Cars? What Cars? - Recap
Saturday, August 7, 2021 - Recap
A rail trail with many names
39, 69 or 88 miles (all require train)
Saturday, August 7, 2021
[This ride is cross-listed with GravelNY which has both straight and gay members.]
If you're looking for a chill, car-free ride in the shade, join me Saturday for a ride starting in Poughkeepsie which takes paved rail trails for miles and miles and miles.
There are three distance options for this ride…
- 39 miles (1,200 feet of climbing) ending in Brewster
- 69 miles (2,200 feet of climbing) ending in Croton-On-Hudson
- 88 miles (2,900 feet of climbing) ending in The Bronx
[I'm doing the 69 mile route.]
The ride starts at the Poughkeepsie MetroNorth/Amtrak station just after the MNR train gets into the station at 8:45. I'll be getting on the train at 125th Street at 6:56 am. (It leaves Grand Central about 10 minutes earlier if you want to get on there.) The early start time is necessary given the distance and hence the time the ride will take to complete.
We'll start by riding a few blocks and then take the elevator to the top of "The Walkway Over The Hudson". We'll go out to the middle of the bridge to admire the view then turn around and head back towards the City on the rail trail.
The rail trail has many names. It's part of the Empire State Trail but between Poughkeepsie and Hopewell Junction it's called the Dutchess Rail Trail. The section between Hopewell Junction and Brewster is brand new and called the Maybrook Trailway. From Brewster to the Westchester County Line it's called the Putnam Trailway. Then at the Westchester County line it changes to the North County Trail. Then in Tarrytown, starting where the Tarrytown Connector shoots off from the trail, it's called the South County Trail. And finally in the Bronx it's called the Old Putnam Trail.
Being a rail trail the hills are generally really gentle. There's a 10 mile long hill on the Maybrook Trail that's so gentle (0.8% grade) that you may not even realize you're going uphill.
If you take MetroNorth back from Brewster it's 39 miles and about 1,200 feet of climbing.
[39 mile riders should use the 69 mile route shown below.]
The 69 mile Croton option splits off from the North County Trail just before it crosses the Croton Reservoir. You'll then ride on a semi-busy road for less than a mile, then cross the reservoir on the beautiful Gatehouse Bridge and ride a lovely road along the southern edge of the reservoir. Part of the road is gravel, but it's smooth - you just have to watch out for potholes. We'll then go out onto the Croton Dam. At that point you have two options to get the the MetroNorth station. I'll be going via the Old Croton Aqueduct. It's 4.8 miles, 2.8 of which are gravel. It's almost completely downhill (about 100 feet of climbing), sometimes "single track", but doable on a skinny tires if you slow down and take it easy. For the gravel-adverse, there's a 3.7 mile paved route with about 200 feet of climbing.
- 69 mile route - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36951140?privacy_code=lRoUXlzbhKOPqjPN
- Paved Croton ending - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37007012?privacy_code=dDMkHOncsn6NzgwC
If you're up for an even longer ride, it's 88 miles to get to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx where you can catch the 1 train or continue riding home.
[The 88 mile route is a draft and probably won't be fully completed before the ride. I recommend using the 69 mile route until Yorktown and then switching to the 88 mile route. Getting back to the City on the South County is pretty simple. The food stop is Elmsford.]
Ride Details
| Distance | 39, 69 or 88 miles (all require train) |
| Start Location | Sent to registered members |
| Date | Saturday, August 7, 2021 |
| Meet Time | Sent to registered members |
| Start Time | Sent to registered members |
| Level | B - Steady Eddy |
| Speed | ±15 mph |
| Ride Organizer | Jay H. |
RIDES AND EVENTS CALENDAR
SAT
02
JAN
SUN
10
JAN
WED
20
JAN
THU
04
FEB
WED
03
MAR
SAT
20
MAR
SUN
21
MAR
SAT
27
MAR
SUN
04
APR
WED
14
APR
SAT
17
APR
TUE
20
APR
SAT
24
APR
SAT
01
MAY
THU
06
MAY
THU
06
MAY
FRI
07
MAY
FRI
07
MAY
SAT
15
MAY
SAT
22
MAY
SAT
29
MAY
THU
03
JUN
FRI
04
JUN
SAT
05
JUN
SAT
05
JUN
SAT
12
JUN
SUN
13
JUN
SAT
19
JUN
SUN
20
JUN
SAT
26
JUN
SAT
26
JUN
THU
01
JUL
SAT
03
JUL
TUE
06
JUL
THU
08
JUL
SUN
11
JUL
THU
15
JUL
THU
15
JUL
SAT
17
JUL
TUE
20
JUL
THU
22
JUL
SAT
24
JUL
SUN
25
JUL
TUE
27
JUL
SAT
31
JUL
SUN
01
AUG
SAT
07
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SAT
07
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22
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28
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29
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TUE
31
AUG
SAT
11
SEP
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18
SEP
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18
SEP
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25
SEP
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25
SEP
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25
SEP
SAT
02
OCT
SUN
03
OCT
FRI
15
OCT
SUN
24
OCT
THU
04
NOV
THU
02
DEC
SAT
04
DEC
SUN
12
DEC
FRI
17
DEC
FRI
31
DEC
SUN
02
JAN
SUN
16
JAN
TUE
25
JAN
SAT
12
FEB
TUE
01
MAR
SUN
27
MAR
SAT
02
APR
TUE
05
APR
SAT
09
APR
SAT
16
APR
SAT
16
APR
SAT
16
APR
WED
20
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FRI
22
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23
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23
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23
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23
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23
APR
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30
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30
APR
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30
APR
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30
APR
SAT
30
APR
SUN
01
MAY
WED
04
MAY
THU
05
MAY
SUN
08
MAY
SUN
08
MAY
SUN
08
MAY
SUN
08
MAY
SAT
14
MAY
SAT
14
MAY
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14
MAY
TUE
17
MAY
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21
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21
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21
MAY
SAT
04
JUN
SAT
11
JUN
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11
JUN
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11
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18
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19
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19
JUN
SUN
26
JUN
SAT
09
JUL
SUN
10
JUL
SAT
16
JUL
SAT
23
JUL
THU
04
AUG
SAT
06
AUG
FRI
26
AUG
SAT
10
SEP
THU
15
SEP
SAT
17
SEP
SUN
18
SEP
SAT
24
SEP
SAT
24
SEP
SAT
08
OCT
SUN
09
OCT
FRI
14
OCT
SUN
23
OCT
RIDE LEVEL KEY
A - Speed Freak - Fast paceline ride
B - Steady Eddy - Moderately paced ride
C - Easy Rider - Gentle paced ride
The 'Ride Speed' indicates the target cruising speed on flat roads.
Comments:
David P.
August 2, 2021
Sounds great. Just to confirm, that notwithstanding your title as "Gravel King" the 39 and 69 routes don't really involve gravel? Best, David
Jay H.
August 2, 2021
David - The only "real gravel" is on the 69 mile version and there's a paved alternate route for that section. But there definitely is a few miles of a smooth dirt road (cinder surface) on the 69 mile version and it's unclear whether part of the Maybrook portion of the trail is paved or (smooth) cinder. But bottom line, I'm not listing this as a gravel group ride because it's completely skinny tire friendly.
Jay H.
August 2, 2021
David - OK I have a final answer for you - the Maybrook Trail is completely paved (I found a video on YouTube).
So the only portion of gravel is along is the road on the south side of the Croton Reservoir, and (other than dodging potholes here and there) it's generally a smooth cinder surface.
If you want to avoid the road by the Croton Reservoir you can follow the 88 mile route and get off the trail in Pleasantville and take the train from there. That's also ~69 miles.
Larry K.
August 6, 2021
Have a great ride. Yesterday I completed the Allegheny Passage Trail (2 days). Jay I thought about you and how you would like the gravel on this trail. Great Allegheny Passage (gaptrail.org)
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