Northeast - 9w

How is it? I want to go via the GW. Is this easy? I would like to get a good 50-70 miles in.

Thanks.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=293387&page=16

You won't be alone on 9w with a bike. It is the main cycling route north with stops in Piermont or Nyack. A nice diversion is River Road (or whatever it is officially called) from just south of the bridge to Alpine (and a long steady climb) and then 9w to Piermont or Nyack. Or as Slvoid suggests a ride even further up from there, but I've never done those.

Another option is 501, which you pick up in Tenafly after riding through the 'burbs in Englewood Cliffs. That'll take you to the same place in Piermont as 9w. It's flat once you get to the bottom of the hill, no climbing going north, but one way or the other there's always a climb going back. There's usually a lot of riders there too.

This past Sunday I rode out to Rockland Lake. Heading to Piermont, Piermont Road (or the connecting County Road) is much nicer than 9W, IMHO. The ride is on a rolling two-lane with a narrow shoulder, but the road is smooth, clean, and well shaded. Traffic was light and not too fast, about 35MPH. The rural vibe of this route really made it worthwhile. 9W is direct and has a wider shoulder, but there's some rough chipseal, more roadside junk and more hills.

From Piermont to Rockland Lake I continued on 9W. Between Piermont and Nyack 9W gets kind of nasty. On the fast descent into Nyack, watch out for gravel, bushes portruding into the road, potholes and some poorly patched pavement. After Nyack, there's another big hill but 9W gets much better.

Is 501 the same as Piermont Road?

Coming out of Tenafly, 501 is County Road, and Piermont Road runs parallel and a is little more direct. They join back up and then it is Piermont Road all the way to Piermont. I almost always use the County Road branch, mostly because the first few times I did it I followed the 501 signs and I know the landmarks better. Either way is fine and better riding than 9w IMO. I really dislike the climb on 9w at the state line going back towards the bridge. It crosses the highway, there's no shade and it isn't in great shape (unless they paved it.) On 501 you get to do the climb on residential streets without traffic, but you have to know where to go on Churchill, Walnut or Booth. Google Tenafly if you need to see where to go.

Coming out of Tenafly, 501 is County Road, and Piermont Road runs parallel and a is little more direct. They join back up and then it is Piermont Road all the way to Piermont. I almost always use the County Road branch, mostly because the first few times I did it I followed the 501 signs and I know the landmarks better. Either way is fine and better riding than 9w IMO. I really dislike the climb on 9w at the state line going back towards the bridge. It crosses the highway, there's no shade and it isn't in great shape (unless they paved it.) On 501 you get to do the climb on residential streets without traffic, but you have to know where to go on Churchill, Walnut or Booth. Google Tenafly if you need to see where to go.

The state-line climb was repaved earlier this season and is in great shape, FYI.

The state-line climb was repaved earlier this season and is in great shape, FYI.

It is still my least favorite climb.