Biking in Northeast Pennsylvania: Turbotville Tragedy

On Sunday, I attempted what would have been the longest ride ever, a 54-mile expedition to the borough of Turbutville, deep in Northumberland County. The good news? I made it to Turbotville. The bad news? I didn't make it back (well, I did, but it was on four wheels, not two). I made it 31.6 miles, which is respectable, but not what I was aiming for. I missed my chance to leave in the morning, so I departed around 1:30 P.M. I rode over to Arbutus Park Road and then took the shortcut to Upper Campus. The grassy trails had recently been mowed, so they were somewhat rideable, as they were back in April. A little less than a mile in, I came to some of the best scenery in Bloomsburg.

Entering the shortcut

Beautiful scenery, now in summer colors

The trail

Soon after the clearing, I reached the road and descended from Upper Campus into town. After some steep descent on Turkey Hill, I reached First Street, where I was on for most of the way through Bloomsburg. The town is actually pretty hilly in many places, and First Street is one of those places.

First Street

At the end of First Street, I turned onto West Street, which took me to Main Street. Here, I was forced to wait for--I kid you not--five minutes before the light changed. When at last it did (I was beginning to lose track of what day it was), I rode down Main Street and then across Fishing Creek into Fernville. Fernville, thankfully, had no stoplights and I made good time, heading out into rural-ish areas on Red Mill Road before long. After a while, I turned onto Frosty Valley Road and went down a short hill and across Hemlock Creek. Frosty Valley Road went in a generally upwards direction for a few miles, rising about 200 feet in 2.5 miles, past farms and houses. A few tiny unnamed creeks, swollen by recent rains, crossed under the road.

Hemlock Creek

Pylon (I love these)

Frosty Valley Road

Barn next to curvy road

After a while, Frosty Valley Road became a long, straight descent to the Columbia County/Montour County border. At this point I crossed Interstate 80 on County Line Road and then began heading into Montour County on Kashner Drive. This part was gently rolling, with fields and a bit of forest. After a while, I came to Columbia Hill Road, and then Trump Road, where there were a few houses. At the end of Trump Road, I turned onto Creek Road, which ran alongside a cliff overlooking Mahoning Creek.

View from Kashner Drive

Field

Queen Anne's Lace

At the end of Creek Road, I rode a short distance on Pennsylvania Route 642 and crossed Mahoning Creek before turning onto the non-busy and forested Spike Blue Hollow Road. Up to this point, I had mostly been retracing my steps on the Washingtonville ride back in may, but in the reverse direction. However, on Spike Blue Hollow Road, I turned onto Hess Hill Road, which was unexplored territory.

Spike Blue Hollow Road

Hess Hill Road, unexplored territory

Hess Hill Road proved to be a hideous hill that rose nearly 350 feet. For a while it climbed through the woods, but eventually it began going past houses, and then fields. Eventually, near the end of the road, I came to a bizarre impasse: the road went on, but for reasons unknown someone had dragged a private road sign out onto the road, blocking half of it. It seemed like a mistake or a joke, but I wasn't about to take any chances, so I took a 3-mile detour.

Field

The first part of my detour took me down Bull Run Road, a 340-foot descent through woods, with a few houses in the distance. At the bottom of the hill, I came to an unmarked road, to be bewilderment. I turned right and began riding along, looking for a street sign. After a while, I noticed Interstate 80, which was rather odd. It eventually dawned on me that I had descended all the way to McCracken Road, which I had explored twice last fall.

Wild meadow, with Interstate 80 in the background

McCracken Road

McCracken Road was fairly flat, but after a while I came to Cameltown Hill Road, which would take me back to my planned course. As the name might suggest, it was most definitely not flat. It rose endlessly, climbing 370 feet in a mile and a quarter. It just went on and on and on. I stopped for pictures a couple of times.

Climbing

And more climbing

Wheat field

Eventually I turned onto Wagonwheel Hill Road, a fast curvy descent through the woods. It was a nice change from the climbing on Cameltown Hill Road and I approached 30 miles per hour at points. But alas, it was not to last. I immediately began another 300+ foot climb on Indian Run Road. As one might imagine, the road climbed up the valley of Indian Creek, which I caught a few glimpses of. It was just a typical small roadside stream. At the top of Indian Run Road, the hill continued onto Turtleback Road, which took me to the highest point on the whole ride. I could see many miles to the south.

View from Turtleback Road

Looking south from near the ride's highest point, at about 980 feet.

After the peak, Turtleback Road began descending. This was a much more twisting and serpentine descent than Wagonwheel Hill Road, and the road wasn't as well paved, so I was going at bit slower. At one point there was even a horseshoe bend in the road.

Very sharp turn. I wonder how cars manage it.

Soon after the crazy horseshoe bend, I exited the woods and left the Columbia Hills behind me. I could see across the valley a long way, past the Montour County power plant and to the Muncy Hills. A short distance further on, I began heading west on Hillside Road, which took me to Pennsylvania Route 54.

Looking back on Hillside Lane

After crossing Route 54, I headed in a northwesterly direction. The worst of the hills were behind me, but there was still plenty of climbing to do. After a while, I turned onto an unpaved road that ran through some fields before crossing the slow and muddy Chillisquaque Creek via an oddly-shaped bridge.

Hill

Strange square bridge with a low clearance

Unpaved road

Clearing

I continued heading north and west, across Pennsylvania Route 254 and through some more fields. At one point, I missed a turn, but I noticed within a couple of minutes and turned around. It wouldn't have mattered anyway since both routes went to the same place. I was surprised to find that there were some seriously rolling hills in this area; on Google Maps terrain view, it looked mostly flat.

View of the power plant

A field of something

Looking north to the Muncy Hills

The navigation was a bit tricky and involved frequent consultation of the map, but eventually I began seeing signs for Turbotville.

About time

I passed by a couple of Amish buggies going in the other direction before turning onto T617. A bit further on, I turned onto a badly paved road that passed through a swamp and crossed Beaver Run. The road continued past some farms before crossing a railroad line. I then turned left and crossed the railroad line and Beaver Run again. Turbotville was now only a mile or so away.

Cornfield

Beaver Run

Railroad

I entered Turbotville with little warning, but gradually houses began to replace fields. After a while, I turned onto a side street, which took me to Route 54/Route 44. My parents were waiting at the post office parking lot; apparently I had arrived an hour later then when I had planned. It was pushing 5 P.M., so I decided to throw in the towel there instead of continuing on, as it would've otherwise been pushing 8 P.M. by the time I got back home. I only got in 31.6 miles, but still there is a silver lining: the past week was my most active week, with 73.4 miles being covered. Far short of the 100 I had been aiming for, but still....