2020 Public Lands Ride

What is the Public Lands Ride?

In September 2019, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council hosted its inaugural Public Lands Ride, a mixed-surface group bike ride at Black Moshannon State Park and Moshannon State Forest. This year, we decided to go “virtual,” taking an opportunity to showcase the breadth and variety of public lands throughout the Commonwealth by encouraging folks to get out and explore in small groups at various state parks and forests throughout the greater central Pennsylvania region. All the parks we are featuring offer camping, so go ahead and make a weekend of it! 

 

How to participate

From June through August, we will be publishing blog posts highlighting 6-8 different routes of 45-60 miles in length, each starting and ending at a Pennsylvania state park and venturing into the surrounding state forests. Ride as many routes as you can during the month of September and share your adventures on social media for a chance to win swag from some of our partners. We also have 100 limited edition Public Lands Ride patches to give away to the first 100 people who ride at least 3 routes and share! 

 

Ways to share

• • Hashtag: #pecpubliclandsride2020
• • Instagram: Tag @pecpubliclandsride
• • Facebook: Tag the PEC Public Lands Ride page and/or post in the PEC Public Lands Ride Facebook group

Tagging helps us find your posts so that you have a chance to win swag or get a patch! 

 

 

Swag

We have partnered with several local companies to offer some special prizes.

• • UnPAved will be awarding a free entry to the 2021 event to the first woman to complete both Bald Eagle State Forest routes (R.B. Winter and Reeds Gap) and share photos of both rides (tag @unpavedpennsylvania and @pecpubliclandsride). 
• • Stans NoTubes will be giving away a Grail MK3 32h wheelset to someone who seems like they might need a bit of mechanical help — or luck. So show us those mechanical fail photos! 
• • Purple Lizard Maps will be offering multiple prize packs with a combination of maps and lizard gear, including the limited edition Purple Lizard Maps ditty bag from local partner company Nittany Mountain Works. These will go to riders who have a great story about getting lost, find the most lizard locations on their rides, or something else. 

The first 100 people who ride at least three routes will get a 2020 Public Lands Ride patch designed by Stephen Haynes and made by Falls Creek Outfitters. 

*Please message us on Instragram @pecpubliclandsride or email [email protected] when you have met the requirements for the patch or any of the swag items. This will ensure that your photos are counted and that you get your swag!* 

 

The routes

All route descriptions include a RideWithGPS map/downloadable GPX file and a link to purchase the corresponding Purple Lizard Map of the region to enable further exploration. 

We have put together routes in the following parks/forests:

• • Parker Dam State Park/Moshannon State Forest
• • Trough Creek State Park/Rothrock State Forest
• • R.B. Winter State Park/Bald Eagle State Forest
• • Reeds Gap State Park/Bald Eagle State Forest
• • Laurel Ridge State Park/Forbes State Forest
• • Black Moshannon State Park/Moshannon State Forest

 

…and possibly a couple others!

Is there a registration fee?

There is no registration fee, but we do encourage riders to make a donation to the Friends groups for the parks at which they ride if they are able. Links to these groups can be found in each route description on the PEC blog. 

 

Please recreate responsibly

• • Ride within your limits. Know your bailout options ahead of time just in case. Keep in mind that some of these routes are remote and there may be long stretches with no cell service. 
• • Play it safe – This is not a race, nor are there timed sections. Don’t be a burden to emergency services by doing something foolish.
• • Bring ample food and water. Some of the routes have opportunities to refill and we note that in the description, but on most of them you’ll be on your own for the day. 
• • We highly recommend carrying a paper map as well as the RideWithGPS route. Purple Lizard Maps cover all the routes — find the appropriate map at the bottom of each route description. 
• • Respect your surroundings and pack out all your trash. 
• • Adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines in the area you are traveling to before, during and after your ride. If you feel sick, stay home. 
• • For more information about what it means to be smart while outside during the interesting times in which we live, check out https://www.recreateresponsibly.org