...but worth a look:

http://www.panix.com/~danielc/routes/micro.cgi

GWB to Philly will make for a long day (150 miles) , as you must first circumnavigate the Meadowlands on roads that are not very attractive for cycling. A better option might be to train to Newark (PATH or NJT) and cycle from there. You encounter about a half dozen junk miles, but from then on the route is surprisingly nice.

I had checked out that route mapping site. Interesting, but I might have to drive it first.

I live in Fort Lee, so that is why I started at the GWB.

Checked out some philly bike club sites for cue sheets also. I think the biggest obstacle like you have said is the north jersey area. Looks like the key is to take Main St down into Leaonia and over 95. Go west a little and then south.

"Getting back from Philadelphia presents a problem. NJT is not very bike friendly. On 3/26 the STS-A23 group is riding to New Brunswick to New Hope. Some will be driving to New Brunswick, but most will be training. NJT conductors are known for not letting bicycles on crowded trains, and most Saturday NJT trains are crowded. This is an experiment, and we will post a report. Returning from Philadelphia presents the challenge of SEPTA as well. While more ""friendly"" from than NJT, SEPTA trains are smaller allowing for fewer bicycles."

Hmmm. Returning.

I was thinking about heading to family in the area and having my wife meet me down there. ;)

How do I figure out my classification?

I found the descriptions, I'm a B rider.

I drove the first 17 miles or so last night into Newark to get a feel for going through that area. As long as you are going through during the daytime, it doesn't look bad.

Next stage is going through Elizabeth then SW taking Rt 27 down to around Princeton. Rt 27 was the original alignment for Rt 1 part of the Lincoln Highway (which it is called in some parts.)

Another option which an earlier poster talked about was branching off around New Brunswick toward New Hope.

One person emailed me about the route, so there seems to be interest in a ride like this. I'm certainly not in Century shape now, but a little later in the season, I definitely want to do this (my wife thinks I'm crazy).

I'm interested too. I can't do April 30th b/c the Sigs are still going on, but I think they are over by May 14th, so May 21st could be a nice date. Otherwise, let's try June.

I don't have a cue sheet, but I did the ride from Philly to NYC in August. It's a good and very flat ride once you get out past Elizabeth (on way to Philly). I followed two cue sheets - the Newark to Philly one listed above in Mordecai's post and the cue sheet in the ride library from GWB to Newark. The GWB -> Newark portion is ok, though as expected, not exactly scenic. Riding near New Hope PA down to Philly is particularly nice.

I won't be able to make the ride, but my total distance came in around 135, so perhaps it had a few extra turns than the route you're looking at.

"Great route can be purchased/downloaded from Adventure Cycling. You can skip the ""horrible"" parts by taking NJ transit to Somerville or Raritan and picking up the route from there. Also, that route delivers you to the Schuylkill River near Norristown, Pa., and then you have to follow the paved towpath along the river until it becomes dirt, and then you're mostly on roads into Philly. 80-plus miles, I think. But some enjoyable riding."

There are some nice routes back to Center City Philadelphia from Doylestown, which is about 15 mi W or SW of New Hope. Have not done New Hope to Doylestown. There are rolling hills, with almost nothing too steep for too long, and lots of trees and farm? fields.

Since moving here, a lot of the rides go up toward Ambler / Doylestown & there are about 3 different parallel routes that take you to the Schuylkill River Bike Path. One of these has nice scenery, but has lots of random turns (T-intersections when heading southbound where the continuing southbound road is randomly 1/4 mi to the left or 1/4 mile to the right).

From Doylestown south (routes without the random turns) you can take:
Lower State Road to Limekiln Rd (SR 152).
From Limekiln (SR 152)you can take a right on either choice 1) McKean or 2) Tennis Ave

if SR152 to R at McKean:
McKean -> TR at Norristown Rd
at 1st big intersection/traffic light on Norristown Rd (Bethlehem Pike) make a Left & an immediate Bear Right onto Pennlynn Pike

Pennlyn Pike after about 1 mi there is a fork at which you need to Bear Right. (The only moderate hill is between Morris & Skippack Rd on Pennlynn Pike.)

On Pennlynn Pike continue until the main road (yellow line in the middle of the road) makes a left turn and the road continues as Stenton Ave.

Stenton merges with Watson Rd for about 200 ft, to continue on Stenton you need to make a Left at the 1st traffic light after the merge.

continue on Stenton for about 1-2 mi -> Right on Butler Pike.
Butler -> Germantown Ave Traffic Light (Long Wait, short green)

Continue on Butler (slightly off to the left at the traffic light) but make the very 1st Left shortly after crossing Germantown (Spring Mill Rd)

Spring Mill to end -> T-Left Cedar Grove

Cedar Grove -> to Traffic Light (Hector St / Barren Hill)

2 choices at this light
A) (to backtrack to bike path entrance) R on Hector, L into Parking lot for train station (after about 1/4 - 1/2 mile), keep bearing L until you get to the train tracks, cross the tracks & make a L onto the path.

B) instead (neat rolling microhills / scenery before the next entrance to the bike path) continue straight at the light on Cedar Grove for about 50-100 yards & bear R onto River Rd. At the T at the end of River Rd make a L & a quick R into the parking lot for another train station. There is an entrance to the bike path all the way to the back of this parking lot on the Right Hand Side.

At one point the bike path continues through a rapid 10-20 foot drop / slope in the road & the bike route joins a road is open to auto traffic.

To avoid the dirt path that follows about 3/4 mile after this merge, we turn L just before the road ends (there may be a Dead End or No Outlet sign), going underneath a Railroad Bridge & up a short hill where this new road ends at a main road (Umbria). We make a Right turn (it's almost a 180 degree turn) on Umbria.

There is a curve at the top of the hill on Umbria, but the hill doesn't continue much after the curve (the way it would on say Little Tor).

Umbria is the closest thing to the Hudson Terrace (rolling hills, mostly downhill, close to the end of the ride).
At the end of Umbria:
T-Right & a Quick Left at the stoplight just underneath the RR bridge onto Main St.

Main St through Manayunk about 1.5 mi, merge with Ridge Rd, Sharp R onto a narrow road just before there is an overpass that crosses over Ridge Rd (Kelly Dr., watch the bumps & storm drains)

R @ the first traffic light on Kelly Drive to go over the green metal bridge.

1st Left after the bridge onto the Park Drive along the river (MLK Drive) (mostly closed to Auto traffic on weekends, you may need to go up on the sidewalk for a short bit