pike to bike

I came across this gem when i was looking up hiking/camping ideas to do over night with the husband. It sounded a bit creepy and right up our alley....or at least MINE..lol. I researched the area and got our backpacking gear together after watching a video on Youtube by Syntax77. Him and his friend hiked it and overnight camped above the 2nd tunnel on the route. My husband and i decided to mountain bike it. I thinking it would be a bit survivalist was exited. My husband not so much when he realized it would be a pretty primitive camp night. We set out from Connecticut...i underestimated the drive time...oops. We arrived at the Quality Inn on the Lincoln highway. You can park your car there overnight safety for a small fee. I believe it's $5. Loaded up our backpacks and rode down the street to the entrance to the Abandoned Highway. It was very popular that weekend. Geocasheing abounded. It did not feel like the survivalist overnight i was expecting, lol. Fortunately, it was most certainly an experience, as the tunnels are dark and cold, the littlest sound echoes and it feels like a totally apocalyptic world. When you stand outside the entrance to a tunnel, the cold air rushes past you like a fan...awesome on a hot august day. The second tunnel (Sideling Hill) is LOOOONNNG. Its dark and has a bend in it making it black as pitch without any light. I believe the end of Sideling Hill tunnel is at the 8 or 9 mile mark. We lugged our packs and mountain bikes up a steep incline to the area above the tunnel mouth that Syntax77 had mentioned. His firepit was still there as well as lots of new and colorful graffiti. We set up camp and collected firewood for the coming night. 50 yrds away in a wooded area were two very nice young men also camping for the night. They had walked the turnpike, while we had biked it. During the night we heard lots of loud noises of kids messing around. It is very rural and not much to do in the area....2 did stumble upon our camp and stated we were brave for camping out as they thought the area was haunted...lmao.....a few hrs later those same kids came back with about 8 other people....girls and guys....it was a bit tense but the 2 who had showed up earlier knew we were there and one of their friends had been cut pretty good while messing around in the air turbine room below. They were very polite and we patched his friend up with our first aid kit and they went on their way. My husband did have to chase them down a short distance through the tunnel as one had left a flashlight behind. We had a great quiet time alone in camp during the day. I got to try out and accomplish lighting a fire with flint and steel. We ate Mountain house dehydrated camping food and tried out my pocket stove with hexamine fuel tabs. Only worried a tiny bit about bear as we heard there were definite sightings all over the area. I did see bear scat on the bike ride in. We had bear spray as a precaution as we were doing an overnight. I don't remember the names of the two kids who camped out in the area with us (i know one was an ex marine) but they did add a measure of security (safety in #s) and I am thankful for that. All that racket the group of kids were making made them come running to where we were camping. My husband and the ex-marine checked it out while myself and the other kid kept watch above. It did seem to add a bit of danger to our overnight camping experience but the rest of the night was quiet and calm. it is a bit creepy out there in the middle of the PA woods at night. Especially in an area that was once heavily used but now abandoned. Weekends seem busy with lots of walkers and bikers but the night is quiet with only the animals making sounds.

This is just something different to do with the kids.....i mean where else can you walk or bike on a 4 lane highway!!! Plus there are two tunnels on this stretch that you can go thru but you need some flashlights.