kreynolds81

Hi,

This is my first post. Heading up to Ithaca to see Dark Star on Sunday, the 19th. Would really like to hit up the finger lakes on Monday for a ride, weather permitting, but I don't know the area. Any suggestions on a good starting point and ending point? Looking for some nice scenery. Please let me know.

Thanks,
Keith

cb400bill

Thread moved from Forum Assistance to Northeast USA regional forum

mr_bill

Cornell Cycling Club

How far do you want to go? How much climbing do you want to do? Anyhow, the scenery is pretty nice pretty much every which way.

ps. It's pretty much always overcast in Ithaca, so the one thing you probably won't get is sunny.

-mr. bill

kaos joe

Good for you!!! It's a beautiful place to ride, specially if you like RURAL, as I do.

I've done several tours in the area but never so late in the year. A valuable resource is the Finger Lakes Cycling Club (FLCC) website.....last time I looked they had multiple cue sheets available online.

All my rides began with me parking at Tomkins Co. Airport which is in Lansing, a few miles north of Ithaca proper on the east side of the lake. I've always proceeded north from there. Only once did I go down into the city itself and go up the west side. Much more traffic that way and HILLS.

Other places to consider starting from or even staying if you have the time are Watkins Glen and Hammondsport, a favorite of mine.

A good rule of thumb in the area is that riding north/south is not too hilly but going east/west, specially around the southern ends of the lakes, is relentlessly so.

Have a great ride!

kreynolds81

Hi thanks for the replies. Not looking to do a ton of climbing but I don't mind it. Looking to do around 30-40 miles. Would you recommend staying off the main roads along the lake due to traffic, routes 90 and 89? or are they not too bad?

indyfabz

High of 43 on Saturday with an 80% chance of rain up to 1/4". High of 39 on Sunday with a 40% chance of snow and NW winds 20-30 mph. Bundle up!

kaos joe

If I remember correctly, 89 on the west side of the lake was kinda busy. My strong preference is to get off highways like that and into the network of 2 lane and smaller roads. 90 is on the east side a fair distance north of Ithaca, and is pretty nice. To get to 90 from the airport I always went north on 122, west on 34B to Ludlowville, and north from there on the various little roads. Salmon Creek Rd sticks in my mind. The options are many and traffic will NOT be one of your concerns.

Again, I always bail to the smallest quietest most manure-strewn byways I can find.

eric044

I rode in Broome County last winter quite often. I didn't bike up to Ithaca though I did visit by car. 96B/96 south may be a good option. That could take you to 434 in Owego. 434 west would take you to a casino and east would take you towards Binghamton. Looks like close to 30 miles from Ithaca to Owego so you might not want to go that far. If you do make it to Owego there is a town there with a lot of shops.

zacster

My driving experience is that between the lakes you don't really have that much traffic. My brother-in-law and family live in Skaneatelas, which is at the north end, and I've always wanted to do the loop around the lake. Some hills, but not too bad. I think ducking around the south end was a climb, otherwise just rolling.

I guess this reply is too late anyway. And how was Dark Star? I saw them at Brooklyn Bowl a year or two ago, and thought they were better than the original, although I once saw the Dead play for 6 hours straight, with only breaks between songs.