Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default Duryea Drive in Reading

    So I'm a bit of a gear head and have been trying to plan a Top Gear-style road challenge with some friends for a while now. I recently read about Duryea Drive in Reading that goes up Mt. Penn and was used as a testing grounds for early automobiles. Today, some car clubs still hold events there.

    Reading is about 2 hours away and while I think it'll be a fun trip, I've never been on the road. Has anyone ventured there before and could provide some insight? I'd hate to waste a Saturday on a trip that ends up being mediocre.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    It's one hell of a road. Locations pretty shitty but the roads pretty wild. As far as I know though they only close it down for the hill climbs every year and not just for anyone to use for the day. It's a public road that's used to get to the pagoda but you guys could definitely just enter in the hill climb I'm sure they have practice a day or so before where you could mess around a little.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    You should pay a visit to the Giants despair. Its a fun road to drive.
    troll Free. It's all in your mind.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Duryea is held twice a year. The short Course is called Pagoda and the long one is Duryea .. it is put on by the Blue Mountain Region of the SCCA and is an amazing event.

    Having ran in that event for 7-8 years was a blast and i have had many of too close calls too many times lol

    the road is closed down for that weekend and there are NO practice days and we are warned multiple times about going up there on our own to "play"

    Giants Despair is another very NASTY public hill that has almost taken me to the hospital after a very hard wreck a few years back. The Devil's Elbow makes even the fearless think twice about going through flat out ..

    In either case i highley recommend checking them out and talking with the great people who run them. Its not as hard as you think to get involved and start having fun on a closed off road but it is not for the faint of heart
    An Armed society is a polite one

  5. #5
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    SE PA, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
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    Talking Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Duryea Drive is a fun run in a car but it is real fun in a fire truck.....

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Quote Originally Posted by minionman24 View Post
    So I'm a bit of a gear head and have been trying to plan a Top Gear-style road challenge with some friends for a while now. I recently read about Duryea Drive in Reading that goes up Mt. Penn and was used as a testing grounds for early automobiles. Today, some car clubs still hold events there.

    Reading is about 2 hours away and while I think it'll be a fun trip, I've never been on the road. Has anyone ventured there before and could provide some insight? I'd hate to waste a Saturday on a trip that ends up being mediocre.

    Thanks!
    From city park to firetower is about 2.5 miles. If you think you're going to race up there, you're not. The road is well used by sight seeing visitors. There are many blind curves where you can easily hit one of the sight seeing seniors.

    There are more than enough videos on youtube from the races held there.

  7. #7
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    Thumbs up Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Thanks for the suggestions! We didn't intend to enter the event... more just a road trip for the day, drive it sanely and take some photos. That is good to know that it's usually a busy road with sightseers.

    We're not reckless people...and all have new, relatively expensive cars that no one wants to see down a ravine, in a ditch or around a tree

    I'm going to check out Giant's Despair... that's about an hour closer and would be a much more enjoyable drive out there than to Reading.

    I appreciate your help guys... all really good info!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Sining Spring, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Quote Originally Posted by RFD298 View Post
    Duryea Drive is a fun run in a car but it is real fun in a fire truck.....
    Even more fun by bicycle!!! Either up or down...it's insane.
    Used to have bike races there in the 90's....I've puked many times on those hills...and that was when I was in shape!!!

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Quote Originally Posted by QUADZILLA View Post
    Even more fun by bicycle!!! Either up or down...it's insane.
    Used to have bike races there in the 90's....I've puked many times on those hills...and that was when I was in shape!!!
    I think it was called the Pretzel City Classic. Four times up the hill.
    Duryea was part of my regular training rides back then. Can't do the hills like I could when I was younger!

  10. #10
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    Dec 2012
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    Reading, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: Duryea Drive in Reading

    Ive done many a night run on the uphill at night, no one but car guys and Blunt cruisers use the road after dark. And generally speaking the Reading PD that patrol are pretty nice and respectful of the less than legal uses of the road lol Growing up in MT PENN has its perks lol

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