ASSISTANCE PLEASE.....to Pennsylvania

[pilgrim]

My wife and I are traveling from central Ohio to Lancaster, PA next summer for a four day conference. We will take our AS to stay in while there. The last time I drove across the PA Turnpike, we said we'd never do it again - any suggestions??? We have no time constraints so can go any way we wish. Does anyone have any suggestions for ease of travel route or place to stay once there?? I am looking at a place well documented in the Trailer Life listing of Campgrounds - 27.5 points out of 30. Any comments or routes to take would be highly thougt of. Thank you......

[flyfisher]

Originally Posted by pilgrim

My wife and I are traveling from central Ohio to Lancaster, PA next summer for a four day conference. We will take our AS to stay in while there. The last time I drove across the PA Turnpike, we said we'd never do it again - any suggestions??? We have no time constraints so can go any way we wish. Does anyone have any suggestions for ease of travel route or place to stay once there?? I am looking at a place well documented in the Trailer Life listing of Campgrounds - 27.5 points out of 30. Any comments or routes to take would be highly thougt of. Thank you......

I live near Lancaster, PA, and last travelled the PA turnpike early this past summer on our way to MT. Coming home in October, we went across Interstate 80.

The PA Turnpike was terrible for many years, but the section that we take was dramatically improved this past year, compared to earlier times. Interstate 80 isn't bad either, but there are lots of trucks to contend with.

I can give you more detailed info if you need it.

John

[wagnerda]

Hi Pilgrim,

I have travelled across there a number of times, and I am also one who will never take the PA Turnpike again.

A much better route, IMHO, is:

-- from Columbus OH take I-70 east thru Wheeling, West VA and on to Washington PA.

-- In Washington PA turn south on I-79 for about 50 miles until you pick up I-68 East at Morgantown West VA.

-- From Morgantown take I-68 east all the way to Hagerstown MD

-- from Hagerstown take I-81 North to Harrisburg PA and then Hwy 30 in to Lancaster.

I know it sounds like a bunch of turns etc, but if you look at it on a map it really is pretty much straight-thru. I-68 is a really nice drive and it only adds about a net of 30 miles to the total compared to taking the turnpike.

I just drove that route in Oct when I took my A/S out to Jackson Center and it was a very nice drive. I am not sure I would drive it at night though, because there must have been a dead deer splattered every mile for about 100 miles straight in West VA & Western PA.

The only place I have stayed along the way is the KOA in Washington PA, which was a nice enough KOA, but was several miles down skinny roads to get to it.

regards, Dave

[FordTruck]

Ditto what Wagnerda said. I've not done it with the AS but I've done it a number of times on the Harley.

[jacarape]

I can't add anything to the above posts, only please, please have some shoe-fly pie and post a picture...

[overlander63]

You can take I-80 to US 11/15, then turn South to US 30. Most of 11/15 is along the Susquehanna river, and 1-scenic, and 2-level. If you go this way, you will be very close to Gettysburg, and the civil war park.

[SilverRanger]

I took Rt. 30 into Lancaster at the end of August. Most of it was a very nice ride.

[Lumatic]

Just in case I ever get out that way again, what's wrong with the PA pike?

Indirectly the pike was responsible for my road trip wanderlust. As a kid I lived is New York and my aunt and uncle were in "Pissburg". We traveled that route at least once a year and I loved the rolling farmland and the stops at Howard Johnsons. We had a 59 VW my mother named Wolfgang. There were not many bugs on the road yet so everytime we saw one we got real excited honked and waved. Kind of like I do now when I see an AS. Every time we filled up my father would calculate mpg. Kind of like what I do now when I get gas. I especially loved going through the tunnels. Once I was inconsolable because I was asleep when we went through and missed the tunnels. My uncle said "it's OK you didn't miss them at night they take the roofs off". It worked.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

Just in case I ever get out that way again, what's wrong with the PA pike?

Probably the last time it was paved was when it was built...Decades of frost-heave, heavy vehicles, subsidence, and poor maintence have taken their toll (no pun intended).

[wagnerda]

Another of my complaints about the PA turnpike is mile after mile is "under construction" which means many miles of barrels and either 1 skinny lane or weaving around barrels all the time... But nobody actually working on any sections of it, just mile after mile of "construction".

It is just an older section of roadway, so even when it is good, it does not compare with the more modern constructed Interstates that are viable alternates.

Take I-68 and you won't be sorry.

regards..

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by wagnerda

Hi Pilgrim,

I have travelled across there a number of times, and I am also one who will never take the PA Turnpike again.

A much better route, IMHO, is:

-- from Columbus OH take I-70 east thru Wheeling, West VA and on to Washington PA.

-- In Washington PA turn south on I-79 for about 50 miles until you pick up I-68 East at Morgantown West VA.

-- From Morgantown take I-68 east all the way to Hagerstown MD

-- from Hagerstown take I-81 North to Harrisburg PA and then Hwy 30 in to Lancaster.

I know it sounds like a bunch of turns etc, but if you look at it on a map it really is pretty much straight-thru. I-68 is a really nice drive and it only adds about a net of 30 miles to the total compared to taking the turnpike.

I just drove that route in Oct when I took my A/S out to Jackson Center and it was a very nice drive. I am not sure I would drive it at night though, because there must have been a dead deer splattered every mile for about 100 miles straight in West VA & Western PA.

The only place I have stayed along the way is the KOA in Washington PA, which was a nice enough KOA, but was several miles down skinny roads to get to it.

regards, Dave

Yes, what he says!