Mt. Streams Trail Tour

By 0 Comments
Our love affair with the Forbes State Forest is no secret. It is in our backyard - about one hour east of Pittsburgh. JB has enjoyed its beauty ever since he was a child. Last year, we released the Laurel Highlands Gravel Routes Collection, which explores many of the unpaved roads and snowmobile trails in the forest.  Recently, JB posted about the Forbes State Forest...

Forbes State Forest Trail Steward Program

By 0 Comments
One of the many beneficial characteristics of public lands is the trails within their boundaries. Many of these trails take outdoor enthusiasts to areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. They unlock beauty. They grant access to plant and wildlife habitat. Provide us with a history lesson. Slow us down. Take us away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Help keep us active, sane, or...

Public Lands Ride – 2021: Worlds End State Park/Loyalsock State Forest

By 0 Comments
The Public Lands Ride - 2021: Worlds End State Park/Loyalsock State Forest is one of ten DYI routes created by The Pennsylvania Environmental Council as an answer to the pandemic-related distancing protocols of 2020 and 2021 and to further promote our sacred PA public lands. JB rode this route on his way to the Lu Lacka Wyco Hundo in 2022. The Worlds End route was JB's 8th PEC DYI...

Lu Lacka Wyco Hundo – 2022

By 0 Comments
What in the world is Lu Lacka Wyco Hundo? A question that JB asked the first time he had heard about it three or four years ago. Selene Yeager, bestselling author, pro cyclist, and PA-native mentioned this Northeast PA event on a podcast where friends get together annually; embark on a 100-mile mixed surface tour of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming Counties; eat tacos; engage in shenanigans;...

Events Spotlight – Spring Festivals Edition

By 0 Comments
Spring festivals? Yes, please! For those who have never heard, every February, Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil tells us whether he sees his shadow. This is suppose to determine whether we will experience six more weeks of winter. Let's just say that this prediction is less than definitive. Regardless of what the little critter predicts, March bike festivals clearly mark...

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

By 0 Comments
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...

Laurel Classic MTB Challenge – 2022

By 0 Comments
The Laurel Classic MTB Challenge - 2022 capped off a great weekend of riding in the PA Grand Canyon area (a/k/a Pine Creek Gorge)! JB kicked the early-September weekend off by riding the Lyman Run 25 Gravel Route near Galeton, Potter County, PA. Afterwards, he made the 30-minute or so drive towards Wellsboro, stayed the night on the east rim of the canyon, and hit up the Laurel Classic on...

Events Spotlight – Fat Bike Edition

By 0 Comments
We have said this in the past, but it's worth repeating - events are a focus for The Unpaved Hub. First off, events are fun! Second, event promoters put a lot of time and resources into hosting events. We want to inform cyclists about them and help drive participation. To that end, we compiled a pretty extensive catalog of mostly gravel and mountain bike events put on by a variety of promoters...

Winter Safety on PA State Forest Roads

By 0 Comments
Pennsylvania state forests and parks are amazing resources at any time of the year. The peacefulness, solitude, and remoteness seems to alleviate some of life's burdens. At the same time, during the winter, those traits present additional dangers. Winter safety on PA state forest and certain park roads is of paramount importance as many of these roads are largely unmaintained for vehicular...

Winter Car Survival Kit Checklist

By 0 Comments
The U.S. National Weather Service Pittsburgh, PA recently posted a winter car survival kit checklist. Because The Hub's readers enjoy the outdoors year-round, we thought it would be a good idea to draft a quick article with the items included on the list: Jumper cables Flashlights First Aid Kit Food Water Basic toolkit Pet supplies Radio Cat litter or sand (traction) Shovel Ice scraper Clothes...