Dale Rides Her Bike

Riding in Reverse

There was no way I was going to resist the chance to get on two wheels, today. The weather was perfect, and the road was inviting. I simply had to heed the call...

As promised in a previous post, I rode the Lehigh Valley Gorge route in reverse -- going out Stockton Mountain Road first, then through Beaver Meadows into Weatherly, down into the gorge and then up past Eckley.

I have to say, I like the reverse route better, although it does ruin my favorite part of the ride -- flying down Buck Mountain Road, screaming through tight curves and holding on for dear life. Things are a lot different when you're sweating and panting on your way up it, instead.

One of the things I always forget to mention is the amount of wildlife I get a chance to see. Unfortunately, most of it is dead when I get to see it, like the porcupine I saw the other day. Still, though, a porcupine! I also felt really bad that I saw a dead groundhog, especially since it occurred coming up out of the gorge where people aren't supposed to be going very fast in the first place.

But today, going out Diamond Avenue towards Stockton Mountain Road, I could swear I saw a live coyote. I mean, I don't know... there's a lot of houses back there, it could have just been someone's dog that ran away, but it was grey and had a long, bushy tail. It took off as soon as it saw me, but it looked like a coyote.

Finally, into the gorge. There are picnic tables set up every mile or so as you ride through the gorge, and I knew there was one that sits in an open area with plenty of sunshine on it about 5 miles in. Sure enough, I made it to the table to sit down and eat, and I was very grateful for the sunlight. Sections of the gorge get kind of cold because the sun doesn't get through the trees very well. This section was nice and warm, though. Perfect.

My plan all along was to add another 10 miles to my route by riding into the gorge a bit. I want to increase that number slowly, until I'm able to go 60 miles, or better. I just seem to be hitting my limit at 40 miles, and that bothers me. Fortunately, I only need to do 30 miles for the 50k in October (JUST 21 DAYS LEFT!!) but even some days, that feels like too much. Today, though, even at 40 miles, I felt great.

Fall is Definitely in the Air

Today's ride could have been better. I made it to the Lehigh Valley Gorge (15 miles) in about an hour and was feeling pretty good. But the ride back took almost twice as long, and I was definitely not feeling good by the end of it.

The reason the return trip takes longer is because the trip into the gorge is mostly downhill, so it's easier to go faster. I don't follow the same route back, I always go in a big circle, but I still have to go up just as much as I come down.

I'm curious as to what the trip would be like if I rode in the opposite direction -- going through Beaver Meadows first, then Weatherly and on into the Gorge, then riding up past Eckley. It's definitely worth a shot to find out.

I also wasn't crazy about the weather, today. It was 66 degrees, which isn't that bad until you're soaking with sweat and riding through heavily shaded, tree-covered back roads with a headwind. I wore layers and tried to stay in the sun, but it still got chilly. And before you roll your eyes, remember: I was doing this back when the mercury was hitting the mid-90s and didn't mind it one bit. Most folks were hiding in the shelter of their A/C units -- I don't even own an air conditioner. I would love to have that weather back.

I was also rather annoyed with my rear derailleur. I'm going to have to adjust it a bit before I go out again because it kept slipping gears and shifting when it should have been steady. Hopefully it just requires some cleaning and tweaking to get it to settle down.

Jim Thorpe Ride

Not long ago, I mentioned that I'd love to ride the Lehigh Valley Gorge (aka D&L Trail) all the way to Jim Thorpe. Well, I had to cheat a little, but I finally did it.

It's 15 miles from my house to the gorge, and since it's another 15 miles from the gorge to Jim Thorpe, I decided to put the bike on the back of my car and drive to the gorge rather than attempt a full, 60 mile round trip. I'm just not up to that level, yet.

The trip was beautiful! I saw a couple riding 4-wheeled recumbent bikes, and another couple riding a tandem bike. There were also quite a few other sites to see, like this view off the Nesquehoning Bridge:

Lehigh River Nesquehoning Bridge instagram

Shot from the Nesquehoning Bridge on the D&L Trail.

lehigh valley gorge tour train jim thorpe instagram

Oh, my God! I can't believe I'm taking a picture of this vintage train!

All in all, I had a great time. I even took a ride up through Jim Thorpe to see some of the shops, galleries and other sites along the way. I love Jim Thorpe.

Weatherly Cemetery

Riding past the Weatherly Cemetery is a creepy experience, even in the middle of the day.

Come for me G'Mork! I am Atreyu!

Really hadn't anticipated meeting the servant of The Nothing while biking out of the Lehigh Valley Gorge, today.

Alright, so, maybe it's just sunlight streaming through the back of this eerie cave/rock formation, but it's got me thinking about naming my bike Artax.

Another Ride to the Gorge

I couldn't wait to make another ride to the Lehigh Valley Gorge. I was eager to see what the river was like after the remnants of Hurricane Isaac made its way through our area. As I had expected, the Lehigh River was swollen and wild, running violently in places. The rocks where I stood a few days ago were now under water with a rushing current splashing around them.

Even the bottom steps of the staircase leading down to the bank of the river were fully submerged. What a sight it was to see! Compare the shots below to the shots I took the other day.

I rode the trail for almost a mile before heading back. I don't want to spoil whatever awaits down that path until I'm ready to take it all in. Maybe on Friday I will head out early enough to follow it to its terminus and visit Jim Thorpe. Until then, I wait. I simply cannot resist the natural charms and beauty of this place.

This area was dry only a few days ago, where I sat along the rocks and ate my lunch.

Lehigh Valley Gorge Ride

Today, after getting a new inner tube for my front tire, I headed out to complete my mission to find the Lehigh Valley Gorge.

I followed the same route I took last time and made very good time. I was feeling strong -- even better than I di

d on Friday.
Unfortunately, after making it past Church Road -- past the scene of my front tire's blowout -- I found myself on Lehigh Gorge Drive and turned the wrong way. I even remembered thinking to myself before I left the house, "Stay to the right, and you can't miss Laurytown Road."

But, nope. I forgot and went 5 miles out of my way towards White Haven. That's when I knew something was very wrong. The route I mapped would take almost exactly 15 miles to get to the Lehigh Gorge State Park, so when I passed 15 miles on my odometer and started seeing signs for White Haven, I knew I had to turn around.

After doubling back on Lehigh Gorge Drive (adding a total of 10 miles to my 30 mile trip,) I found Laurytown Road. From there, it was just a few miles of windy turns and steep downhills to get to the park. Everything was alright. I even took pictures!

I couldn't stay long because I was burning daylight, so I took just enough time to eat my power bars and enjoy the view before heading back home. I don't have a light on my bike and I hate riding in the dark, so I had to hurry.

According to the map, the Lehigh Gorge Trail runs all the way to Jim Thorpe. That is a trip I would love to take, but it's going to have to wait for another day.

And now, pictures!

Note the red line heading North, indicating my wrong turn.