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PennState - steadyState

About this event

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Event Details

Join us in State College, Pennsylvania for a summer PREMIER Special Event! This is a members-only event. If you want to attend, but aren't a member, click here to join the club!

Happy Valley is a world-class hub for cyclists, home to everything from wooded singletrack to smooth road rides.

We are planning to have at least 2-3 different routes to choose from each day, depending on interest.

Road – It doesn't take long to get out onto quieter country roads and experience the "Happy Valley" scenery. These rides will likely be 30-50 miles.

We've put together the best of the best. A library of 20-30 of the most highly recommended of routes from local clubs, organizations, and riders. These routes will available to you to use for this event. Most are relatively flat, but you will find some challenging routes too, climbing into some of the state forests, while remaining on paved roads. Most start from the hotel, but we also have a few remote starts within 30 minutes from the hotel.

Gravel – Black Moshannon and Rothrock State Forests – each with miles of gravel roads – are both within 30 minutes of State College.

Black Mo', as locals refer to it has been the venue for Pennsylvania Environmental Council annual fundraiser ride in support of PA's public lands for a number of years. If you're the least bit interested in what that route is like, I highly recommend that you check out the video, below.

Rothrock State Forest is host to a number of annual events, including the Rothrock GRIT Gravel Grinder Race and Whipple Dam Gravel Race. We'll be using a route from these events as the basis for one of our gravel rides.

Trail/bikeway – There are a few short trails in and around State College, as well as a network of off-road bikeways. These will be shorter rides, probably no more than ~25 miles. There will also be several trail routes within 1 hour drive – Buffalo Creek trail (Mifflinburg, PA) and Pine Creek Trail (Jersey Shore, PA), aka Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. The Buffalo Creek route features 3 ice cream stops! Sunday we would like everyone to meet up just west of State College for a trail ride (~34 miles on an out & back route), with an option to extend the ride up to 45 miles, if you don't mind a bit of road riding that will take you on a loop around Canoe Creek State Park.

Event Highlights

Discounted block of rooms at The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center in State College, PA
Room block available starting Thursday night and running through Saturday night
Rooms include free, on-site parking
Private bike room storage will be available (Bikes not permitted in your rooms)
Visit the town of State College when off the bike - enjoy small shops and dining in this beautiful town
Enjoy 3 days of riding in the "Happy Valley" region, including trail, road, & gravel
Both long and short routes will be offered with distances from 20 to 50+ miles in length
Road and trail routes leaving directly from hotel, as well as remote starts for some trail and gravel routes with GPS routes and digital cue sheets
Spectacular scenery with views that will take your breath away
Organized Friday evening group dinner & musical entertainment at the American Alehouse (Dinner & drink costs not included in registration fee.)

REGISTER TODAY!

Early Registration Fee: $85 up to July 1, 2026

Registration: $105 after July 1 thru July 31, 2026

Registration Deadline: July 31, 2026

Registration Fee Includes

Members have access to free Ride with GPS club account with Premium features, including voice navigation on select devices
Welcome Bag with information about local activities and points of interest
Water, fruit and cycling nutrition
Pre-scheduled ride options with experienced leaders for recommended routes
Detailed Event Guide with schedule, instructions, links to GPS Routes and riding recommendations, information about restaurants, local attractions and non-riding activities

Accommodations, Registration
& Check-In

Where: The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center

Address: 215 Innovation Blvd, State College, PA 16803

Room Rates: Thursday PM – $159 + taxes Friday & Saturday PM – $189/night + taxes - To receive this rate, you must use the "booking link" or promo code you'll receive in your confirmation email after you've registered and paid the registration fee.

Cutoff Date: July 13th - Our room block will close after this date.

Check-In: 4:00 PM - You can call ahead to inquire if an earlier check-in is possible, but there's no guarantees.

Non-Rider Discount: Non-riding members are welcome to attend the event at a reduced rate. Contact the event coordinator for discount code and to learn how you can add your spouse/partner to your membership if they are not already a member. During registration, you can add the non-rider to your registration if they are part of your family membership. Non-riders can attend dinner and anything else we plan into the event, so long as they are club members.

Cancellation Policy: $35 cancellation fee up to and including July 31st. No refunds after July 31st.

Event Schedule (Tentative)

The following schedule lists a general outline of the important times for event participants to keep in mind. You'll receive your "Event Checklist & Guidebook" in your email a few days prior to the event.

Thursday, August 13th
4:00 PM - Hotel check-In
6:00 PM - PVPP ride (optional local non-club ride - remote start)
- enjoy Dinner on your own and visit State College!

Friday, August 14th
9:00 AM - Morning Rides depart
1:00 PM - Afternoon activities
5:00 PM - American Alehouse (incl live musical entertainment!)

Saturday, August 15th
9:00 AM - Morning Rides depart
1:00 PM - Afternoon activities
6:00 PM - The Field Burger & Tap (or dinner on your own)

Sunday, August 16th
8:00 AM - Depart hotel (see hotel info for their checkout reqs)
8:45 AM - Meet up at trailhead in Alexandria
9:00 AM - Lower Trail ride departs
1:00 PM - Meet in Altoona for lunch before heading home

About State College: Things To Do & See

Downtown State College is home to Penn State main campus. The town is a mix of old and new architecture, shops, and eateries that will satisfy riders and non-riders alike.

The following links offer more information about things to do or see:

Hike to the top of Mt. Nittany – Hiking Mount Nittany in Lemont, PA, is a popular, intermediate-to-strenuous 3 to 4 hour loop (4-5 miles) that offers spectacular views of State College and Penn State. The main ascent is short but steep, climbing roughly 600 feet in the first half-mile, featuring rocky, well-maintained trails and multiple, well-marked scenic overlooks.

Enjoy a leisurely stroll down College Avenue – This is the main street through the college town with lots of shops and restaurants. Fun way to spend an afternoon.

Visit the Berkey Creamery – Founded in 1865, the Penn State Berkey Creamery is the largest university creamery in the United States, famous for producing over 100 flavors of high-butterfat ice cream, cheeses, and dairy products using milk from its own campus herd.

Visit the Nittany Lion Shrine – Dedicated in 1942, the Nittany Lion Shrine is a beloved Penn State landmark carved from a 13-ton block of Indiana limestone by sculptor Heinz Warneke, serving as the iconic, most-photographed symbol of university pride and tradition.

Take your own Penn State Walking Tour – The campus itself provides for a beautiful walk and nice workout!

Step up and Volunteer!

We need a few helping hands to make this event go smoothly, and we can plan more effectively if we know ahead of time that key volunteer spots are filled. We need:

Help with check-in/registration
Ride leaders for some selected routes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Drivers and assistants to be on standby for limited SAG assistance on Friday or Saturday. Most commonly these spots have been filled by non-riders and non-riding spouses/partners

To learn more about the available volunteer opportunities and to sign up for a slot, please click the Volunteer link.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the event coordinators listed below.

Click here to volunteer!

Date

Thursday, August 13, 2026, to Sunday, August 16, 2026

Location

The Penn Stater Hotel
215 Innovation Blvd
State College, PA 16803
USA
814-863-5000

Event Contact(s)

Jim Morgan

Jennifer Donahue

Registration Info

Registration is required

Payment In Full In Advance Only

All participants must be active members of the Premier Bicycle Club. If you wish to have a non-riding spouse/partner come along, please contact the event organizer to have your account upgraded to a family membership. Non-riders must register for this event like riders do – see event description for information about obtaining non-rider discount.

Registration cancellations will be accepted until Friday, July 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellation Policy & Fees: There are two (2) parts to the registration process, and they have different cancellation policies:

1.) "Event Registration" (through the club): Cancellations prior to and including July 31, 2026 will receive a refund minus a $35.00 cancellation fee. There are NO REFUNDS AFTER July 31, 2026.

2.) "Hotel Reservations" (directly through The Penn Stater Hotel): All participants are responsible for verifying the cancellation policy at the time they make their room reservation.