Bicycle Across New Jersey ?

[ezdoesit]

Hello everyone,
My first post here I think,well anyway I would like to know if anyone here has done the bicycle across New Jersey from Hight Point to Cap May 234 miles?
I would appreciate and information I can get my hands on,campsites,hotels.motels,food stops,road conditions etc:
I am thinking of attempting this trip in a few weeks.
Also if anyone would like to go with me let me know I am planning about 5 or 6 days this is my first long tour and I still need to get a front rack and Panniers.
Thank you for your time. 

[JHamelman]

Hi,

I'm guessing you already have the map found on this page from the New Jersey DOT:

http://www.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/bike/tours.shtm

If not, you should download it. It seems to contain a lot of service information. However, it is generic in that it only tells you of the presence of a hotel or campground, not the name or contact information. You can probably derive that from an online mapping service such as Mapquest or Google Maps/Earth.

Good luck and have a great trip.

.Jennifer.

[ezdoesit]

Thanks Jennifer,
  Yes I do have the maps and was trying to find information from anyone who had done the trip.

[pbrennan]

I did this trip last October, it is a real nice ride. Like the map says it hilly up north but south of Bound Brook it is smooth. The motel situation is not bad, along 206 you can find some up north, down south as you get closer to Cape May and at one point as you get close to the NJTurnpike(in Hieghtstown?). There are camp grounds in the Pine Barreens. Food is always available, you are going through towns all day long, there is no need to carry any. Road conditions are passable up north not a lot of shoulder but no traffic ( the exception is 206) down south it is superior great wide shoulders and little traffic. Six days is plenty for this, take your time and enjoy the Garden State. Try to do it without the front bags, tent sleeping bag and some spare parts should fit in back bags. I am currently on the TransAmerica with just bags in the back.
Good luck.

[ezdoesit]

Hey pbrennan,
     Thanks a whole bunch for that information.I hope your trip is going really well and you are having a great time and great weather.
If at all possible can you remember where you stayed at and how many days for the trip?
Thank you very much.
ezdoesit.

[pbrennan]

I stayed at the High Point Inn the night before it is on 23 a few miles from the park.
The first day was short i stayed at a motel on 206 between newton and Andover.
The second night I stayed at a friends house in Martinsville (sorry) but there are some hotels in Basking Ridge that you pass close to ($$$$).
The third night was in Hightstown a motel by the NJT
The forth night was a campground near chatsworth (Wading Pines I think)
the fifth night was in Cape May Courthouse a motel right off of the GSP
and into Cape May the next day - a lot to choose from there.
I think that is the route, let me know if the distance work out right it might be missing a day.

I travel with a gps now - the garmin edge 605 is a bicycle specific model- it has motels loaded into it. any of the car based gps that can run on a charge would work as well, it takes a lot of the guess work out of the planning and is great for dealing with the unknown (weather, breakdowns...) just turn it on and find the closest motel.

I am sitting in a tent in Hindman KY listening to it rain all day, so much for the good weather.

have fun, let me know how it goes pbren64569@aol.com

[sjwillis]

@ezdoesit:

Did you ever end up doing this route? I'm thinking about doing it in the fall sometime (I live in central NJ) and it would be my first multi-day unsupported ride.

[ezdoesit]

Did you ever end up doing this route? I'm thinking about doing it in the fall sometime (I live in central NJ) and it would be my first multi-day unsupported ride.

sjwillis
  I have not done this tour yet and was thinking of going in say maybe September,are you interested in doing the tour with me? I have one other person who said they would be interested I am hoping for company for the journey.

[bigK12603]

it would seem from the posts what everyone means when they say travel "across" NJ is the LONG way north-south around 200 miles - but there is the actual ACROS S NJ east-west - I had lived in Mounmouth county at the east side of NJ's "waist" (that pinched part in the midle) I wanted to ride to the Trenton area - Trenton State College (I think is a University now) for one of those long ago GEAR rallys - GEAR '86 - at this section of NJ it is only like 40 mi. from where I had lived at the time to TSC

and....

in regards to the LONG way - I see a lot of references to various diferant organizations/resources etc. BUT none are for THE source for this trip - the Central Jersey Bicycle Club www.cjbc.org- they were doing this WAY back when in like 1970 when they were known as the Metuchen Bicycle Touring Society - I had done sections of this trip with the club way back in the early 80's or maybe the very late 70's

[ezdoesit]

Resurrecting this post as I am hopefully and finally going to do this ride so it's and old post and yes I still haven't done the ride but I am looking for any information I can get my hands on.
I thank you for your time.

[PJinNJ]

Well, guess you've had reason for not doing it. I just found the post and am interested in this ride. I live in central NJ. I'd be willing to join ya if you still want company.

[Spokey]

regarding the earlier comments on US 206.  I can verify that in central NJ it is pretty good.  I regularly ride roughly Somerville to Princeton.  There is the occasional spot where there is no shoulder but it is not bad. 

I used to go further north to Chester and thought it was good there too but since my brother moved to PA a decade ago, I haven't really bike it so I don't know conditions.  Same thing for the sourthern leg.  My memory is that the road is decent.  I will find out the 15 or so miles north of Hammonton in a couple weeks on my way to FL but might not be able to update here.

Unless you really want 206, I'd switch over to County (?) 601 from S Hillsborough to Princeton.  You'll end up at a light at 206 after it turns in Princeton.  601 shoulders are not as good but unless you're doing this in rush hour, it has much less traffic.  The continual noise on 206 has started to bother me.  And rush hour seems to start around 3:30.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/702203

Note that a couple miles further, where 206 and 130 meet, it will be a little tricky and busy but once they split again a little later, 206 quickly becomes better. 



I have camped in Atsion. My recollection is that it is 10-15.  Has water and showers.