. . . Hidden from the beaten path, there it was: woods, mountains and 11 miles of empty, weathered, four-lane expressway.

"It was absolutely unique and truly exciting," Schrotenboer recounted.

That was for starters.

A mile-and-a-half down the road was abandoned Ray's Hill Tunnel, an unlighted, two-lane tube, two-thirds of a mile, bored through a 1,400-foot-tall mountain.

Four-and-a-half miles beyond that was Sideling Hill Tunnel, the length of 22 football fields, longest tunnel the turnpike ever had. It's an arrow-straight conduit so long that, because of a slight rise in the middle, you can't see end to end.

Schrotenboer summoned the moxie, walked his bike the 1.2 miles through the tunnel -- much of it midnight black, a chamber echoing every creak and shuffle, a burrow so cool that it breathes fog on summer days -- and emerged from the other end, ebullient.

"I thought, wow, that was the most bizarre and amazing thing I'd ever done," he said.

Complete story - http://post-gazette.com/regionstate/20011111turnpikereg5p5.asp

There you have it. Are you up for a ride a "little" on the wild side? There are 12 miles of abandonded Pennsylvania Turnpike which can be walked, hiked and bicycled. There are 12 miles of roadway and two tunnels. The longer tunnel - Sideling Hill - IS NOT for the faint of heart. It is over a mile long and NOT lighted.

My family I made this trip in 2002, Believe me for some who has clostrophobeia the long tunnel was really scarey. Now my 10 and 12 year old grandaughters, rocks that they are had no problem. As many of you know I have been handicapped and have some health issues for the past 38 + years.  Although the bike ride can be made with a single speed bike by anyone in normal health. I used 19 of the 21 speeds on my bike.

My plan is for us to meet at the Gateway Travel Plaza or ride "together" from where ever we are "staying" at 9:00 AM.

We will have loaded the bikes for the trip to the eastern starting point. My wife, bless her, after dropiing us off, will return to the shopping point of her choice. Where she will await the call to pick us up at the western terminus of our trip.

Pictures from our 2002 Trip Please note the rise & fall of the roadway!! Click Picture to take the picture tour Please note the rise & fall of the roadway!!