NYC to Schenectaddy

[Derek]

Hello there, anyone ridden this? I am signed up for the ACA Adirondack loop this summer and thought I might ride up instead of catching the train.

[canalligators]

I've ridden it, years ago but I don't think anything has changed much.  We rode south, but the reverse is: cross GW to Jersey, ride north on 9w to NY line, pick up NY Bike Route 9 north to Albany then pick up the Mohawk-Hudson trail to Schenectady.

NY Bike 9 is a decent ride, mostly.  There is a section on 9w between Nyack and Thompkins Cove that was busy and had a very narrow bike lane.  I'd avoid riding it during rush hours.  Signage was poor in Poughkeepsie too, watch the map carefully.

[David W Pratt]

Doing the Erie Canal Towpath last Summer, I found the section around Schenectady pretty devoid of on route services.  Bicycle route 5 roughly parallels the towpath and might be a helpful resource, if you can get a map from NYS.
Good luck

[Derek]

Thanks for the replies. Good to know. I will let you know how I get on

[Derek]

I looked into the route and it seems easy enough. Thanks again

[canalligators]

Doing the Erie Canal Towpath last Summer, I found the section around Schenectady pretty devoid of on route services.  Bicycle route 5 roughly parallels the towpath and might be a helpful resource, if you can get a map from NYS.
Good luck

The printed maps are depleted from DOT.  The online map is mostly up to date. 

While most of Bike 5 is a pretty good ride, I specifically do not recommend it between Schenectady and Albany.  It uses busy suburban highways with narrow or no shoulders.  Alternative on-road routings are very indirect and not much better.  Better to take the Mohawk Hudson Trail and detour off for services.

[David W Pratt]

Yes, I noticed my copy has a picture of Pataki on it.

[sdotkling]

Why doesn’t anybody think of the east side of the Hudson? From Manhattan: The NYC Greenway bike path up to the GW Bridge, then over the Henry Hudson Bridge ( if it’s open to cyclists by then; otherwise, cross Spuyten Duyvil on the Broadway Bridge) to Van Cortland Park and the South County Trailway up through Westchester. There’s a 2- or 3-mile gap between the end of this paved bikepath and the North County Trailway, but if you can stand a few minutes of gritty suburban riding, you’ll be rewarded with a 30-mile car-less route up to Brewster NY. From there, it’s up NY 22 to Pawling, west on NY 55 until you hit NY 82. Go north on 82 for like ~40 miles, nice road, curvy and mostly green, until 82 morphs into NY 23 and crosses the Hudson at Catskill. Take a right after the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, taking 385 up through Athens and Coxsackie and then picking your way along River Road into Albany. Continue north and you’ll hit the Mohawk River and Erie Canal Towpath, then west to Schenectady. Have a good ride, and enjoy the beer in Saranac Lake!

[canalligators]

Good point, but critical parts didn't exist in 2005 when I went that-a-way.  I guess I didn't realize how long it's been.

[Gypsea]

I second "canalligators" recommendation to use the Mohawk Trail.  I rode it going east and it's very pleasant.  Well signed and pretty easy to follow.  If you're looking for camping in Schenectady, there isn't.  There's a huge soccer complex about 4 miles out of town, but being solo, it seemed to isolated for me.  There's a library in the city park, but the park is heavily patrolled and the cops will not let you camp there.