Category: bike trail

Hugging the Connecticut shoreline while biking from New Haven to Stamford

I loved biking through the Connecticut shore towns.

What a gloriously sunny day! I loved this first part of the East Coast Greenway, with the Long Island Sound never from from view. You don’t want to know how many times we stopped for photos (and food) between New Haven and Milford.

And then there were the elegant mansions in ritzy Fairfield and Westport neighborhoods that put those along the Greenway route in Ponte Vedra Beach to shame.

But the route wasn’t all simple.

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Biking from Hartford to New Haven, Connecticut, on the East Coast Greenway

First we had to get over a hill — or mountain.

This 59-mile ride from Hartford to New Haven let me once again enjoy those fabulous five-star Farmington trails, some parts of which weren’t even under construction when we discovered them five years ago.

But first we had to get over the hill. Or rather, Talcott Mountain.

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The East Coast Greenway between Hartford and Bolton, Conn.

I’m determined to finish biking the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway. This is the first of four days that should do it.

This section of the East Coast Greenway has changed considerably since the Week-A-Year ride came through in 2012 and even when we visited the area four years later. Two trails — the Hop River Trail and Charter Oak Greenway — are now linked with both fresh asphalt and new bridges, attracting more users than ever. I know groups that would be envious of the sign on that red bridge!

I’m on a quest to bike the entire 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway, and this section marked the start of my final piece. To do it, we biked 18 miles from Hartford to Bolton Notch State Park (the end point of a 2016 ride on the crushed-stone Hop River Trail) and then 18 miles back.

If you have a choice, east to west is easier.

Continue reading “The East Coast Greenway between Hartford and Bolton, Conn.”

I finished my Empire State Trail bike ride! Day 5: Elmsford to New York City

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”

Empire State Trail bike ride day 4: Poughkeepsie to Elmsford

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.

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Empire State Trail bike ride day 3: New Paltz to Poughkeepsie and the Culinary Institute

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”

Empire State Trail bike ride day 2: Hudson to New Paltz

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.

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Empire State Trail bike ride day 1: Albany to Hudson

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).

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I’m planning a bike ride from Albany to New York City along the Empire State Trail — got any tips?

Suggest some must-eat restaurants and cool historical sites along the Empire State Trail.

I saw this part of the Empire State Trail under construction in 2018 — now I get to bike it.

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?”

Two ways to bike from Princeton to Philadelphia — which is better?

Both have great sections — and messy parts too.

Philadelphia from the Ben Franklin Bridge

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?”