Papa Tom

OK, so I've been tying up loose ends the past two summers: Completing my coverage of the entire Connecticut south shore, the entire Long Island north shore, etc on a bike. I've got a day off this Monday and I am REALLY exhausted from work, but I feel like I want to strike one more ride off my bucket list.

I've never done the big "Montauk Century" that a lot of people from central Long Island do, but I figure if I ride from East Hampton (to where I have ridden from Greenport and Shelter Island) and do the twenty miles to Montauk Point, I can kind of claim to have covered the whole island from Manhattan to Montauk.

It's only twenty miles, but I hear it gets kind of hilly out there. Can anybody give me some insight, or maybe suggest a route other than the obvious? I'd be going on Monday, so traffic probably won't be an issue. Is there parking in East Hampton for the day, or should I take the LIRR?

johnnywhale 

It's flat out to Hither Hills, then pretty much rolling terrain. I'm a pretty big boy and have done it, you should be ok. Summer traffic though, no matter how you slice it.

Papa Tom

Good to know. I just saw that there is only one practical LIRR departure from Montauk during the day on Monday, which throws a wrench in the train idea. Do you know anything about the public parking situation in East Hampton?

Champlaincycler

I like to park at schools, golf courses or churches, should be good for 6 hours or so. I grew up on the east end and have fond memories of the 50's-early 80's when I just could not stand it any more. That being said, my wife and I try to camp at Hither Hills every other year or so, usually mid June before it gets too crazy. Are you going round trip?
From Easthampton, I usually ride on Further Lane which takes you past the Maidstone Golf Course and along the beaches in Amagansett. You don't have to get on Montauk Hwy. untill you're just east of Amagansett. The Napeague stretch may be busy but the shoulders are as wide as a car lane and its flat. A few rollers through Hither Hills and 2 good hills east of the village of Montauk, but its not too bad.
Having grown up surrounded by salt water, I'm still taken aback by salt marshes. On the way back from Montauk, west of Hither Hills you can find some of the last pristine marshes left on LI. West of Napeague Bay (signs point towards the Art Barge) you can ride past Napeague Harbor and Acabonack Harbor,I believe the only two bays/ponds that have not been touched by brown tide. Keep riding to Springs and back to Easthampton. Really just takes your breath away, an area without much traffic and great for bicycling. Sorry, but you'll have to map this yourself.

Have fun

Steve B.

The Village of East Hampton website has parking info.

Papa Tom

Yeah, but I don't want to depend on a website that probably hasn't been updated for a decade or so. I want the real facts from the real people!

Anyway, this ride is looking pretty impractical, at this point. I'd have to drive a good two hours before I even start my ride and then another two hours home after...and all for a ride that's going to take two hours, at most.

I like Champlaincycler's ideas, but I think this ride is going to have to wait a little longer. I guess I'm just doing one of the north or south shore beaches tomorrow. I wonder how dull that will be on a Monday?

Steve B.

East Hampton to downtown Montauk is about 30 miles RT. To Montauk Point and back is about 40.

The EH website parking info is, last time I was there, accurate. There is a comment on the page about 2015 beach parking, so obviously it's kept up to date.

Papa Tom

Maybe I will do this one in the Fall. It's too hot today and I am too tired. This week, we've got two big shows (including David Cassidy) and a couple of Movies By Moonlight to pull off. My body is aching from a day with the grandkids yesterday and I just don't have the vibe. I may do Teddy Roosevelt Beach later, but that's about all.

C Law

I agree with one of the posters above for the most part. from EH village - Dunemere lane which becomes Further lane, then south to connect to bluff road around amagansett. Instead of biting off the entire napeague stretch (which I find exceedingly booring) on MTK highway (freshly repaved as it is) I would cross north onto cranberry hole road to napeague meadow road (it might add a 1/2 mile to your mileage), riding through those marshes that were alluded to above. Connecting back to mtk highway, head east.

If you want wide shoulder and smooth pavement with highway speed traffic, with the big overlook, go new mtk highway. If you want smaller rollier hills, slower traffic, with a few ocean views on a tighter road, take old mtk highway. I actually switch it up when I ride out there so I like both, but I am usually doing an out and back.

Once you are in town, there is only one route to the point if thats where you are going.

You'll be happy you waited. After labor day would be the best time anyway.

dubes

I personally don't like riding on Old Montauk Highway. While the posted speed limit is lower than Montauk Highway, in practice cars zip around plenty quick, and the rolling hills and twists in the road make for limited sight distance. Since there's no shoulder, you're riding in the car lane.

Mind, trying not to get killed riding east when bearing left onto Montauk Highway instead of bearing right onto Old Montauk Highway is another matter (but I haven't been struck yet!).

Mike