Northeast - Philly to NYC route?

a friend and I are going to bike from Philly to NYC in May for the bicycle film fest (http://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com/films_nyc.html) I'm wondering 2 things.

1. how the **** do we do it
and 2. who wants to do it with us?

there's a variety of different state highways and route combinations you could take. do you wanna get their fast or do you wanna maybe see some of NJ's nice little countryside? route 206 and 202 have can point ya in the right direction. i can make up some possible route combinations for ya if you'd like. I assume you'll be either riding across the GWB or bringing your bike across on the PATH?

If you're not hammering it and depending when you're doing it I might like to do that (I'd go to Philly and ride back here). It's been on my list of wants :)

there's a variety of different state highways and route combinations you could take. do you wanna get their fast or do you wanna maybe see some of NJ's nice little countryside? route 206 and 202 have can point ya in the right direction. i can make up some possible route combinations for ya if you'd like. I assume you'll be either riding across the GWB or bringing your bike across on the PATH?

Yeah I'm lookin for fast over pretty, and I would love some advice. I've checked over bikely and routeSlip and haven't found anything in detail. I'm a pretty good navigator, but just need some advice for what roads to take. The kid I'm going with accidentally ended up on a bit of the freeway for a mile or two on a long ride he planned cause he didn't know one of the highways he picked transitioned to something bigger.

I was hoping to ride over the bridge, I don't know what the PATH is though.

Anyways I apprieciate the help and welcome anybody who wants to come along. Details (day and time) have yet to be worked out, but I'll let you all know in a couple weeks. Maybe we coupld meet up for coffee/beers earlier to get to know each other (though i think by the end of the ride we'll know each other well enough)

The PATH is a commuter train that goes from NJ to NYC. Stops in Journal Square, Hoboken and a few other spots in between. From Philly you'd have to go all the way up to the GWB and back down (adds about 30 miles or so). Here is it is (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Journal+Square,+NJ&sll=37.09024,-96.064453&sspn=54.533615,75.234375&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=9&ll=40.624376,-73.710022&spn=1.653079,3.251953&om=1&iwloc=addr)

The PATH is a commuter train that goes from NJ to NYC. Stops in Journal Square, Hoboken and a few other spots in between. From Philly you'd have to go all the way up to the GWB and back down (adds about 30 miles or so). Here is it is (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Journal+Square,+NJ&sll=37.09024,-96.064453&sspn=54.533615,75.234375&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=9&ll=40.624376,-73.710022&spn=1.653079,3.251953&om=1&iwloc=addr)

And the 15 of the miles up to the GWB are crapola.

Another possibility is any of several ferries.

One of the bike groups in Philly has a route on their site. They go through Washingtons Crossing, through Princeton, then route 27 north up to Elizabeth.

And if anyone is interested in riding down to Philly, I would be up to it.

And if anyone is interested in riding down to Philly, I would be up to it.

I've been thinking about doing this ride for some time, and the routes don't seem that hard to figure out. There are a few choices, some simple, for going to Lambertville/New Hope, and then the Phila Bike Map gets you the rest of the way. If you can run the tires for it, you can use the D&O canal for a good chunk of the trip too.

But what I can't figure out is how to get BACK home with my bike! Maybe ride back up to Trenton or Princeton and get NJTransit, but that gets you into a lot of miles for one day.

Septa goes to Trenton - so from the heart of Philly you can jump on Septa, then switch to NJ Transit. I've done that a few times (not with my bike though).

yeah but the point is to ride, you know?

Ha - yup! But a roundtrip from NYC to Philly is a bit much. Of course not impossible...but I wouldn't mind taking it easy halfway :)

I'm curious what route you'll take. The most direct route is occupied by Route 1 and the NJ Turnpike and the like, which you want to avoid.

You might consider the Delaware and Raritan canal for about 30 miles. It's not paved, and there are all kinds of pedestrians etc, so it won't save any time, but it's restful. There's a lot of wildlife, including fox, muskrat, turkeys, ducks and geese, kingfishers, and so on. Mind the mud, this time of year.

If I were doing it, I'd look into the possibility of riding only as far as Perth Amboy; you can take a ferry from there to Manhattan.

Here are some.
http://home.comcast.net/~miketordoff/By_bike.htm
I don't think you need to go near Perth Amboy and I wouldn't.

For NYC to Newark, the best is the train, but anyone who rides in the area (including me if you can't find one) should be able to give route riding all the way from NYC over the George Washington Bridge. (Not worth it IMO.)

From Newark area to Labertville/New Hope, there are several cue sheets you can Google around for. Here are the simplest directions I found someplace (don't remember where - Major Taylor?) that looked like they would work.

Rt 27 South from Newark/Elizabeth area
into New Brunswick [can pick up D&O canal path in N.B. if you've the tires for it]
Rt. onto Franklin Ave.
Left onto Route 514 South
Route 514 south to Route 202 south
Route 202 south to route 179 south.

The first link I posted has much more elaborate ones. Or alternatively you can find cues to washington crossing area and then ride down the side of the river.

Here is the Phila bike maps, providing a number of choices to get from New Hope/Labertville into Philly, or anywhere else in the general area.
http://bicyclecoalition.org/map/map.html

check out the Liberty 2 Liberty Triathlon...its bike course is from Ellis Island to the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum in downtown philly. I am almost positive the route is posted somewhere on their website.

check out the Liberty 2 Liberty Triathlon...its bike course is from Ellis Island to the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum in downtown philly. I am almost positive the route is posted somewhere on their website.

I'm going to have to pass on any routes that require swimming.

Here's a route from the Newark Penn Station (accessible from Manhattan via PATH train for $1.50) to Philly.

http://www.pedaling.com/searchRides/RideDetails.asp?RouteID=880

the L2L tri ride starts at some point in jersey. I am riding this for the first time, and would be in for a ride before this actually happens. so early may. I can jump the train up to NY from here, and ride back down.

Here is my route is anyone wants to take a look.

*Creak*

Was curious if these routes go through towns where you could stop and grab a sandwich on the way? I'm guessing yes but would be nice to have confirmation :)

have you done the ride yet, i would still be interested in riding up, and possibily back with you.

I'm probably going to go one way, from NYC to Philly on a Thursday or Friday sometime. Probably come back on a Monday either by bus or by bike again.

I haven't done it yet, but still want to. My time is going to be limited with a new baby due soon.

What's your availability like until diaper time?

I'd like to do this as well. i might be in fl from the 15th to the 24th though...

I'm within two weeks of the due date now, so anytime. I'm happy just to be able to ride to work.

Hmmm - so otherwise you guys are free during the week as well? I'd like to take a nice easy pace, especially the first time.

I was thinking two 4-hour legs, with a nice leisurely rest in princeton or thereabouts.. going more for time in the saddle than race...

That sounds good to me! Is Florida a definite? When will you know?

florida is a definate, so it will have to be after the 24th for me

OK, no worries. I'm dating someone in Philly so I'll probably do this trip a few times :)

egonlou - I'm toying with the idea of Friday. Interested?

thanks, but I'm on baby watch. 1 week left.

No worries - get those diapers ready!!!

*creak* Haven't done this yet but still planning on it.

What I did find out though was that Google maps now let you plot your own course! If I have time I'll try to plot it out but wanted to give a heads up for anyone thinking about plotting any sort of course.