GlennR

Mid 40's so I got some road miles in today.

Also finished reassembling the road bike... it's like new.

Russ Roth

Hit Bethpage again with the wife and kids, they've never ridden the light blue trail and they've all been wanting to test out the new bikes so a nice 50 min ride immediately following picking the kids up from school. Only one downhill they couldn't ride though though we also skipped the massive downhill from the very top. Wife is learning to trust her bike.

GlennR

^^^^^^
Awesome...

Gotta love family rides.

When the kids get older, do the Old Croton Aqueduct trail . When my son lived in Riverdale we rode from his apartment to the Croton Reservoir. We decided take Metro North back since it was getting late to ride back.

Steve B.

Good day to ride the gravel bike

Russ Roth

We'll have to check that one out. We've done the ride out and back to the walkway over the hudson from Hopewell Junction which is about 30mi, and we've done a 25mi out and back on an old rail trail somewhere just to the north of the Aquaduct trail; can never recall the name though which is why we've ridden it twice. The youngest will be setting out on his own 16" bike so we might need something like a trail-gator this year so he can ride some and be towed some. The older two have 24" cross bikes for handling the rail trails with a little more speed.

Steve B.

The "old rail trail somewhere just to the north of the Aquaduct trail" is likely the South County Trail. Starts at the Westchester County/NYC border at Van Cortland Park, runs 11.8 miles north to Elmsford at Rt 119, crossing that it becomes the North County Trail, runs 24.3 to the Putnam County line, where it becomes the Putnam Rail Trail, running another 11.5 miles to Rt 6 in Brewster. When they pave the Van Cortland Park section (1.6 miles from Van Cortland Park South) it's almost 50 miles one-way of paved rail trail. A real gem.

Since you don't seem to mind travelling for a good ride, there's also the Duchess County Rail Trail,m southern terminus is in Wassaic, NY. It's 22 miles one-way to Copake Falls, with a bit of really beautiful on-road section just north of Middleton. That'll someday get completed for a 45 or so one-way trial to Chatham NY.

Then there's the plan to extend the Duchess Rail Trail south from Hopewell Junction to Brewster. It'll then be possible to use the SCT/NCT/Putnam/Duchess trails to the Walkway Over The Hudson west to New Paltz to the Walkill Valley Trail and up to Kingston. Near 100 miles straight of rail trail leaving NYC. It's gonna be so cool !

Steve B.

Any chance you saved this on RWGPS ?. I get confused north of Rockefeller State Park and the convoluted section thru Ossining. Wonder how you did it.

GlennR

34 miles @ 11mph and 1800' of climbing. The trail had leaves covering the roots and rocks so we never got any real speed.

Steve B.

Maybe make the ride public on RWGPS. Others can then use it.

Never Mind. Just found a few others on a search. Thx

kaos joe

Doing that ride is one of the reasons I bought a Garmin. I was surprised to find only 1 OCA route on Garmin Connect, and that one a north to south. I had to go to RWGPS to get a route file. Garmin still has not added RWGPS to their available apps.

The device works OK, but I have no confidence in routes the device creates. I'll take a RWGPS route generated by a real rider with eyes every time. Within those limitations, it works well.

Steve B.

I understand that the iQ app RWGPS is not yet available for the Explore. There is an iQ app you can install called Route Course, it’s in the iQ store and should be available from the smartphone app. There’s been some improvements to it, including the ability to get RWGPS routes. If you go tp RWGPS and “pin” a route, it is supposed to show up on RouteCourse. You then download. Or create a course and pin it.

Have not yet tried it, so if you do, full report expected.

Steve B.

Nice conditions for a mt. bike at Edgewood. Rode in shorts as it was 50. Had 2 buddies along for their first time on some of the single track, had a great ride.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/436032...ONqHVjeJGaK3uA

kaos joe

Celebrated my (partial) recovery from being sick as a dog all week. Actually today was the first time I left the house (and my self-imposed exile in the basement) since Tuesday morning, and had a great road ride with 4 buds up to St. Roccos again. 36 miles of wet roads and wind but still good to get fresh air. Unfortunately Mrs had a prior commitment so no tandem .

GlennR

Rode in shorts and just a long sleeve base and jersey.

23mph sw wind was a *****. 13mph to the pencil and 25mph back. 41 miles total before it cooled off and i headed home.

Steve B.

Easy 11 mile gravel ride this morning, on the way to work. Chisholm State Park - AKA as the Penn and Fountain Ave. landfills along the Belt in Brooklyn. About 11 miles of trails, all gravel, maybe more if you loop it differently. I tried a RWGPS route, it doesn't like navigating on "Service Roads" is what it kept telling me, so I didn't do what I intended. . Views were cool, even though it was 36-40 degrees and grey. Saw 2 hawks, maybe 4 or just the same guy a few times. The Fountain Ave. trail system seemed very remote, it's easily 7 miles of trail with some steep short sections. This will be a great ride on a really cold winter day when the views are spectacular. I saw 3 people today, none on the northern part. Now they need to figure out how to open earlier than 9 and close later than 2.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/437065...ki42gUtz9tlBWy

kaos joe

40 miles up to Oyster Bay.




The Old Lion was a proponent of "the strenuous life".

Steve B.

A cold mt. bike ride this morning at Bethpage. Nobody in the lot at 8:30 including the usual suspects like Kaos and Jeff C.

BP The Park is as usual, colder than what the weather folks think, easily 4-5 degrees cooler. 2 different Garmins had the temp. at 17.

With 2 guys trying to ride with no booties, just shoes and thick socks, and my fingertips getting numb from the get go, it was bail out time after 6 miles and about 40 minutes.

But, hey, I’ve 6 rides in so far this January, am ahead of last year and typically it’s zilch in January.

kaos joe

Worked last night and didn't get home till 8, otherwise I'd have been out. Jeff (and Art) decided to mix it up and started up at the GreenBelt parking lot on Washington Ave. Probably did the Tower loop, GreenBelt, Blue Dot etc.

Hope some of this snow persists. Might get some camping in this week, supposed to be nice weather for it.

Steve B.

Well, that’s an idea.

kaos joe

It gets you north of the chronically muddy sections near Hay Path, and within striking distance of Stilwell.

Slept in after MPBC holiday party last night, and the prospect of mud or slick roads this morning.

Steve B.

I’m hoping it dries out this afternoon, maybe I’ll get in a short road ride.

GlennR

It was warm and I don't mind getting wet as long as there's no ice.

Massapequa to Oyster Bay. My but was wet by the end and the bike dirty but it sure beats going to spin class.

kaos joe

Wife sez "Let's take a walk".

9.8 miles later.........

kaos joe

Although it was a good 10+ degrees warmer than my liking, I succumbed to peer pressure, re-treated my clothing with permethrin, and ended out to Manorville. We were pleasantly surprised to find the trail mostly frozen solid, and quite dry where it wasn't. Not a speck of mud except for the parking area at the end of the ride. Manorville drains remarkably well.

GlennR

Is usual, I hit the road. 52 miles with a 18mph west wind, so th ride home was a grinder.