New York - Virgina Beach

[indyfabz]

As far as I know, there is no new bridge that is going to be built to replace the old U.S. 9 bridge, and bikes are not allowed over the GSP bridge. The new causeway from Somers Point into the center of Ocean City (NJ 52) was completed a year or two ago. Bike lanes were added so it's no longer off limits to bikes. One can simply ride that into Ocean City, head south across acroass Corson's Inlest through Strathmere and into Sea Isle City and then head back west to U.S. 9.

[litespeed]

Well, thank you for the advice and new route. I will try it on my next ride up that way. Riding along the beach/waterfront is always a joy. Despite the dense population New Jersey, my home state, is a fine bicycling state.

[Maxto99]

Hi all,

Many thanks for all your suggestions (and apologies for my delay in response!) I spent ages trying to remember the forum I'd joined for advice!

Based largely on your advice - I've elected to simply travel from NYC to DC via coach and rather go for a stretch of DC down to Virginia Beach (via Richmond).

As DC - Richmond involves Cycle Route 1, it seems relatively straightforward. My one big question though, is that I did a standard google maps cycling directions from one to the other and the only real difference is that google suggested this:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Fredericksburg,+VA,+USA/Richmond,+VA,+USA/@38.2102034,-77.3955962,12z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89b6c1ebbaeae025:0x7fa6450a21a691a1!2m2!1d-77.4605399!2d38.3031837!1m5!1m1!1s0x89b111095799c9ed:0xbfd83e6de2423cc5!2m2!1d-77.4360481!2d37.5407246!3e1

As you can see it suggests going down the 301 - which is fine (in fact it's ideal, it is a very long straight piece of road!!) But I'm having a hard time working out if bikes are allowed?

It knocks a decent wedge of miles off the ride - so was curious as to whether I could or not.

As ever, if you have any suggestions/advice/experience between the two, I am all ears - particularly Richmond to Virginia Beach.

Many thanks again - you're all seriously kind and helpful people!

[indyfabz]

Despite the dense population New Jersey, my home state, is a fine bicycling state.

I love riding in many parts of NJ, especially Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex Counties. And every year I usually do a couple of overnighters from Philly to Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine, taking the PATCO train to Lindenwold to avoid the Camden and Cherry Hill areas.

[freddy4130]

There are two other routes that you might consider.

• Take the ferry to Sandy Hook NJ then go west to connect with AC Atlantic Coast.  You could connect anywhere south of Lambertville.  You could also connect with the Delaware and Raritan Canal trail somewhere near Princeton and take it to AC in Trenton.
• The second idea is to ride down the actual coast.  Take the ferry to Sandy Hook, ride near the coast of New Jersey, take the ferry across Delaware Bay from Cape May.  Then ride across Delaware and take the Tangier Island ferry to Reedville VA, and find a backroad route to AC near Richmond.

These would take some research, but could be fine routes - especially the second one, which is on my radar.

I'm leaving next week Dora trip down the coast to Miami from NYC. Your advice above was my first thought it the ferry to sandy hookdoesn't run during the winter months. Bummer. I need to figure out the best way to the jersey coast from the city.

[litespeed]

You could take the train from Grand Central Station in Manhattan to Long Branch. I did the reverse once. With a bicycle I think you have to do it non-rush hour.

[freddy4130]

For sure. I'm planning on the train to bay head since why not? I'll already be cheating anyway, lol. Ride to cape may, crash there, ferry over to lewes the next morning.

[indyfabz]

For sure. I'm planning on the train to bay head since why not? I'll already be cheating anyway, lol. Ride to cape may, crash there, ferry over to lewes the next morning.

Enjoy the snow. One local news channel just ran a story about the snow cover in Cape May. Maybe this weekend's forecast temps (close to 50) and rain will wash some of it away.

[BrianW]

Saw today that the Cape May-Lewes Ferry is iced-in and not running due to the ice in the bay.