The bike trip that began in Albany and detoured to the Culinary Institute comes to a close with miles of a gentle downhill into the Bronx.
Wow, this was an easy way into Manhattan!
Continue reading “I finished my Empire State Trail bike ride! Day 5: Elmsford to New York City”The long day — and a 9-mile climb –on the Empire State Trail from Albany to New York City.
I stared at that tall mass of green straight ahead. This must be the nine-mile climb our route planner had flagged.
Continue reading “Empire State Trail bike ride day 4: Poughkeepsie to Elmsford”I love the trails on both sides of the Walkway Over the Hudson.
So we bet wrong on the weather.
Rain – thunderstorms – were in the forecast for this afternoon. And we had a 12:45 pm reservation at one of the Culinary Institute restaurants in Hyde Park. If we could get seated early, we thought, maybe we could beat the storm.
Hah!
Continue reading “Empire State Trail bike ride day 3: New Paltz to Poughkeepsie and the Culinary Institute”Hills, more road than trail … and the lunch stop you must go to.
What a change from our first day! Oh still ridiculously hot for June, but more road, more shade… and more hills. If you have any thoughts of a leisurely ride with the Hudson River in sight, let me kill that fantasy now. This was definitely more challenging.
Continue reading “Empire State Trail bike ride day 2: Hudson to New Paltz”The big surprise: a new 36-mile trail.
The first surprise of our journey along about 200 miles of the Empire State Trail: the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail. Is it really brand new, built thanks to the $200 million budgeted to develop the Empire State Trail?
Just call it amazing. Or as the Brit said, it could be in Canada (we biked just a little bit of the Route Verte a few years ago and loved it).
Continue reading “Empire State Trail bike ride day 1: Albany to Hudson”This ride is less than 9 miles each way and flat.
Sometimes you just want a short, easy ride. This is one of those, with a relaxing destination to boot.
Sayen Gardens is a mostly wooded free public garden in Hamilton, N.J., easily reached from the Princeton Junction train station (or the West Windsor Municipal Center or library for easier parking). For those who prefer something shorter than nearly 9 miles each way, parking at the East entrance to Mercer County Park is an option.
Continue reading “Let’s bike to discover what’s in bloom at Sayen Gardens”Suggest some must-eat restaurants and cool historical sites along the Empire State Trail.
New York State has opened the 750-mile Empire State Trail — along the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo plus a route from New York City to the Canadian border. Admittedly it’s not all trail, separated from traffic, but 75% of it is. It’s stunning what was done in four years: taking plans that were just on paper and building 180 miles of new trail that closed many gaps.
I’m ready to test out part of it. And since Amtrak has become a bit more bike-friendly, we’ve decided to take the train to Albany and pedal to New York City next month.
Continue reading “I’m planning a bike ride from Albany to New York City along the Empire State Trail — got any tips?”Beautiful scenery, but oh those climbs!
First, the rolling hills of upper Bucks County mean the scenery is gorgeous, even if my iPhone photography skills can’t do them justice. The roads through the woods, with a stony creek alongside. And then the old stone homes.
But getting out of the river valley to the top of those hills? That’s another matter. Hard work! Or perhaps that’s the danger of just taking a random ride off Ride With GPS and there is an easier (and less trafficked) climb than Upper York Road? What should we have done instead?
Continue reading “Biking Bucks County covered bridges to New Jersey beer”Both have great sections — and messy parts too.
I shocked a few of my neighbors when I said I was biking to Philadelphia this past weekend. It takes an hour to drive using I-95 so it seems crazy far to bike … and besides, how would you go?
Continue reading “Two ways to bike from Princeton to Philadelphia — which is better?”
First day of spring, warm and sunny … do you need a better reason for a bike ride?
Our goal was the eagles’ nest in Mercer County Park — a park three times the size of Central Park in New York City — and to hopefully see some of the many (40?!?) eagles reportedly spotted on our first blast of spring 10 days earlier. Yes, bald eagles live in New Jersey!
Continue reading “An easy bike ride to see eagles in Mercer County Park”
Exploring by bicycle 