“It’s the best time of year. The weather’s more gentle. It’s not as hot. The leaves are obviously changing colors, so the scenery is beautiful this time of year,” said Byron DeShong, owner of Pedal Power in Altoona.
DeShong rides about twice a week and said his favorite route is near the Horseshoe Curve.
“I love the water. I think it’s really pretty,” DeShong said, adding that he also enjoys the Rails to Trails routes in Ebensburg and Williamsburg.
Another favorite fall trip for cyclists is to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon in Wellsboro, which is about two hours away.
“That’s a great place to go, especially in the fall. It’s a long trail. It’s well done and there’s some eagles’ nests up there,” DeShong said.
Bryan Caporuscio, general manager of Spokes-N-Skis in Lakemont and a member of the Blair County Bicycle Club, said the club is planning a trip to Wellsboro this month.
“It’s just a beautiful area,” Caporuscio said. “It’s something the bike club has done for years. It’s something you have on the calendar every year.”
Other options for cyclists include one of the nine BicyclePA routes created by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. PennDOT recently completed a 360-mile route, known as Route V, stretching from Lawrence County to Northampton County.
The other routes cross the state from east to west or north to south. The closest to our region, Route G, starts in Bedford County and extends through Blair, Huntingdon, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming and Tioga counties.
Locally, bicycle club members ride several times a week. Caporuscio’s favorite place to ride is Blue Knob.
“Blue Knob’s right out my back door,” he said. “Blue Knob is obviously probably the best area close to us for mountain biking, but any of the roads you ride on in the summer just become that much more beautiful in the fall.”
He said fall is his favorite time to go cycling because of the cooler weather.
DeShong and Caporuscio suggested a few safety tips for fall bicycling. DeShong advised cyclists to watch for leaves on the roads or trails, which could make for slick surfaces.
“Make sure you have a heavier tread of tire,” DeShong said. “Just be extra cautious in riding.”
Other precautions the two suggested include wearing cycling vests to keep the core of the body warm, installing taillights on bikes for better visibility and avoiding state game lands during hunting season.
As long as cyclists are aware of hunters, leaves on the roads and fluctuating temperatures, autumn has its rewards.
“It’s very calm. I don’t think the traffic is as antagonistic. The fall is just a lot more peaceful,” DeShong said.
