Oley

[Neil_B]

Oley Township, near Reading, has some of the best cycling in Pennsylvania. A few years ago the township petitioned for and was granted status as a National Historic District. This means the area is going to be protected from the sort of development and commercialism that turned nearby Lancaster County into a Amish Disneyland. Because of this Oley roads are relatively low traffic and the rolling landscape is dotted with historic structures.

Sunday I rode in Oley for 14 miles with two able-bodied Bike Forums posters, wfournier and guybierhaus. We started from Salem UCC, celebrating 275 years in the same location:



I was worn out and knee-creaking from a 22 mile ride the day before, so we cut it short. Here are my companions six mile in:



wfournier, here for the first time, was as struck by Oley as I am after four years of trips:



Back at Salem UCC, I gave wfournier a little four mile loop so he could test his new fast bike, while I spent time taking photos of the surrounding land:





All in all, even though our ride was cut short, it was a good afternoon.

[punkncat]

Looks beautiful Neil. You set the standard for good pictoral posts among a few other posters. Good job.

[Peter_C]

Neil, you do know that photo taking is much easier by trike, right? Wonderful as always~!

[dwellman]

Thank you for reminding me I live in cycling hell.

You aint' kidding. I used to ride out and about on the other side of Reading (Wyomising, State Hill, Sinking Spring sort of loop) nothing but trees and hills, it seemed. And last time I was there though is is insanely built up.

Next time I'm up there I need to head east, I suppose.

[nuggets]

Hi, *I used to ride Oley and it was beautiful. *I remember a lot more hills than you show on your pics. *Since my bilat. knee replacements, hills are not allowed according to my ortho. *I mostly do rail trails now. *I'm recovering from a severe knee infection right side. *I had to live 6 months without a knee at all. *When my infection was cleaned I got another new knee. *He told me this is my last knee. *The infection ravaged my bone density. *Anymore trouble and the ortho. must fuse my knee. *Still rehabbing. *Maybe I'll see you down in Oley some day. *Oh by the way, *I live in Reading.