Backroads Magazine - Columbia Montour Visitor`s Bureau

APRIL
2016
Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
Volume 22 No. 4
WELCOME
TO
SPRING
TRAVEL ON THE MOHAWK TRAIL
NORTHERN EXPOSURE - ICELANDIC SAGA
LOOKING AT SOME CLASSIC RIDES
MODERN CLASSICS AND RETRO TOURS
Page 18
APRIL 2016 • BACKROADS
Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents
WE’RE OUTTA HER E
a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads
PennsyLvAniAn escAPe
EXPLORING COLUMBIA & MONTOUR COUNTIES
Last year we did a three-month feature on the bigger rivers that run through
what we like to consider Backroads home region.
The Hudson, Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers.
For this month’s We’re Outta Here! we would like to zero in on an interesting region along the shore furthest west of these - the picturesque Susquehanna.
From its humble beginnings at Cooperstown, New York all the way to the
stunning Chesapeake Bay the Susquehanna is an American jewel.
In the next few pages we’d like to bring you out due west of the Water Gap
and onto the scenic backroads of Columbia & Montour Counties in Pennsylvania, and to a few interesting places on our ride before we bed down for
the night at the lovely Inn at Turkey Hill.
Wooden Roller Coasters Rock
Sure there are a number of great, mighty and terrifying steel coasters found
all over the planet, but there is a special one at Knoebels Amusement Park,
just north of Bloomsburg, PA. We like this place as not only does Knoebels
have a number of great rides and attractions they don’t have a cover. You can
ride up, park your bike and ride what you want and pay as you go, for no
more than $3 a ride.
But, this day we’ll be coming to ride a true American Classic – The Flying
Turns. The Flying Turns is a ride, largely of wooden construction, first built
in 1929 by legendary coaster builder John Miller and visionary Norman
Bartlett. Seven of the world’s first modern flying turns coasters were built
by the developers of The Philadelphia Toboggan Company between 1929
and 1939 at various amusements parks on the east coast. Because of the enthusiasm surrounding aviation in the twenties and thirties, coaster builders
strived to create a ride mimicking the thrill of flying.
These ride are all but gone in these days of monstrous
metal monsters.
The Flying Turns at Knoebels is the only one of its
kind in Pennsylvania and the first ride like this built in
nearly half a century. We guarantee you will think you
are flying!
The Covered Bridges
of Columbia & Montour Counties…
For a more sedate ride, or maybe to calm down after
a few runs on the Flying Turns, we might want to go in
search of the Columbia and Montour Counties’ 25 covered bridges. We’re talking more old wood construction
here, as all but one is from the nineteenth century.
BACKROADS • APRIL 2016
The roads in this region are very pleasant, and the large number of covered
bridges, including a set of only two “Twin Bridges” to be seen in the United
States, make it even more so. Riding through this region can be a throw back
to an earlier time – especially when you read that a bridge like the fine one
near Stillwater cost just $1,124 dollars in 1849.
How much did your motorcycle cost?
Old Bike Barns & a guy named Bill
Well since we’re talking bikes and old
classics it would be a crime to come to this
part of Pennsylvania and not make time
for one of the most enjoyable motorcycle
venues in the northeast - Bill’s Old Bike
Barn.
For years now Bill Morris’ Old Bike
Barn has brought smiles to two-wheel enthusiasts with over 100 classic machines
Page 19
on display. Bill’s Barn is huge, with nearly 50,000 square feet of the most
extraordinary and unique antiques from all around the world, and its not just
motorcycles.
Everything from military displays, vintage riding clothing, thousands upon
thousands of posters and memorabilia, from John Wayne to John Deere and
everything in between. There is something for any enthusiast at Bill’s Old
Bike Barn. We have been there a number of times and always ride away a
bit more than impressed.
Oh deer – Red Deer
On this trip we went
from old and wooden
to old and impressive.
Now we’d like to take it from even more remarkable to down right striking.
At a small farm in Catawissa, Lloyd & Dolly George have over 400 Red
Deer. One of the largest deer on the planet these beasts originally came from
western Asia and the Caucasus Mountains and are closely related to the
American elk or wapiti. Raised for the venison, which is high in protein and
iron but low in fat and cholesterol as well as high in vitamins B6 and B12.
Although they sell venison and will ship it home for you – we have come
to see the deer and the hour tour of the farm will get you up close - way up
close to these magnificent animals.
Bring a camera!
Page 20
Time to call it a day
If we have done all we have talked about here we should be ready to call
it a night and we have the perfect place to call home for this trip – The Inn
at Turkey Hill.
APRIL 2016 • BACKROADS
The Inn, Farmhouse & Brewing Company at Turkey Hill offers great
rooms and dinner right in the middle of historic and beautiful Columbia
County.
They have the Main House, as well as the Stable Rooms, that offer twentythree rooms in total.
Although fine dining can be found, you might be just a bit more comfortable taking dinner at the Brewpub, as it is just a tad more casual. You’ll find
this to be as decent as any Great All American Diner Run and, that being the
case, will not implode your wallet.
They have eight burgers, ten sandwiches and some superb entrees including steak, chicken and stew that will take care of any hunger pangs, and it is
a brewery. Yea, you!
The Inn at Turkey Hill makes an excellent base camp. Taking a room for
a few nights will allow for an easier time exploring this part of the Susquehanna River, the valley and all that is to be discovered along the backroads
of Columbia & Montour Counties in the Keystone State of Pennsylvania.
Sources:
Knoebels Amusement Park
391 Knoebels Blvd., Rt. 487, elysburg, PA 17824 •
www.knoebels.com
Columbia & Montour Visitors Bureau
570-784-8279 • www.itourcolumbiamontour.com
Bill’s Old Bike Barn
7145 Columbia Blvd., Bloomsburg, PA
570-759-7030 • www.billsbikebarn.com/
Rolling Hills Red Deer Farm
63 Pinnacle Dr., Catawissa, PA 17820
570- 356-7482 • www.reddeeratrollinghillsfarm.com
Inn at Turkey Hill
991 Central Rd, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
570-387-8422 • www.innatturkeyhill.com
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