Steve B.

Not sure about why no TBT. I've used TBT extensively on road rides, works great, like out in Manorville. It was a route generated in Trail Forks. They have better descriptions of trail names on that site and CLIMB uses this, so in theory easy to generate a route. Then you save online, use the Garmin TF iQ app on the device to download the route (that worked), start the ride and start navigating. It showed me where I'd been (blue trace), where I was (arrow) and where the route went (purple line), just no TBT directions. No clue why and I'd have to do it again to find out what's not working. As I think back, at GR you have to pay attention to the trail thus maybe wasn't looking at the screen much (at all) to see a pop-up notification. Easier to follow when on a road bike, harder to do when mt.biking and you really need to pay attention to the trail features, and then "Voila !" you're at a junction, where the map clearly showed which way to go. I'll try a route in RWGPS next time I go back.

Yes, Manorville is next. The RWGPS app shows it's maybe slightly less hilly, but in truth I had no issues with the hills at GR, they come quick and are over in a hurry (except on long grade on White Ghost).

kaos joe

Manorville is relentlessly hilly. You're either going up or down. Fewer steep grades and sharp switchbacks though, so you can maintain momentum. It's my favorite although it is a long drive.

GlennR

The wind today was relentless... 20-23mph out of the southwest.

Headed to Oyster Bay, saw Joe heading south on the way up..

justtrying

Truer words were never spoken. Parked at JB went west on the boardwalk then to Cedar Creek. Going to TOBAY,I kept thinking as I was enjoying the tailwind that going back to JB was not going to be as much fun, it wasn’t.

Steve B.

The issue with south shore living is prevailing winds are SW or W. Thus we have the headwind returning.

I suffered thru a route down to the extreme SW end of Nassau County in south Lawrence or some such. 11 miles of headwind, but a tail wind home. The whole area thru Hewlett Harbor, Woodmere, etc.... has some pretty roads that today were swamped with people walking,. running, walking dogs, babies, biking, biking the wrong way. It was nuts at times.

Supposed to be windy again tomorrow. I may go mt. biking.

GlennR

Long Island is flat so the wind just makes it less easy.

justtrying

I enjoy cycling through that area. I live in the adjoining town and shortly after the stay at home order started the village of Hewlett Harbor put cones in the middle of the rode with signs warning drivers to slow down speed limit 5 mph. I though at first it was was overkill. Last Tues after work I went for a ride and the roads were packed with people many oblivious that cars were on the road.

Steve B.

The cones are a good thing. There's a LOT of people out and about. I move to the center of the lane or road when passing walkers on the sidewalk or side of the lane. Don't want a car wondering why I;m doing that, the cones are a reminder.

kaos joe

Man, that was some tough sledding coming home. We just went up to Syosset and back, 32 miles. When the headwind is from an angle like that it negates the aero advantage of the tandem. I'd rather have it from dead ahead. She is still a bit sore from a fall so have not done any longer rides yet.

Maybe this wind is blowing because of Steve's subject line, and it's angry.....

Russ Roth

So true, if it weren't for the winds cycling would barely be an effort in some spots around here.

The whole fam rode from Sunrise to Bethpage; 13mi round trip; we'd ridden the trail on thurs and it was practically empty but 2 of the kids decided to leave their gloves in the car so we only made 5mi then but it made me hope that the trail would be empty this time. It wasn't empty this time but we still made good time and the wind made the trip back a little more challenging.

Steve B.

Ran into Kaos Joe this morning (might have been afternoon by then), he and wife on tandem heading north, in Bethpage, me doing a 35 loop over to Levittown and back home.

Good to see you out Joe, good to see you healthy. You might have noticed the winds had shifted to S at 10-15. I had a N/NE wind up to that point, so essentially had a headwind the entire ride.

kaos joe

You can rest assured we noticed! We just did 30, up through Oyster Bay and Laurel Hollow. Good to see you as well. Mrs says hi !

GlennR

WOW, been waiting for a day like this all winter.

I rode to Smithtown with a nice tailwind outbound and a nice headwind home bound. I stayed far away from bike paths and used the roads. They seemed a bit more busy than in the past few weeks, but I guess everyone is home and wants to get out.

I notice a few solo riders but no groups.. makes sense.

Quite a few recreational riders riding against traffic. it's really bad since they can get hit by a car making a right turn.

Stopped by Brickwell in Farmingdale on the way home and they're slammed doing repair on bike that haven't seen daylight in years. Everyone wants to get out and pulling out heir old and neglected bikes.

I only took 1 water bottle, not thinking I was going to be out so long and refilling it was a challenge. I found a working water fountain in a park. I also saw some people working on their lawn and asked if I can fill up at the garden hose. They insisted on giving me a cold bottle of water. I thanked them and said i'd pass on their generosity. In the past i've always been able to get refills in delis, and 7-11 and other commercial stores but obviously I didn't want to expose myself to anyone.

So 2 days of rain and Tuesday looks to be another winner.

Stay safe and healthy.

hotbike

I rode one mile today, to test the new Milk Crate Baskets. The bike is one of three projects completed during the Corona Virus Quarantine.

Milk Crates of the 16 quart variety Lovingly molded in lime green high density polyethylene plastic.

GlennR

What do you plan on carrying?

kaos joe

A few years ago in Montauk, I saw a guy carrying a yellow Labrador retriever in (I think) a modified lobster pot, on the back of a motorcycle. He also had a pair of Texas Longhorn horns on the handlebars.

hotbike

Groceries.

GlennR

A trailer would be a better option. But i guess the milk crates were "free".

hotbike

Order milk crates online.
Nope, paid full price.

Russ Roth

I hit up Long Beach Bicycles this morning for my replacement roof rack, old one was badly damaged by a tractor trailer hitting an overpass on the Northern Parkway, and they were pretty packed. 2 customers that I saw when I got there, one outside and one inside, but 15 min later there was 4 standing outside waiting for people to leave the store and two new customers in the shop. They said its keeping them busy, hope this stays a trend.
2 days ago wasn't so nice so I hit up Cedar Creek which was as empty as I'd hoped, only had to slow a couple times and managed the 17mi to Tobay and back in 61min, only 4 minutes off last year's fastest time so I'm off to a good start to the season.

Today though there was no escaping the family, weather was too nice and we all packed up and headed for Edgewood which I don't like to ride pulling the trail-a-bike but was figuring it would be less trafficked than BP or Syosset. Parking was insane, lot was completely full with people making up their own parking and the shoulders on both sides filled. We almost bailed but decided not too figuring most were hikers and wouldn't be going too far from the entrance. Managed to spend an hour and a half in there. We went north, hit a yellow trail, transitioned to a white trail and deviated from it several times for the blue trail. Middle kid wanted to hit the red trails but those trails tend to be worse then the yellow and blue trails for having narrow areas through trees which is hard to navigate a trail-a-bike through. But we made it through everything.

Good to hear everyone is riding. Wish I could get my wife out on the tandem but only the kids want to do that.

justtrying

Yesterday was truly a beautiful day to be out and about. I went through Hewlett Harbor,there must have been at least a 100 people out walking or cycling with their families. Putting cones out reminding people to be cautious in their activities is a good idea. I really question the idea that pedestrians should walk facing traffic,between them and many people who ignore or don’t know where they should be riding their bikes make for dangerous conditions at times.

GlennR

On the ride home yesterday, there was a woman riding a road bike with aerobars on the sidewalk going against traffic. If I wasn't tired I would of told her how dangerous is to ride against traffic and you can easily get hit by a car turning right.

And I can only imagine it was not her bike.

Steve B.

Seems everybody and their uncle have taken their long unused bikes out of storage in order to get some exercise. I’ve been hearing how the shops are crazy with tune up work.

kaos joe

You've got to get on the Bethpage MUP to actually bear witness to the witless. The Random Reelings, the Training Wheel Terrors, the Corona Careenings, the Wuhan Wobbles. It leaves one breathless. Trying to pilot a 7 foot long 310 pound bike through this.....no thanks, we'll take it onto the road. On the other hand, it's good that they're out of the house.

So far today cleaned 4 chains, 1 rear derailleur, & 1 camp stove; replaced 1 headset bearing and 2 tires.

GlennR

It truly is shoulder to shoulder at some places. dogs and kid off the lease, people standing in the middle of the path talking to each other thinking they're the only ones in the preserve. Traffic jams at popular spots and you have to get in the queue to cross Clark and Linden.

You're much safer on the roads where the majority of drivers know the rules. In the preserve, there are no rules, or people that follow any.