Connecting to the Northern Tier from NYC (route suggestions)

[lembeh]

Anyone out here connected to the Northern Tier from NYC
OR
if you were riding West-2-East broke apart from the Northern Tier/Erie Connector route to bike to the NYC area?

I am planning to do a NYC - Seattle trip this summer. My plan to is to ride the Northern Tier for almost all the way to Seattle. Since I will be leaving from NYC, my idea is to link up to the Northern tier around either Buffalo, NY or Erie, PA.

I am looking for route suggestions from NYC to Buffalo or Erie PA if you know anything about them.

Much thanks.

[indyfabz]

I would check with the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey,  They might be able to help you get out of NYC.  PA Bicycle Route Y starts/ends in Milford, PA, which is not too far from Port Jervis, NY.  That will take you very close to Erie.  You could branch off around Corry and get into town using your own route.  A less direct route is to stay on PA Route Y until it intersects with PA Route A.  Route A goes into Erie.

Here is the link to the PA bike route site:

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/BIKE/WEB/tour_routes.htm

This site is useful in finding commercial camping along the way:

http://pacamping.com/

I was thinking about dong Route Y this summer and found camping along the route in most places, but in a few places things were spread out.  The area is dotted with cheap motels that can help you avoid long days between campgrounds.

[rvklassen]

Unless I could get better information from local bike clubs, I would attempt to follow the Hudson to Albany, hoping that Google Maps/Bicycling would do a reasonable job.  From Albany, I'd follow the Erie Canal, either on the towpath, or an the nearest roads, depending on the towpath surface (it varies, and as scenic as the stone dust sections may be, they are a) slower, and b) get lots of dust on the bike, including in the drive train).   There are paved sections, which I'd take rather than the road.

At Palmyra the NT joins the canal.

This would get you past the eastern mountainous region without unduly beating yourself up early on in the trip.   They say the roads in the east are steeper than those in the rockies.  I don't know whether that applies equally to NY.

[bigK12603]

well.. with a $5.00 MTA bicycle permit you could "cheat" a bit and take the train up here to Poughkeepsie on the Hudson line - great train ride - this will get you out of NYC and save some miles - then you could "cheat" even more and take the UCAT LINK bus from the Poughkeepsie RR station to Rosendale in Ulster county - there is a campground near the village and there are some other overnight acomadations nearby - then ride into the Catskills from there - note: I understand a part of SR 213 was washed out near Rosendale so will have to go up the 14% Binewater hill - for more route info etc. contact me via my Hudson Valley cycling site at http://bicycle.bigk12603.com

[bigK12603]

PS: you DO know that NYS bike route 9 goes from the GW bridge in NYC across the bridge then up 9W (in NJ at first) etc. to here in Pok. and beyond? I had just checked to see where bike route 5 goes - this route should connect with the Northern Tier route - BR5 goes all the way to Niagra Falls - does not go to Buffalo but near - also there is a NYC spur of the Atlantic Coast Route from NYC to western NJ / Delaware river

BR9 connects with BR5 in Columbia county I think? or a bit north on the east side of the Hudson

here is the NYS DOT cycling main page link:
https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/operating/opdm/local-programs-bureau/biking

here is another option via the Hudson Valley/Catskills:
follow BR9 to here in Poughkeepsie
then follow the NEW ACR route across the Hudson via the Walkway Over The Hudson then old/new ACR into village of Highland
CROSS rt. 9w FOOD Subway Dunkin Donuts
onto Tilson Ave. HIGHLAND
L onto CR 12 - basicaly follow all the way to New Paltz

NEW PALTZ FOOD numerous * Gilded Otter brewery/restaurant * at Walkill Rail Trail several bike shops
should be about 11 mi (from Pok.) to here
THEN would LEAVE the ACR route and would go NORTH to the village of ROSENDALE
} A - follow the unpaved rail trail north to Rosendale or...

} B follow the county road along the Walkill River
CONTINUE on Main St. SR 299 WEST (toward the "Gunks" -Shawangunk Ridge 2000' above sea level)
CROSS the river 200' above sea level
CAUTION! narrow bridge
R (Ulster County) rt. 7 Springtown Rd. follow all the way about 7 mi to Rosendale
CAUTION! extremely steep down grade in this direction just after crossing the RT northern terminus
CROSS Espous Creek to Main St. SR 213

ROSENDALE
FOOD several caffes/restaurants and a bike shop -
Stewart's (conv. store) in OPPOSITE direction to route at EAST/SOUTH end of Main St.

L Main St. SR 213 NORTH/WEST to High Falls note:section may be closed follow detour up Binnewater Rd. 14% grade
HIGH FALLS FOOD
* D&H Canal museum and remnents of canal *
expect to spend some time exploring all the sights
CONTINUE on SR 213 to US rt. 209 south of the village of Stone Ridge - the 2 hwys. merge
follow US 209/SR 213 NORTH toward Marbletown
L TO CONINUE ON SR 213/CR 4 in STONE RIDGE (not sure of services along SR 213 north of High Falls)
follow ALL THE WAY TO OLIVEBRIDGE AND SR 28 A (note A) and the south shore of the *Ashokan Reservoir* - this reservoir is
part of the NYC (yes NYC)reservoir system 15 miles to here aprox
R SR 28A EAST/SOUTH follow ALL THE WAY TO SR 28 (no A) Stony Hollow - just south of WEST HURLEY
should be several good views of reservoir and mountains - these are the western high mountains of the Catskills - some of the
 higher peaks are like that of Virginia - 3,500 ft. or higher
L SR 28 WEST
TO SHANDAKEN
there is a state CG north of the hwy. just after WEST HURLEY (from Kingston) on Ulster cnty. rt. 40 - the Keneth Wilson
state CG - turn R just after West Hurley on CR# 41 for a bit then left onto CR 40 Witenburg Rd.
 then r onto SR 42 through a gorge all the way up to SR 23A - west/north on 23A to PRATTSVILLE
there might be a comercial CG near here - as this area is still mostly in the Catskill Park - there is very little commercial
 development
- just outside of this village R onto Greene
County rt. 7 to begin a ride along the east side of the Scoharie Reservoir becomes a differant county rt. number as route
goes into Scoharie County - continue along reservoir to left near Conesville then a left at Gilboa to SR 30
R SR 30 NORTH to Mav V Shaul SP camping (due to state budget crisis this park may be closed)
BREAKABEEN just before state park
FOOD grocery store ?? (may or may NOT still be there) this would be last chance before camp ground

then continue north on SR 30 and may be able to connect with BR5 west to Northern Tier route

[lembeh]

Thanks a lot Mr Big! That looks very helpful. I decided to bypass riding thru NY state to connect to the Northern Tier. Im going to ride thru PA using their Bicycle route Y that basically cuts thru North PA and then connect to the Northern Tier near Erie PA.

ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/bikes/state_mapY.pdf

[rvklassen]

Thanks a lot Mr Big! That looks very helpful. I decided to bypass riding thru NY state to connect to the Northern Tier. Im going to ride thru PA using their Bicycle route Y that basically cuts thru North PA and then connect to the Northern Tier near Erie PA.

ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/bikes/state_mapY.pdf

I hope their bike route Y is better than J.  We were driving down a road labelled Bike Route J the other week, and came to a stretch of high speed divided highway, with minimal shoulder, concrete barriers beyond the shoulder, and plenty of trash on what shoulder there was.

And I hope you like hills, since that stretch of Northern PA is mountainous.  Once you get past Albany, following the Erie canal would be substantially less work.

[bigK12603]

yes I am quite familiar with the PA bike routes (check the and beyond section of my site) - have not ridden route Y yet at least as far as you are going - I think I tech rode a section of it when I was in Port Jervis NY a few years ago - but how are you planning to get to BR Y? this route is near the tri-state border of PA - NY - NJ - would you be ridding the ACR up the Delaware - also I have the PDF files for most of the PA routes - BR Y is basicaly US rt 6 - but follows like town roads (in PA the local roads are like high number PA state roads - the big / main state HWYS have the keystone signs) from the Roebling bridge in Lackawaxen PA - on the other side of the Delaware is NY BR 17 and SR 97 - a designated scenic hwy. (it is!) - I saw somebody make a coment about bike route J - there may have been a detour - I have family that lives in central PA I was unfortunately down there for my sister's and also my mother's funerals (2 dif years) - I saw the BR J sign in Shamokin Dam - this is a very busy section BUT.. I also saw the route to the north in Milton? (I think that is the name of the town) and it was very nice - 2 lane country hwy. Amish or Menonite (lots in this area)

[rvklassen]

- I saw somebody make a coment about bike route J - there may have been a detour - I have family that lives in central PA I was unfortunately down there for my sister's and also my mother's funerals (2 dif years) - I saw the BR J sign in Shamokin Dam - this is a very busy section BUT.. I also saw the route to the north in Milton? (I think that is the name of the town) and it was very nice - 2 lane country hwy. Amish or Mennonite (lots in this area)

The bad part is just north of Harrisburg.  Up in the central portion of the state it has some very nice stretches.  I happened to meet the fellow who designed it the other day, and as it turns out there really wasn't any better way to get to Harrisburg, which apparently has a very nice waterfront.  So yes, narrow, four lane, minimal shoulder, with debris, and a concrete barrier separating the shoulder from a drop-off.