From Allentown · Gold Mine Road to Centralia

This full-day version starts in Allentown. The first 56 miles take the faster roads (US-22, I-78 and PA-501) to reach Pine Grove, where the good part begins. The core stretch, Gold Mine Road to Centralia, runs 56 miles to Centralia.

The ride home is the quick way: 65 miles on PA-924, I-78 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike back to Allentown. All in, it's about 176 miles and 5 hours in the saddle, before any stops for gas, food or photos. Plan on a long day and an early start.

Full-day version that starts in Allentown: it adds the ride there and back to Gold Mine Road to Centralia. Here is what you'll find on the core stretch:

Eastern Pennsylvania's serious curves day: Gold Mine Road crosses the mountain from Pine Grove to Tower City, then PA-125 climbs the ridges from Hegins to Shamokin, and it finishes on PA-61 at Centralia, the town abandoned to its underground fire. Lots of technical corners and elevation changes; it's for experienced riders. Heads up: Gold Mine Road runs near Fort Indiantown Gap, a military reservation that closes roads for live-fire training, so confirm it's open. In Centralia the ground still smokes through cracks: stay on the pavement.