East Coast Greenway or Atlantic Route

[Ben the Slow]

Hello,

this June (2016) I will ride from Washington DC to Rhode Island.  Request your insights on the relative merits of using the East Coast Greenway vs the ACA Atlantic route.  I am not a strong rider, so staying out of mountains is great, and of course ease of navigation (I use route sheets and maps rather than GPS) is also a consideration.  Thanks for your help

[indyfabz]

In DE and PA, there is very little that is green about the ECG. In fact, it uses many heavily travelled roads and city streets, some of which go through some not-so-nice places, like Chester, PA. (PA 291 though Chester in named "Industrial Highway."  That ought to tell you something.)  I live a few blocks away from it in Philly.  Many of the streets it uses to get north through town are very busy. Urban combat riding at its finest. And forget about camping opportunities.

I would at least take the ACA route to Lambertville, NJ. You could then take the D&R Feeder Canal Trail to the Trenton, NJ area to pick up the ECG. There will be some hills this way, but no mountains.

[canalligators]

Personally, I'd do my own route.  I would prefer to stay close to the coast. I'd shuttle across the Chesepeake Bay Bridge, ride to Lewes DE and ferry across Delaware Bay, ride up NJ to Sandy Hook, take the ferry to Manhattan, use the NYC bike routes out to Long Island, ferry from Orient Point to New London, then ride from there to RI.  On Long Island, plan on connecting a lot of local/county routes instead of using major roads.  NY DOT has a couple of bike routes you might use.

You can make a decent route using Google Maps, select Directions and Cycling or Walking options.  Go to street view to check a questionable road for shoulders.  Go to satellite view to find park roads and parking lots you can cut through on your bike.

[indyfabz]

ride to Lewes DE and ferry across Delaware Bay,

Did a four day from my house in Philly over Easter weekend. Day 1 to Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine, NJ. Day 2 to Cape May for the Ferry to Lewes and two nights at Cape Henlopen S.P. Day 4 I took the ferry back to Cape May and rode 56 miles in to a brutal, cold headwind to A.C. and caught the train home. The prevailing winds along the S. Jersey shore are usually favorable if you are heading north, but not that day.

Cape Henlopen S.P. is a lovely place, but nearly impossible to get into on the weekends without reservations way in advance. Easter weekend probably ended up 3/4 full, if not more. I looked last year during late summer/early fall and even then weekends were booked up months in advance.

[prillytee]

I am looking to do Georgia - Maine on an ebike as part of an advocacy journey about a chronic illness I suffer from, which makes it impossible for me to now cycle without an assist. Not to hijack this thread (I figure there is value in getting all the intel on these routes in one thread rather than starting a new one), I'd love to hear what people think about Atlantic vs East Coast Greenway if going all (or most) the way. Given my health condition, I'm hoping never to be too far from services, and would prefer to do this in the shortest time frame I can (ECG seems to be longer mileage-wise). I read on some other forums that there are sections of the greenway where you have to have a car to ferry across a bridge where bikes aren't allowed, and that there are a few stretches that are all gravel, but I don't know if the situation has changed.

If there is anyone who has done one or the other or a combo I would be really grateful for an opportunity to be in touch offline for more intel!! Thanks!

[indyfabz]

read on some other forums that there are sections of the greenway where you have to have a car to ferry across a bridge where bikes aren't allowed, and that there are a few stretches that are all gravel, but I don't know if the situation has changed.

I am pretty sure there is a relatively short, unpaved section on PA, but I don't fully understand the aversion to unpaved roads/trails. I have ridden 23c tires on several unpaved trails with no problems.

That aside, the other thing you would need to research for both the ECG and the Atlantic Coast route is whether ebikes are allowed on the trails they use.

[BrianW]

I believe true e-bikes, ones where you have to pedal rather than just power along without input, are considered bikes just about everywhere and are allowed on trails, at least on any trail the ECG would use.

[prillytee]

Thanks, fyi most ebikes you can pedal normally, pedal and use battery assist, OR simply go on battery (as I do given my condition). I understand that ebikes are banned from national parks but think they are generally allowed other trails.

[John Grossbohlin]

I am looking to do Georgia - Maine

I've ridden from FL to NY a couple times. In 2013 I used a combination of ECG and AC routes from FL to SC. However, due to very heavy traffic and problems with accommodations in mid-summer I went west toward Florence, SC and used the route I first used in 1986. On the '86 trip I pretty much used Routes 15 and 301 from GA to Emporia, VA and then went to Williamsburg, VA. You could pick up either ECG or AC near there. Routes 15 and 301 are pretty flat and being fairly close to I-95 services were not a problem. On both trips I went pretty far west from Williamsburg to go through PA Dutch country and then up Route 209. If you were careful to follow the rivers (e.g., Delaware) through NJ and PA it's not too hilly. If you did something like that you could pick up the ECG or AC near Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, NY.

[canalligators]

I believe true e-bikes, ones where you have to pedal rather than just power along without input, are considered bikes just about everywhere and are allowed on trails, at least on any trail the ECG would use.

In New York State, assist bikes may be legally purchased and owned, but may not be registered or used on public thoroughfares.  That includes parking lots, multi-use trails, etc.  I do see them used and haven't heard of a police crackdown (in my upstate area), but be aware of this issue.  I wouldn't be surprised if the police in areas with high population density were less tolerant.

[Papa Tom]

Ben:

Did you already take this ride?  if not, I can fill you in on the Long Island/Connecticut/Rhode Island connection, as I do this ride every summer.

[canalligators]

Papa Tom, do you have a good route from the Brooklyn Bridge towards Montauk?  I'd prefer to stay near the south shore.

[Papa Tom]

Not really.  There are people on the Northeast Bicycle Forum that can probably help you, though.  I am more of a "north shore" guy.

I do know that you can make your way through Brooklyn to the Belt Parkway ("Leif Ericson") Bike Path and then use the Flatbush Avenue Bridge to ride through the Rockaways, Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, etc to connect with Sunrise Highway.

[canalligators]

Sunrise Highway? Sounds suicidal. There are side streets to zigzag through, but I'm always looking for ideas. I have family to visit on south shoah.

[Papa Tom]

Some people feel that way about Sunrise Highway.  I don't mind it at all.  But the main piece of info in my reply is that you can use the Belt Parkway path from Owl's Neck (Head?) Park in Brooklyn all the way to Cross Bay Blvd and then plan the rest of your trip east from there.