Dirt_Dad
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I am posting this as a guy who has planned and lead a good number of off pavement Tenere group rides. Riding this PA section last week I saw a lot of different bikes, but I did not see a single Tenere. For anyone that watched the MABDR video and was concerned about the rough stuff, I can tell you it represents a tiny, tiny fraction of the approximate 400 miles of PA riding. Overall the route through PA is very big bike friendly.
MABDR site
If your comfort level is basic forest roads in good condition, then I've seen only two short sections that may be of concern. To be fair, due to my mistake with the GPS, I have not seen the dirt part of MABDR section 5 below Mt Holly Springs to the PA border. The video did not show those roads as much of any thing to worry about, but I do need to go back and confirm at some point. I have done everything in the state above Mt Holly Springs. No, not the "hero" stuff. I'm not interested in being a hero when alone.
Assuming you're riding north like the video, the first section you'll want to aware of is section 7, where they talk about Bald Eagle Forest, Ravens Knob Road. I found it on the GPS around 33 to 35 miles south of the end of section 7.
It's a switchback section of the road. Once you think you're done with it, you hit the switchback, then do it again on a lower section, then again, and again. The rockiest stuff is higher up. Each section get a little less challenging as you go down.
The next challenge is much less exercise. Walter Road has a good amount of loose rock for about 2 miles of section 58 to 60 miles south of the end of section 8. No where near the challenge of Ravens Knob Road on section 7, but this is not a smooth forest road. And the switchback corners do not give you a break, they are just as stony as the rest. As long as you have a skid plate this section may cause you to break a sweat, but it is not as steep or as challenging as section 7.
That's it. I found nothing else that would inspire me to give a caution. You will experience numerous different types of dirt/gravel roads. Many of them vary enough that you'll need to adjust your expectation of traction for that particular unique surface, but mostly it's just your standard forest road experience.
To me, section 8 from the start is my favorite section of PA MABDR. Below Rt 192, it's a fun roller coaster of a road with lots of up and downs and twist and turns. Above 192 it has some fun easily handled whoops that had me just laughing. I'm more of a spirited dirt ride guy than a rock crawling guy. I personally would be inclined to skip Ravens Knob Road on a Tenere. Not because it's impassable, it's not. It's just not the type of road I enjoy on a big bike, but that's a personal choice, and not a recommendation. Anyone who enjoys rock crawling will likely be very comfortable on this road. And if you're emsreno, you probably won't even notice that you went through it.
In my opinon you must have a GPS to do this route. There are too many road changes to attempt this with just a map. Even with a GPS, it is easy to find yourself off the route. I did it at least twice. If you normally mute your voice navigation on the GPS, you'll be off route a lot. Let it talk.
Section 9 is pretty great scenery wise. At one point the forest is so dense that even at 2:00 in the afternoon, the headlight was clearly illuminating the path. The camera really brightened the photo below. I found flipping between the hi and lo beam made a difference here.
It also contains the PA Grand Canyon
You will see lot's of people whenever you take a break. These guys told me riders are everywhere on the BDR.
And I'll say whenever not riding, you will see a lot of adventure bikes. At hotels, lot of bikes. Talk to riders and they'll tell you they are riding the BDR. There was one time saw two guys pulled over. But I never once passed anyone going the same direction as me, and I never was passed. The entire 400 miles up and another 100 of it going back, I saw a grand total of 4 bikes going the other way. I have no idea where all these riders were, but they hid from me. Overall, you feel pretty alone on the MABDR.
The scenery is great throughout the PA section. Highly recommend giving it a shot.
MABDR site
If your comfort level is basic forest roads in good condition, then I've seen only two short sections that may be of concern. To be fair, due to my mistake with the GPS, I have not seen the dirt part of MABDR section 5 below Mt Holly Springs to the PA border. The video did not show those roads as much of any thing to worry about, but I do need to go back and confirm at some point. I have done everything in the state above Mt Holly Springs. No, not the "hero" stuff. I'm not interested in being a hero when alone.
Assuming you're riding north like the video, the first section you'll want to aware of is section 7, where they talk about Bald Eagle Forest, Ravens Knob Road. I found it on the GPS around 33 to 35 miles south of the end of section 7.
It's a switchback section of the road. Once you think you're done with it, you hit the switchback, then do it again on a lower section, then again, and again. The rockiest stuff is higher up. Each section get a little less challenging as you go down.
The next challenge is much less exercise. Walter Road has a good amount of loose rock for about 2 miles of section 58 to 60 miles south of the end of section 8. No where near the challenge of Ravens Knob Road on section 7, but this is not a smooth forest road. And the switchback corners do not give you a break, they are just as stony as the rest. As long as you have a skid plate this section may cause you to break a sweat, but it is not as steep or as challenging as section 7.
That's it. I found nothing else that would inspire me to give a caution. You will experience numerous different types of dirt/gravel roads. Many of them vary enough that you'll need to adjust your expectation of traction for that particular unique surface, but mostly it's just your standard forest road experience.
To me, section 8 from the start is my favorite section of PA MABDR. Below Rt 192, it's a fun roller coaster of a road with lots of up and downs and twist and turns. Above 192 it has some fun easily handled whoops that had me just laughing. I'm more of a spirited dirt ride guy than a rock crawling guy. I personally would be inclined to skip Ravens Knob Road on a Tenere. Not because it's impassable, it's not. It's just not the type of road I enjoy on a big bike, but that's a personal choice, and not a recommendation. Anyone who enjoys rock crawling will likely be very comfortable on this road. And if you're emsreno, you probably won't even notice that you went through it.
In my opinon you must have a GPS to do this route. There are too many road changes to attempt this with just a map. Even with a GPS, it is easy to find yourself off the route. I did it at least twice. If you normally mute your voice navigation on the GPS, you'll be off route a lot. Let it talk.
Section 9 is pretty great scenery wise. At one point the forest is so dense that even at 2:00 in the afternoon, the headlight was clearly illuminating the path. The camera really brightened the photo below. I found flipping between the hi and lo beam made a difference here.
It also contains the PA Grand Canyon
You will see lot's of people whenever you take a break. These guys told me riders are everywhere on the BDR.
And I'll say whenever not riding, you will see a lot of adventure bikes. At hotels, lot of bikes. Talk to riders and they'll tell you they are riding the BDR. There was one time saw two guys pulled over. But I never once passed anyone going the same direction as me, and I never was passed. The entire 400 miles up and another 100 of it going back, I saw a grand total of 4 bikes going the other way. I have no idea where all these riders were, but they hid from me. Overall, you feel pretty alone on the MABDR.
The scenery is great throughout the PA section. Highly recommend giving it a shot.