Poughkeepsie to NYC

[Bill56]

This would be the last leg of a New England tour for me and thinking of just taking 9W all the way to the GW. Door to door I'm looking at 85 miles +-.

Is that a mistake? Should I consider riding of the east side of the Hudson or something else instead??

Thanks.

[canalligators]

I've heard that the more northern part of 9W isn't so great.  From Poughkeepsie, I have ridden the NY Bike 9 route and it's a decent ride.  That is, 9 and 9D to Bear Mt. Bridge, cross to the west side and take 9W to Ft. Lee.  Cross the George Washington Bridge to Manhattan.

[Bill56]

I've heard that the more northern part of 9W isn't so great.  From Poughkeepsie, I have ridden the NY Bike 9 route and it's a decent ride.  That is, 9 and 9D to Bear Mt. Bridge, cross to the west side and take 9W to Ft. Lee.  Cross the George Washington Bridge to Manhattan.

Yeah, I think you're right. Bike Route 9 looks like the way to go. I'll cross the Hudson 3 times: Once on the Poughkeepsie walkway just for fun and then at Bear Mountain, and again at the GW. Should be a blast.

I just hope I don't miss the signage!

[bigK12603]

the Atlantic Coast Route enters NY and the Hudson Valley at Millerton - the NEW 2017 revised version of the ACR then uses the entire (currently) Harlem Valley RT then NY SR 22 to NY SR 343 to Mabetsville then a county road past the wineries to the village/town of Hyde Park THEN.. uses NY SR 9G - I should explain/point out that there are several 'route 9s' in this region of NY and so might be a bit confusing - all of the 'route 9s' are north-south highways - the 2 main corridor route 9s (heavy traffic volumes) are US route 9 on this side of the Hudson river(east) and US route 9W on the west side (thus the W)

I would recommend following the (2017 ver) ACR to Poughkeepsie (city) - in Poughkeepsie SR 9G takes you to the east entrance of the Walkway OTH on Parker Ave. - instead of going across the WOTH and then US rt 9w south (could ride to the (new) west end Ulster Welcome center then back to the east entrance - Dutchess county) should follow NY SBR9 - continue on Parker Ave. to Washington then left and right to Verrazano Blvd. - there is a SBR 9 sign - follow through the (city) of Poughkeepsie on Hooker Ave. - Hooker Ave. becomes NY SR 376 in the town of Poughkeepsie (there are 2 Poughkeepsies) to Red Oaks Mill there is lodging here > the Best Western the Inn at The Falls - follow NY SBR 9 into the village of Wappingers Falls THEN CONTINUE on SR 9D - to I 84 and Beacon here you will  pick up SBR 17 but will continue on SR 9D - there is a much lower traffic volume but inadequate shoulder - at Cold Spring will pick up SBR9 - then across the Bear Mtn. bridge etc. continuing to NYC

as an option - could 'cheat' and at the Poughkeepsie train station purchase a $5.00 (permanent) bike permit for the MTA Metro North RR and take the train to NYC

Kevin Newman
ACA mid-Hudson Valley NY advisor

[Bill56]

as an option - could 'cheat' and at the Poughkeepsie train station purchase a $5.00 (permanent) bike permit for the MTA Metro North RR and take the train to NYC

HA, you never know!

But I'm liking the SBR 9 approach that you and canalligators suggest (Hooker/376/9D/Bear Mtn+) and will probably do that.

Another option (cheating?) is to avoid the roads and take the Putnam/North County/South County trailways. A buddy told me today its rough in sections but a viable alternative on a touring bike and 20 miles shorter than the roads. In other words, ride to Brewster instead of Poughkeepsie.

Decisions, decisions...

[bigK12603]

RE:

Another option (cheating?) is to avoid the roads and take the Putnam/North County/South County trailways

interesting option - however you are a few years too soon - as part of the Empire State Trail - from Hopewell Jct. (south end of the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess RT) an un-paved rail-with-trail (along the MTA Metro North RR Maybrook/Beacon line) is to be built to connect to the above and ultimately connections to other trails to NYC - and so one could from the WOTH (Hudson Valley Trail Network) ride south-east on the WRS DRT to the Maybrook rail-with-trail and the Putnam Trailway etc. etc. etc. to NYC - but... not yet as of 2018

Maybrook Trailway main page:

http://maybrooktrailway.org/

[dkoloko]

I don't recommend routes 9 on either side of the Hudson R. Traffic is lighter on the west side of Hudson. For a route 9 on the east side, I recommend 9G. This was discussed in an earlier thread.

[Bill56]

RE:

Another option (cheating?) is to avoid the roads and take the Putnam/North County/South County trailways

interesting option - however you are a few years too soon - as part of the Empire State Trail - from Hopewell Jct. (south end of the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess RT) an un-paved rail-with-trail (along the MTA Metro North RR Maybrook/Beacon line) is to be built to connect to the above and ultimately connections to other trails to NYC - and so one could from the WOTH (Hudson Valley Trail Network) ride south-east on the WRS DRT to the Maybrook rail-with-trail and the Putnam Trailway etc. etc. etc. to NYC - but... not yet as of 2018

Actually, I did ride directly from Brewster to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on the trails I stated above, so I'm not ahead of my time.  Did it on Tuesday. All paved, but for the last mile, which was on packed dirt.

This was the last leg of a 440-mile, 8-day tour and being able to do this without traffic was a pleasure.

The 3 connected trails seem as one to the rider...no thinking required.

Like this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/41.401296,-73.6245919/Van+Cortlandt+Park,+Broadway+and+Vancortlandt+Park+S,+Bronx,+NY+10471/@41.1603002,-73.8145534,10.72z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c2f3018fe15ec7:0xb2cc825094561101!2m2!1d-73.8876875!2d40.896327!3e1

[bigK12603]

great! I knew  Brewster (Putnam Trailway) and in Westchester county to NYC there are developed (paved) trails - however there is that section from Hopewel Jct. Dutchess county to Brewster (Putnam) area (Maybrook Trailway) that has yet to be built

[Bill56]

great! I knew  Brewster (Putnam Trailway) and in Westchester county to NYC there are developed (paved) trails - however there is that section from Hopewel Jct. Dutchess county to Brewster (Putnam) area (Maybrook Trailway) that has yet to be built

I get older (@ 62 now) and they build more trails. The stars are aligning...

[litespeed]

I lived in Hoboken for a few months back in the 1980's. My favorite get-out-of-town ride was up 9W. I doubt it has changed much.

[Bill56]

OK, so the tour is  done...

8 riding days, 443 miles and 19,450 feet of damn hills. I probably needed a day off toward the end but plans are plans so I rode tired. I did make a last minute adjustment and instead of heading to Poughkeepsie I stayed outside of Brewster and took the almost 50 miles of rail trails right into Van Cortlandt Park. 

That was a great move and I enjoyed my last day very much.

Time for tour #2!

[BikeliciousBabe]

I lived in Hoboken for a few months back in the 1980's. My favorite get-out-of-town ride was up 9W. I doubt it has changed much.

Pay a visit and see what it's like today.

[canalligators]

Bill, thanks for the feedback.  Glad your trip went well.  I've considered the trails on the east side of the Hudson, I might ride them when they finish the Empire State Trail network.

[Bill56]

Bill, thanks for the feedback.  Glad your trip went well.  I've considered the trails on the east side of the Hudson, I might ride them when they finish the Empire State Trail network.

Enjoy! Let me emphasize again the laid back nature of this long trail. It is beautiful, you can easily strike a conversation with others along the way, there are enough exits to find a cup of coffee or lunch, and it is truly a "nature trail" bereft of cars, stoplights, malls and the rest of it. There are a couple sections, a few miles tops,  where some roots have won the battle and the last mile or 2 into Van Cortlandt is dirt, so guys looking to improve their time on their Sunday morning centuries might look elsewhere. I loved it.

And, back at ya, I'm contemplating NYSBR 9 from the Canadian border to Manhattan as another tour. We shall see...