When most people think about Motorcycle Group Rides, I believe it conjures up images of large packs of Harley Davidson Motorcycles riding for a cause. While there is no shortage of these types of Motorcycle Group Rides, my ideal ride is a handful of riders on back country roads chatting over coms.
I get a great deal of pleasure from the social aspect of these small Group Rides. It is loads of fun to get out with friends, see new sights, and share a few laughs. A good burger stop for lunch doesn’t hurt either!
I recently had the pleasure of meeting up with Trekkie Moto
, Scott’s Moto Adventures, and Goofy Bastard for a PA Motorcycle Ride with a Historic Theme. Our stops included the Reading Pagoda, Joanna Furnace, Hopewell Lake, and Hopewell Furnace before a stop for lunch at Liberty Union. We ended our ride in Valley Forge Park after roughly 65 miles.
It was a short ride in the cold, but lots of fun nonetheless!
PA Motorcycle Ride Details
| Ride Date: | Private – See Group Ride Channel in WaltInPA Discord |
| Start Point: | Reading Pagoda |
| First Stop: | Joanna Furnace |
| Second Stop: | Hopewell Lake (French Creek State Park) |
| Third Stop: | Hopewell Furnace |
| Fourth Stop: | Liberty Union |
| Fifth Stop | Valley Forge Park |
| Total Travel Distance: | Approximately 65 Miles |
Table of Contents
PA Motorcycle Ride: The Reading Pagoda
The Reading Pagoda is a bit of an oddity – especially if you aren’t from the area. The bright red Japanese-style structure (which glows red at night) is perched atop Mt Penn and overlooks the city of Reading. It is a popular tourist stop and a common meeting place for car and motorcycle clubs. This makes the Reading Pagoda a busy place most weekends.
The cool temperatures and cloudy skies played in our favor as only a few people were milling about. We were able to park our motorcycles directly in front of the Pagoda to snap a few photos before we set off on our Group Ride.
PA Motorcycle Ride: Joanna Furnace
After leaving the Reading Pagoda, we headed to PA Route 10 to ride into Morgantown. Along the way, we came upon a sign for Historic Joanna Furnace. I’ve passed this sign dozens of times, and each time I see it, I tell myself that one day, I need to stop in for a look around. Since we were going right past it, I convinced the guys to pull in for a quick detour.
At first glance, Joanna Furnace was a bit odd – kind of like a mix between a Historic Site and a Summer Camp. On the outskirts of the historical site were signs for Meal Tickets, Window Air Conditions, and even a Stage.
We parked our motorcycles and began to look around. The old buildings were pretty cool, and I would have loved to see the inside of the furnace building. Unfortunately, everything was locked up, and some windows were blacked out.
PA Motorcycle Ride: Hopewell Lake
After our stop at Joanna Furnace, we made our way to French Creek State Park. Trekkie Moto wanted to stage our bikes near Hopewell Lake to get a few photos. Overcast Skies and lots of Water Lilys didn’t make for the best photos, but we still got some cool shots to share on Instagram and Facebook.
PA Motorcycle Ride: Hopewell Furnace
After we finished up at Hopewell Lake, we had a little time to kill before our 1:00pm Meetup for Lunch with Goofy Bastard. Since we were so close, we decided to stop in at Hopewell Furnace to see how it compared to Joanna Furnace.
What you’ll notice as soon as you pull into the parking lot is that Hopewell Furnace was a large industrial complex in its day. Several buildings were scattered throughout the landscape, and there were lots of people touring the grounds.
Hopewell Furnace is a place where I could easily spend a few hours walking around. Unfortunately, we didn’t have that kind of time. I’ll be back with my family for a more thorough tour.
Lunch at Liberty Union in Kimberton
Earlier in the summer, the WaltInPA Discord Server went on a Motorcycle Group Ride that ended with a stop for lunch at Liberty Union in Kimberton. The food and service were great, but Trekkie Moto could not stay for lunch and missed the opportunity to try the food.
This Group Ride would rectify that with a second stop at Liberty Union. Just like our first visit, the food and service were excellent, and we shared a lot of laughs over lunch. This was also where we met up with Goofy Bastard.
PA Motorcycle Ride: Valley Forge Park
After lunch at Liberty Union, Goofy Bastard took the lead as we rode through the Knox Covered Bridge and into Valley Forge National Park. We stopped off at the Washington Memorial Chapel (which was very busy) for a couple of photos and to chat for a few minutes before parting ways.
Our PA Motorcycle Ride with a Historic Theme was a lot of fun. I hope we can squeeze in one more Group Ride before the weather turns cold and brings the riding season to a close.
Watch on YouTube
Recent Posts
On June 18, 2023, I went for a Father's Day Motorcycle Ride to Lancaster, PA, to see a historic covered bridge. I was stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of PA Rt 422 East and PA Rt 82...
Kawasaki Ninja 400 Exhaust: First Impressions of the Coffman's Shorty
Until recently, a Kawasaki Ninja 400 Exhaust wasn't something that I was interested in. You see, I bought my Ninja 400 as a backup bike to my Yamaha MT-09 SP, and its primary function was to be a fun...