Biking Presque Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania
Major League Baseball writer Henry Palattella hits his hometown to take a spin around one of his favorite places.
The first thing to know about biking Presque Isle State Park is the hill.
While the hill technically isn’t part of the park, the gradual dip down into the hill signifies the true beginning of any great trip to the peninsula. And on a muggy morning at the beginning of August, that hill was my angel and my devil.
For the first 18 years of my life, Presque Isle was a key part of my life. As a kid growing up a block away from the peninsula in Erie, Pennsylvania, it was a key backdrop to countless moments of my adolescent life. On that aforementioned morning, it was the main character.
While I had driven and walked around Presque Isle before (and, ran, when I was a much younger man), I had never biked the entirety of the 3,200-acre peninsula before — and I decided to change that.
So, on that fateful morning, I hopped on my dad’s bike with a mission to bike around the whole park. I went on the trip with my childhood friend, Chris (an avid biker who was also in town that weekend), and we started the journey at my parents' house, which is 2 1/2 miles away from the opening of the park.
On the way there, I coasted down the hill and gathered enough momentum that I didn’t need to peddle again until we reached the park’s first parking lot. While that’s where most bike trips around the park begin, I recommend starting yours at the top of the hill just so you can feel what it’s like to be alive.
Once we got into the park itself, the ride turned into a joyous romp through one of the best parks in all of the country. It was a flat, relaxing jaunt that featured plenty of room on the bike lanes and road, and, with so little movement around us, we were able to bike side-by-side and catch up and discuss everything from to where “Oppenheimer” ranked in Christopher Nolan’s filmography to whether artificial intelligence will bring about the downfall of man.
And then there’s the people watching. Oh, the people watching. Every biker that passed us seemed to have some kind of characteristic that helped them stand out, whether it be a sticker covered helmet or an expensive looking bike that made no noise. I imagine it was a funny juxtaposition next to me on my dad’s bike, panting in exhaustion.
But that juxtaposition symbolizes the message of a ride about Presque Isle: anyone can do it. You don’t have to be an avid biker to make this ride, you need to enjoy nature and the smell of lake water and have a free 90 minutes.
About 3/4 of the way through your ride (so long as you do it the conventional way and start on the south side and finish on the north side facing the lake), you’ll reach the main beachfront area of Presque Isle.
This is the part where you should take your time. I know I said you can finish the ride in 90 minutes, but sometimes it’s worthwhile to take your time and walk on the beach (so long as you’re able to get off your bike and have the motivation to get back on. It was dicey for me at this point in the ride.)
While sitting out there, you’re likely to see the pieces that make up the rich tapestry of America. Families on beach trips with their children. Couples walking along the water. Someone ambling by with a metal detector. All the things that helped make Erie a place I’m proud to call my hometown.
And the best part is that from there you can get back on your bike and drive the final mile to wherever you parked.
Just don’t forget about the hill.
If You Go:
Coming from out of town? No problem. You can rent bikes at the Yellow Bike Co., located within the park, including tandems and trailers for pulling little ones.
