Fuzzygalore.com - Girlie Motorcycle Blog » Pennsylvania

Sights from the Road: Dunkle’s Gulf Art Deco Gas Station

Fuzzygalore — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Just a stones throw from Bedford, Pa.’s Coffee Pot sits Dunkle’s Gulf station. An art deco jewel, this station was built in 1933 and is still in full operation today.

Dunkle's Gulf - Bedford, Pa.

4 Mail Pouch Tobacco Ads from Pennsylvania

Fuzzygalore — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:13:13 +0000

Neighboring Mail Pouch Tobacco’s home state of West Virginia, Pennsylvania has a good number of barns along its rural highways and byways. In December our travels took us past a few.

Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn - Pennsylvania

Road Trip: Visiting the Bedford Coffee Pot

Fuzzygalore — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:48:28 +0000

My love of traveling around and seeing our corner of the world isn’t limited to just doing it on a motorcycle. Sometimes we head out in the car as well. When we hit the road as a family we usually take our A3 which has been named “the Breadbox”. This time our travels took us to the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania.

With nothing to do on Tuesday we packed our toothbrushes, a hand of bananas and some Gatorade, hopped into the breadbox and pointed it west. We didn’t leave the house with much of a plan other than, “hey, let’s go somewhere.” So, that’s what we did.

Our wheels took us to the town of Bedford, Pennsylvania to visit The Coffee Pot. For several years now, I have wanted to see the big silver lady in all her roadside glory. She didn’t disappoint.

The Coffee Pot - Bedford, Pa.

Sights from the Road: Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater House

Fuzzygalore — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:27:45 +0000

The recent news of the opening up the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater house to overnight guests, sent me digging through my photo archives. In 2004 Kenny and I made the long and boring trip from Long Island across the Pennsylvania Turnpike out towards Pittsburgh. As a detour on our way to Deals Gap we took the opportunity to visit the home that dazzled my imagination from the first time that I ever saw a photograph of it. It did not disappoint.

Fallingwater
1491 Mill Run Road
Mill Run, PA 15464

Sights from the Road: A quick pit stop at Roadside America

Fuzzygalore — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:25:28 +0000

Be Prepared to see more than you expect – You’ll be amazed, is what the sign says outside of Roadside America in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania. Actually, I didn’t even have to venture inside to be amazed. I was amazed that 90 percent of the would-be customers who wheel in to the parking lot off of I-78 don’t immediately peel right out with a rubber-burning screech, doused in the salt of frightened children’s tears when they get a good close-up of the two hideous fiberglass Amish folks that lurk outside.

Oofa, check out the manhands on that broad, eh? I don’t know about you, but when I think of the Amish, menacing is hardly the first character trait that comes to mind. I guess the artist should really be commended for his talent in transforming good old Amos and Mary into two fiendish, ghouls hell-bent on a post adolescent, latex fetish fueled rumspringa. Well done.

Riding the 2009 Ramapo 500 Covered Bridge Tour

Fuzzygalore — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:29:22 +0000

For thirty three years now, the Ramapo Motorcycle Club has hosted a road rally that is open to non-member participation called the Ramapo 500. A motorcycle road tour consisting of two nearly 250 mile legs, the 500 takes riders through some of the lesser traveled byways across the New York tri-state area. This year, for the first time I was lucky enough to get one of the 400 spaces available for the ride.

When Kenny and I rolled out of the garage at a little after 5:00am, like on most of our overnighters, we left in rain suits. I couldn’t let it get me down even though it is really becoming a running gag. On this day, I think Mother Nature was just reminding us who’s boss and to have a good time no matter what. Nearly 100 miles later as we exited the New York State Thruway in Suffern, NY where the clouds gave way to sunshine for the remainder of the next two days. Our rain suits went back into their bags and there they stayed.

Being that we had missed the cutoff for pre-registration we arrived early for the 7am start. We wanted to be sure to 1) get a route sheet and 2) move out ahead of any large packs of slow moving motorcycles. Fortunately, we managed to do both. $45 bought us a route sheet, participation pin, camping at the designated campground, dinner and breakfast the next morning and finally if we returned to the tour starting point a patch to commemorate the ride. That was a pretty good deal in my eyes.

The theme of this years tour was Covered Bridges. Our route had us leaving Suffern, NY traveling into nearby northern New Jersey and on into Pennsylvania for the majority of Saturday. The completion of Saturday’s leg would put the group in to the Appalachian Campsites in Shartlesville, Pa. for the evening where festivities were to take place.

Kenny and I were some of the earliest departing riders which meant that throughout the day we saw very few other participants out on the roadways or any other significant road traffic for that matter. I found myself riding along thinking that for the most part, we really had the roads to ourselves. I don’t know how they did it but the crew at RMC put together a route that took 400 bikes through shady country lanes, over hill and dale, through gentle meandering farm roads all while seemingly keeping that throng of motorcycles all spread out. Bravo, Ramapo!

Over the course of the two day ride, we passed through 17 charming covered bridges of varying age and size. The mostly red spans where spread out through eastern Pennsylvania. Shortly after crossing bridge number 10, I stopped to take a peek at a terrific yard art specimen. While stopped to snap my picture, a lithe gentleman who had to be every bit of 70 stopped his bicycle next to us to have a quick chat. He told us about the bridge that we’d just passed through and how it was made of African wood that was non-flammable. He asked where we were from, talked about his days of riding motorcycles and about Pennsylvania. He was sweet, warm and charming. We were lucky to have crossed path with such a friendly soul.

As the miles ticked on under the bright blue sky, the feeling of freedom that seems to find its way in to my skin while I am riding, made itself at home. We rolled along the Pennsylvania farmlands through tarmac canyons that cut across cornfields. Their emerald green stalks stood waving high above our heads as we fluttered down the road, unfettered from real life and it made me feel like a million bucks.

As our day’s ride drew to a close, though we would be staying in a nearby hotel, Kenny and I ventured off to the campground for dinner and to check out the entertainment for the evening. Being a registered attendee entered you into the running for door prizes and awards. I’ve said it before and I’ll stand by it, I am indeed a lucky girl. I walked away with a magnetic tank bag that promptly went on to the BMW that evening. Kenny had lady luck on his side as well and took home a Roadgear digital tire gauge.

More than anything perhaps due to my shyness, people watching is hands down my favorite activity at events such as this. Within the motorcycling set there is no shortage of observable entertainment. There are the weekend ‘bikers’, the BMW farkle nerds, crazy dirt guys, hooligan sportbike riders and of course the average unclassifiable Joe who just happens to ride a motorcycle. But its the aforementioned kooks that I love to watch the most. Now that I think about it, I wonder which set I belong to?

Having gotten up at 4:30 in the morning and now with a barbeque chicken dinner in our bellies and nearly 400 miles of traveling under our belt for the day, we’d both started to run out of gas by about 8:45. We’d decided to pack it in and head back to the hotel. Before leaving we had the good fortune of meeting Ben (Hi Ben!) who stops in to fuzzygalore.com often to say ‘Hello.’ It’s a small world and I’m happy to say that I’ve met some fine people along the way.

Sunday morning burned through the curtains waking me at nearly 6:00. On deck for the day would be more rambling roads through the countryside. The second leg of our route would take us along streams, up over mountains and across wriggling sidewinders that crossed valleys all under another bright blue sky. I could hardly wait to get back out there and do it again.

The Ramapo 500 was a well planned out, fun event that was suitable for all types of riders. I’m looking forward to 2010.

PA Tourism: Peter Arthur Stories

Fuzzygalore — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:06:59 +0000

I sign up on different state tourism websites to get free maps, travel information and updates. The state of Pennsylvania just sent out an email that contained a link to a series of 4 short movies called Peter Arthur Stories. The episodes are about a young man who blows off a job interview, buys a scooter and rides around Pa. trying to find a waitress he fell in love with when he was 12. Of course they are slanted to draw the viewer in to tourist areas of Pa, but even still, they’re very quirky and sweet. The scooter is pretty awesome, that was what sucked me in to watching in the first place. If you’ve got some time to kill, take a look.

Image from: pastories.com - visitpa.com

Love is in the Air

Fuzzygalore — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:13:57 +0000

I saw this scratched in to the door of a truckstop bathroom in Pennsylvania. Sometimes you can’t question the source of wisdom. Just feel it, know it and live it.

As I walked along the roadway on 219 in West Virginia, I saw this hole in the road. If you just open your eyes, love is everywhere.

Back in the Saddle: A Day’s Ride to Jim Thorpe, Pa.

Fuzzygalore — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:05:37 +0000

I’ve been to Sleep. Figuratively and literally it would seem. Did you miss me?

It has been a strange spring. I’ve done almost no riding at all due to peculiar circumstances that seem to be circling around like a storm. Good old dealer-service incompetence rendered me stuck on the side of the road instead of on my way to ride the passes of West Virginia. My trip to the Gap earlier this spring looked like this:

This was shortly before my dead bike was dropped and I had my mouth and face redecorated by the heel of a boot. I ended up with that bee-stung lip look a la Angelina Jolie minus the sex appeal, the hot body and well… the Angelina Jolie everything. My mouth was more along the lines of looking like I’d kissed a curling iron. I was just glad to walk away with all of my teeth still connected to my head. Now I wish I let someone take a picture of my blood covered face for posterity. ::sigh:: Good Times.

My bike was left in Pa. at Hermy’s BMW/Triumph where the most gracious dealer ever worked so very hard to undo all the things that went wrong. All in all, I didn’t see my bike for a couple weeks.

Fast forward to weekends where I just couldn’t get time or it rained and then.. WHAMMO! Back injury that kept me at home and hobbled. So, all these weeks later, I’ve just got myself back together. But, as things always do, its getting better. I took my first ride today.

I needed a mental health day, so I took a day off from work and headed out for the day. In hindsight, I think that at a little over 400 miles roundtrip, my destination proved to be a bit further than I should’ve gone first time back in the saddle. But, as my darling boy says, I’ll ride people ’til they are almost starved or about to keel over. I just get going and can’t stop moving forward. Today was no different but I punished only myself. By the time I was about 20 miles from home, I was fit to be tied. I just wanted off that bike. When your back is bothering you, it affects everything. There is no escape from the discomfort. I don’t know what I was thinking. The truth is, I probably wasn’t when I rolled out of the house at 5:30am. I’m glad I went out anyway.

I trundled over to the town of Jim Thorpe, Pa. Walked around a little, took in some of the sights and still managed to make it back home in time to get my little one off the bus in the afternoon.

So… glad to be back.
And I just want to tell the gypsy who has clearly put a hex on me, ‘I’m sorry for whatever it is I’ve done. Please leave me alone now.’

Ferry to Termite Town

Fuzzygalore — Tue, 30 May 2006 20:45:00 +0000

‘I’m not getting on that thing. That looks like its held together by termites holding hands.’ Needless to say… we rode around.

Millersburg, PA