I biked to Freehold for the Henry Hudson Trail and ended up in a brewery

Time for an update on the Henry Hudson Trail.

Nearly three months ago, I biked the southern-most section of the Henry Hudson Trail in Monmouth County. I was excited that the trail was being extended into Freehold borough and wanted to see it for myself.

Back then, it was a construction site: trees had been felled and an abutment for the bridge was being built. Today all 0.4 miles are essentially done. The trail is paved, the bridge is done. Just the last bit of clean-up remains, followed any day I hope by a decision to remove the barriers at the end points and at the bridge over Center Street and open the trail.

Will there be a ribbon-cutting? I’d hope so! Even an after-the-fact one. (Monmouth County Park System previously predicted a late-May opening.)

We opted to wait until the barriers are gone before riding this new section, between East Main Street and Mechanic Street. But as we started our ride home, we spotted a brewery just a few blocks from the Mechanic Street end. So we took a shade break inside Artis Brewery.

The small glass is mine. That’s the Sour Grove, a sour beer made with blueberries and lime. Delish!

The other is a dark lager called Dark Horse. All told, nine beers and a hard seltzer on tap, with food available from the restaurant next door and others nearby.

Also near the new trail segment — across the railroad tracks — is Bruce Springsteen’s childhood Freehold.

UPDATE: I’ve learned that the big brick building on the west side of the new segment, just north of the bridge over Center Street, is the old A&M Karagheusian carpet mill (and before that, the Rothschild Shirt Factory). At its peak, 1700 people worked there. At one point, Springsteen’s dad worked there.

And there’s a reference to it in his song “My Hometown”:
They’re closing down the textile mill
Across the railroad tracks

Beyond Freehold

For those who haven’t yet discovered the Henry Hudson Trail, it stretches from Freehold to Highlands, near Sandy Hook and ferries to New York City. Unfortunately, it’s in three parts connected by short road sections, but Monmouth County plans to close one of those gaps in the next couple of years. You’ll then be able to bike from Freehold to Matawan on one long section of trail.

More: This is the best way to bike to New York City from New Jersey

Too bad that biking to Freehold any way other than the trail isn’t that great. We came from the west, using Freehold-Englishtown Road. A small shoulder, but at least a shoulder. The single railroad track just south of the road looks like it’s still used. But if that’s ever no longer the case, hopefully a rail-trail can connect Freehold and Englishtown. It would be a bit longer than the route we took that included a stretch of Woodward, but certainly more pleasant.

Our route did take us past a garden center that sells palm trees. In New Jersey! LOL! Or do they think we will never see snow again?!?

One tip: If you ride through Englishtown, consider stopping here for food.