​SMOG WEEKEND

The Grand Canyon (of Pennsylvania)

June 27-28, 2026

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​Fellow Rogues and Scoundrels:

 

Want to get out more this year? Do you have an appetite for exploring great roads and new destinations with your motorcycle and friends, but never seem to find the time or opportunity?

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Summer Motorcycle Overnight Getaway (SMOG) Weekends are the solution!  Each monthly trip has a unique destination and a related theme.  We depart Gaby’s Café (gabyscafe941nj.com) in Frenchtown, NJ on Saturday mornings, travel great roads with uncommon objectives to unusual destinations, enjoy exceptional company at dinner on Saturday evenings, and then wander home on Sundays.

 

The SMOG Weekend of June 27-28 will take us to "The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania", (not the one pictured above), an almost 50 mile long and sometimes 1,500 foot deep gorge complete with twisty routes that you and your motorcycle will love in the lush, green mountains located just south of Wellsboro, PA.  (That other canyon in Arizona is a little too far for a weekend trip.  Some of us have obligations on Monday mornings.)  This natural wonder in Pennsylvania is actually known as The Pine Creek Gorge (click here) and there are spectacular views of it from a number of overlooks.

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However, the real reason we will be going there are the roads in the Pine Creek Gorge and those that will be taking us there.  Such roads are a motorcycle magic carpet ride consisting of smooth ribbons of pavement with sweeping turns through rolling countryside and sleepy little towns that time has forgotten.  They will take you from warm summer sunlight to cool forest shadows and provide occasional twists and turns that will delight and challenge both you and your machine.  These roads are the reason motorcycles were invented and why you have one.

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We will be staying at the Penn Wells Hotel & Lodge in Wellsboro, PA.  This establishment is one of the Historic Hotels of America and offers two facilities located just two block apart.  The Penn Wells Hotel, which opened its doors in 1869, has "character filled" guest rooms (to quote the website) together with a traditional full service restaurant and bar.  The nearby Penn Wells Lodge offers more contemporary accommodations, complimentary breakfast, and an indoor pool.  All amenities are available to guests of both properties.  To explore the options available and secure your accommodations for Saturday night, just click here to go to the Penn Wells Hotel & Lodge's website.

 

Regarding dinner on Saturday evening...  The Hotel conveniently houses the Mary Wells Dining Room as well as the more casual outdoor Courtyard (click here and click here , respectively, for more information and to see the menu).  Alternatively, there are several restaurants available within a short walk of our lodgings. (Simply Google "Wellsboro restaurants downtown".)  The whims and predilections of our group that day will influence the selection of our dining venue.

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Be prepared for a prompt "kickstands up" departure at 9:00AM on Saturday morning at Gaby’s Café (gabyscafe941nj.com) in Frenchtown, NJ.  The ride to Wellsboro will be a pleasant excursion totaling approximately 225 miles on the backroads of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  (Route details will be provided to participants as the date draws nearer.)  Naturally, we will stop for lunch along the way and have the opportunity to relax at the hotel before dinner. 

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If you are flying solo and want to share a room on Saturday night, let me know and I will put you in touch with other solo riders.

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"How do I participate in this experience?" you ask.  Here are the three simple steps:

 

• Advise me that you will be joining us (just send me an email at the address appearing below);

 

• Make your hotel reservation (remember to select the refundable option if you are sensitive to the whims of the weather gods); and

 

• Arrive at Gaby’s Café (gabyscafe941nj.com) in Frenchtown, NJ that Saturday morning with a full tank of gas and, as previously indicated, be prepared for a prompt "kickstands up" departure at 9:00AM.

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Is there a rain date?  Think positively.  However, we do occasionally reschedule our adventures when we encounter tempests, typhoons, cataclysmic seismic events, and other Armageddon-type inconveniences.

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If you plan to join us or have any questions, email me at WanderlustRidersNJ@gmail.com.  (Be sure to include the "NJ".)

 

Fred Larcombe

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