Rt 1 Between Bridgeport and Darien, CT?

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:50:36 -0000, TDMedia <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Can anyone tell me if the 20 mile segment from Bridgeport
south to Darien is more like a highway or more like a busy turnpike?

It's similar to the section from Bridgeport, through Stratford, to New
Haven. Two lanes in each direction, sometimes with a third turn lane,
with other four lane roads crossing at major intersections, and lots
of traffic.

It is NOT like the section north of East Haven, from Branford on.

Neither is like a "turnpike" to me (ala I-95), so I'll let you use the
information above to form your own opinion. If you check a map and
talk to your son, there are plenty of roads that almost parallel Rt.1.
Major cycling events, like the Bloomin' Metric, are run in the same
area each year, with very little time spent on Rt. 1.

TDMedia said:

I've got to make a quick decision (before this Saturday 7/7) about
whether to bike or take the train from the Bridgeport Ferry Terminal
to my son's new house in Darien, CT. I've ridden all of Rt. 1 from
Bridgeport north to Narragansett, RI, but have never ridden this
portion. Can anyone tell me if the 20 mile segment from Bridgeport
south to Darien is more like a highway or more like a busy turnpike?

Thank you!

I biked US 1 all the way from East Haven to just north of the Bronx on
my 2005 bike trip. The whole stretch is of a piece. The road is wide
enough not to be particularly dangerous if you're alert. But it's a
constant succession of red lights and medium sized hills. There are
so many stops that if you use "click-in" pedals, you may want to keep
your left foot out of it to avoid the soreness that results from too
many twists.

All things considered, I found US 1 in SE CT to be one of the safer
routes through the outer suburbs of a major city. But almost all my
experiences of doing that are among the least enjoyable parts of the
trips I've taken.

I have an alternative that uses Fairfield Ave to Pequot to Beachside to New
Creek, then Greens Farms, Bridge, Riverside, Charles, Saugatuck and East
Ave, on to Van Zant, Fort PT, Flax Hill, one mile of Rt. 1, and then West
Ave to Hollow Tree Ridge Road. It's about eight miles longer than straight
Rt. 1, but does this seem a more interesting ride?

"Ron Wallenfang" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

TDMedia said:

I've got to make a quick decision (before this Saturday 7/7) about
whether to bike or take the train from the Bridgeport Ferry Terminal
to my son's new house in Darien, CT. I've ridden all of Rt. 1 from
Bridgeport north to Narragansett, RI, but have never ridden this
portion. Can anyone tell me if the 20 mile segment from Bridgeport
south to Darien is more like a highway or more like a busy turnpike?

Thank you!

I biked US 1 all the way from East Haven to just north of the Bronx on
my 2005 bike trip. The whole stretch is of a piece. The road is wide
enough not to be particularly dangerous if you're alert. But it's a
constant succession of red lights and medium sized hills. There are
so many stops that if you use "click-in" pedals, you may want to keep
your left foot out of it to avoid the soreness that results from too
many twists.

All things considered, I found US 1 in SE CT to be one of the safer
routes through the outer suburbs of a major city. But almost all my
experiences of doing that are among the least enjoyable parts of the
trips I've taken.

Papa Tom said:

I have an alternative that uses Fairfield Ave to Pequot to Beachside to New
Creek, then Greens Farms, Bridge, Riverside, Charles, Saugatuck and East
Ave, on to Van Zant, Fort PT, Flax Hill, one mile of Rt. 1, and then West
Ave to Hollow Tree Ridge Road. It's about eight miles longer than straight
Rt. 1, but does this seem a more interesting ride?

This screams out for a Google Earth route for all of us lazy
[censored]. It would cement your place in the Good Guy Hall of Fame and
you would be referred to reverently in years to come as others
searched for just such a bypass route.

R

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It would cement your place in the Good Guy Hall of Fame and you would be
referred to reverently in years to come as others searched for just such
a bypass route.<<<<<

OK, then. I will take the longer (non-Rt. 1) route and report back after
the weekend. Is there an award or special title that will accompany such a
noble gesture?

"RicodJour" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

I have an alternative that uses Fairfield Ave to Pequot to Beachside to
New
Creek, then Greens Farms, Bridge, Riverside, Charles, Saugatuck and East
Ave, on to Van Zant, Fort PT, Flax Hill, one mile of Rt. 1, and then West
Ave to Hollow Tree Ridge Road. It's about eight miles longer than
straight
Rt. 1, but does this seem a more interesting ride?

This screams out for a Google Earth route for all of us lazy
[censored]. It would cement your place in the Good Guy Hall of Fame and
you would be referred to reverently in years to come as others
searched for just such a bypass route.

R

Papa Tom said:

OK, then. I will take the longer (non-Rt. 1) route and report back after
the weekend. Is there an award or special title that will accompany such a
noble gesture?

Indeed. I will doff my hat three times in your general direction,
and, more notably, I might even ride that route and emit kind mental
emanations to your benefit. Assuming that you don't steer me down a
route to hell! 😉

R

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>Assuming that you don't steer me down a route to hell! <<<<

That remains to be seen. Do you know anything about the areas I'll be
passing through? Having ridden the entire CT coastline from Bridgeport to
Westerly, I'm aware that the neighborhoods change drastically and very
quickly. What does anyone know about the section bretween Bridgeport and
Darien...besides the blight that is Bridgeport, of course.

"RicodJour" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

OK, then. I will take the longer (non-Rt. 1) route and report back after
the weekend. Is there an award or special title that will accompany such
a
noble gesture?

Indeed. I will doff my hat three times in your general direction,
and, more notably, I might even ride that route and emit kind mental
emanations to your benefit. Assuming that you don't steer me down a
route to hell! 😉

R

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>Assuming that you don't steer me down a route to hell! <<<<

That remains to be seen. Do you know anything about the areas I'll be
passing through? Having ridden the entire CT coastline from Bridgeport to
Westerly, I'm aware that the neighborhoods change drastically and very
quickly. What does anyone know about the section bretween Bridgeport and
Darien...besides the blight that is Bridgeport, of course.

I live on LI and have friends in Providence and Boston. I've done the
ferry route, but I always wondered about overland through CT. Never
cycled along the CT coast, so I'm very curious.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Never cycled along the CT coast, so I'm very curious.<<<

I recently shared my route between Bridgeport and Narragansett, RI with a
couple that was cycling from Florida to Maine. Apparently, they enjoyed
this part of their ride very much. If this piece of the puzzle works out,
I'll publish the whole route.

"RicodJour" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

>>>Assuming that you don't steer me down a route to hell! <<<<

That remains to be seen. Do you know anything about the areas I'll be
passing through? Having ridden the entire CT coastline from Bridgeport
to
Westerly, I'm aware that the neighborhoods change drastically and very
quickly. What does anyone know about the section bretween Bridgeport and
Darien...besides the blight that is Bridgeport, of course.

I live on LI and have friends in Providence and Boston. I've done the
ferry route, but I always wondered about overland through CT. Never
cycled along the CT coast, so I'm very curious.

Great ride. I will provide some highlights as soon as I have some time.

"Papa Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>Never cycled along the CT coast, so I'm very curious.<<<

I recently shared my route between Bridgeport and Narragansett, RI with a
couple that was cycling from Florida to Maine. Apparently, they enjoyed
this part of their ride very much. If this piece of the puzzle works out,
I'll publish the whole route.

"RicodJour" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

>>>>Assuming that you don't steer me down a route to hell! <<<<

That remains to be seen. Do you know anything about the areas I'll be
passing through? Having ridden the entire CT coastline from Bridgeport
to
Westerly, I'm aware that the neighborhoods change drastically and very
quickly. What does anyone know about the section bretween Bridgeport
and
Darien...besides the blight that is Bridgeport, of course.

I live on LI and have friends in Providence and Boston. I've done the
ferry route, but I always wondered about overland through CT. Never
cycled along the CT coast, so I'm very curious.

Papa Tom said:

Great ride. I will provide some highlights as soon as I have some time.

Good to hear. Looking forward to the reading. Thanks.

R

OK. Here's the scoop on my latest Connecticut ride.

A couple of things I should mention first, though. First, my trip was taken
solely for the purpose of visiting family. Other than that, there wouldn't
be many reasons to ride to Darien, unless you just want to see some
beautiful homes and enjoy a peaceful ride. I'd suggest working this route
into a trip that ends somewhere else, as Darien can be very dead. I rode up
on a Saturday and passed through some very lively little towns. However,
when I returned via the same route on Sunday, the entire length of the trip
was a virtual ghost town. I guess it's the Blue Laws or something.

Second, I still don't have an odometer, so I can't provide distances.
However, I can tell you that this entire ride is only about 21 miles. You
won't want to end at my son's house, though, so your trip will be longer or
shorter. I end the cue sheet at Rt. 1 in Darien.

So here's the route from the Bridgeport Ferry Terminal:

Exit the terminal via Ferry Access Road. Go under RR tressel and make a
left onto Railroad Avenue in the direction of traffic. Follow RR Avenue
(bumpy road that passes mostly factories, tenement houses, and one nice
park) to its end. McDonald's on the right.

Turn left on Fairfield Avenue and proceed through a couple of fairly active
towns to a traffic circle. Follow signs to Route 1 South (Fairfield
Avenue).

Turn left on Pequot Road. Pass Southport Beach (snack bar open 7 days from
11am to 4pm). At end of beach, bear left onto Beachside Avenue

Continue on Beachside and turn right onto New Creek. This will enable you
to avoid a sizeable climb

Follow New Creek under RR tressel and turn left onto Greens Farms Road

Pass some nice houses and then a park on your left. At the end of this
road, you will connect again with Beachside Road. However, you need to bear
right and stay on Greens Farms Road, which becomes Bridge Street after a
long climb that parallels I-95.

Cross water on Bridge Street and turn left onto Riverside Ave. On the right
day at the tight time, you will look to your right and see dozens of
bicyclists stopped at Doc's Cafe, a bicycle-friendly joint with outdoor
tables.

Go under 95 and make right onto Charles St/Park St (Rt.136)

At fork, go left on Park.

Bear left onto Sagatauk Ave (becomes Winfield St)

Continue to East Ave (E. Norwalk train station on right)

Left on East Avenue to Van Zant Street

Right on Van Zant and go approximately ½ mile to Ft. Point Street/Washington
St

Left on Fort Point to Flax Hill Road

Left on Flax Hill Road (becomes Old Kings Hwy) and continue to Rt. 1

Left on Rt. 1 and go wherever you want to go from here!

This ride starts out in a slummy-looking area, but gets gradually nicer, at
one point taking you past some of the most magnificent estates I've ever
seen. Look for the giant eraser on some guy's lawn in one of the towns.
It's the one on a wheel with a brush at the end. If you're old enough,
you'll remember those from elementary school. I suppose this guy invented
it.

There are plenty of places to stop for refreshments/food along the way. I
caught one bike shop, Breaking Away Bicycles at 1150 Post Road (Rt. 1) in
Fairfield. There may have been others, but I decided to stop being a
journalist and start enjoying my ride somewhere along the way!

Anyway, that's it. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. My
next ride is a shorty from Darien to Bridgeport that will give me bragging
rights to having covered the entire Connecticut shoreline. Whoop De Doo....

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>This screams out for a Google Earth route for all of us lazy [censored].
>It would cement your place in the Good Guy Hall of Fame and you would be
>referred to reverently in years to come as others searched for just such
>a bypass route.<<<<

So why isn't anyone showering me with accolades? And where is my invitation
to the Good Guy Hall of Fame Induction Dinner? 🙁

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>This screams out for a Google Earth route for all of us lazy [censored].
>>It would cement your place in the Good Guy Hall of Fame and you would be
>>referred to reverently in years to come as others searched for just such
>>a bypass route.<<<<

So why isn't anyone showering me with accolades? And where is my invitation
to the Good Guy Hall of Fame Induction Dinner? 🙁

Oh, damn. We were wondering why you didn't show up! I guess the
invitation got lost in the mail. I'm also a bit surprised you didn't
hear me doff my hat three times. It's a big hat and makes a lot of
noise when doffed.

Truth be told I haven't yet checked out the route on Google. For all
I know Hell does indeed wait for me down the primrose path you have
laid out! 😉

In all seriousness, thanks for the effort. The riding is the easy
part, I know, it's getting the stuff written down that takes the
gumption. Thanks again.

BTW, next GGHoF dinner is at your house. No generic booze - top
shelf only. It may become a weekly - or seven times weekly - event if
the booze and food are up to snuff and you don't call the cops.

R

Just a plaque would be sufficient.

"RicodJour" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

>>>This screams out for a Google Earth route for all of us lazy
>>>[censored].
>>>It would cement your place in the Good Guy Hall of Fame and you would
>>>be
>>>referred to reverently in years to come as others searched for just
>>>such
>>>a bypass route.<<<<

So why isn't anyone showering me with accolades? And where is my
invitation
to the Good Guy Hall of Fame Induction Dinner? 🙁

Oh, damn. We were wondering why you didn't show up! I guess the
invitation got lost in the mail. I'm also a bit surprised you didn't
hear me doff my hat three times. It's a big hat and makes a lot of
noise when doffed.

Truth be told I haven't yet checked out the route on Google. For all
I know Hell does indeed wait for me down the primrose path you have
laid out! 😉

In all seriousness, thanks for the effort. The riding is the easy
part, I know, it's getting the stuff written down that takes the
gumption. Thanks again.

BTW, next GGHoF dinner is at your house. No generic booze - top
shelf only. It may become a weekly - or seven times weekly - event if
the booze and food are up to snuff and you don't call the cops.

R