There are seven regions within Pennsylvania — the Keystone State — according to their Department of Natural Resources. The hipsters at VisitPA subdivided a couple of the regions, making it look like there are twelve. But fewer is better for my purposes, so I’ll stick with the seven regions, which are:
Dutch Country Roads: This region includes Harrisburg, the state capitol, as well as Gettysburg and Chambersburg in the west and Lancaster in the east.
Pittsburgh and Its Countryside: This region’s biggest claim to fame is the city of Pittsburgh. Johnstown is also in this region, but just barely. It also includes the Laurel Highlands. Now I know I said I wouldn’t subdivide regions, but “Laurel Highlands” is a pretty well-known moniker for the area. Skiers will know this area for the Seven Springs Mountain Resort.
Alleghenies and Her Valleys: This region cuts an irregular swath from the Maryland line just east of Cumberland to east of I-70 up into and through the middle of the state in an easterly direction all of the way to and just beyond Bloomsburg.
Pennsylvania Wilds: This region encompasses north central Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia and the Countryside: Philadelphia is of course the biggest city in this region. Allentown is here as well. Its eastern border is adjacent to New Jersey.
Northeast Pennsylvania Mountains: This region, which covers the northeastern corner of the state, includes the cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Hazelton as well as all of the Pocono Mountains.
Great Lakes Region: This region in the northwestern corner of the state includes the city of Erie and is adjacent to the lake of the same name.
As previously mentioned, Pennsylvania’s tourism Web site is an excellent and fun source of information. You can get detailed county maps from the PA Department of Highways.
As this Web site expands, I’ll be adding more Pennsylvania information. If there’s something you’d like to see, if you have a question, or if you have a story to share, drop me a line. I’ll respond as quickly as possible. If you’re writing in the middle of a nice day, though, chances are good I’m either out riding and/or taking more pictures. So be patient. I’ll get back to you eventually. I promise.
I was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Although I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, I have always been a country girl at heart.
Don’t get me wrong, cities do have their pluses. But nothing beats wide open spaces. Especially when those spaces are ribboned by hilly, curvy, twisty roads.
And we can’t forget the fields full of cows.
I’m being honest and saying we haven’t covered a whole lot of PA on two wheels. But between Hubby and I (we both have family roots in PA), we’ve covered a pretty large part of the state. But it’s a big state. And there are lots more roads to discover.
Is it cheating just to give you a bunch of pics to look at here? I guess it probably is. I’ll work on building a bigger ride index, okay?
For now, though, at least the images are nice to peruse, right?
Our PA Rides
The Bridges of Bedford County: This is not a true ride post. I dug WAY back into the archives to uncover these lovely bridge photos. I’ve added this area to my 2011 ride agenda. I’ll be more than happy to revisit these beautiful old pieces of history so you can discover them, too.
According to a post on Wikipedia, Pennsylvania does have more covered bridges than any other US state.
Hewitt Bridge: Where can you find a peaceful-looking lake, gunfire, and a cool old covered bridge? On this 160-mile loop we carved north into Maryland, then Pennsylvania, then back into Maryland and finally back to our place in West Virginia.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: One of the best places in the northeastern United States to watch the annual (Fall) hawk migration, one of nature’s greatest wildlife spectacles. A much smaller migration occurs each spring, with peak numbers typically in mid- to late-April. The roads to get you there are quite an experience, too. It’s barely over the Schuylkill County line, but that still counts!
Others’ Rides
PA-45: Now here’s one I am definitely going to have to try. Especially since there’s a very picturesque round barn involved.
Laurel Hills Loop: I can’t say I’ve ridden this exact route, but we’ve been through the area. This ride has a little bit of everything. A few state parks, the Flight 93 memorial, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, and more. Ohiopyle State Park is a great place for a picnic!