Cynthia Carson's
THE ENDLESS RIDE.

Rolling through the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania.

Words by Cynthia Carson

On a sunny afternoon in May, we rolled out on our bikes from Towanda along the Susquehanna river to start our trip. Our little trio was embarking on the 430 mile Endless Mountains Bikepacking Gravel route in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I was joined by my partner Steven Davis, and David Landis who helped design the route. We had big plans for the week, but enjoyed the first day over winding hills and wide open views in the valley outside of Towanda.

The route took us up and over Armenia Mountain, through the Loyalsock State Forest, and Worlds End State Park all with plenty of beautiful vistas. We had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with folks from all over the Endless Mountains region. From the chatterbox breakfast diner in Canton to Mary Beth’s Deli in Dushore, we spent time enjoying the conversation and the delicious food!

One of my favorite things about riding bikes is what it does for a conversation. Bikes create an even playing field amongst riders. You could be chatting with the Dalai Lama, but something about two wheels creates a space for relaxed conversation. The conversations flow from the ride. From a group ride with the Gravel rats out of Canton mid way through the trip to lunch at the local spot, KT’s Dog House, we had plenty of good conversation and lots of laughter. You get to see a side of someone that you might not otherwise see in a business or life setting off the bike. You can often see the real person without the title.

We had conversations with the owners of several different businesses. We spoke to the owners of Greener Pastures about how healthy soil is grown and why they like running a farm. We spoke with the owner of Vinnie’s pizza, Joe and how he supports the local community. The conversation flowed and so did the mocha pot coffee at Vinnie’s.

The Endless Mountains Gravel Bikepacking loop was such a treat. It was designed so folks could experience this little northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, the Endless Mountains Heritage Region. There is a grand depart on the route on the 21st of September this year. You have two distance options to choose from, the 430 mile or the 250 mile route. You can find out more information about the event and the route on the Endless Mountains Heritage Region’s website.