How to Layer for Cold Weather Cycling – Cost-Effective Clothing from Head to Tread

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It is that time of year. . . . Chill is in the air! Wait, don't hang up the bike(s) and hibernate! Instead, embrace the cooler temps and balmy conditions. There is such satisfaction to be had by getting in cold weather rides. The peacefulness, stillness, and solitude can't be beat! Don't let cold temperatures keep you away. To loosely paraphrase something we heard Rebecca Rusch, The Queen of...

Trail User Best Practices During PA Hunting Season

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Unpaved cyclists and trail runners in western Pennsylvania are fortunate to have a plethora of public lands venues to ride, run, and explore. In Pittsburgh, trail users have ready access to, among others, the Allegheny County Parks and the Pennsylvania state parks, forests, and game lands. However, trail users should be both aware and cautious when accessing public lands this time of year. Why...

The Unpaved Hub Kit – 2023

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We are excited to share The Unpaved Hub Kit - 2023. Last year, Jakroo designed a jersey for us. Prior to releasing links to it on the The Hub for order through Jakroo, we wanted to take a full season to test it out. Jakroo did a nice job with the design, and were easy to work with. The design team made a few of our requested tweaks and produced a beautiful jersey. Ordering was easy. Our point of...

Update: Clear Creek – Cook Forest Gravel Route

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The Unpaved Hub rode the Clear Creek - Cook Forest Gravel Route in June and has updated the route to accurately reflect the road surface makeup. It is 55% unpaved and traverses some of PA's best public lands. The pavement is largely on low traffic roads that link the gravel, and many of them parallel the beautiful Clarion River and/or are in and around Cook Forest State Park. We also took a...

Cross Creek Gravel Route

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The Cross Creek Gravel route starts in McDonald, PA at the Montour-Panhandle Trail connector lot. It takes the connector to the Panhandle Trail ("PT"). The PT is paved the entire way to WV. The route deviates from the PT at Midway (mile 2-3) onto some nice country paved and gravel roads. It meets back up with the PT in Burgettstown (mile 13) and continues into WV.  At mile 20-21, the route...

Social Media Shares: Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group 2023 Trail Work Days

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Trading in the cycling shoes for work boots on Saturday AM to be a part of Forbes State Forest's volunteer team completing various projects on Laurel Mountain. We get to enjoy so many of the fruits of the forest that it is nice to give back some time to conserve, maintain, and improve it for the future. To the extent that you are local or in the area and have some time, consider joining in the...

Social Media Shares: Rothrock State Forest Gravel/MTB Route w/ Tussey Ridge Trails

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Riding into the Memorial Day weekend with some fantastic weather! Speaking of which, we recently got out on some Rothrock State Forest gravel and rocks, I mean trails. In this Social Media Shares: Rothrock State Forest Gravel/MTB Route w/ Tussey Ridge Trails, we share that route (and a shorter version). In the past, I raced the Wilderness 101 and explored the trails around Bald Knob and Coopers...

Social Media Shares: Griz Guides’ Seven Mountains Enduro Epic Route

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Who remembers the classic Griz Guides? This Social Media Shares: Griz Guides Seven Mountains Enduro Epic Route introduces you to one volume. . . . I picked up a copy of the Mountain Biking Bald Eagle State Forest guide at the height of the pandemic. One ride that immediately stood out was the Seven Mountains Enduro Epic near the Sand Mountain area of Bald Eagle State Forest. The area is unique...

Wilmington Whiteface MTB Race

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The Wilmington Whiteface MTB Race, also known as "the beast from the east," takes place in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The race has 50k and 100k distances that start close to Lake Placid in the nearby town of Wilmington, NY. The out-and-back course takes riders on varied terrain with a nice mix of pavement, gravel, dirt, and singletrack. Riders are treated to stunning views of the...

Social Media Shares: Hollow Oak Land Trust’s Montour Woods Greenway Update

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Many recognize the Hollow Oak Land Trust (HOLT) from other content shared on The Hub. The group hosts events such as Race to the Moon, Winterfest @ Hollow Oak, and Laurel Fields Gravel Race (n/k/a Laurel Fields Gravel Challenge). Not only is HOLT creating public spaces to ride and enjoy the outdoors as a part of its land conservation efforts, it is building community / government relationships...

Social Media Shares

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The Unpaved Hub realizes the power and benefits of social media. With a goal of highlighting as much unpaved cycling and conservation content as possible, we intend on sharing more of it on social media. The content will include articles and resources published by others that we find useful and relevant. We realize that social media can be off putting and/or some prefer to refrain from or limit...

Events Spotlight – Bike the Wilds Series

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Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of unpaved cycling since the beginning. The Wilderness 101 was one of the first U.S. ultraendurance cycling events (if not the first), kicking off in 1991. The western PA Month of Mud series kicked off in 1989. That same year, Dirt Rag opened its doors in Pittsburgh. A little more recently, a group of racers decided to start a series to showcase the trails...