Papa Tom

So I've had a website since 1996 highlighting the best bike paths, rail trails, and family rides in the New York region. It's currently parked at nyrides.freehosting.net. When I first started the site, I felt I could consider myself a connoisseur of this type of trail, as I visited most or all of the destinations on a regular basis. Almost twenty years later, I'm finding that some of my descriptions and reviews are way out of date and in need of some input from current riders.

I wouldn't want to present myself as the Master of Casual Rides or anything, but would anybody mind -- and would anybody be interested -- if I posted the descriptions of each ride in a separate thread and then left them open for comments? This way, anyone looking for good rides of this type could use Northeast Bike Forum as a resource and we can sort of guarantee that all information is up to date.

Waddya think?

Jim from Boston

I did something similar for Metro Boston.

This Guide was originally a response to a newcomer to Boston, on the Northeast Regional Discussion Forum, and I refer visitors to Boston to it, when they query that Forum, e.g.

The thing is though if a thread is not a sticky, it gradually disappears into the archives, so I have to personally refer it to visitors.

Papa Tom

So how do you create a sticky thread?

Jarrettsin

Just checked out your page, and would read and comment on your posts I like the idea.

Jim from Boston

I really don't know. I looked at the list of Moderators, and while other regions had a Mod, I couldn't find one for the Northeast. My Cycling Guide to the Metroverse is not a sticky, and I never requested it to be one. I actually like to post to inquiries about Metro Boston, and refer to my Guide.

Regarding stickies, qcpmsame on the Fifty-Plus Forum wrote about using a sticky for a planned Fifty-Plus Annual Ride:

Papa Tom

There doesn't seem to be enough interest here to warrant taking the space I will need. As of today, this thread has 203 reads and only three responses. Perhaps people thought "casual rides" meant friendly, non-competitive group rides? i probably should have used the term "low-impact rides" or something like it. I've never been successful trying to change the title of a thread, though.

Jarrettsin

How do you define "casual rides"?

I feel I'm a casual rider, I ride a hybrid at a average speed of 10-12 (13 or 14 on the flats), but that's with the hills of the Bronx and Westchester. I like roads like the Putnam, South & North County trail ways. Average 40 miles a day but can do up to 60.

Does that fit Casual?

Really like the Hudson Greenway and want to try the Belt Greenway? I think trail link calls it Shore Parkway? Do you have an update of where to park around there?

https://www.traillink.com/trail-maps...way-trail.aspx

TheLibrarian

Don't know about stickies but I'm open to pontificating to the void about my New York casual rides spots. Just did the Walden Rail Trail for the 1st time the other day. Minnewaska was packed on a Sunday. 3 parking lots all full people parked on the street. I just wanted to ride from Minnewaska to Awosting but didn't want to ride up the mountain to do it. Got on the Walden RT in New Paltz heading towards Walden. It was actually more dirt path than the Dutchess RT. Very Scenic, you could see the Gunks in the background. Went through an orchard and a cow field before i turned around. Dutchess RT is ok, all paved and not very scenic except when you get to the old rail road bridge. I've been doing Beacon from the train station to the waterfall at Tuck Tape. Short casual ride but thats what we're talking about. I also consider most of the carraige roads around Minnewaska to be casual rides. I still have to get down to the greenway one of these days before it gets too cold and I want to go to the mtn bike track in Queens and ride around the old site of the 1964 worlds fair and the unisphere has been on my agenda for sometime.

Papa Tom

>>>>>Really like the Hudson Greenway and want to try the Belt Greenway? I think trail link calls it Shore Parkway? Do you have an update of where to park around there?<<<<<<

I park (free) at the Canarsie Pier and ride west from there.

Librarian: Flushing Meadow Park (World's Fair grounds) is a neat ride on a nice spring day. When it's deserted, it can feel a little "cold."

Jarrettsin

By the way only a Mod can make a thread a "Sticky"
And there's enough interest to keep this thread going.

I have a brother in Beacon NY, so the trails TheLibrarain is talking about sound interesting also. The Rail Trail are good for Casual riders.

DackRider

I'm pretty new here. So take what I say accordingly.

Personally, I would like to see some info on more laid back rides and trails.

Papa Tom, I am about as far away from you as you can get, and still be in New York. Kingston being over four hours south of me via the North/Thruways.

As a 56 year old, slowly returning to biking. Having been away since the early '80s. I find the sport much evolved. Maybe it's for the better. Not sure yet

As an older outsider looking in. I am fascinated at the level of specialization that exists. There is a bike built for every specific need. And the bolt-on to fine tune it.

As I wade back in. For the moment at least. I just want to ride. I will most likely start out with my normal clothing and gear. And add what I need, when necessary.

As to the sticky, As mentioned above, a moderator has to do that. Not sure what the tipping point is for that to happen.

A way I have seen it done on motorclcle sites like Adventure Rider. Is a sticky is posted that then becomes sort of an index of other threads. Example "New York Bike Trails"

One can reference the main sticky and search it for more specific topics. Say "Delaware County Trails" I think in order for it to work. It would have to be searchable in such a way. Perhaps geographical and/or level of difficulty. Such as "Dutchess County/Intermediate"

Possibly length, mileage or time to pedal. I have hiked and snowshoed most of the Catskill Peaks, many up here and some in the Whites, and just mileage can be very misleading.

Overall, I think it is a great idea. It seems it would benefit many here in this sub-forum, while not really adversely affecting those who don't visit.

As to the amount of traffic and the interests of the responses. I have found that this place is vast. With many corridors and labyrinths to navigate. Taken in aggregate this place is huge. But finding what you want in a Sub-forum takes some time. Today is the first time I have clicked on the Northeast Forum

As some rich guy once said in a movie, "Build it and they will come"

Good Luck with it,
DR,

Jarrettsin

Rode the Dutchess Rail Trail today from The Parking at the trail head in Walden Lake to the Walkway over the Hudson and back. Easy trail nice fall day and the Walkway was scenic. 25 miles round trip 2.5 hrs with a short break at the bridge

Papa Tom

OK, now I'm feeling like I want to give this idea shot. I would start posting basic descriptions of trails and bikeways immediately, but I'm suddenly in the thick of a pretty big family emergency. This should be resolved within a week or two, but I don't know if I can do the proper editing of my web pages before that.

Be back soon!

Jarrettsin

Family first.

greg3rd48 

I am interested in the ideas that people come up with.

Jarrettsin

Really wanted to check that Brooklyn ride but didn't want to chance Friday traffic so I did a ride from home.

Headed up the South County trailway. Could cut through Van Cortlandt Park but to pick up the trail but it rained the other day and didn't feel like getting muddy, local streets to Broadway-Mclean Ave-Tibbits Rd and on to the trail which I took to the end in Elmsford. After reading Tom's page a light went off to use Rt 119 W to Rt 9 S. Saw the entrance to the Old Croton Aqueduct, but don't know where it lets out so I followed 9 down till it hits Warburton, which gives you nice views of the Hudson and runs me into Riverdale and home. A pleasant 31 mile loop.

Jarrettsin

Toured around the Bronx and Manhattan today crossing back and forth over its many bridges . I wanted to cross the newly reopened Highbridge. I had to cross the 225th St Bridge from the Bronx to Manhattan. Then I headed down the Harlem River Greenway which drops you at 155th St, doubled back on Edgecombe and you enter the approach path at 165th St. The bridge was nice brick walkway and benches to sit on. Used 170th St. to get up to the Grand Concourse and headed south, across 138th and across the Willis Ave bridge. You can get on the East River greenway at 120th, at 102nd I took the pedestrian over to Randall Island not as nice as Highbirdge. Following the path over there you cross the little hells gate bridge to Ward's Island where the path takes you to the walkway of the RFK bridge and back into the Bronx where I used138th to get back to the Grand Concourse ran the whole GC to the top and picked up the Mosholu Greenway home. 25 miles

Papa Tom

I promise to get back to this thread in a week or so, once I've resolved some issues around getting my Mom into a nursing home.

rm -rf

Would each ride be in a separate thread? It's an interesting problem to decide how to title each thread so that interested riders can find it. I see BF links to charity rides, for instance, that aren't obvious where the ride is located. And what's the best way for a new rider to browse the rides and find ones they might like to try? I don't have any good answers.

You could keep editing a master thread post, adding a sentence or two, and a link to each ride thread, like this:
Ride Thread: Cincinnati east side Armleder Park to downtown This follows bike paths through the park and along dedicated bike lanes to the new downtown Smale Park.

A link to a google map page with all the ride start locations flagged would be a really nice feature.

If the route is somewhere out of my local known area, I find it really slow going to follow the list of street names or towns to try to figure out where the route goes.

I'd much rather have a link to the route map, like this: Armleder Park to downtown Cincinnati. I can see the distance, zoom out to see where it's located, and see the hills. And it makes a cue sheet automatically (which often needs some editing to be practical.) Then the ride posting can report on the route's highlights.

Jim from Boston

Just this week I was asked,

May I suggest, as I explained in my Metro Boston Cycling Guide, that you describe the general cycling environment of various regions in your area, then provide links to various resources that provide routes, especially Bike Clubs. For example, just today I was admiring a beautiful Ride with GPS route proposed by the Ashland Bike Club for this morning.

I had described that sector as:

The Ashland Bike Club described their route as:

I haven’t specifically posted links to local Bike Clubs in my Guide, but I did name a couple Clubs in the region, along with some of the best bike shops as a resource. This way, all the detail work has already been done by those who know the routes best.

Papa Tom

Just a note from the OP: These threads would describe bike PATHS and TRAILS, rather than routes.

Jim from Boston

Would Anybody Mind A Few Threads About "Casual" Rides In Our Region?

“Never mind.”



PS: FYA, see this recent discussion of "casual cycling":

Papa Tom

Yeah...the big mistake I made was to use the word "casual" when I really meant "low impact." I use the latter all the time tio describe these rides. I wish I could go back and change the title, but the forum won't let me.

Jarrettsin

Trails or routes I would be interested either one. I'm very surprised there not already a NY metro good ride thread, there is so many riders in the city and surrounding areas

Jim from Boston

I don't want to be a buttinsky on this Noo Yawk tread, especially being from Bahstan, but IMO the important distinctions for a bicycle guide are not so much trails or routes, but paved vs mixed surface, FWIW.