Take the West Side Greenway - which runs through Manhattan along the Hudson River - past the GW Bridge. Beware that around 125th St, there is a little detour but I think it is well marked with greenway signs and you go out on the roads for several blocks, then back on the bike path. At the GW Bridge is a red lighthouse which is a point of interest you may want to check out. Then climb a sharp but short hill and when you come to a pedestrian overpass, take that. Make a left at the first intersection, and then the second right. Go 2 blocks to the end (the second block is one-way against traffic, so be careful). There will be a stairwell that will take you over the bridge. There are lots of stairs, sorry. Then at the end of the bridge, make a left. Go under the highway, through a light to the end of the road and make a left. You go down a big hill, and halfway down, make a full left into the park - just past the food truck and a little parking area on the left. Go on this beautiful road to the end and make a left at the stop sign and then a right at the light. Take this about 5 miles to a right turn, I think this is Rockland Rd with I think a big sign for Tallman Mtn. State Park. Take this road to the end, make a right at a stop sign, go through the light and here is a little town where you can get some food. Round trip is about 48-50 miles from midtown.

Hi Christian,

Please check out the following link to a website that will show you the Columbia Univeristy Cycling Team's favorite rides. In case you're not familiar with the area around New York City, you can use this website to map out the rides.

http://www.routeslip.com/routelist.php?country=United%20States&state=NY&...

I hope you enjoy your trip.

Rob

Bonjour,

If you're ambitious, try going to Sandy Hook and/or Henry Hudson Trail. The latter is a quite a picturesque rail trail, with numerous wooden bridges, quiet neighborhoods, a vintage red caboose car on track and several busy intersections. Too bad NY Waterway doesn't have weekend ferry service to Bedford, NJ, which takes you to the middle of the Trail.

Instead, you can take a NJ Transit train to Matawan. Ride a few miles to the entrance, which goes for ten miles. You can take sidetrips to some towns, like Keansburg, an amusement park town. Take the trail to the end to Atlantic Highlands. There's an ice cream shop and several bike shops there. Then a hilly climb into Highlands. Careful ride Rt. 36 to Sandy Hook. It's a historic military installation now a federal park. You both can ride 20mph on a good headwind. Go to the Visitor Center, Ft. Hancock Museum. THen head back to Highlands and take the Seastreak ferry to New York (Manhattan).

Before Sandy Hook, you may be interested in visiting the historic Twin Lights of Navesink.

Here's appropriate weblinks (cut and paste):
http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/parks/henry_hudson.asp
http://www.boblucky.com/Biking/NewJersey/Henryhudson/HHintro.htm

Sandy Hook Unit Home Page
www.nps.gov/gate/shu/shu_home.htm

Sandy Hook Visitor Center
Gateway National Recreation Area
PO Box 530
Fort Hancock, NJ 07732
(732) 872-5970

Twin Lights Historic Site
Lighthouse Rd.
Highlands, NJ 07732
(732) 872-1814
www.twin-lights.org

Seastreak Ferry
www.seastreak.com

I'm planning to go to Sandy Hook and/or Henry Hudson Trail on Sat. 21 Oct. with friends. Email me if you're both interested.

If you both around 22 Oct. you can do the free New York's Tour de Bronx bike event: www.tourdebronx.org. Thousands of people will be there...

Aloha,
Alfredo