Category Archives: Worth the trip

New Route: For all Delicacies of Shabbos

Sorry for my brief absence. In part, it’s because I’ve been riding a lot, I’ve also had even more work than usual. Trying to fit in three or four 30- or 40-mile rides each week, plus a much longer ride on the weekend is difficult at best. Plus I wanted to give Anton’s guest post (just below) pride of place for an extended period because it’s really an amazing report. I have lots to report, including numerous rides, a review of TRP’s new Spyre SLC mechanical disc brakes, a review of Search and State’s amazing jersey, and a quick note about an great bike shop called Cinder Track Bicycles. So let’s get started with my most recent ride, and we’ll work backwards from there over the week.

Doug and I decided on a different sort of ride this week. Our rides are almost always composed of long, brutal climbs up mountains followed by extended high-speed descents. Moreover, we almost always head north of Woodstock or to the northwest of my place in Olivebridge, New York. Into the Catskills proper. This time, we decided we’d explore the undiscovered country to the west and southwest. This area is completely different from our usual rides—even though we ended up with about 6000 feet of climbing, it was almost all rollers. In theory good for my knee, since it got frequent breaks. The route is here.

We started at my place. After a quick climb off some gravel near my home, we descended to Rogue Harbor Road, my favorite in the area. This road, which I’ve mentioned many times before, is potholed dirt and a lot of fun. With anything more than a little rain, it floods out and you end up riding through what is essentially a stream.

From there, we took Cutter “Road” over to Highway 55. Deliberate use of sarcastic quotes, because Cutter Road is rough enough that we had to get off our bikes for a moment to walk over some particular rough patches. And I was on 650B! Even with the walking, it was worth it, because it cuts about 5 miles of ugly highway out of the route.

We continued southwest into the undiscovered country. I’ve passed through some of this on my way back from Peekamoose or Slide Mountain rides, but this was my first time so far south. Again, no mountains, just endless miles of rolling back country. It mostly looked like this:

And this…

As you can see, pretty country. No views though. I also didn’t realize that rollers could be so exhausting. I also might have been tired just because it was over 90 degrees out.

Along the way, we stopped at a convenience store located in Jellystone Park. I ran into Booboo and had to have a picture taken.

Next, we continued to Woodridge, where we had our first major delay of the day. It was July 4th, and Woodridge was absolutely packed with Orthodox Jewish folks, mostly visiting from Brooklyn. All the restaurants were full. We (tried) to eat here, but it took about an hour to get our food and eat.

Then disaster struck, repeatedly. Doug’s tires were relatively old, and he ended up getting three flats. The first was okay, because we were going up a mild incline and we weren’t going that fast. The second was terrifying. Doug was behind me on a 30 mph descent and I heard a very loud bang and hiss. I thought he’d crash for sure, but he managed to come to a controlled stop. The third came at drink stop in Mountain Dale. We went in to get drinks (2 waters and a Coke for me), and when we went back out, Doug’s tire was flat again. I contemplated calling Margot, but, amazingly, the proprietor of the grocery store told us that there was a bike shop only a block away…and it was open! After waiting for a long time because the shop was busy, Doug bought a new front tire and three tubes, and we were good to go.

We turned north to hit Park Hill Road, and then turned again on Van Keuren Road. Our Garmins told us that it was a through road, so even though we quite clearly saw the dead end sign, we decided to turn and check it out. We thought that maybe there was a path that would lead us to our intended destination. As it turns out…no dice. There was a path, but it was submerged and extremely muddy. I may have been able to manage it on my bike, but Doug was riding 23s.

From there, we continued north, back to my neighborhood. The views got much better….

We returned home to a full-on July 4th barbeque in progress. Perhaps surprisingly, because all I had to eat over 70 miles was 5 cheese sticks, I wasn’t that hungry. Sometimes that happens to me when I exercise. Still, I managed a couple cheeseburgers and a hot dog.

So, is this worth the trip? I’m going to categorize it as such, because it’s a fairly easy ride compared with our usual rides. But it doesn’t offer the scenic vistas, brutal climbs, and long fast descents of many of my other routes. Nevertheless, it was a nice change of pace.

John

medicalwriter.net

Guest Post: Dirt Roads of Delaware County

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Today we have a guest post from Anton, also known as Somervillain. Anton lives in Boston, but has a summer home in Delaware County, New York. After reading this post, it’s clear that I’m going to have to step up my game, both in terms of quality of writing and photography!

The Catskills have a plethora of unpaved rural roads and mountain passes with breathtaking vistas, valley farmland set against rocky hills. This is the backdrop that attracts New Yorkers, many of which own second homes in the area. But decades of a withering local dairy economy create a poignant juxtaposition: tidy seasonal second homes interspersed among victims of rural decay, crumbling dairy farms either face inevitable decline or reinvent themselves in a fledgling agro-tourism economy.

For cyclists, there are endless opportunities for off-the-beaten-path exploration. A day on the bike and you can count the vehicles that pass you on two hands. Paved secondary roads lead to red clay dirt carriage roads shaded by overarching tree canopies. (The characteristic fine, silty red dirt gets its color from the Marcelus Shale, upon which much of the Catskills sits).

The Catskill Scenic Trail is a 19-mile hardpack gravel rail-to-trail easement that runs between Grand Gorge and Bloomville in Delaware County, on part of what used to be the Ulster and Delaware Railroad that ran between Kingston and Oneonta. It offers stunning scenery as it bisects farmland along the mostly flat shoulders of the West Branch of the Delaware River. In part due to it’s relative flatness, and in part because of its promotion by local tourism groups, it attracts recreational cyclists, skiers, joggers and equestrians. While personally I find the flatness of the trail unsatisfying for anything beyond a few miles, it serves as an excellent launching point for cycling excursions into the surrounding hills, and it’s fun to mix portions of the trail into extended dirt road loops.

Although I live full-time in Boston, I have a vacation home in Bloomville and enjoy stitching together dirt road loops in the area whenever I’m up there, usually during vacations in the summer or on extended weekends. I just kicked off a two-week vacation by riding an easy 36 mile route which begins and ends at the Catskill Scenic Trail head in Bloomville. The ride started off with lots of unpaved roads, and over 2200 feet of climbing in the first 16 miles. After that were seven miles of descent, and finally gentle rollers, mostly paved.

At the head of the trail is a discreet unpaved parking area. I’ve never seen more than one or two cars parked there, a pleasant contrast to my usual experiences anywhere around Boston. It’s located just off Rt 10, a few hundred feet from the main crossroads of Bloomville. As I head out on the trail, I’m immediately received by a shady tunnel of overarching tree crowns. Soon this leafy greenway gives way to a clearing, and the realization that I’m riding–completely legally–through someone’s farm. Along the trail, tractor paths regularly intersect. Sod-covered bridges maintain continuity of the trail across meandering brooks.

The trail follows Rt 10 with limited access points. About a mile into the trail, a tractor path provides a private cut-through back to Rt. 10. Across Rt. 10 from the tractor path is Kiff Brook Rd, a dirt road with a steady 4% grade over three miles, with a few short, steep climbs. Crumbling farms and hill-top residences dot the periphery. After the long, gradual climb, Kiff Brook Rd descends rapidly to its terminus at the bottom of a dramatic 16% descent on loose gravel. From there, a short segment of flat paved county highway connects to Roberts Rd, the second climb of the route. Here the road is chip-seal on top of the original red clay dirt, but I remember a time when it was still unpaved. Farms and bucolic pastureland line the road as it climbs steadily. As I near the top I look behind me and see a tractor cresting the previous hill behind me; it never catches up despite that I’m only averaging about 10 mph on this segment.

From Roberts Rd the route takes me back to dirt, descending Turnpike Rd into West Kortright as I pass by freshly hayed fields, hayrolls awaiting collection. Not a village per se, West Kortright denotes an area of the township around a confluence of roads at the bottom of a hill, oriented around what used to be an old clapboard church. Renovated and repurposed, it’s now a performing arts center.

Continuing on Turnpike Rd past West Kortright, I’m brought to the final and steepest climb of the route, a short loop up Davis Rd, a gorgeous wood fence-lined dirt road dominated by a vary large dairy farm. On one side, cows take shelter from the sun under a cluster of shade trees in an otherwise vast pasture. On the other side, hilltops occupy the distant horizon. This road challenges the traction limits of my 650B Hetres, with a 20% peak grade on large, loose gravel. No chance of pedaling out of the saddle without loosing traction, and I don’t even think about stopping for photos, figuring I won’t regain traction. When I arrive at the top, the views are breathtaking; good time for a break.

After Davis Rd the route loops back around, following some more dirt and ending up on Monroe Rd, the last dirt road of the route (with the exception of some more trail at the end of the route). Checkerboard fields fill the view, divided by grids of tree-lined roads like a patchwork quilt on a lumpy bed. A continuous two mile descent follows. I hadn’t ridden this particular road before and I experience a near panic moment when I realize it comes to an abrupt stop just as the descent reaches its steepest, at 15% grade. It T-intersects Elk Creek road, where I am greeted by grazing sheep against the backdrop of a steep forested hill. My house is just over the other side of that hill, a mile away as the crow flies, but the shortest rideable route to it is another eight miles. I don’t go this route, instead opting to take an even longer way back.

From here the second half of the route switches gears (literally and figuratively) and takes on an entirely different character, becoming less physically demanding. Elk Creek Rd winds along a valley nestled between two steep hills, with gentle rollers and an overall slightly negative grade, a relief from the hard climbing that marked much of the first half of the ride. It brings me Rt 10, a state highway with a 55mph limit. Rt 10 is a major north-south conduit through Delaware County that follows the West Branch of the Delaware river, so there is usually a steady flow of traffic. Fortunately I’m only on it for less than a mile (I count four cars but no trucks), when I cross over to the other side of the river on Fitch’s Bridge, one of a few covered wood bridges in the county.

Speaking of the river, I was informed that the region had gotten hammered with rain over the prior weeks, with reports of flooding. Two years ago a few of the towns in the eastern and southern ends of the Catskills were devastated by Hurricane Irene. Although the rain hasn’t been nearly as severe this season, I was concerned that some of the dirt road surfaces would be washed out, washboarded, or badly potholed by all the rainfall. I was pleasantly surprised to find the dirt well graded, properly drained and smooth– unusual in these parts, even without extended rain. But an unexpected bonus from all the recent rain was the burbling sound of running water, and it was literally everywhere. It could be heard but not seen: despite being 85 degrees and sunny, I heard water draining from the mountains, funneling into hidden streams and drain ditches everywhere I rode. It was the perfect soundscape to accompany the landscape.

Crossing over Fitch’s Bridge to what is colloquially referred to as Back River Rd, this gently rolling road hugs the river back to Bloomville. Both Rt 10 and Back River Rd follow the river on opposite sides, but what Rt 10 is to traffic, Back River Rd is to farming: known as the West Branch Farm Trail, there is a higher density of roadside farm stands along this stretch than anywhere else in the county. There’s a farm stand on Back River Rd with raw milk gouda that I decided I wanted but it’s a few miles past Bloomville, so I continue past Bloomville on Back River Rd. After I slip the $6 in crumpled one dollar bills from my jersey pocket into the Folgers can and take my wedge from the fridge that appeared to be at least half a century old, I continue another mile or so and catch another tractor path shortcut to the Catskill trail and follow it for the remaining five miles back to Bloomville.

Back in Bloomville with a thoroughly dusty drivetrain, I stop in at the small cafe at the crossroads of Bloomville for an espresso and a bite to eat. I reflect back on the mental accounting I did of the number of vehicles that passed me along the route. Alas, the two hand rule was broken: 14 vehicles in total had passed me, but then four of those were on one mile of Rt 10. I don’t count the tractor that never caught up to me.

Full route, with unpaved segments drawn in red, can be found here.

–Somervillain

New Route: The Great Northern Catskills

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About 90% of the time, whether I’m riding alone or with a group, we’re following a route that I designed on Ride With GPS. Since the first time I used it, about three years ago, I’ve become well-versed in designing low-traffic, scenic routes that make everyone happy (at least until the 10,000th foot of climbing). So it was refreshing to follow a route designed by someone else, in this case, Doug. I didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out to be a great route. Here’s the route, with full GPS, of course.

We started from Doug’s place in Woodstock. You could also start this route from Stone Ridge, Kingston, or any of the surrounding towns. We headed east out of town, and then north on Glasco Turnpike and West Saugerties Road, crossing the dreaded Platte Clove Road on our way to Palenville. As you can see, everything has gone blindingly green.

At Palenville, we headed back west on Route 23A and into Catskill Park.

23A will take you past Kaaterskill Falls (which actually isn’t visible from the road, at least from what I could see). This picture is of Kaaterskill Clove. I should have taken a picture a little earlier, but Doug assured me that there was a good view from this bridge. Well, this is what I got.

About here, my GPS died. Permanently. I think the rain on last week’s ride might have been a little too much for it to handle. This will be the third Garmin I’ve been through in five years. Is it too much to ask that a device intended for outdoor use be waterproof? Garmins are just awful…not only the construction, but also the user interface is something straight out of 2002. If there were any choice in the matter I’d use a different device. I have a Garmin 810 coming in the mail.

The ride up to Palenville is nice—it’s full of rolling hills and you can keep up a high speed. But when you turn onto 23A, things get interesting. There is a massive, extended climb up from about 500 feet to 2570 feet, full of twists, turns, scenic views, and waterfalls. You’re basically doing the same climb as Platte Clove, just a few miles north and much more extended. As a side note, this is a genuine Cat 1 climb–one of the few on the east coast. There are lots of climbs that are much, much harder, but this one combines steepness and length in a way that makes it a Cat 1 climb.

The morning of the ride, I agonized over what to wear. I didn’t want to dress for rain and cold temperatures, and I almost left the house in nothing more than a jersey, one light underlayer, arm warmers, and shorts. At the last minute, I turned around and put on tights, a winter jersey, and my Castelli Radiation jacket, albeit without the snap-in space blanket liner. When we left Doug’s place in the morning, I was sure that I was going to fry. As it turned out, it was a very good choice, because by the time we got to the top of 23A, it started raining with wind gusts of 20-30 mph and the temperature dropped to the low 40s. On one descent, I actually had to slow down because my hands were going numb.

We continued north in the freezing rain and wind in the high Catskills, passing through a number of tiny towns—Jewett, Ashland, and Red Falls, before rejoining 23A to head south.

But first, we took a detour up to a diner in Prattsville—a town on a river that was more-or-less completely destroyed during Hurricane Irene. I didn’t take pictures, but the town is still a mess, particularly west of the road next to the river. We arrived too early for the annual farm machinery show, I regret to say.

From there, we headed back south on 23A, crossing the river at Lexington to continue on Route 42. Route 42 passes through some beautiful country. Unfortunately, this section of the ride—which was supposed to be easy—was plagued by 20-30 mph headwinds. We barely touched 15 mph, even on downhill segments. Between the climbs and the death march into the wind, I messed up my knee. The wind acted as a blow drier, though, so eventually I dried out.

After the ride, I looked at my saddle, and I realized that my Brooks Swallow was undergoing its annual irrevocable collapse, which lowered my position by almost a centimeter. Hence the knee pain. Garmin and Brooks should get together to make a leather-covered GPS unit that breaks down after a year of use. If I had any choice in the matter I’d use anything but a Brooks Swallow, but that’s the only saddle that works for me.

A few more pictures of this segment.

Once we hit 28, Doug and I parted ways. He headed back to Woodstock, and I rode home to Olivebridge. At this point, my knee was really hurting, so I was going slow.

I took a break only about 8 miles from home, at my favorite spot on the Ashokan Reservoir. Two teenage girls complimented me on my bike, but in retrospect I think they were being sarcastic, because it (and me) was covered with a thick coating of muck and mud.

The last leg was tough, and I actually walked my bike up a little hill near my place because I didn’t want to further stress my knee. When a car passed, I bent over like I was fixing something. So embarrassing.

Although it isn’t really feasible from Poughkeepsie, this route is definitely worth the trip if you can make it out to Woodstock for an overnight. You get a couple great climbs, absolutely gorgeous scenery, and long downhill segments (hopefully you won’t have to battle a headwind). Nice work, Doug!

I’m taking a few days off the bike so my knee can fully recover, and then this week I’m going to do daily 15 or 20 mile rides.I am particularly annoyed because I had planned on doing a 400k in New Jersey this weekend (in fact, I would be finishing it up right about now).

Although the knee pain is probably attributable to the saddle collapse, it also—in part—might be a case of spring knee. I’ve really overdone it the past few weeks, riding well in excess of 200 miles a week. Not a big deal in the flatlands, but when 250 miles means 20,000 feet of climbing or more, it isn’t easy on your body! I’m also strongly considering lowering my gearing considerably—although climbing these hills in 34-27 isn’t a problem aerobically, it is clearly causing undue wear and tear on my joints. Maybe I’ll ask Rob English to put a mountain bike derailleur on the 650B he’s building for me…34-36 would likely cause a lot less stress.

Oh, and some news. I bought a Leica R6.2, so I’m taking photos with gen-u-ine film now. Now I can annoy my riding companions even more with extended stops so I can manually adjust my shutter speed and aperture before snapping a photo!

Film photos coming to a blog near you soon.

John

medicalwriter.net

New Route: Ferguson Road (Up and Over the Shawangunk Ridge)

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I’ve been trying to arrange a ride with my friend Doug for a while. He is president of the Ultra-Marathon Cycling Association, so—like me—he likes to put in more than a few miles.

A few weeks ago Doug proposed setting aside Wednesdays for rides, and as a fellow member of the self-employed crüe, I agreed. I work almost every day, so it makes no difference to me if we ride on Wednesdays or Saturdays (with the exception of days with scheduled client meetings, travel, or teleconferences, of course).

So, it was with some trepidation that I agreed to a ride. The trepidation was not because of the distance, which wasn’t too long, or because of the climbing, which was significant, but nothing remarkable. It was because of my history with Doug on rides. Let’s summarize:

On my first ride with Doug, he crashed on ice. Luckily Doug is much more durable than me, and he got up and we continued on.

My second ride with Doug (and John S) was marked by freezing rain, deep fog, and a 30 mph headwind. And I bonked.

On my third ride with Doug, I crashed on my hand.

I’m happy to report that nothing bad happened on this ride, so the curse is broken. We rode approximately 77 miles in rain that went from just a sprinkle to torrential and back again all day. At no time did it stop completely. It was awesome, and the route was gorgeous.

Here’s the route, and the GPS is here. We went off course a few times, sometimes deliberately and not so deliberately, adding and subtracting miles.

We began with a high-speed descent from my place into Rosendale. We decided to take the bike path down to the real climbing. Now, I know “bike path” has bad connotations, especially if you live in NYC, but the path here is beautiful dirt. Here’s where we started in Rosendale, right next to the railroad trestle.

Did I mention it was raining?

I stopped and actually got off my bike to take a picture of this grumpy turtle who was crossing the path as we passed. Edit: My neighbor, Nancy, tells me this is an eastern box turtle. They can live up to 100 years. I wonder how old this guy (or gal) is?

Um, did I mention it was raining? We basically rode through a stream.

As you can see, the bike path passes through some glorious countryside. It’s really more of a cow path in sections, and it’s a good test for anyone on a road bike with 25 mm tires. To me, this is just as good as a gravel road.

You’ll pass over a few trestle bridges on the way down to Gardiner.

Now, I’m not afraid to get a little dirty, but fenders may have been a good idea on this ride. On the other hand, it’s possible that fenders would have just gotten jammed up with mud. It was pretty thick in places. At the point this picture was taken, I was as wet as I would have been had I jumped in the river below. My rain pants were soaked through and sagging like a diaper. Fun!

We got off the bike path just south of New Paltz, and continued on glorious country roads back over to the Shawangunk ridge.

We stopped briefly for lunch at the Hoot Owl…

Where we played darts while waiting for our food. We were worried that they wouldn’t want to seat us inside since we were literally covered head-to-toe in mud (and, in my case, probably a bit o’ horse apple that I failed to avoid) but the bartender said he was unworried, because lots of farmers stop by for a mid-day beer in similar condition.

There was an enormous Clydesdale across the street. I’ve never seen one in person. They are enormous–the horse in the foreground, in fact, is a regular-sized horse.

After lunch, we continued up and over the ridge.

I had planned this route on the advice of John S, a local and decidedly faster rider than either Doug or I. He told me there was an amazing gravel climb on Ferguson Road. What he didn’t tell me is that you have to be going in a counterclockwise direction to hit the climb. We went the opposite way. It’s my fault that I didn’t investigate further—it’s something I easily could have discerned from inspecting the route more closely.

We climbed Pickle Road, which was steep but nothing to brag about, to Firetower Road. If you see any road named “Firetower” you know that you’re close to the top, and we were.

And here, my friends, is Ferguson Road. No relation.

You say you like gravel? Do you like descending 14% to 18% grades in a torrential downpour? If you do, this ride would have been for you. These pictures (which were taken before the road became outright loose gravel) don’t make the road look all that impressive, but trust me, it’s steep, it’s beautiful, and it’s definitely a challenge at speed in the rain.

…all things considered, I would have much rather gone up it than down!

From there, we continued home via Ellenville, where I forced Doug to stop at McDonalds. I had a giant coke and two apple pies, thereby obliterating any health benefit I got from my ride. My first time at McDonalds since, oh, 2009 or so, and I don’t regret it. Not even a little.

This ride would be a great to do out of Poughkeepsie, picking up the track from New Paltz. Very low traffic, beautiful roads, some dirt, and absolutely glorious scenery. To me (and to Doug) the rain and mud made it even better. I’ve done a lot of rides of reasonable length out here, but this one was exceptional. Thanks Doug!

The end result of our travails:

Took me a while to clean out those eeBrakes. Good thing they work better than just about any other brake out there, because there’s a lot of crannies to clean up.

Finally, a plug for the UMCA: If you’re interested in riding anything in the century plus range, you should join. It’s cheap and you get a great magazine, access to events and competitions, and other good stuff. I’ve been a member for a while (although, come to think of it, I may need to renew!)

John

medicalwriter.net

New Route: Slide Mountain 117

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Slide Mountain: The highest paved pass in the Catskills. At approximately 2700 feet, it isn’t much compared to the Rockies, but the climb up is…special, with extended grades of up to 16% and a few sections where you think you’re done, but really you’re not. Slide Mountain is a tease, but more about that later. This is, incidentally, the second of the eight major climbs I want to complete this year.

Here’s the route. It’s 127 miles, and features several climbs that you won’t forget, followed by significant downhill segments where you can really get flying—I’m talking about 50 mph or more for extended periods.

The elevation profile is decidedly exciting. There are two major climbs. The first—which I think is actually more difficult–is on Crump Hill Road. The second is Slide Mountain proper.

The route begins, of course, at my place, and leads quickly to Route 28. Route 28 is a relatively busy road, but the scenery is beautiful, and the shoulder is an entire lane wide. So it’s safe, and as importantly (given the climbing you will do later in the day) it is flat. Don’t be scared by the slow ramp up between miles 15 and 26, it genuinely feels flat.

Right around here is where I stopped to answer a work call (yes, on a Saturday). I left my phone on a park bench near Phoenicia, so if you happen to see a scratched up Galaxy III, you know how to reach me! Seriously, though, it was a blessing—I hated that phone because it had no reception in my house. My girlfriend has been happily making and receiving calls with her iPhone, so that’s what I’m going with.

Anyway…Route 28 will lead you to Route 42, which carries you up into the hills and onto Crump Hill Road.

I passed a shack that was deteriorating in an appealing manner on my way up.

I didn’t take any pictures while I was climbing, for obvious reasons. Slide Mountain is a bitch, let me tell you. There’s a somewhat level area about half way up that makes you think you’re done, but you’re not. Go around the hairpin, and you’ll have another 700 feet of climbing! Don’t make my mistake: I sprinted up the first 500 feet of the climb, thinking it was easy. Then I rounded the bend. Ouch.

Here I am at the top of the climb. Proof.

After Slide Mountain, you’ll be rewarded with many happy miles of descending on Frost Valley Road, with a only a few bumps to interrupt the bliss.

I took a detour on Lost Clove Road, thinking that a lost clove would be interesting. It wasn’t (and it turned my 117 mile ride into a 127 mile ride).

At times, I felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest, because the foliage trends towards evergreens, rather than deciduous trees. This is my favorite bend in the road. Unfortunately, the contrast between the very sunny day and the deep shadows made it difficult to capture a good picture, but if you click on it to see the full size it doesn’t look too bad.

A substantial segment of Frost Valley Road parallels a good-sized stream. I have never seen water this clear.

Much to my disappointment, I ran out of camera battery around here. Actually a good thing because I was wasting too much time documenting the route. From here, you ultimately descend into Grahamsville, and then it’s rolling countryside all the way home, with a nice decent on Irish Cape Road into Naponach and dinner (or lunch, if you’re faster than me).

It was an absolutely perfect day, only one of a long succession of perfect days we’re had recently. I highly recommend this route; if you need it shortened up, or a few climbs eliminated, let me know and I’ll gladly redraw it for you. No avoiding Slide Mountain, though!

And finally, an announcement…we’re planning another gentleman’s ride next week, probably 70 or 80 miles. So if you want to try some distance riding in beautiful country at a decidedly non-challenging pace–and you can make it up here next weekend–please contact me. We stop for pictures, for lunch, for dinner, for water bottle refills, and sometimes just because we feel like it. No deadlines except trying to get it done during daylight hours. I won’t say it’s easy because there are some pretty stiff climbs on the route I’m planning, but there will be plenty of opportunities to rest and enjoy the day. Come on up!

John

Medicalwriter.net

Gentlemen’s Ride

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On Friday, my long-time riding companion Guy came up for a ride. He was kind enough to ride from the Poughkeepsie train station to New Paltz, where I picked him up (did I mention that I got my driver’s license on Tuesday?) I made him drive us back because I remain a less than enthusiastic driver.

We got up bright and early the next day for our gentlemen’s ride. A gentlemen’s ride is when you don’t worry about time, stop when you want, and generally just have a relaxing day. Instead of frantically trying to fit X number of miles into a certain number of hours, we planned on taking the whole day for just 60 miles. We stopped for pictures. We stopped at the top of major climbs. We stopped for lunch. We stopped for dinner. It wasn’t really exercise, but it was good fun and a nice way to spend 8 hours. It was also nice because I overdid it in the previous 7 days, logging about 200 miles. Not much, but a lot for this early in the season after a winter that was bad enough that I didn’t manage to keep in optimal shape.

I won’t bore you with the details of the ride; suffice it to say we went over Peekamoose again. I was there just last week, but it is a really beautiful ride. Plus it is ideally suited to a gentlemen’s ride because 75 percent of the effort is concentrated in the first 15 miles (although the first climb is a brute). After that it’s mostly coasting and enjoying the day. The route is here if you are interested.

Some pictures.

Headed into the major climb of the day: just 1000 feet, but it includes ramps of up to 16%.

The long coast down off of Peekamoose. Spectacular as usual. Click on this one for full size.

I tried to convince Guy to climb this gravel driveway/road. Just for fun.

Rondout reservoir, at the base of Watson Hollow Road. We ran into some cyclists headed the other way up Peekamoose on a decidedly more serious expedition, which to me–even if I’m trying to get exercise–seems like an unpleasant route since it’s 12 miles of false flat and outright climbs, followed by a descent that is far too steep to enjoy. I’d rather do the massive climb at the beginning and then enjoy the high-speed run down the other side.

We stopped in Grahamsville for lunch. The deli there is actually quite good; if you have a chance plan a trip through town, it’s a good place to stop and very friendly.

From there, we rode back on 42 crossed over to Ulster Heights Road, and then descended at very high speeds on Irish Cape Road.

On the return trip from Ellenville, on Berme Road just past the prison, we ran into this roadside shrine. One hypothesis is that it was the scene of a fatal car accident, which would be odd because Berme Road is so torn up I can’t imagine anyone going fast enough to hurt themselves on it. (This picture also, incidentally, illustrates the resolving power of the Foveon sensor in the Sigma DP1 Merril. The second and third pictures are crops from the first).

From there, we did the climb back to my place. The countryside is lovely, but I’ve done it so many times now it’s left me wishing for a teleportation device.

And that’s all for this week. Short ride tomorrow, then off to Chicago for a couple days of meetings. I’m hoping to talk someone into a ride over Slide Mountain next week, or maybe Ferguson Road.

And one last bit of news: The 650B English is done and is off to paint. So maybe within the next two weeks the bicycle stork will be delivering something.

John

medicalwriter.net

New Route: One Down, Seven to Go

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After weeks of 15 hour days, seven days a week–and only 30 minute to 1 hour daily rides–I finally told everyone to just leave me alone and took a day off. Clients, if you reading this, sorry! My efficiency is optimized when I can ride my bike. Days off are good for you and for me.

You’ll recall that, a while back, I wrote a post on the 8 biggest climbs in the Catskills. Peekamoose is just one, and it is the most accessible for me. I’ve done this route 6 times now, but this was the first time this year, and I took a new route.

Plus, this was the first time I’ve had a chance to ride the route in decent weather. Every time I’ve ridden it in the past, it’s been cold, foggy, and generally wet. I guess that goes with riding it in the fall.

The route starts at my place, as usual, but instead of taking Mountain Road, I opted to ride down to Route 213, which eventually joins up with Route 28A, which in turn takes you to the base of the climb. I spotted a cyclist headed the opposite direction on 28A, which is rare. Anyone I know?

Maybe it’s just me, but when I spot a cyclist in the distance I get in the drops and try to look serious, even if I’m just meandering along. I’m a poseur, I guess.

From 28A, I turned onto Watson Hollow Road, which is one of the most beautiful roads in the Catskills. Also known as Peekamoose Road on some maps.

The climb itself gets easier each time I do it. There are distinct landmarks along the climb, so I can easily recall where I felt like I was going to die on the previous ride. I’m making it to the top without too much suffering these days.

Once you make it to the hairpin at the top, you’re home free. Pretty much all downhill for the next 15 miles. My high-speed descent was spoiled by a high-velocity headwind; there was one point where I should have been going 30 mph where I was blown to about 12 mph for a moment. The following pictures are all Watson Hollow Road.

It’s really worthwhile to do this ride at least once a season. In the winter–or the spring before the leaves grow in, you see some truly majestic waterfalls on both sides of the road that I’ve heard many times before, but never seen. I tried to take a few pictures, but they really didn’t do justice to the subject, so you won’t see them here.

There are few places to stop for water between about mile 12 and mile 31 of this route, so make sure you carry everything you need, particularly in the summer. Unless, of course, you want to trust to the whims of whomever runs this shack, which is apparently open whenever the owner feels like it. In short, don’t depend on it being open when you need it.

Now, I made a choice. I advise everyone to continue on Watson Hollow, and eventually make a left on Greenville Road for a second climb that really takes you to some spectacular views. Here’s the decision point.

I took a right, which first led me past next week’s climb, Sugar Loaf.

And then led me to the Rondout Reservoir…

…and–eventually–Grahamville.

Grahamville hosts a nice deli if you want to stop. They have a full convenience store, plus they make sandwiches, etc.

After sitting in the parking lot for a while, soaking up the sun and having a nice, well, actually lukewarm, Coke, I turned onto Route 42. This is where things got interesting because it is territory I haven’t really covered before.

Ultimately, this route will take you back to 55A, and then to 55. I do not recommend traveling (south)east on 55A or 55. The pavement is extremely broken up, turning a nice descent into a white-knuckle bit of nastiness. The pavement in the opposite direction is fine. I have no idea why one side of the road is just awful, whereas the other side is nice clean pavement. It is, however, beautiful.

With that said, you might use this route instead, which keeps you off 55A and 55. I’ve done some of these roads, including Irish Cape Road. This route is equally beautiful.

The way home was just the usual. As always, regardless of which direction I travel I have 700 to 1000 feet of climbing to get back to my place.

A few more pictures. First: Baby animals. Who doesn’t like baby animals? The goat was cute, the baby cow just looked plain irritated.

Next, a few “artistic” photos. I try and fail. The second one has nice colors, at least.

Next week: Sugar Loaf, provided the work gnomes can manage to leave me alone for an entire day. Have a good week!

John

medicalwriter.net

Spring Route Roundup: Come on Up, the Weather’s Fine!

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Since I moved up here in late September, I’ve covered almost 3000 miles. It would have, and should have, been much more than that, but a combination of 27,000 miles of travel in February alone and terrible weather conspired to keep me off the bike more than I’d like. Oh yeah, and I crashed on my hand like an amateur.

I just wanted to round up all the routes I’ve published for your convenience, dear reader. After all the effort this blog entails, I better see all y’all riding past my house this summer.

Just one note before we begin: If you make it up here, try to be super polite to the locals (of whom I am now one). This isn’t 9W, and I want cyclists to be welcome up here!

Getting There

You can get from the Poughkeepsie train station to New Paltz using the route in this post. You can also get over the ridge using this route. There are also other ways to go; if you’re interested look at the Peekamoose option below.

Longer Rides

First, a roundup of the 8 biggest climbs in Ulster County. This one is worth a read if you want to tackle some serious rides.

Platte Clove: Amazing ride up one of the steepest climbs in the Catskills. I’ve also mapped this one from the Poughkeepsie train station, for your convenience.

Mountain Rest Road and Vista Maria: This is a double-crossing of the Shawangunk Ridge. Easily accessible from the Poughkeepsie train station. Super-tough climb up Vista Maria.

Peekamoose really is the classic climb in my area. I recently posted on 3 options for riding over Peekamoose starting in New Paltz. Calling this “The Peekamoose Route” really doesn’t do it justice, because it also includes two climbs over the Shawangunk Ridge, including the climb with the biggest vertical gain in the southern Hudson Valley (South Gully Road).

This post also includes a route from the Poughkeepsie Metro North train station to New Paltz. Put them together and you will get the best 100- to 120-mile ride in the region, with 3 or 4 major climbs with >15% grades and huge descents (I’m talking about 10-15 mile continuous descents, by the way).

Here’s a 90-mile ride that includes Ski Run Road, which will take you over the absolute highest pass in the Catskills. For advanced riders only. Fat tires only. Death wish required.

The Ride of the Damned. Double crossing of the Hudson, first on the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge, and then 50 miles later on the Route 23 bridge. I called it the “Ride of the Damned” strictly because of the weather. It is actually pretty easy. I’m not going to include pictures of this here because the weather was nasty, but I think it will be a beautiful ride in the summer. Another ride with Doug.

A fast and very easy route from the train station in Beacon to Poughkeepsie. A good route for when you want to take friends on a ride of decent length, but without all the usual associated challenges.

The all-time summer classic. This is a route I’ve done many times, with friends and alone. Starts at the Brewster train station (actually Southeast Station), and ends in New Hamburg. Eighty to ninety miles of sheer riding joy. Lots of gravel and beautiful country.

Shorter routes

Here’s a fast and easy route that takes you into the foothills of the Catskills. It starts at my place, but you could start in Stone Ridge, Rosendale, or New Paltz.

A quick 50-mile route that takes in all the good stuff in the foothills, but is not particularly challenging.

Another short, easy, and scenic ride. Nice if you’re staying in the area, or you can incorporate this segment into a longer ride. Includes a ride over the Ashokan Reservoir, which has some really spectacular views of the Catskills, as you’ll see in this post. I mean, come on, look at this:

If you’re planning your own route out here, be sure to include the segment in this post.

Don’t Forget…

You can find all of these routes, and the ones I have yet to post, by clicking on Worth the Trip in the tags.

Guidance on riding Metro North with your bike, as well as my contact information, can be found on the About page. My contact information can also be found on the website below.

Finally: If you like this and find it useful, do me a favor and link to my blog. I don’t have any commercial objectives, I just want to get more people riding up here!

Enjoy!

John

medicalwriter.net

Peekamoose Options

1 Reply

Last week, a reader asked me for advice on a killer route that would take him over several of the major climbs in the area, starting from New Paltz. He didn’t ask me to create GPS for him, in fact, he already had a good route in mind, but because I have an obsession with maps, I put together three options for Peekamoose.

First, a warning: These routes will challenge even experienced riders. Two of them include three of the finest climbs in the Catskills and Shawangunk Ridge, and one includes an additional climb which is well worth your time. If you’re an experienced rider looking for a capstone ride for your summer, one of these will fit the bill nicely, particularly if you want something in the century range.

Second, I obviously took these pictures at different seasons, and across several years. So think green!

Let’s get this party started by getting you from the train station in Poughkeepsie to the starting point in New Paltz. Don’t consider this part of your ride—it’s extremely fast with minimal effort, and it takes you on a bike path out of Poughkeepsie to Route 299.

There is considerable traffic on Route 299, but the shoulder is wide, so it is safe. Is it the prettiest way to get to New Paltz? No, but it’s the fastest way to get to the good stuff. This is what the route looks like, and the GPS can be found here. Don’t be scared by the elevation gain, it’s just because there’s a bridge on the route.

Here’s option 1. The route, excluding the transport segment to and from New Paltz, is 105 miles. You’ll begin in New Paltz by crossing the river and taking an immediate right on Mountain Rest Road. You can also go straight on 299, but this little jog to the northwest keeps you away from traffic a little longer.

Once you rejoin 299, you’ll head down to a hairpin turn which leads into the climb over the ridge on Route 55. At the base of the climb, you’ll see a German restaurant; across the street there’s a place to fill your bottles or get supplies, if needed.

Then, it’s all uphill for the next 5 miles. You’ll encounter some traffic on the way up—everyone is headed to the parking lot at the top of the ridge. Once you pass that parking lot, the traffic tapers off dramatically and you get to experience a fun 6-mile descent into Kerhonkson.

You can either continue onto 209, where there is a convenience store (take a left to rejoin the route), or—as shown on the route—you can take a left on Berme Road, which is considerably more pleasant than 209. Then, it’s on to a very short segment on 209 to take you to Lundy Road. Here, you’ll pass a nice swimming hole if you need to cool off, followed by a right on lovely Rogue Harbor Road. Lundy is extremely rough, and Rogue Harbor is outright gravel. I ride both regularly on a road bike with 25 mm tubulars, so you’ll survive, I’m sure.

Now we’re getting to the good part: the foothills of the Catskills. Cherrytown Road is lovely, and you’re going to hit some great gravel on Dug and Sundale Roads.

After that, you’ll pass by my house and head into the Catskills.

I have to warn you that although the whole section I just described is absolutely beautiful, it’s a long hard slog up a moderate incline. Trust me—I have to do it every time I ride into town!

Shortly thereafter, you’ll hit High Point Mountain Road, which will lead you to the second big climb of the day—Peekamoose! It’s a good climb to the top with transient 16% grades, but it is worth it. And here’s the bonus: An 8-mile continuous descent. That’s right, absolutely no uphill—all downhill.

Now, this route includes a second climb up starting on Red Bush/Greenville Road. You need to ride this even at the cost of all the additional effort. You’ll get this wonderful view:

Followed by a 13 mile descent with lots of gravel.

From there, you’ll follow 55 into Naponach, followed by another brief segment on 209, whereupon you’ll enter Ellenville. Stop for lunch because the worst (and best) is ahead.

From Ellenville, you’ll take South Gulley Road back over the Shawangunk Ridge. Here’s a view looking down South Gulley in the winter. You’ll be going up, sorry!

It’s apparently the biggest vertical climb in the Southern Hudson Valley. Afterward, you’ll descend on Vista Maria, and from there it’s all rolling farmland and forest back to New Paltz.

As you can tell, I endorse Route Number 1. But here are a few more options.

Route 2 will take you much the same way, but it is only 90 miles in length. On this route, you won’t climb over the ridge on 55; instead, you’ll take Mountain Rest Road over the ridge. In many ways, this is a better climb than 55, and there is much less traffic, but no views! So for all that struggle you get nothin’ at the top. From there, you’ll head into High Falls, and then up into the foothills…no, there’s no avoiding the slog up to the first climb, but again if you have to struggle you might as well do it in beautiful country, right?

You’ll go over Peekamoose, same as before, but instead of enjoying the second climb, you’ll head straight down onto 55, and then ride in back country to Ellenville. I’ve included a descent on Irish Cape Road just because it’s fun, but it does mean that you have to ride 2 miles on 209 to get back to Ellenville. Do it though, it’s worth it. From there, everything is materially the same.

Now, what about Route 3? This ~90-mile route takes you halfway up the Route 55 climb, but then takes Clove Road over, and you ultimately cross 209 to get to the foothills. This route includes the second Red Bush/Greenville climb and all the fun gravel. Again, after you hit Ellenville, you’ll be riding up South Gulley, descending Vista Maria, and then rolling farmland back to New Paltz.

I’ve covered every inch of these roads on various rides, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. They will tax even the most experienced rider, but nearly every mile is worth the effort. I say nearly, because there are some very short segments on 209 (which really is much better than 9W, but it is the least pleasant road out here). Altogether, though, out of 90 to 100 miles less than 4 or 5 are on 209.

If you need any advice (or encouragement) my contact information is on my professional website…and check back a little later in the week: I’m putting together the Spring Route Roundup right now, and of course I’ll have a ride report for you.

John

Medicalwriter.net

Great Climbs of the Catskills, Continued: Ski Run Road

4 Replies

A few weeks ago, I posted on the 8 biggest climbs in the Catskills, some of which I have completed, and others that I plan to ride over the summer. I’ve only been getting out for brief rides because of the weather, so I’ve had plenty of time to waste on Ride With GPS to identify other big climbs.

I think I’ve found the best (read: most terrifying) one yet. This route takes you over Ski Run Road, which I believe is the highest through road in the Catskills. Maximum elevation, 3261 feet. Maximum grade, 33.6%. There may be dead end roads that go higher, but I haven’t found them yet.

I did some research online to find out if this was an actual road, or just a figment of Google’s imagination. I’ve had plenty of experiences around here where Google has shown a road, and it has turned out to be nothing more than the most faintly delineated path. For example, this is Rock Hill Road, just north of Minnewaska State Park:

And that was the part that looked most like a road. I ended up orienteering through the woods using my cell phone when the road disappeared completely.

Back to the point…Ski Run Road is real, and it’s gravel, and it is occasionally used by mountain bikers. This is the best photo I was able to find of it:

And I found a report from Catskills Cycling (where the picture came from, hope you don’t mind!) about a ride on this road. Of course, they did it on mountain bikes. I’m not that smart.

Here’s the GPS route (with thanks to Catskills Cycling, I adapted it from their Strava trace) and a map.

I’d categorize this one as a must do as soon as possible ride. However, I do have some common sense, so I’m not going to take a shot at this until April or later unless it warms up considerably. Gravel + snow + ice + 33% grade is not a good combination.

More climbs to come based on recommendations from friends and readers. And now I must finish my work, I’m off to Italy tomorrow morning.

John

medicalwriter.net

Riding the Catskills

Gravel road cycling rides and routes in Ulster, Dutchess, Greene, Delaware, Orange, and Rockland Counties, New York

Category Archives: Worth the trip

New Route: For all Delicacies of Shabbos

Guest Post: Dirt Roads of Delaware County

New Route: The Great Northern Catskills

New Route: Ferguson Road (Up and Over the Shawangunk Ridge)

New Route: Slide Mountain 117

Gentlemen’s Ride

New Route: One Down, Seven to Go

Spring Route Roundup: Come on Up, the Weather’s Fine!

Peekamoose Options

Great Climbs of the Catskills, Continued: Ski Run Road