NY to Baltimore for a Newbie

[Trekker2017]

As your plans finalize, let me know your route and I'll let you know what the terrain is like or if there is an alternative route I might recommend. Good luck with the planning.

 

[jsirabella]

KnoxGardner,

Thank you very much for all the great info. I will let you and Trek know my route once I have it down. I see I have lot of options. I am trying going to pick the easiest to Boston as this is my first trip. I just want to get it done in about 4 days...I hope I can make it happen while not killing myself.

I decided to go with my current Cannon F600 and get slightly wider tires for the ride. Someone recommended a great tire for touring. I am going to make this tour a "hotel tour" as someone told me but he said camping is the best. For this trip though I am playing it safe. Maybe my next I will get more and more agreesive.

I hope by end of April I will have no issues with snow or ice up here. Today I was riding when the snow started and boy it was heck. I need to find a better tire with snow/ice and in NYC cabs never care no matter what, they were still cutting me off.

-John Sirabella

Hey John,

Just a quick note on your trip plans to Boston from NYC.

If you are coming in summer you might want to consider a ferry from Long Island to Connecticut as a different way to get out of town.

I just took a credit card weekend down to Newport, Rhode Island. We accomplished this by using the commuter trains out of Boston to get us almost all the way to Rhode Island. That could cut 50 miles off your trip, and often the worst bit of biking is always getting in and out of the cities. There is no shame is saving yourself the choas of getting in and out of the city, plus why spend forever looking at big box stores, etc? Platfroms and loading can be a bit tricky with a loaded bike and it might be worth looking into the "end of the line" to give you more boarding/unboarding time, but we found the MBTA employees very helpful.
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_commuterrail.asp

The Department of Transportation in Rhode Island will send you a free map of recommended bike routes there. It was extremely helpful (we took print out from the website, give yourself about 2 weeks for the map to arrive).
http://www.dot.state.ri.us/WebTran/bikeri.html

Also, a company called Rubel puts out excellent maps for cycling in MA. The non-waterproof ones are only 4.95. I have only used the ones for Eastern MA, but am looking forward to trying the others later this spring. They are great.
http://www.bikemaps.com/

It sounds to me like you are approaching your trip with the right frame of mind: trying to get in a bit better shape without being obsessive, looking at new gear without dropping bank before you even give it a whirl, and mainly trying to have fun, just make sure to stop now and again and get some great pictures and see some bit of history you've not seen, or try a beer you've never heard of, or eat some donuts!

Don't let the naysayers hold you back, my friends wanted to steal my bike too before I left for my first tour and they thought I was crazy. But it was so worth it and you will have a fine time.

Knox Gardner
www.bikenerd.blogspot.com

 

[jsirabella]

Hey Trekker,

I will let you know my route once I have it down. I see I have lot of options. I am trying going to pick the easiest to Boston as this is my first trip. I just want to get it done in about 4 days...I hope I can make it happen while not killing myself.

Now let me know of tires that can work in the snow/ice?

-John Sirabella

As your plans finalize, let me know your route and I'll let you know what the terrain is like or if there is an alternative route I might recommend. Good luck with the planning.

 

[Trekker2017]

Hey Trekker,

I will let you know my route once I have it down. I see I have lot of options. I am trying going to pick the easiest to Boston as this is my first trip. I just want to get it done in about 4 days...I hope I can make it happen while not killing myself.

Now let me know of tires that can work in the snow/ice?

-John Sirabella

Unfortunately, the only tire I know of is a steel studded one that's made for mountain bikes. It's in the Performance Catalog. However, I'm sure if you post that as a thread here some one will know the answer.

 

[KnoxGardner]

You could look at www.icebike.com. They have a list of studded tires, chains and cables for bikes. The pictures are great, and the explanations given by these lunatics are swell.

This is my first winter in New England, having recently moved here from Seattle. I can not get over the fact that today there is new snow on the ground and it is March. However, despite the chill, most days it is fine for biking (I have a traditional tourer with skinny slicks though not racing tires). Certainly by mid-April, I can't imagine that one would even remotely need or want studded tires here in Boston or even on the backroads to get here.

If so, I am moving away. Too much winter! GRIN.

 

[jsirabella]

Wish I could move soimetimes but I am a New Yorker so it always feels strange to leave home.

As for studded tires that seems interesting especially since they outlawed it for cars. I guess we have one advantage for bikes over cars!!

-john

You could look at www.icebike.com. They have a list of studded tires, chains and cables for bikes. The pictures are great, and the explanations given by these lunatics are swell.

This is my first winter in New England, having recently moved here from Seattle. I can not get over the fact that today there is new snow on the ground and it is March. However, despite the chill, most days it is fine for biking (I have a traditional tourer with skinny slicks though not racing tires). Certainly by mid-April, I can't imagine that one would even remotely need or want studded tires here in Boston or even on the backroads to get here.

If so, I am moving away. Too much winter! GRIN.

 

[Trekker2017]

Wish I could move soimetimes but I am a New Yorker so it always feels strange to leave home.

As for studded tires that seems interesting especially since they outlawed it for cars. I guess we have one advantage for bikes over cars!!

-john

For an April ride here in lower New England, all you should need is your normal road tire. It will still be kind of early for the road sides to be cleaned so expect a lot of sand and debris. (At some point during the year, the sides of the roads are swept and all the loose sand is picked up and discarded.) Expect to get wet with cold rains. You should work up a good sweat during the day; however, I tend to favor long sleeve shirts for this early in the season, rugby shirts and anaraks or some other kind of good wind breaker. The nights will be cool to cold; think in the high 40s to mid 50s range. Won't matter much if you're motelling it. Expect a wide range of temps during the day. Mornings will be cool to cold. Afternoons warm. Evenings chilly.

 

[jsirabella]

Weather sounds alot like NY...something to look forward to...ugh!! Lets hope I get lucky!!

Didn't think I would need the tires this year but may use it next year. That icebike site was cool to read...very interesting stuff especially the techniques section.

Well waiting for my maps and next week will start planning. I am in the video industry and been looking at the freeride mtb videos....talk about some wild stuff.

-john

For an April ride here in lower New England, all you should need is your normal road tire. It will still be kind of early for the road sides to be cleaned so expect a lot of sand and debris. (At some point during the year, the sides of the roads are swept and all the loose sand is picked up and discarded.) Expect to get wet with cold rains. You should work up a good sweat during the day; however, I tend to favor long sleeve shirts for this early in the season, rugby shirts and anaraks or some other kind of good wind breaker. The nights will be cool to cold; think in the high 40s to mid 50s range. Won't matter much if you're motelling it. Expect a wide range of temps during the day. Mornings will be cool to cold. Afternoons warm. Evenings chilly.

 

[jsirabella]

Got some maps...and man am I confused...the maps from ACC have not arrived yet as they are backordered till end of month

the rubel are very detailed of western and eastern mass while the govt issued rhode island is also great but nothing connects...it is so different than when using a car...I can see how this trip from NY to Boston will be alot longer than a 200 miles!!

Well I am still a newbie and trying to figure out the best route ... can someone give me an idea who knows the area, the route that makes the most sense. I figure when I get the ACC maps this will make sense but now I am confused.

I still want to avoid too many big up or downhills...Also I still hoping to get to Boston in 4-5 days.

Should I look at the coast or first go in-land...just me rambling now...all help is appreciated

-jsirabella
Not just the maps are backordered but also wanting for my cannondale roam shoes which will hopefully not make me have to have two sets of shoes anymore.

 

[Trekker2017]

Got some maps...and man am I confused...the maps from ACC have not arrived yet as they are backordered till end of month

the rubel are very detailed of western and eastern mass while the govt issued rhode island is also great but nothing connects...it is so different than when using a car...I can see how this trip from NY to Boston will be alot longer than a 200 miles!!

Well I am still a newbie and trying to figure out the best route ... can someone give me an idea who knows the area, the route that makes the most sense. I figure when I get the ACC maps this will make sense but now I am confused.

I still want to avoid too many big up or downhills...Also I still hoping to get to Boston in 4-5 days.

Should I look at the coast or first go in-land...just me rambling now...all help is appreciated

-jsirabella
Not just the maps are backordered but also wanting for my cannondale roam shoes which will hopefully not make me have to have two sets of shoes anymore.

Here's a suggestion -- Take the Metro red line from NYC to New Haven and cycle the coast from New Haven to RI then cycle up around Naragansette Bay and then head to Boston. The coastal roads will have a gentle roll to them and there are bike lanes across all the major bridges over the Connecticut and Thames rivers. Any interior route and you will have to cross some serious ridges in the lower Berkshires north of Danbury. That should allow you to keep the trip in your 4 day limit.

 

[KnoxGardner]

John,

It sounds like you are starting to pull together the maps. With the crazy network of roads, you should not have a problem putting something together. I like those Rubel maps, but even with them, there are times where you end up on a "pink" road or a road you'd rather not be on. I think that is just the nature of touring, particularly here in New England. Also, even the "green" Rubel routes can, at times, be quite unappealing due to potholes, detours or local "suburban" traffic in fast SUVs.

I have three recommendations on a route:

1. Pick stuff along the way you want to see and then make your route!

What are you interested in? There is so much to look at. Tons of history, art galleries, beach towns, cheese farms (our next weekend tour is planned based on cheese makers), factory tours, microbrews, etc. You can figure out your route pretty easily after you've picked out some things to look at and do. I really think this is more important than picking out the most "bikable" route. What is the point of it being "bikeable" and then being boring? That is silly. Being a beach type of guy, I like Treker's ideas, but that is becuase I like looking at water. If you like Emily Dickenson, well then you'll be able to bike a few hills to go look at her house for example, becuase it will be worth it to you.

2. Don't stress about distances per day based on looking at the maps.

In New England, you've got lots of options for shortening the trip. The Peter Pan bus will take your bike from cities almost everywhere, there's plenty of trains, the Rhode Island buses all have bike racks. The MBTA commuter trains run about 50 miles from Boston and it is easy to get your bike on them. So plan that as your back up and enjoy the trip and do what feels right. It could be raining, your chain could break, you could get lost, etc and ****! there goes your "timing". You could find yourself sitting in some bar on the beach in Connecticut and think, "My God, this is better than being sore on my bike." You'll still get to Boston.

3. Save some time to treat yourself in Boston.

When you get here, whether by toughing out the suburban sprawl and vicious Boston drivers (the detailed Rubel map of Boston might be helpful), or by bus or on the train, make sure to go out to a decent dinner, a good beer and do some site seeing. Get a photo of you and your bike on the Common or along the Freedom Trail. It is quite an adventure you are up to so be sure to celebrate.

Here's a suggestion -- Take the Metro red line from NYC to New Haven and cycle the coast from New Haven to RI then cycle up around Naragansette Bay and then head to Boston. The coastal roads will have a gentle roll to them and there are bike lanes across all the major bridges over the Connecticut and Thames rivers. Any interior route and you will have to cross some serious ridges in the lower Berkshires north of Danbury. That should allow you to keep the trip in your 4 day limit.

 

[jsirabella]

Here's a suggestion -- Take the Metro red line from NYC to New Haven and cycle the coast from New Haven to RI then cycle up around Naragansette Bay and then head to Boston. The coastal roads will have a gentle roll to them and there are bike lanes across all the major bridges over the Connecticut and Thames rivers. Any interior route and you will have to cross some serious ridges in the lower Berkshires north of Danbury. That should allow you to keep the trip in your 4 day limit.

With this route how many miles a day are you predicting? I kind of feel like I am cheating taking a train to New Haven...if I ride to New Haven will it be very tough?? Any suggestions on the easiest route from NYC to New Haven. I know I should play it smart but I did want to challenge myself.

When you say serious ridges on a scale from 1 to 10 how bad??? It sounds though like the coastal road will be very beautiful though...or do you feel inland is better?

-John Sirabella

 

[jsirabella]

Read your 10 points, great stuff...

I do like your attitude and trying to change mine to be closer to yours. You see I always looked to it as a do or die type of thing but as I keep talking to you I can see that it should be more fun and a vacation.

I was actually going by let me make it a do or die type thing than a long the way change to a vacation. I just really wanted to do it and feel that sense of accomplishment when done. I was hoping to put myself into even better shape with this ride.

Not sure if like getting lost as I see alot of horror movies and from NY, who knows where I can be...I like to have a good not perfect but good idea of where I am...

-john

John,

It sounds like you are starting to pull together the maps. With the crazy network of roads, you should not have a problem putting something together. I like those Rubel maps, but even with them, there are times where you end up on a "pink" road or a road you'd rather not be on. I think that is just the nature of touring, particularly here in New England. Also, even the "green" Rubel routes can, at times, be quite unappealing due to potholes, detours or local "suburban" traffic in fast SUVs.

I have three recommendations on a route:

1. Pick stuff along the way you want to see and then make your route!

What are you interested in? There is so much to look at. Tons of history, art galleries, beach towns, cheese farms (our next weekend tour is planned based on cheese makers), factory tours, microbrews, etc. You can figure out your route pretty easily after you've picked out some things to look at and do. I really think this is more important than picking out the most "bikable" route. What is the point of it being "bikeable" and then being boring? That is silly. Being a beach type of guy, I like Treker's ideas, but that is becuase I like looking at water. If you like Emily Dickenson, well then you'll be able to bike a few hills to go look at her house for example, becuase it will be worth it to you.

2. Don't stress about distances per day based on looking at the maps.

In New England, you've got lots of options for shortening the trip. The Peter Pan bus will take your bike from cities almost everywhere, there's plenty of trains, the Rhode Island buses all have bike racks. The MBTA commuter trains run about 50 miles from Boston and it is easy to get your bike on them. So plan that as your back up and enjoy the trip and do what feels right. It could be raining, your chain could break, you could get lost, etc and ****! there goes your "timing". You could find yourself sitting in some bar on the beach in Connecticut and think, "My God, this is better than being sore on my bike." You'll still get to Boston.

3. Save some time to treat yourself in Boston.

When you get here, whether by toughing out the suburban sprawl and vicious Boston drivers (the detailed Rubel map of Boston might be helpful), or by bus or on the train, make sure to go out to a decent dinner, a good beer and do some site seeing. Get a photo of you and your bike on the Common or along the Freedom Trail. It is quite an adventure you are up to so be sure to celebrate.

 

[KnoxGardner]

John,

I totally get your desire for cred to be able to get back and say, "Hey, I did this ride to Boston, and I'm awesome!". That's cool and nothing wrong with that if it gets you motivated and you are going biking! I've certainly had goals to get places on my bike, despite easier ways to go there. And sure, my chest swells up with pride, hell, I even got a tattoo after one ride...

It sounds like you are in ok shape and have been making decent plans, so in four days you should be rolling into Boston without problems.

The reality, and I would hazzard that Trekker would agree, is that you are biking through some of the most urban and congested roads in the country, in a crazy quilt of 300 year old roads going everywhere. You will get lost. That is a fact and you will have some hellish bits of road, no matter what you pre-plan.

Getting in and out of cities (let alone NYC) is always a pain. My strategy is always to get as close as I can to the big city (if that means a long day before) and try to hit them at off times and as well knowing that I am going to be lost, frustrated, and freaked out by the traffic. If your brain is in the right mind, I guess it helps. I don't know the actualy road miles from where ever you are in NYC, but I would assume that getting to New Haven is a solid, bone jarring, day of work. It is one reason to hop on trains leaving NYC to get out about 50 miles and also the same reason to hope on a train coming into Boston. Have you checked with NYC on free bike maps with suggested routes, surely there must be some.

Being from the West Coast, being able to utilize the train network to get out to the country side is one of the wonders of biking in New England. It really opens up your options, particularly for great weekend/short tours. Beyond the pure pride reason of biking from well-known point a to b, I can't think of reasons to spends probably 1 1/2 of your days hassling with the city biking, when you could take those days ride along the coast more or cut across to Plymouth, or Cape Cod, or spending an extra half-day in Boston, etc, if you utilized the train.

Also, regardless of what you decide, you should know where the train stations, www.mbta.org, as you get close to Boston so if the weather sucks, if your legs are killing you, you can bail. That is just smart back up.

Though, I totally support your trip to Boston and know that you can do it, I am going to mention two things right there in New York that look pretty good, would be easy to get to start point and end point using trains/busses and I think would be awesome Spring Biking: Hudson Valley and the Eire Canal. You can get free maps from the New York Dept. of Transportation, the routes seem well established, and like most everything in New England, lots of great things to look at and sounds like a wonderful way to spend 4 days biking. I think there would be plenty of cred around the office to say, "I biked the Erie Canal this weekend". I am guessing that route, being along a canal, is flat.

Knox Gardner
www.bikenerd.blogspot.com

 

[jsirabella]

Knox, thanks for the post.

It did give me alot to think about, I am thinking I will heed Trekers advice and take the coast. I am from the city and have been riding my bike in the city since I was a messenger so city riding does not bother me but because this is my first run I am thinking of taking the train as he/you suggest.

Will the trains give me trouble and with your advice about Peter Pan if I start falling behind I can catch a bus if all else fails.

You see this is a trip half business/pleasure. I need to get to Boston by Thrusday afternoon to help set up for an anime convention in Boston. I than work the entire weekend and drive down with the crew home on Sunday night.

My biggest frustrastion now is that all the maps I have, no road connect continous as far as roads they recommend. It sounds like I just go in a general route and hope to hit roads I can ride. But I feel I should get some rough idea of roads like for a car you take I-95, ther must be something similar but not connected completely. Friends told me 9W goes all the way to Canada, I do not know if that is true. But when looking at the coast as per the RI map it seems Route 1 is the only way to go by the coast but is it ok for bikes as I do not see any bridges across the Providence river or Sakonet River. This is the part I may be trying too hard now but I feel I need a good idea.

I am thinking about Plymouth or being into horror films maybe Salem. Never went to Salem...I just need to get these damn maps to work. To be honest as I am from the city, any scenery is beautiful, when I was down in DC it was like heaven going through 4 mile run and such. I would rather see trees than beaches but you know I think I am more concerned about making it.

I take you advice and do upstate NY later but currently I can only think about Boston.

-John Sirabella

John,

I totally get your desire for cred to be able to get back and say, "Hey, I did this ride to Boston, and I'm awesome!". That's cool and nothing wrong with that if it gets you motivated and you are going biking! I've certainly had goals to get places on my bike, despite easier ways to go there. And sure, my chest swells up with pride, hell, I even got a tattoo after one ride...

It sounds like you are in ok shape and have been making decent plans, so in four days you should be rolling into Boston without problems.

The reality, and I would hazzard that Trekker would agree, is that you are biking through some of the most urban and congested roads in the country, in a crazy quilt of 300 year old roads going everywhere. You will get lost. That is a fact and you will have some hellish bits of road, no matter what you pre-plan.

Getting in and out of cities (let alone NYC) is always a pain. My strategy is always to get as close as I can to the big city (if that means a long day before) and try to hit them at off times and as well knowing that I am going to be lost, frustrated, and freaked out by the traffic. If your brain is in the right mind, I guess it helps. I don't know the actualy road miles from where ever you are in NYC, but I would assume that getting to New Haven is a solid, bone jarring, day of work. It is one reason to hop on trains leaving NYC to get out about 50 miles and also the same reason to hope on a train coming into Boston. Have you checked with NYC on free bike maps with suggested routes, surely there must be some.

Being from the West Coast, being able to utilize the train network to get out to the country side is one of the wonders of biking in New England. It really opens up your options, particularly for great weekend/short tours. Beyond the pure pride reason of biking from well-known point a to b, I can't think of reasons to spends probably 1 1/2 of your days hassling with the city biking, when you could take those days ride along the coast more or cut across to Plymouth, or Cape Cod, or spending an extra half-day in Boston, etc, if you utilized the train.

Also, regardless of what you decide, you should know where the train stations, www.mbta.org, as you get close to Boston so if the weather sucks, if your legs are killing you, you can bail. That is just smart back up.

Though, I totally support your trip to Boston and know that you can do it, I am going to mention two things right there in New York that look pretty good, would be easy to get to start point and end point using trains/busses and I think would be awesome Spring Biking: Hudson Valley and the Eire Canal. You can get free maps from the New York Dept. of Transportation, the routes seem well established, and like most everything in New England, lots of great things to look at and sounds like a wonderful way to spend 4 days biking. I think there would be plenty of cred around the office to say, "I biked the Erie Canal this weekend". I am guessing that route, being along a canal, is flat.

Knox Gardner
www.bikenerd.blogspot.com