Like previous editions, unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley – 2021 was a huge success. The mid-October foilage in central PA was like previous editions as well, exquisite. The Unpaved Hub’s JB rode the 2021 Full 125ish mile route and describes the weekend below. If you are looking for specific details on what unPAved weekend is all about, check out The Hub’s 2019 report. It provides more color on the weekend’s schedule of events. Also, take a read of the precursor to the 2021 edition where we explained the event’s format and course changes.
Note: It is probably fairly obvious, but The Hub has no affiliation to unPAved other than the road/trail surface in both names. Just wanted to be clear so that we are on the same page.
unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley – 2021 Saturday’s Fall Festival
Similar to the 2019 edition, Lewisburg’s fall festival was held on unPAved weekend (it’s actually planned to take place on the same weekend). The festival seemed larger in 2021. The festival was buzzing with area residents and out-of-town cyclists alike. It set a nice tone to the weekend, and is great for friends and family to spend some quality time in the charming town of Lewisburg. It was also a nice place for packet pick up and for industry vendors to set up shop. Below are a couple of photographs from the festival.
After the festival, The Unpaved Hub crew explored more of Lewisburg and then hit up a recently opened brewery, Jackass Brewing. The brewery is in a state of the art building along the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail. This place is really nice, and has great beers and food. No matter if you drive there ahead of time, you’ll see the brewery on Sunday given that it’s on course. We’d recommend stopping in.
After a bite and a few beers, the crew turned in as it was going to be an early morning.
Race Day
In the week leading up to unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley – 2021, social media was buzzing about the weather. The forecast was calling for rain, but many held out hope that it would miss the area. Wishful thinking, but not so much. The morning came and it was raining pretty steadily. Our crew had planned to get a start around 7:30-8am. At that time, the rain was light, but just enough to soak riders and add to the already soaked road surface. Below are a few pics of the terrain and the conditions. Apologies in advance for the blurry photos, did I mention the rain?!?! While the early morning was dreary and raining, the weather more or less cleared out around 10ish with occasional light rain throughout the day. Regardless, the gravel roads were wet and soupy all day. It made things more interesting.
The less than ideal conditions didn’t dampen the fun. unPAved is a gathering of pretty positive people. This factor along with the beauty of the course made for a great day. The first 45 or so miles of the 125ish mile route went by quickly, which brought riders to the infamous Poe Paddy State Park Aid Station. For those unaware, this is the biggest aid station on course and is the campsite for the SlumberPArty category of unPAved.
It is also home to Evan’s (of Nittany Mountain Works) Pierogi Grille (we made the name up) and more. No question that his setup is second to none! If you know, you know. If you don’t, make sure you visit when on course.
After leaving the Poe Paddy Aid Station, the Full route heads out to complete “The Difference,” which is a 30ish mile add-on to the 90ish mile Plenty course. (As an FYI, the Plenty route is the subject of our 2019 article). The Difference includes a fair amount of extra climbing and a descent down Longwell Draft, which is a rowdy forest access road with massive water holes, rocks, etc. Fun times.
After completing The Difference, riders return to Poe Paddy before heading toward home. The 2021 route took riders back via Pine Swamp Road and the Chocolate Drop Vista, Coburn, and then on the same farm roads previously ridden from the Jones Mountain area (that section is an out-and-back). Because of a road closure, the course missed Hobo Vista, which was a real bummer. It is a stunning vista and the one that is the cover of The Unpaved Hub’s homepage.
It also meant that riders had to climb a super steep section of Jones Mountain Road that was descended earlier in the day. The climb was at about mile 105 to 107 for the Full, and it was a killer!!! Like almost stop you in your tracks killer. This was especially true given the sloppy road surface and hours of soaking weather. Shout out to The Ranch Aid Station (the first and fourth for the Full route) and the folks from the Happy Valley Women’s Cycling club that run it. These folks were grilling up the goods, which was clutch after a wet day on the roads (or any day for that matter).
After the climb, it was all downhill, rolling, or flat. Riders had the option of popping into the impressive Rusty Rail Brewing, which is an official aid station prior to hitting the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail for the final 8 or so miles back to the DonePAved Party at the Miller Center.
At the Miller Center, the unPAved crew greeted riders with smiles, whoopie pies, and food. Although the rain moved in again, the Rusty Rail beer helped ease the rain (and the pain). Good times!
Summary
Despite the rain, the unPAved of the Susquehanna – 2021 was a huge success. The riders, volunteers, aid stations, and course will always outshine any bad weather. unPAved is definitely one of the best gravel events we have participated in, and deserves any recognition it gets and more. The Full route didn’t disappoint either.
After completing both the Plenty in 2019 and the Full in 2021, JB would do either again. Between the two, it is just all in what you are looking to accomplish. The Plenty is just that and makes for a fine day on the bike. If you want more of a challenge, the Full will serve you well. The sweet spot may just be the SlumberPArty. You get to ride the Full, but spread it over two days with some camping in the idyllic Poe Paddy State Park. To be continued – the SlumberPArty just may be on the docket in the future. . . .
unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley – 2021 Full Route
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