Sometimes the best rides are the ones you never planned. No GPS route locked in, no agenda, just pointing yourself in the general direction of home and seeing what the road throws at you. That is pretty much exactly what happened on this Pennsylvania back roads motorcycle ride, and honestly, it turned out to be one of those afternoons that reminds you why you started riding in the first place.
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Wandering Out of St. Peters Village
The ride started winding down after a stretch of exploring around St. Peters Village, which if you have never been, is one of those tucked-away Chester County spots that is absolutely worth a detour. Historic, quiet, and surrounded by the kind of scenery that makes you want to slow down and look around.
At some point during the ride I realized I had been recording for a while and the battery was not going to hold up much longer. So I started making my way back toward home using that tried-and-true moto-navigation method of “this direction feels right.”
A Random Stop at Crow’s Nest Preserve
Following some signs for Crow’s Nest Preserve, I pulled in to do a quick battery swap and scope the place out. I had no idea what it was going in. Turns out it is a land trust property with a big stone parking lot that is a little on the sketchy side for parking a bike, but totally workable. There was not a whole lot to see from the parking area itself, but the vibe was cool enough that I am already thinking about bringing the kids back to walk the trails and explore a little. One of those places that deserves a proper visit, not just a pit stop.
Back Roads Through the Hopewell Area
After the battery swap I crossed over French Creek and found myself in familiar territory near Hopewell Furnace. State game lands signs started popping up and the roads got that classic southeastern Pennsylvania character: old country pavement, potholes you need to be on the lookout for, and tree canopy overhead. The kind of roads that are not fast roads, but they are absolutely great roads.
This part of Chester and Berks County is loaded with history. I was thinking about some of the destinations in the area that would make great purposeful ride videos, not just wandering rides like this one. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is right there, and the last time I was there with some riding buddies we actually walked through the old furnace ruins. Busy day, lots of visitors, but totally worth the stop. I really enjoy those historical places.
Daniel Boone Homestead is another one on the list. I have been there more times than I can count growing up in this area, but I think it would make a solid destination ride video. Same with Hopewell Furnace. There is no shortage of history buried in these Pennsylvania back roads, which is part of what makes riding out here so good.
Gear Talk: When Losing Weight Becomes a Gear Problem
Here is a happy problem to have. I have been wearing my Joe Rocket Riding Pants because it was a cooler day and they are warmer than my riding jeans. I went to cinch them up at the waist and I am completely out of adjustment on the Velcro straps. Tightened all the way in and they are still loose. That is a pretty solid sign that things are working.
The pants are a few years old at this point anyway. One of the buckles broke a while back and I rigged it to get by. I also ripped the crotch squatting down on the side of the road one day and patched it with regular thread, waiting for it to give up the ghost. So replacing them would not exactly be a tragedy.
When it comes time to buy new pants, I will probably go right back to Joe Rocket. The riding jeans I have from them fit me in a way that a lot of brands do not. When you need a bigger waist with a shorter inseam, the options get pretty limited fast. Joe Rocket got that right, and they got the price right too. Not the flashiest brand on the shelf, but a solid balance of quality and value that keeps me coming back.
Down 25.6 Pounds and Counting
The reason the pants are getting loose is something I have been talking about over the last few videos. I have been doing intermittent fasting and it is working really well. This morning I stepped on the scale and hit 25.6 pounds lost, which felt like a milestone worth mentioning.
I eat between noon and 6 p.m. and fast the rest of the time. No calorie counting, no feeling hungry all day. I eat what I want inside that window and the weight has been coming off steadily. I tried the calorie deficit route before and it always fell apart because I felt deprived. This approach just clicks for me.
The next milestone to hit is 30 pounds. I also have a doctor appointment coming up next week after about four months of waiting to get in, so I will finally get some blood work done. Hoping to see good numbers on blood sugar and insulin levels to go along with the progress on the scale. Would have been great to have a baseline before I started, but at this point I am just glad the appointment is finally here.
Final Thoughts
No grand destination on this one, just a good afternoon on the bike wandering the Pennsylvania back roads, stumbling across a new spot worth revisiting, and rolling through some of the best riding country in the state. If you have not explored the area around French Creek, Hopewell, and St. Peters Village on two wheels, put it on the list.
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