Cycling...in Selinsgrove?

You must be wondering, where is Selinsgrove, PA? I'll tell you. It's in the middle-of-nowhere, Pennsylvania. Selinsgrove is actually on the Susquehanna River, which runs south towards Harrisburg. Bucknell is only 30 minutes away, and there's a Cow-Farm on the hill above the Campus of Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. Once you get over the fact that the town is rather small - the university campus probably makes up half of it - you'll soon realise that the surrounding countryside is rather beautiful (and I've heard that the SU Campus is Top 10 as far as beauty goes). Typical of the region, there are lots of ridge-like hills - generally short and steep. Some offer pretty nice views of the surrounding area. It makes for a good place to Cycle.

If I want to take an easy day, I usually head East to the River, and onto a small Island that is pancake flat with a stretch of straight road for nearly 2 miles. A short distance, I know, but a good place to warm up and cool down or practice intervals and sprinting on. On a hot day, it's also usually nice and cool there, a nice breeze coming off the river and the road is sheltered by trees that line the bank.

For a more challenging ride, I head to the West, towards towns with names like Mifflinburg and Kratzerviller. These tiny little towns consist of a Church and perhaps 20 houses. Or I head through the backroads that take me amongst farms and the Mennonites and Amish.

Cyclists arent something that are often seen in Selinsgrove. People often stare as my friends and I go flying down Market Street in our jerseys and lycra. Drivers either try and run us off the road, or follow behind us going 20 MPH, not sure whether to pass us unless we wave them on. The Mennonites are much more friendly, the kids waving at us as we pass while the older folk tend to just watch us as we go.

I'm sad to say that I usually wait until I go home for break or a long weekend to get new things for my bike, or to repair it, but there isn't a bike shop in Selinsgrove, or within 45 minutes of Selinsgrove. And the one that there is carries only 10 Road Bikes as Mountain and BMX Bikes are far more popular in this area. And so is Nascar.

Cycling in Selinsgrove is still enjoyable. Cars are rarely encountered off of 522 or Market Street. The terrain offers a wide variety of rides, and the weather is usually good enough to ride most of the time (except during winter).