Steve B.

Explored down here today, the West End path and connection is finished and open.

Uses the boardwalk west from Field 6 to Field 1 for about 2 miles, then new asphalt along the parkway to the TR Nature Center, then loops around south side of that parking lot, then more new asphalt along parkway to West End where it ends at the bathrooms.

4 miles from Field 6, one-way.

There's an extension at the NW corner of the TR Nature Center lot that crosses the West End parkway and goes to the West End boat basin. I predict they will have trouble with this as there is zero signage on the parkways themselves stating "No Bikes" and I predict folks will make a left and find themselves heading into cart traffic.

This was a really nice ride today, but as with everything at JB maybe best done on a weekday morning in spring and fall, after the beach crowd is gone.

Photo 1 is the west side of Field 1 where they carved the path out of the parking lot.
Photo 2 is at the NW corner of Field 1 lot where the new asphalt path along the parkway is located
Photo 3 is the path end (looking south) at West End Bath House
Photo 4 is the section on the bay at the Coast Guard station and West End boat basin

zacster

Wow. Jones Beach and Long Island in general have always been places that are almost impossible to bike.

kaos joe

Nice report, Steve.

The fact that this path was opened has been a surprise to me (as it was when they allowed us hooligans to actually ride on the boardwalk). Sometimes, progress actually is possible even in NY.

OTOH, if you want to be a curmudgeon, look at the google satellite view of the area. The current pic was taken before the new path was opened. In it's entirety, it already existed as an unpaved roadway, probably used for service vehicles only. No bridges, ramps, culverts, etc needed to be built. So the resource was already pretty much there, and went unused for decades for the lack of a bit of asphalt, or even gravel or chipseal.

That KaosJoe is such a PIA, ain't he?

Steve B.

kaos joe

Google Earth and Google Maps "satellite view" use different pictures. It's labeled 2019 but clearly that can't be. Just before west end 2 a dirt road is clearly there running along the Bay Parkway. At any rate, it's nice.

The Captree extension will be cool.

dendawg

Have they installed any bike racks at the new accessible beaches?

UniChris

So if my trusty da-brim lack-of-shade protection and I were to hop on the LIRR, what sort of total ride distance could I now get out of the excursion?

Steve B.

Steve B.

Steve B.

UniChris

I'm slow, so if riding technically permitted now (no hour restrictions?) I may have to check that out, perhaps soonish before peak season, especially as they seem to be doing maintenance on the Westchester trails this summer.

justtrying

UniChris

It's not exactly feeling like a weekend to deal with the sometime mud in Van Cortlandt park, so if it clears up Saturday morning may have to give Jones beach a try if I can get my act together.

zacster

You definitely want to avoid VCP today. Although I like the fact that it is one of the few wild places in NYC, I'm beginning to come over to the idea of having it paved. It'll get more crowded when it is though.

UniChris

Headed to Wantagh later than planned with the big 36er unicycle and rode down to check out Jones Beach.

Had originally thought I'd ride towards Tobay first, but it was foggy on the way down and seemed that might make for a shorter ride than planned, so did the Jones Beach end first. Rain this morning and cooler temperatures meant light enough foot traffic for riding on the boardwalk to be reasonable. They've now blocked off the very west end with fencing at that parking lot being broken up, but it didn't look like the path went that much further. Also ducked over to the west boat basin until encountering a no bikes sign.

Then headed back and about two miles towards Tobay, but with sunset approaching decided to turn back, and discovered a minor headwind - which made me start thinking about something to keep my fingertips warm (I had several extra body layers I didn't need) Caught sunset on the way back North.



Although there are some cracks in the path there's not any displacement yet so this was by far the smoothest ride I've had in a long time - worst part was a few minor frost heaves in Cedar Creek Park but nothing like those on the Westchester trails or Cherry Walk. Actually kind of wish I'd brought the smaller 29er with it's 1.55x internal gear hub as the smooth path would have been a good place to work on confidence to cruise faster on the high gear mode of that.

Steve B.

Nice Chris.

I'm alway impressed with the fact that you do this on a Uni. Lot of effort.

UniChris

Thanks @Steve B.. You had tried to talk me into trying Jones Beach last summer while I was frustrated with North County Trail conditions, and I'm glad you finally succeeded in getting me to go there. I think somewhere in one of these threads someone called the path out towards tobay a bit monotonous, and while I found that true when I got onto it, I also kept reminding myself that I'd been looking for something with fewer incidental annoyances where I could just work on rolling along at a more sustained pace mile after mile.

Looks like we ended up with a second almost nice day today, so a little sad I'm feeling so beat up from yesterday's ride - mostly of course still working back from the winter off, but also because not being constantly interrupted by greenway traffic lights or slowing down for trailway bumps meant more sustained riding at "as fast as confidence allows" speed than I'd yet done this year. And while that's still slower than casual biking, the nice pavement makes the most of what it can be.

Will probably head back, especially on days that seem likely to be less busy. And if the extension further to the east ends up anything like the current stretch that could be a nice route for a long uninterrupted ride. If it's on the north side of the parkway then hopefully it won't have mixed boardwalk stretches (though turnoffs crossing to them would be nice...)