Touring - 9W all the way up? (NYC to Montreal)

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brokenrobot
04-20-06, 08:53 AM
I'm bored and looking for short trips, and I just heard that Route 9 is designated a bike route all the way from NYC to Montreal... about 340 miles, reportedly, so a pretty easy week-long trip, assuming mass transit back home from the end. Does anyone have any experience with this route? Any tips on lodging (preferably camping) or suggestions for alternate routes that are more camp-able?

AndrewP
04-20-06, 10:46 AM
PM me for arrangements when you get to Montreal (I will be away mid June till nearly the end Jul). Follow this for getting from the border to Montreal.

http://www.routeverte.com/ang/voyager.lasso?code=monteregie

There is camping at Plattsburg beach at the top end of L Champlain. Google Earth shows me that 9 is the same as 87 which is a non bike highway. I think the East side of L Champlain is probably more bike friendly.
Magictofu
04-20-06, 01:15 PM
Don't know about the US part of the ride but road 223 along the Richelieu river in Quebec is great. Follow it until you reach Chambly and there connect with the 'route verte' cycling paths to Montreal. When reaching Longueuil, its good to ask other cyclists how to access the cycling path on the Jacques Cartier bridge (its not always easy to find). Saint-Jean is a nice last stop before reaching Montreal.

flipped4bikes
04-20-06, 02:18 PM
Doh! You can go to Montreal that way? I never seem to make it past The Runcible Spoon! :D
dogpound
04-22-06, 11:05 AM
you can get free bike maps from the state of NY, they should show the way.
redhooked
04-23-06, 10:07 PM
Did something like that last summer. I started in albany because I only had 5 days. Strapped a rack to my road bike with hose clamps and bungee cords. Pretty much followed the state route (follows 9w most of the time but not all) from http://www.dot.state.ny.us/br9/index.shtml. The route is good, but I wouldn't take the services/campgrounds as gospel.
Brought minimal camping gear with me, a sleeping bag and tarp. Stayed in a hotel in Fort Ann (later learned it was a prison city, glad I didn't try and camp there). Found a campground on lake champlain in Crown Point. Would have stayed at the campground in Plattsburgh but the weather changed from 70 and sunny to 35 and rain. Stayed at a hostel in Montreal. (you can follow the route well with google maps)
Overall a pretty nice trip. Some good scenery between ticonderoga and westport. Downstate is probably nice too.
I would not, however, recommend doing this on a road bike with the lowest gear being 39x26. I recommend at least a 1:1 gear