Paxinos to Lewisburg

October 14, 2020

And a Side Trip on the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail

If 43 miles can be considered a rest day, then this day would qualify. Since I needed to dial down the intensity after yesterday's hilly ride, the route for this day was a good prescription. The ride was broken up into two parts. The first was around 25 relatively easy miles from Paxinos to Lewisburg where I was to meet another friend/colleague. Part 2 would be a leisurely side trip, an 18-mile out-and-back ride on the Buffalo Valley Trail. The day had dawned and the sun was shining. The roads were dry, temperature had cooled off into the 40s, and the bright sky was a welcome change from the past two dismal and wet days.

Once again, I got off to a later start. The Bed and Breakfast where I stayed put on a good feedbag and the conversation was interesting as well. The two owners have had their challenges during this pandemic but they took them on, conserved resources, and seem to be coming through the worst of the adversity of 2020. I also got to spend a few minutes with Reg, before he headed off to work.

Had breakfast with Reg before he headed off to work.

It was necessary to spend some time again cleaning, lubing, and maintaining my bicycle. The Buzz was gunked-up once more from wet road grime. To ignore all of that would be asking for trouble. Once again, it was worth the time and effort spent to keep the machinery running smoothly. Finally, I was on the road via Bottle Drive, headed for West Sunbury Road and my first destination, the small city of Sunbury, Pennsylvania. The Fall foliage along West Sunbury Road was getting nice.

Autumn was breaking out all over as I cruised along on West Sunbury Road.

I had about 12 miles to cover before reaching Sunbury. The road ran parallel and a few miles to the North of SR-61. The couple extra miles, in exchange for the peace, quiet, and low traffic volume was well worth it. The scenery was not too bad either. The only real settlement of any significance along the way was the very small village of Snydertown, where not much was happening on this October morning.

Another autumnal scene along West Sunbury Road.

At the edge of Sunbury, a hospital was on my left and my route called for a right turn. This put me on a series of residential streets through the town that went mostly (and steeply) downhill. I passed a recreational area and Shikellamy High School shortly before getting onto SR-147, which would lead me across the river to rejoin Pennsylvania Bicycle Route J.

In 2019, I had ridden Route J and made a loop by crossing the river...

(the 2nd crossing was on the busy SR-61 bridge, which had no shoulder and nothing to keep me from being tossed into the river, if a motor vehicle had clipped me)

...and riding through Sunbury, along Front Street. There is a historical area giving information about Chief Shikellamy and the state park on the opposite shore that is named for him.

As I mentioned in the introduction, I have been riding parts of this route since 2010. The cover photo for this journal, taken in September 2018, is a rocky outcropping that resembles the Chief Shikellamy's profile. At that time, I rode up the hill and into the park to see the tremendous view and to take some photos. Since I had already done that, I skipped it on this ride but below is a photo from the park (at that time) overlooking the river and the community of Northumberland lying below.

View from Shikellamy State Park of the Susquehanna River, its West Branch, the Route 11 bridge, and the borough of Northumberland.

On this day, I took SR-147 across both branches of the Susquehanna and into Northumberland Borough to rejoin Route J. The state highway had some heavy traffic but I was able to ride, stress free, using the protected sidewalk on the bridge. On this beautifully sunny and warming day, the river views were very nice.

View of the Susquehanna River, from the SR-147 bridge, in Sunbury, PA.

A common routing pattern for Route J seems to be on state highways in the main business district of the larger towns through which it passes. The Garmin directed me onto Duke Street (SR-147), the main drag through Northumberland Borough. It is narrow, cars are parked on both sides of it, and the traffic is very heavy.

If strictly following the Route J signs, a cyclist will have to share the road with all of the motor vehicles passing through a busy little town. After a couple of blocks of this nonsense, I opted for a parallel road and the parallel universe of the very quiet Queen Street. From this experience, I recommend that Route J be shifted onto Queen Street to get through town (If "they" don't do it, a prospective rider should do so).

Queen Street runs all the way to a "T" with 16th Street, where you must turn left and rejoin SR-147. However, at this point, you are out of the tight business district and there is a shoulder. Doing this is much safer and a more pleasant ride through Northumberland.

Queen Street runs parallel to the J Trail alignment, which is on Duke Street. It is also in a parallel (and much calmer) universe than is the signed route.

I had ridden this section of the J-Trail before so it had some familiarity for me. The route stays on SR-147 for several miles but the area becomes more country-like and there is a shoulder. There is a turn-off at Chillisquaque onto SR-405, which is a slightly calmer road in this area. After crossing the creek, there is a right turn onto an even calmer Housels Run Road. This mostly agricultural pathway makes for a pleasant ride to the intersection with SR-45, in the village of Montandon.

The stretch of the J Trail on Housels Run Road was very calm, scenic, and pleasant.

I stopped in Montandon, at a Sunoco Gas Station/Convenience Store. A couple of guys taking a lunch break from laying fiberoptic cable told me they have great food inside. They were right, so I picked-up a few supplies and prepared to head for Lewisburg and to wait for my friend to show up. Back outside, I saw the two fellows again and we talked for a bit. They were nice guys, from Holidaysburg (near Altoona), and out here for some work that had come their way.

From the Sunoco Station, I turned left onto SR-45 and rode into Lewisburg. The road has a decent shoulder and there is some traffic. If I had it to do over again, I'd take old 45 to 405 and then back to "new" 45 to cross the river. Less traffic is always preferable but I've been on scarier roads than the new 45.

Again, I crossed the Susquehanna, which never disappoints for good vistas. Once in town, I went to the Soldiers Memorial Park and took a lunch break on this very pleasant and warming day.

View of the Susquehanna River from the Route 45 bridge.

I had about 90 minutes to kill before meeting up with my friend, John so I refueled my body and rested, while enjoying the warmth and the park.

I took a break and had lunch in Soldiers Memorial Park in Lewisburg, PA.

Eventually, it was time to move on so I headed for the Miller Center, a relatively new recreational facility in Lewisburg and our meeting spot. I had a little confusion when looking for it but two nice ladies using the trail directed me to it and John was there waiting.

My buddy, Johnny Mack, met me at the Miller Center, in Lewisburg. From there, we had easy access to the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail (BVRT).

We headed out on the Buffalo Valley Trail (BVT) but stopped a short distance along it for Earl's Bicycle Shop, which was open. I used the floor pump to make sure my tires were optimally pressurized. I also bought a patch kit with glue. Earl's had them in stock! For that matter, the entire store seemed to be well stocked with bikes, supplies, and parts. Many bike shops have been having trouble maintaining inventory during this pandemic. Not Earl's! I'd recommend a stop at Earl's, where the staff was friendly too, if you are in the area and on your bike.

1st Update: On a more recent visit (Summer 2022) to Earl's, they had another item in stock that other shops did not seem to carry. Viva Earl's!

2nd Update: In late 2023, Earl's changed ownership and has a new name, Link Cyclery. I haven't yet been inside because it seems to have been closed whenever I have passed. When I happen to next find it open, I'll do a 3rd update.

The BVRT makes a nice run through Lewisburg. It is paved, passes the borough building, a restored train station, a new brew pub, a professional building, and some other businesses. Once out of town, the surface changes over to gravel and the landscape becomes agricultural. There are some Amish out there too.

The trail is peaceful but it did have a regular stream of solo and small group users along its course. There are some grade crossings that require care when passing through but all in all, the 9+ miles out to Mifflinburg were most enjoyable.

Once out there, we stopped at the relatively new Rusty Rail Brew Pub. This is a really nice place, built sturdily and tastefully by a family whose main business is fabricating manufactured homes. The stone and wood work are tremendous and there are a few old farm trucks with wooden cargo panels, immaculately restored and inside the huge dining area. The food, beer, and service were first class. They have outdoor seating and inside, the tables are properly socially distanced. The staff all had their masks on. We took ours off to eat but otherwise observed protocols too.

Our table in the Rusty Rail Restaurant and Brew Pub. Note the beautifully restored vehicle as dining room decor.

We rode the 9+ miles back to Lewisburg and joined John's wife for an actual dinner at another establishment in town. By the time we were done, it was dark so my friends gave me a ride to my hotel. It was a great day and I was able to get some much needed rest in preparation for the longest mileage day of the trip and its associated climbing (tomorrow).

Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 239 miles (385 km)

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