Great plan though I hate the ride there, especially the northern end of the NJTP and GSP.

We had a nice 3 day trip to Charlottesville Va last year. Stopped at Harpers Ferry and spent the night in Front Royal before riding the Skyline Drive. After 100 miles the SD turns into the BRP. We did only about 30 miles on the BRP before heading back to Charlottesville. Spent 2 days there and visited Montecello and Ashlawn. (hard to beat if you like history). We didn't have the time to go to Montpelier. Charlotteville has a nice downtown commons area with good eating and drinking places. We headed back north on a road that parallels the Skyline Drive.

Add another day and you can stop at Gettysburg on the way down to the SD. It really deserves two full days but the battlefield tour can be done in a day. April or May would probably be a good time to go as it gets extremely hot there in July and August especially on a bike.

We've done Gettysburg as a separate 3 day trip combined with a tour of the York plant and Amish Country. The balloon ride there was an awesome once in a lifetime experience. To get the most out of Gettysburg it's best to do a good amount of research beforehand. Also, the 911 memorial site isn't far away.

Another option would be the PA Grand Canyon area. About a 5 hr ride. Lot of good riding in the area. Kinzua bridge is not too far west on Rt 6. Once the tallest railroad bridge in the world, a tornado took down a portion some years back and it's now a historic site. Some nice hiking trails down into the "grand canyon". The main town of Wellsboro has some decent places to eat. If you want to try soaring, 50 miles north is the city of Elmira, the so called soaring capital of the world. This is another trip that could easily be combined with a trip to Gettysburg. Big loop. That was the plan on our trip to Gettysburg last year but we had to cancel that leg because of a rainy spell.

Then there's the Finger Lakes region. The Watkins Glen Gorge is pretty cool as is the boat ride on Lake Seneca. I just saw that the Gorge doesn't reopen until mid May. Wasn't on a bike when we went and traveled the interstates so I can't say what the riding is like.

Same with Niagra Falls. It's 500 miles away and a great 4 day vacation but not sure what the riding is like.

 

That`s my neck of the woods. I live on Seneca Lake. Over 50 wineries to visit on Seneca alone. Also Keuka lake. Best Hills to ride there and the views are fantastic. Plus more wineries.

 

Gettysburg is fascinating, and beautiful country. Every American should take a guided tour.

 

I agree guided tours are a great and the best way for most people to see Gettysburg but I couldn't get a guide to sit on the back of my bike . Did you do a bus tour?.

We did pretty good on our last trip out. Read some books on the battle before going and picked up a self guided tour of the battlefield from the park office/store. They have self guided tours on audio too. Knowing the who, what and when makes it a much more meaningful experience. Otherwise it's just fields with monuments.

One of the things we especially liked was the walking tour of the town itself. Found an online site run by local history buffs that catalogs points of interest. Still some houses with cannonballs still stuck in the walls and miniball pockmarks around windows used as sniper nests. And the Jennie Wade house is a must see also. She was the only civilian killed at Gettysburg. Not sure if the miniball holes in the front door are original or not but its still an interesting story.

 

Hey sporty --- Can you easily get to Milford or Port Jervis? Take route 6 west all the way, almost to Ohio. The best riding in PA is the NW quarter of the state --- anything west of route 15 & north of 80. There's the PA Grand Canyon, Kinzua Bridge State Park, and Kinzua Dam, all on 6. Not far off 6 is Benezette PA where there's the largest population of free-roaming elk, east of CO. Also Hyner View where you might be able to watch some hang gliding. (That's route 120 west out of Lock Haven PA --- as nice a ride as 6) In upstate NY, and not far from 6, is Letchworth State Park, and great rides around the finger lakes & wine country & winery tours. I live about 10 miles from the Grand Canyon, and it's a nice day ride to go up route 14 in NY (goes right near Watkins Glen race track & through the town of Watkins Glen) to Sodus Point, up on Lake Ontario, get a burger in that nice little artsy-type town, and turn around & take the ride back, on the other side of one of the lakes. You can't go wrong with upstate PA, and central upstate NY. There's the gorge in Watkins Glen also, that's pretty cool. You can have a pretty ful 4 days without going very far away.

 

Geezer....yup, I'm in. Central jersey, easy to get to port jervis. I like that route you described. I went as far as hancock ny and around some of the lakes up there on a two day trip. Nice area.

I also like the ny Vermont route....I've done the brp and skyline , loved it!,

 

I'd take the 4 days to look at homes to relocate to ANYWHERE but Joisey.

But, if you like where you live, then US 50 from Cumberland, MD. to Grafton, W. Va is my favorite road in the whole world...beautiful mountain scenery,tons of retro Americana,shops & eateries that have been lost in time, and the Famous Horseshoe Curve & Hairpin Turn (right past Rowelsburg).

 

Leesburg bike fest. Just crank up A/C D/C and take the highway to hell.

 

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