hills and getting some good climbing done.

Well, I asked myself whether that was it? Surely Bradford had to offer some more beautiful roads to ride on.

And so I took one look at Hedgehog Lane and Interstate Pkwy, and knew it would be a good one to climb on. Hence began another day 2 in Bradford, PA.

Hedgehog starts in Western Bradford, offering 2 miles of 7.2% average gradient, and another 1.3 miles of really fast descent, taking you underneath a picturesque canopy of yellow and orange Autumn flora.. the feeling of riding it is indescribable. It then connects with Interstate Pkwy, where 3 miles of almost 5% gradient takes you into NY and into the southern portion of Allegany State Park, with 65,000 acres of primitive woodlands, amazing lakes, and varied wild life welcoming you at the top of the climb. Nice!

If you're ever visiting Western NY, I tell you, don't miss the State Park! You won't find this in your city!


So we're going west of Bradford here, on Washington Street



Pennsylvania Country

Moving further on Washington Street


Take a right here onto Hedgehog Ln

....and prepare to climb


2 miles at average 7% grade





Not a single vehicle in sight....C.I.P - Climb In Peace... but relax, don't make that R.I.P




At the peak of Hedgehog, at about 2350 feet above sea level

.....and the downhill.! Feel the freeze breeze skimming your face!

Lets take a left onto Interstate Parkway...

...and climb some more


Almost 3 miles of 4-5% grade


This road will take you into the foot of the Allegany Forest


...and there we are!



Having made it to the Park alone, I met with my friend Jo Ann! Here she is flying down this descent like nobody's business!


We're riding the State Park Route# 2


Just follow the road, and eventually you'll hit Red House Lake, at the heart of the Park!


Well, what do you know! Jo Ann, a self confessed blog-reading maniac, is a Fat Cyclist fan! She tells me those jerseys fit like a glove. Well, Fat Cyclist....say hi to your tifosa from the Southern Tier!


More shots of Red House Lake. Just look at those folks enjoying the Fall summer, will you?



We did one loop around the Lake and called it a day!

... buckle up in the car, lets get the hell out of here!

Monday, October 13, 2008

South Of Cattarugus, Into Bradford, PA - Area 9

65 Miles
5200 Ft Climbing





Taking a break from stale indoor air, I decided to ride my bike last Saturday, heading south of where I live into PA. Local riders here have been talking about this nice climb called Songbird Road or some crap like that just south of Bradford, and that pushed me enough to the edge of my bed that I had to jump on my saddle and go check it out.

So lets enjoy the beautiful Autumn day, seeing what its like to ride through the enchanted mountains of South Western NY into Pennsylvania. Enjoy the ciclofotographico!


Starting out on Rt 16, we go up to Rock City Park, a 1000 ft climb in under 5 or 6 miles. It gets chilly up there


Route 16 South to Rock City - gradient info


Check out the silver rays of light... this might mean a good day for me!

The vegetation has begun to change colors, looks nice doesn't it?

Rock City Hill vista point


We're at about 2400 ft here

Just to compare and contrast, if it were to be an earlier than 10AM, this is what you would see at the same vista point (picture from a ride last week)


Knapp Creek, home of the Knapp Creek Fire Dept!

Here we are on the NY-PA border

Downhill to PA

...and on we ride to the village of Foster Brook


This is Foster Brook (...borringgg)

We can see Bradford over the other side (cool view)

Landfill on High Street (this is where your CO2 cartridges end up, boys and girls..)





Right turn, going to W. Warren Road



Climbing on Warren starts here


The slope is moderate



See those stupid irregularities on the shoulder line? Not good for a bicycle!



A little more climbing....

....and a right onto Songbird Road

There is no climbing here, this is injustice!




Time for a lunch break at the foot of Niles Hollow Road

Looks a little steep? I'll climb it after I have my picnic...




Under the shade of a tree, munching a jolly good sandwich....

....and checking out my GPS.... (yep, just paper and maps here, no high tech allowed)


After lunch, I'm ready to climb Niles Hollow....aka la Alpe Bradford!

Yes, this is why I rode from home for! Average grade of 9%, beginning sections around 15%. Sweet!

Starting out and the road hits upward

I need to get a rhythm going here...

Bear mail ! I bet you its filled with shameless Nashbar catalogues


Gradient kicks in

Up..and up and up...

Finally to the top and left turn onto W. Warren Road again

This time, down Warren Rd (I had just climbed up this half an hour ago)


Back on High Street, with a right turn onto Rutherford Run Road, lets just check it out

Hmm...these trucks always mean bad luck for road cycling, unpaved roads ahead?

We'll find out! Up and up on Rutherford...

Some mutant animals greet me...

Damn, I'm in France?

Continuing on Rutherford...

Bummer, dead end and unpaved hills ahead...wish I had my 25c's. Okay, lets turn back, crap...

Atleast got some climbing done back there!




I had enough of this, now I'm going to downtown Bradford

An incidental site is the historical Bradford Oil Refinery, one of the oldest in America (founded in 1881)

Fine PA crude would get processed here back in the days, still is I believe....

Approaching the city

Welcome to the Bradford...This place emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the 1800's!




This is Bradford, nothing much to see here....



Look ma, fancy building ahead...!

Riding through alleys to find dark secrets...

Oh shut up and just ride (Right!)




Cinemas closed

After Bradford, it was time to turn eastward and head home...

This is the backstretch of Rt. 16, taking you up back up to Rock City Park

Which also means, we are officially in Cattaraugus, leaving PA behind...!

Which also means home! Time to go have a plate full of food, folks!


End with a beautiful video of Autumn in Bradford, PA (courtesy GAZANIAC) :




If you enjoy riding pictures such as these from the Southern Tier of New York, check out more of my pictures from the road HERE and HERE.