Dual Sport Riding in the Bald Eagle Mountain State Park Pa.

[Firebolter]

2 weekends ago, Some of the R&T club members did the 2nd annual Shade Mountain trip. Always a good time. But this year, 3 of us (Chris B, Adam M and myself) decided to go DS on saturday and then ride Shade Sunday. We stayed at the Mountain Dale Farm which also is a B&B. Great Place to stay, only 15 miles from the Shade Trailhead and is located at the base of one of the mountain ridges on Back Mountain Rd.
Farm's website
http://www.mountaindale.net/

We left the farm and turn right on Back Mountain rd for approx 1/4 mile then turn right onto Ulsh Gap Road and again about 1/4 mile or less, we turned onto the first dirt road and it has a sign that says "Licensed Vehicles Only". You'll see these signs all over the mountains up there. So we all have plates on true legal bikes, me on my 525EXC, Chris on his BMW 450GX and Adam on his KTM250 plated bike. We did 75 miles of nice awesome mountain roads and some turn into single track goat trails! These are not just cruise roads, they are rocky and challenging in terms of you must pay attention. Great views and just alot of fun. Kinda like the Michaux DS ride in a sense. We had a paper map Chris got from the forrest service on line and a GPS. We came off the mountain at lunch and went to Troxelville for Lunch at a little diner next to the only Gas station in town. Then after a nice lunch and good conversation with the ladies running the place, back into the mountain!

Great DS loop and we only road about maybe 1/3 of what is on the map. Sunday we went to Shade and did a full loop then back home after that. Only was on paved roads for less than 10 miles all total. Definitely want to do this again and ride the other stuff we didn't get to do. The last 10 miles we did was an awesome trail of single track stuff as we came down off the mountain.

So 3 hours from Annapolis, you can stay in a killer B&B that will serve you a awesome Farm Fresh breakfast for 5 bucks and do some serious DS riding to your hearts content.

If you guys ever want to do a DAMN riders DS trip, let me know, would be happy to help organize it and lead the way! Also, the farm let us do our own cookout and build a fire on their property. Very accommodating folks and going to the main house (they have rooms in the main house as well as Cabins you can rent) is like staying in a episode of American pickers! I mean they have a great collection of antiques form Long guns form the 1800's to bear traps and farm stuff. Really a cool slice of americana!

Sorry, pics yet to be uploaded!

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-at ... -park.html

[Boom Boom]

Bald Eagle is one of my favorite stomping grounds.
Anytime you want company just PM me.
From the parking lot off Sand Mountain road is a great 80 mile loop that you will see minimal public road. The campground where PaTRA runs the 7-mountain dual sport from is only a couple miles from the parking area / trail head. They also offer nice cabins as well as standard camping.
The ADV Rider guys like to stay at a campgound in Coburn and ride from there.
Many options to make a weekend adventure.
OBTW, if you want a better version of the map you were using, PM me your email and I will forward you a marked up version showing the loop I like to ride.
Ken said it was very smooth and flowing

[Rut Row]

Ken said it was very smooth and flowing

if you survive the first 5 miles of "easy stuff" it ain't too bad!

except for the hill climb....