Best Areas to road cycle in the NE?
04-28-16, 04:55 AM
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Best Areas to road cycle in the NE?
The wife and I are in Michigan and I'm out of ideas for our anniversary with conflicting schedules. We'll have a few days to travel someplace somewhat spur-of-the-moment.
We're both into road cycling and I'm looking for someplace new and exciting (vs Grand Rapids, MI) that we can drive to, camp or hotel for a few days, ride during the day, and park the bikes & enjoy night life later on.
Would be great if It could stay somewhat close IE Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, PA, Kentucky, West Virginia
Anyone have any great ideas?
We're both into road cycling and I'm looking for someplace new and exciting (vs Grand Rapids, MI) that we can drive to, camp or hotel for a few days, ride during the day, and park the bikes & enjoy night life later on.
Would be great if It could stay somewhat close IE Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, PA, Kentucky, West Virginia
Anyone have any great ideas?
04-28-16, 06:09 AM
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The Finger Lakes region of NY? Watkin's Glen is just over an 8 hr. drive.
04-28-16, 07:34 AM
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Best Areas to road cycle in the NE?
Hey Paisan,
I'm from Michigan too (East Side of Detroit), and here in Boston, NE means New England, (though I suppose "the NE" does mean Northeast) and I'd like to recommend Metro Boston as a destination. Our immediate family in Boston travels to Detroit 2-3 times a year. It's a 700 mile but good-traveling route across Canada, and I think it would be a pretty straight shot across Michigan to Port Huron to cross. We do it in one day, even when the two children were young.
My wife has often said it's a Michigan thing to do long drives, like 24 hours to Florida, or three days across the USA. Right now I'm in North Carolina for a family activity. and drove solo about 750 miles on Monday, to return on Friday. I brought my bike and have done two rides, around family activities. That ride, even without two border crossings was tougher, and the scenery from Michigan to Boston is much nicer.
Anyways, i have often replied to queries about cycling vacations in Metro Boston, and here's one of them.
I did one group ride with some Fifty-Plus members at Watkins Glen, and the cycling was nice. But for a complete getaway, with lots to do off the bikes, I would highly recommend Boston.
Hey Paisan,
I'm from Michigan too (East Side of Detroit), and here in Boston, NE means New England, (though I suppose "the NE" does mean Northeast) and I'd like to recommend Metro Boston as a destination. Our immediate family in Boston travels to Detroit 2-3 times a year. It's a 700 mile but good-traveling route across Canada, and I think it would be a pretty straight shot across Michigan to Port Huron to cross. We do it in one day, even when the two children were young.
My wife has often said it's a Michigan thing to do long drives, like 24 hours to Florida, or three days across the USA. Right now I'm in North Carolina for a family activity. and drove solo about 750 miles on Monday, to return on Friday. I brought my bike and have done two rides, around family activities. That ride, even without two border crossings was tougher, and the scenery from Michigan to Boston is much nicer.
Anyways, i have often replied to queries about cycling vacations in Metro Boston, and here's one of them.
Please help plan my vacation!
This year my significant other and I did the Great Allegheny Passage. We had such a good time that we want to do something similar this coming spring for one week in the Northeast.
Any suggestions?
Our criteria is this:
1) Good for May / June. Not too hot, not too chilly.
2) Within one day's drive of New York City. A day to get there, a day to get back.
3) Good for 3-4 days of cycling, or roughly 175-200 leisurely miles. Moderate elevation, lots of chances to rest and sit around and enjoy the scenery.
4) Minimal to no traffic. My girlfriend hates, hates riding in traffic for anything longer than a short stretch, especially highway shoulders. She won't go near those.
5) Paved or crushed stone. Rail trails are fine as long as they are doable on 28mm slicks.
6) Staying at inns or hotels.
This year my significant other and I did the Great Allegheny Passage. We had such a good time that we want to do something similar this coming spring for one week in the Northeast.
Any suggestions?
Our criteria is this:
1) Good for May / June. Not too hot, not too chilly.
2) Within one day's drive of New York City. A day to get there, a day to get back.
3) Good for 3-4 days of cycling, or roughly 175-200 leisurely miles. Moderate elevation, lots of chances to rest and sit around and enjoy the scenery.
4) Minimal to no traffic. My girlfriend hates, hates riding in traffic for anything longer than a short stretch, especially highway shoulders. She won't go near those.
5) Paved or crushed stone. Rail trails are fine as long as they are doable on 28mm slicks.
6) Staying at inns or hotels.
How about a “hub and spoke” ride in Metro Boston? I live in downtown, so I have explored the region in all directions. Boston is surrounded by a beltway of about 10 mile radius from downtown, Rte 128/I-95, and once outside that beltway, the road cycling is excellent.
Even better, a concentric beltway, I-495, is about 20-30 miles outside downtown, and there you are in exurbia and rural countryside. One could stay in Boston and explore various sectors by driving out to a distant starting point, or move to various points outside the City in those sectors.
Besides driving, one can take fully-assembled bikes on the Commuter Rail from the City Proper quite a way out of town, ride, and return by train. I have previously posted a Cycling Guide to Metro Boston, describing the varied, scenic and interesting regions to ride; the urban bikepaths; and using Commuter Rail to carry bikes.
I think Metro Boston meets all your criteria. Feel free to PM me if interested.
Even better, a concentric beltway, I-495, is about 20-30 miles outside downtown, and there you are in exurbia and rural countryside. One could stay in Boston and explore various sectors by driving out to a distant starting point, or move to various points outside the City in those sectors.
Besides driving, one can take fully-assembled bikes on the Commuter Rail from the City Proper quite a way out of town, ride, and return by train. I have previously posted a Cycling Guide to Metro Boston, describing the varied, scenic and interesting regions to ride; the urban bikepaths; and using Commuter Rail to carry bikes.
I think Metro Boston meets all your criteria. Feel free to PM me if interested.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 04-28-16 at 07:43 AM.
04-28-16, 12:12 PM
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Just remember, ride parallel to the lake it's flat to moderate, perpendicular to the lake you go real hills.
And lots of wineries.
04-28-16, 12:54 PM
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I was gonna say that! There are hotels, motels, and B&Bs to stay in, as well as camp grounds. There are wineries all over the place. The roads are generally good. And I thought the drivers were the nicest I've encountered. My wife and I spent a few days at a B&B on Keuka Lake, good riding, nice folks, nice restaurants, and wineries to visit. You'll learn how to carry a few bottles of wine on your bike real quick.
Just remember, ride parallel to the lake it's flat to moderate, perpendicular to the lake you go real hills.
And lots of wineries.
Just remember, ride parallel to the lake it's flat to moderate, perpendicular to the lake you go real hills.
And lots of wineries.
Planning | The Bon Ton Roulet
When I did Bon Ton a few years ago, we stayed at Keuka College two nights and at Hobart Smith College in Geneva two nights.
OP: Some tourist agency makes an excellent paper map of the Finger Lakes region. I will see if I can find mine at home.
04-29-16, 10:44 AM
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It's a very pretty area, great roads, with the hills all in the south of the region.
Wineries everywhere, or head up to Lake Ontario for some views.
It's also about 5-6 hrs. closer then Boston, even though I like Boston.
