NYC to Bear Mountain Trip Reports
This ride was my first great bicycling adventure from Manhattan.
Tony and I were grad students then, and he heard about this 100-mile ride organized by American Youth Hostels. I had never ridden that far before, and riding to the Bear Mountain Bridge sounded like a worthy achievement. This was not a "sponsored" event -- no SAG, no food stops with volunteers. Just a couple of lines on an AYH calendar that said: "Bear Mountain Century -- hills, more hills, and a bridge. 100 miles. Start Fort Lee Historical Park."
With a description like that for my first century, it was obvious that I better do some training. I had been riding laps on the Central Park loop a couple of times a week on a beater bike I kept in my grad student office. But Tony and I now decided to look for the hilliest roads upstate we could find -- and found more than we were planning on. We ended up pretty exhausted after what turned out to be a longer and hillier predecessor of the New Paltz to Ashokan Reservoir route.
The next weekend we showed up in Fort Lee for the start of the ride. I think there were about 15 of us. I didn't have a road bike, so I was riding my mountain bike with slick tires. This AYH route went in the opposite direction from the one here on this website. They took us up right along the river, and returned through the interior.
We started off going down under the George Washington Bridge on a sunny morning -- I think it was my first time riding there. It was pleasant riding, and then came the first of those hills from that brief description, and I was keeping up OK, and then a big long hill, and I was still keeping up fine with the guys on their road bikes.
We turned onto Route 9W and on the big downhills I demonstrated that a heavy mountain bike with slick tires could go pretty fast with a serious rider tuck position. I think we followed the GWB to Nyack "River Road" route until it entered Nyack. There we got onto Route 9W and simply rode on that all the way to Bear Mountain. I don't remember much about that part -- but there must have been less traffic and shopping centers on it than today.
We had a lunch on the grass by the Bear Mountain Inn with some pleasant conversations with other riders, including one who liked to ski out West like me. I don't think we actually rode across the "bridge" in the AYH calendar description.
We headed out west and then back south through Harriman Park -- definitely pretty. Then down Gate Hill Rd -- which was too steep for me to really enjoy, and then that route made a turn immediately at its bottom (one of the reasons the route on this website goes in the opposite direction).
We kept going south and it was getting hot in the afternoon. But after I got some liquid at a convenience store, me and another guy felt energetic and went out ahead fast together into New Jersey and then back east to the GWB. No one else caught up with us, so I guess I overdid it with my training. It was fun to ride fast with that guy, and he said I should try racing with the Century Road Club. (A few days after that I diverted some of my meager grad student assets into the purchase of a road bike and started training with some racers -- but I never did a road race.)
Then Tony and the rest of the group arrived, and we were rather tired but satisfied. It was a great adventure.
November 2002, suggestions from Lewis:
1. In Haverstraw there is a decent deli on Samsondale Ave that lets you use clean unisex rest room in the rear. Inside seating for 6-10. Santelli, 87 Samsondale Ave. (Instead of making L onto Samsondale on your cue sheet, make a right, deli is very close on the left).
2. An alternative to 9W at the 304 intersection is:
R 0.1 Rte 304
L 1.6 Old Haverstraw Rd.
L 1.1 Lake Rd. @TL
R ?.? 9W
Strip mall on right at intersection of Rte 303 contains: Dunkin Donuts with rest room. Titanic Deli with rest room in the rear (have to ask)
September 2002, Ken:
Sharon and Tony and I met near the New Jersey side of the GWB early on a weekend morning. Going through Bergen County on the roads on the cue sheet was pleasant, not much traffic -- and Sharon and I enjoyed the "period architecture tour" of suburban homes we were getting along the way.
We stopped for food at Saddle River -- and fixed a flat tire on our tandem. Then lots of miles of pleasant and quiet riding through Rockland County, and another food stop at the base of the big climb up to Harriman Park (Variation H + X). Tony tackled the steep direct climb, while Sharon and I took the gentler way on the cue sheet.
Soon we were enjoying the great views through the Seven Lakes. By Lake Tiorati, we agreed that Tony would go on ahead and climb Bear Mountain. Sharon and I had no problem with traffic interaction through Route 6 and Palisades Interstate Parkway (variation X) -- we walked our tandem on the grass beside the PIP in the "critical" section. Sharon and I decided not to climb Bear Mt this time, and instead went on ahead for an early start on lunch at the Bear Mountain Inn. Tony arrived there a while later and spoke of a satisfying time on the summit while we took our time eating and talking.
After lunch we let a coin-toss decide that we'd ride out onto the Bear Mt Bridge, and we had a pleasant conversation for a few minutes while enjoying the views from the shoulder in the middle, before riding back to the circle and onto Route 9W South.
The Dunderberg bypass path was sandy. Tony made it all the way throught on his road bike -- and Sharon and I actually made it clean on our tandem to within 20 feet of the south end -- though she didn't say it was any fun riding on the back through that.
We had a pleasant conversation about bicycle touring with the warden at the Grassy Point beach. From Haverstraw we decided to take Route 9W over the big hill. When we arrived at the Runcible Spoon in Nyack it was like we have made it home -- and we were real hungry and thirsty.
Then Sharon and I struggled through the hills by the NY/NJ border. But when we got to the rollers on Route 9W and we were flying along, and then we were finished. A great day of riding.
September 2002, Ken:
I rode all the roads on the newly revised New Jersey section, from Palisade Ave to East Saddle River road. I enjoyed it.
Two things I noticed: Some rough pavement on Fairview Ave, north of Westwood. Harriot Ave starts not wide, but soon gets wider.
I returned by going south on East Saddle River Rd to its end (crosses over Rt 17 with exit-entrance ramps, becomes Paramus Rd), Left on Linwood Ave (crosses over Rt 17 with exit-entrance ramps), R on Pascack Rd, L on Soldier Hill Rd, R on Prospect Ave, L on Oradell Ave, L on First St, T - L on Sunset Ave, L on Haworth, R on Haworth Ave (but did not like how it ends in this direction, with a steep climb up to the traffic light at Schraalenburgh Rd), crossed over onto Magnolia Ave and then I was back to my outgoing route.
August 2002, Ken:
I rode the first part of this route on a weekday morning: From the GWB to Bear Mountain. At the start, I shortened the route by skipping the River Road and instead taking the Variation with Hudson Terrace and Rt 9W North to Closter Dock Rd.
Then I rode Rt 502 West all the way to Wearimus Rd [ since removed from the route ]. Even though it was during rush hour, I found the traffic tolerable in the first part. But on Washington Ave I was unhappy with the car traffic interaction, especially as I got close the Garden State Parkway exit/entrance, and especially when the traffic kept coming while I had to climb up steep hills. And one of those hills on Washington Ave was too steep for me -- I think the last one before Wearimus Rd. This time I didn't have a small "granny" chainring gear on my bike, and though I did make it to the top, I think I should have walked it instead -- because my legs were hurting from it for the next hour or two.
There must be some alternate roads which are better for traffic and hills than Washington Ave.
I was very happy riding north through New Jersey on East Saddle River Rd and then West Saddle River Rd -- quiet and pleasant -- and I stopped between the two for a breakfast snack at Allendale Rd. Then I crossed into New York state, and I really enjoyed the roads on the cue sheet through Rockland County -- pleasant and mostly little traffic.
The big climb up Rt 106 / Gate Hill Rd into Harriman Park went fine, and I enjoyed the curvy descent. Then very comfortable and pretty riding on Seven Lakes Drive. I hadn't remembered how good the shoulders were. I especially enjoy riding past Lake Tiorati.
Almost no traffic on the Rt 6 East connection (variation X). I dismounted and walked across the Palisades Interstate Parkway, and then was able to ride my bike on the grass beside it, and continued on the grass curving alongside the exit ramp, then got back on the pavement when I reached the full-width park road, and started climbing.
When I reached Perkins Memorial Drive, I got the urge to climb it to the top of Bear Mountain. So I did -- the climbing was not as hard as I feared -- one steeper section and the rest a steady grind. At the tower on the summit, I spent more time looking at the historical photographs inside than the views. Then I followed the road further, starting down the other (East) side of the mountain -- and that's where I got the most spectacular views, perched over a steep slope above the Hudson River. Definitely a fine experience for me.
Riding back down there were some sections of somewhat rough pavement, but they didn't give me any problem -- but it felt like one of my brakes was fading a bit from the need to control my speed. Once back down to the main park road, the descent East-ward was more pleasant, and I had a big lunch at the Bear Mountain Inn cafeteria.
Then instead of following the cue sheet to go back down south along the West side of the river, I crossed over the Bear Mt Bridge, took a dirt road to Peekskill, and returned to Manhattan by going through Westchester county down the East side of the river. But that's another story.
August 2002, Ken: Earlier in August, I rode the second part of this route: The roads from the Bear Mountain State Park (about mile 56) to the finish at the GWB -- but in the opposite direction: North-bound instead of South-bound. Roads were mostly in good shape, and I had fun. Some of the road signs had changed (mostly for the better), so I updated the cue sheet directions.