Author Topic: Route information.  (Read 9023 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline postiebrian

Route information.
« on: November 03, 2010, 04:37:32 am »
I will in the US in 2011 to cycle the ADIRONDACKS with adventure cycling my starting point will be YORKTOWN HEIGHTS NY looking at my maps I was thinking cycling to Peekskill and then follow the Hudson on route 90 passing Poughkeepsie, Catskill, and then onto  Albany and to the starting point of the trip Saratoga Springs.Is this the  best way to go the distance looks to be 150/160m I'm going to need help with a route through ALBANY are there any camping grounds along the way I'm giving myself a week for the ride to Saratoga so plenty of time to enjoy the ride any help would be great.
                      Thanks Brian.

Offline windrath

Re: Route information.
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2010, 11:07:09 pm »
You will not be able to ride on 90 - it is a restricted toll road.  No bicycles allowed.  There are roads that follow next to it most of the time.

Good Luck

Offline danacf

Re: Route information.
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2010, 10:30:51 pm »
Did you mean Route 9?  In the Albany region, there is the main Route 9 and numerous route 9s followed by a letter (9G, 9J, 9W etc), so be careful.  Circa 1990, I did several Multiple Sclerosis 150 rides from East Greenbush (just east of Albany on the east side of the river) to Poughkeepsie (75 miles each way).  The ride to Poughkeepsie followed 9J, 9G and 9.  9J and 9G hug the river and there are many nice views. 9 near Poughkeepsie had heavy traffic any was not very enjoyable.  The return ride from Poughkeepsie followed many nice rural county roads for about 40 miles and then 9H and 9.  Route 9 on the East Greenbush end wasn't all that enjoyable either.  My recollection is the first half of both days was the best.  Below is the cue sheet from Poughkeepsie.

My recommendation would be to follow the cue sheet below and then cut over to 9J or 9G at some point.  There are also several worthwhile historical sites that side of the river, including Olana, Clermont and Martin Van Buren's estate.  The county roads in New York are generally very nice.  They have good surfaces, are well maintained and don't have much traffic.  You will have to pass through some congestion in Albany.  The Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway runs from Albany along the river toward Cohoes, but doesn't go all the way to Cohoes.  You'll have the cross the Mohawk River at Cohoes or cut over to Route 9 (Loudon Rd) and cross it there.  You'll then be in Saratoga County, which has an excellent network of county and town roads.  The I87 corridor is busy, but if you stay a mile east or west of it you'll be fine.  East Line Rd runs north/south on the west side and is a good route.   I don't know of any campgrounds along this route.                                                            
                                                                                                                                                    

 2.8 R  West Dorsey Rd.
 6.2 L  39
 8.1 R  41
13.4 L  115
13.9 L  18
22.0 R  19
22.5 L  15
25.3    right fork at junction with 52
26.8 R  199 at stop sign
27.0 L  51
30.0 L  sharp left turn
32.3 L  50
32.7    you are now on route 2 Columbia County
36.0 R  19
42.6 R  19 at stop sign
43.5    9 continue straight at stop sign
45.6    9H continue straight





                            
 

« Last Edit: November 04, 2010, 10:38:03 pm by danacf »

Offline JimF

Re: Route information.
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2010, 10:28:34 am »
Take a look at
 https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/operating/opdm/local-programs-bureau/repository/bicycle/state-bicycle-routes/index.html

Also, crazyguyonabike.com , search on your route

and ptny.org , an excellent source for info on Albany routing (Erie Canal Bike Trail)

Good luck

Offline postiebrian

Re: Route information.
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2010, 10:17:23 am »
HI All,
    Thanks for you info your road numbering looks intresting,when cycling in France I use Michelin local France maps the scale is 1in=2.37miles and here in the UK we can get the ordnance survey explorer maps  and they are 2 and a 1/2in=1mile can you get anything
like in the US?
   Thanks Brian.

Online John Nelson

Re: Route information.
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2010, 12:29:50 pm »
In the US, terms such as "route 90" can be ambiguous. It's better to say "Interstate 90" or "US 90" or "State Highway 90" (identifying which state) or "County Road 90" (identifying which state and county).

FredHiltz

  • Guest
Re: Route information.
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2010, 02:41:31 pm »
... here in the UK we can get the ordnance survey explorer maps  and they are 2 and a 1/2in=1mile can you get anything like in the US?

Hi Brian. The U.S. government does not have a uniform set of road maps (they do have topographic maps dating from the 1960s to 1980s). For cycling detail, I have used two commercial sources, which call their maps street atlases, published in 11" x 17" size, not great for bikes. http://www.delorme.com/ and http://www.jimapco.com/. Their atlases are widely available at filling stations and bookstores. Local and regional competitors abound as well.

Of course, no one comes close to the Adventure Cycling maps. When you are on an ACA route, they are worth the price every day.

Fred

Offline danacf

Re: Route information.
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2010, 06:22:51 pm »
Just to go against the grain, and it's just my opinion, but I think most of New York State Bicycle Route 9 is a total disaster.  Many sections have heavy, high speed (55 mph state speed limit) traffic.  For me, cycling has to be fun, and cycling on many sections of that route is no fun whatsoever.  It would be the last route I would ever choose going north or south.  You might have to be on it once in a while, but many sections have much more pleasant alternatives.  I would also like to add Hagstrom Map Company to Fred's list.

Offline livewombat

Re: Route information.
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2010, 10:46:17 am »
Google "Directions" includes bicycle route-finding in the United States.  From the Google map page (maps.google.com), select Directions, and choose the bicycle option.  I don't know if it will show up when you access google from outside the US, but I think it should.  The service is "beta."  We used it extensively during the summer of 2010 to find routes in Wisconsin.  There were some errors, but it found many good routes.  It includes many cycleways and rail-trails.  It was especially useful when we needed to change our route because of construction and detours.