Lunch and dessert? Or dessert and dessert?
This was a two-bakery bicycle ride, inspired by a late-2024 list of the state’s 71 best bakeries, as judged by NJ.com, the owner of the state’s biggest newspaper.
Fortunately for me, both the Gingered Peach in Lawrence Township and Terra Momo in Pennington are easily reached using the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, one of the state’s premier trails for biking as well as walking and running.
Even better, I was able to take the just-reopened section of the trail through The Lawrenceville School on a gloriously sunny day with temps approaching 70. (Could the weather just stay like this for the rest of the month?)
It’s still not even officially spring, though, so I took it easy and opted for a 20-mile day. That meant starting near the southern-most part of the LHT rather than, say, Turning Basin Park along the D&R Canal towpath or even the Princeton Junction train station.
Don’t tell, but my little group parked in the back of one of those underutilized office parking lots on Lenox Drive, just off Princeton Pike and I-295. We then followed the trail (road and sidewalk) across Princeton Pike and past Bristol Myers Squibb headquarters to The Lawrenceville School.
Oops, I forgot, there’s a rough section early in this segment. It’s short, but people with skinny tires will not be happy. If that’s you, you may want to go left on Lewisville Road and enter the campus at the next right, a little over a half-mile away. (I ride a road bike with 28 mm tires, so I’m OK).
I found the new route skirting the southwestern edge of the private school’s campus delightful. It’s wasn’t yet on maps, but the LHT signs will get you there. The route takes you out through Clark Gate onto U.S.206/Main Street. Cross the road to Titus Avenue, go almost two blocks til you see that crushed stone path where the Johnson Trolley Line once ran and turn right.
The LHT goes left after one block, onto Craven Lane, but it you, like us, are aiming for the Gingered Peach, go another two blocks. Turn right on Gordon Avenue, and it will be on your left.
It was noon when we arrived and lucky for us, there was no line at this bakery that makes everything from scratch.
So… lunch or dessert?
Everyone else went for something savory (that fig and goat cheese Bialy — sort of a flattened, fluffier bagel — got some nods, and a tiny nibble from me). But I’d been told by a fan of the lemon bars that I absolutely, absolutely had to get one. So I did. Dusted with powered sugar, it was more sweet than tart.
In the past, I’ve tried the goat cheese brownie and the Trenton volcano, among other things. Just pick something and you’ll probably be happy.
Back on the bikes, back to the trail. We’re quickly biking through parks, and that will last for several miles. The route is paved in Village Park but Mercer Meadows has some crushed stone around the Pole Farm that can be soft — or have cuts from rain runoff. Then we hit the section from Hunt House to Rosedale Lake, where on a day like today the small lake that you curve around just catches your breath. Then past the eagles nest (nope, no eagle sighting) all the way to Pennington-Rocky Hill Road also isn’t paved. Sorry, skinny tires.
At Pennington-Rocky Hill Road we leave the trail, turning left on the asphalt path that takes us to the edge of Pennington. We opted to turn right and use quiet roads to get to our second bakery, Terra Momo.
NJ.com recommends the chocolate almond croissant, but I only saw almond ones. A chocolate brioche, smothered inside with mini chocolate chips and ooey-not-gooey, sounded right.
Yup, dessert and dessert.
Time to head back. We opted for a mix of roads, starting with Federal City Road and a few tiny hills, then Lawrenceville-Pennington Road, skirting the 1,600-acre Mercer Meadows park. Now we’re at Manor’s Corner Shopping Center, where craft beer fans may want to make a stop. Keefe, Yeger and we’ve skirted Village Park.
We’ve quickly back on The Lawrenceville School campus, bypass the rough section by using Lewisville Road, then the swoops of the route past BMS and before you know it, the ride is over.
If you’re a fan of either the Gingered Peach or Terra Momo, reveal your favorite item in the comments.
More bakery rides in NJ: A bike ride to another one of those best NJ bakeries and A hilly ride to a French bakery
Exploring by bicycle 
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