Northeast - Sandy Hook / Red Bank / Holmdel riders?

Since I noticed that in the NJ threads, most people are from North Jersey or far south, I'm starting this to try to find people closer to me. I usually ride from Middletown to Sandy Hook, on to Sea Bright or Rumson, or to Holmdel Park, Colts Neck and beyond. Anybody else in this neighborhood?

Well kind of. :-) I ride the area from Chatam to Sandy Hook to Point Pleasant to Chatsworth to Tabernacle to Bordentown to Ringoes. I generally start from Cranbury, Matawan, Brookdale, or Bedminster. My favorite rides are out to Sandy Hook or Tabernacle. :-)

Ncherry, you ride a lot.... my longest rides are still around 30-40miles. But I have to start building up when spring comes, probably in June......

In June I'll be doing the 'Longest Day' it's a double century from Port Jervis NY to Cape May NJ. :-) Starting in May and usually ending in October I do lots of centuries (may start in April this year). This year I hope to do a lot more commuting (19 each way) so my mileage numbers should be outrageous this year. I used to record my mileage but my friend always beats me in the mileage department so I just gave up. There's now a second friend who rides brevets. He considers my ride short distance rides so I've not sure where I fit into this world. The best I can do is just ride for my own enjoyment and not worry about mileage.

If you need to see some of the routes check this out: My Routes (http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/by/ncherry). Quite a few start in Matawan, I seem to be missing the rides from Tatum Park in Middletown, which are my lunchtime rides, weird.

How long would be a lunchtime ride?
I'm close to Tatum Park... you work at AT&T?

If I get in earlier usually about 1:15 worst case. I try to keep them a little less but it's hard to find a good short loop otherwise. Also a I usually don't get warmed up by 10 miles.

Yes I work in the labs.

If you ever wanna ride together during the day, let me know, just know that I'm slow.
I also worked, for a short time, at that location (5 years ago, I think).

How slow is slow?

On a longer ride it would be around 16-17mph, but that includes all the slow downs in traffic, etc.

Do any of you have routes for getting down to Sandy Hook or The Shore or anywhere around there from north jersey, like Newark or Bergen or Hudson counties?

Hmmm...I just posted, and the post disappeared. Ok, I'll try again. I do a lot of rides down the shore...mostly down to Red Bank, starting from Sayreville, right outside my door. Chris, I love riding down the shore, and I'm slow too. If you ever need someone to ride with, feel free to PM me.

Do any of you have routes for getting down to Sandy Hook or The Shore or anywhere around there from north jersey, like Newark or Bergen or Hudson counties?

You mean driving? Take the Parkway, to exit 117. Then get on 36, and just go south. That'll take you right to the ocean.

Rog, when do you usually ride? And what would be your route from Sayreville?

On a longer ride it would be around 16-17mph, but that includes all the slow downs in traffic, etc.

If that's the average on your computer then that's not a problem. I'm not up to keeping a 17-18 mph avg over one hundred miles yet (give me a few weeks ;) ).

To keep that kind of pace over 100 miles I need to get up to 19 mph over the long straight sections.

Do any of you have routes for getting down to Sandy Hook or The Shore or anywhere around there from north jersey, like Newark or Bergen or Hudson counties?

Where can you get to from Up North. I have my limits and you picked it.

Rog, when do you usually ride? And what would be your route from Sayreville?

Usually afternoons, after work (I can get out of work as early as 12:30 some days...other days, 6:30. You never know, but usually around 2-3 ish).

The following is the route I take:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nj/sayreville/472360774

Hey Rog, thanks for the route... isn't 34 a bit too crowded? I see you're passing almost right by my house. (Main St & Harmony Rd). Usually take Kings Hwy and 36 to Sandy Hook, you could do this as a loop, and come back through Fair Haven. Let me know if you wanna ride part of this together sometime, I go out at 2-3pm quite often (would like to go earlier, but gotta finish work, plus it's warmer at those hours).

Usually afternoons, after work (I can get out of work as early as 12:30 some days...other days, 6:30. You never know, but usually around 2-3 ish).

The following is the route I take:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/nj/sayreville/472360774
I can't see the route (I don't have google earth and I'm not installing it (My preference is bikely.com, no need for anything but Javascript).

What section of Rt 34 are you riding on? What section of Rt 34 can you ride on in Sayreville? I just looked at the map and I don't see any section of Sayreville I'd consider safe for cycling. Sayreville is not one of my favorite places to ride a bike which is one of the reasons I don't have rides North of where I live.

Hey Rog, thanks for the route... isn't 34 a bit too crowded? I see you're passing almost right by my house. (Main St & Harmony Rd). Usually take Kings Hwy and 36 to Sandy Hook, you could do this as a loop, and come back through Fair Haven. Let me know if you wanna ride part of this together sometime, I go out at 2-3pm quite often (would like to go earlier, but gotta finish work, plus it's warmer at those hours).


No, 34 isn't crowded at all...at least the area I'm riding on, which you can see on the map, there are quite wide shoulders that keep the cagers far away. I have another loop where I take 34 to 520 to 527 and then a couple local roads back to my place...some areas the cars are a little closer there, but I still feel pretty safe.

It looks like the weather should allow me to start commuting again starting Monday...give me about two weeks to get the legs back into shape, and we'll figure out a good route and go from there.

I can't see the route (I don't have google earth and I'm not installing it (My preference is bikely.com, no need for anything but Javascript).

What section of Rt 34 are you riding on? What section of Rt 34 can you ride on in Sayreville? I just looked at the map and I don't see any section of Sayreville I'd consider safe for cycling. Sayreville is not one of my favorite places to ride a bike which is one of the reasons I don't have rides North of where I live.


Hmm...I don't have google earth either...don't know why you can't see it. I jump on 34 at Perrine road, which is almost the northernmost point of 34, where it connects with Rt 9, and I'll ride down it as far as rt 520. I don't have any problems riding in Sayreville at all, but really there's only one good loop to ride actually in Sayreville...MacArthur to Main to Washington, which takes you back to MacArthur. It's a 9 mile loop, and gets old kind of quick. But the roads are fine for cycling; I've never had any problems.

Hmm...I don't have google earth either...don't know why you can't see it. I jump on 34 at Perrine road, which is almost the northernmost point of 34, where it connects with Rt 9, and I'll ride down it as far as rt 520. I don't have any problems riding in Sayreville at all, but really there's only one good loop to ride actually in Sayreville...MacArthur to Main to Washington, which takes you back to MacArthur. It's a 9 mile loop, and gets old kind of quick. But the roads are fine for cycling; I've never had any problems.

I don't know may it my combination of Linux and Firefox.

Anyway, I'd think the the Rt 9 overpass over 516 would be a bit sticky, it's a mess right there and the Rt 18 exit is another trouble maker. Overall it's not the worst section of Rt 9. I thought you were a bit further north. Rt 9 between Bordentown Ave and the 34 split is a mess. Too many exits for the store to ride there safely. Not really a great bunch of alternatives to use are there?!? :-/ You know the Rt 520 is no Joy either too much going on in a small space and too many lanes for a cyclist to disappear in the sea of motion.

My commute is East-West, unfortunately my alternative route was recently ripped up and their solution to the problem was to drop the speed limit to 30 mph instead of fixing it (way to go Marlboro!).

You mean driving? Take the Parkway, to exit 117. Then get on 36, and just go south. That'll take you right to the ocean.

No, by bike.

I can get around most places north of Newark and Elizabeth, and from there I've ridden Edison, New Brunswick, Princeton area, Plainfield. But to go that way, head south, and then track back east to the Shore is a ton of miles. When trying to plot out find a direct route, I always run into this big inhospitable mess to the north and east of Keyport.

Zowie, I think the biggest challenge is to get over the Raritan... Once you're over, you can follow something like rog's route, you can avoid Keyport if you go through Old Bridge, Matawan, Holmdel.

No, by bike.

I can get around most places north of Newark and Elizabeth, and from there I've ridden Edison, New Brunswick, Princeton area, Plainfield. But to go that way, head south, and then track back east to the Shore is a ton of miles. When trying to plot out find a direct route, I always run into this big inhospitable mess to the north and east of Keyport.
Name the spot and I can help you around it. My friend Mark and I often ride out of Matawan (the Pizza Hut on Matawan Rd). We ride through Keyport all the time, very relaxing. In fact our return trips from Sandy Hook or the Haufbruagh (sp?) in the Highlands meanders through there. Just describe one of your routes and I'll help you get around the trouble. This won't be like riding on Rt 9 between Perrine and 520 it will be much nicer. :-)

I don't know may it my combination of Linux and Firefox.

Anyway, I'd think the the Rt 9 overpass over 516 would be a bit sticky, it's a mess right there and the Rt 18 exit is another trouble maker. Overall it's not the worst section of Rt 9. I thought you were a bit further north. Rt 9 between Bordentown Ave and the 34 split is a mess. Too many exits for the store to ride there safely. Not really a great bunch of alternatives to use are there?!? :-/ You know the Rt 520 is no Joy either too much going on in a small space and too many lanes for a cyclist to disappear in the sea of motion.

My commute is East-West, unfortunately my alternative route was recently ripped up and their solution to the problem was to drop the speed limit to 30 mph instead of fixing it (way to go Marlboro!).


I hear you with the Linux thing...I was a Mandrake user for a long time. I've been thinking about setting up my PC to dual boot again, but Gentoo won't set up on my box for some reason...I'm thinking about giving Ubuntu a whirl.

Anyways, are you thinking I'm taking Rt 9 from Perrine to 520? I'm not, I'm taking 34, which is actually a pretty decent ride.

No, by bike.

I can get around most places north of Newark and Elizabeth, and from there I've ridden Edison, New Brunswick, Princeton area, Plainfield. But to go that way, head south, and then track back east to the Shore is a ton of miles. When trying to plot out find a direct route, I always run into this big inhospitable mess to the north and east of Keyport.

Take the Rt 35 bridge, going from Perth Amboy to Sayreville, then follow the route I have laid out in the link I listed a couple posts ago.

Hey, my old home turf! I grew up in Rumson, used to live in an apartment on the beach in Highlands, tended bar in Red Bank, went to Rutgers - I had to laugh when I saw the thread title.

On routeslip.com, there is a route called "Mountains of Monmouth County" or something similar - I was able to turn it into a loop by going down from Mt. Mitchell to Sea Bright and through Monmouth Beach before turning back to Lincroft. Almost exactly 70 miles, and lots of surprisingly tough climbs. None of them are long (hey, just outside my door now is Mt. Diablo - 10.5 miles and 3,200 feet of climbing - perspective matters), but a lot are pretty steep and the total climbing was something like 5,000 feet - I was very surprised.

I like this route a lot - check it out.

JB

Hey, my old home turf! I grew up in Rumson, used to live in an apartment on the beach in Highlands, tended bar in Red Bank, went to Rutgers - I had to laugh when I saw the thread title.

On routeslip.com, there is a route called "Mountains of Monmouth County" or something similar - I was able to turn it into a loop by going down from Mt. Mitchell to Sea Bright and through Monmouth Beach before turning back to Lincroft. Almost exactly 70 miles, and lots of surprisingly tough climbs. None of them are long (hey, just outside my door now is Mt. Diablo - 10.5 miles and 3,200 feet of climbing - perspective matters), but a lot are pretty steep and the total climbing was something like 5,000 feet - I was very surprised.
JB
My friend put together a 60 mile ride, all in Monmouth County which has more than 4000 ft (This is along the shore of NJ, which is a very long sand bar for those not familiar with the area). The Mt. Mitchell area is a great place to ride. It has this great downhill sweeping S turn section which cars can't take faster than 25 and bikes can get up to 40+ mph.

In June I'll be doing the 'Longest Day' it's a double century from Port Jervis NY to Cape May NJ. :-) Starting in May and usually ending in October I do lots of centuries (may start in April this year). This year I hope to do a lot more commuting (19 each way) so my mileage numbers should be outrageous this year. I used to record my mileage but my friend always beats me in the mileage department so I just gave up. There's now a second friend who rides brevets. He considers my ride short distance rides so I've not sure where I fit into this world. The best I can do is just ride for my own enjoyment and not worry about mileage.

If you need to see some of the routes check this out: My Routes (http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/by/ncherry). Quite a few start in Matawan, I seem to be missing the rides from Tatum Park in Middletown, which are my lunchtime rides, weird.


I was just looking at your rides - you have some nice ones in there. I'm especially digging the Matawan - Red Bank one; that looks like it would be really easily integrated into one of my rides, and I love the climbing in the Atlantic Highlands.

I was just looking at your rides - you have some nice ones in there. I'm especially digging the Matawan - Red Bank one; that looks like it would be really easily integrated into one of my rides, and I love the climbing in the Atlantic Highlands.
Thanks for the compliment, I really need to give credit to my friend Mark, he actually showed me the various routes (he has pretty good taste in routes). I simply packaged them up and posted them. If you want a real surprise try the Navesink River Rd (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Navesink-River-Rd) ride just be aware that at mile 16.2 there's a wicked left bend in the road on the down hill. On roads I'm unfamiliar with I try to be careful but I'm oh so tempted to just let the brakes go and ride at full One other thing, which I think you won't have a problem with, we play in traffic on Rt 36. Generally we ride the white line and we get booking pretty fast. I don't know why we do but we just do. One thing, don't ride down to Keansburg from May to September as they experience summer traffic at the amusement rides. Otherwise Keansburg is a nice area for my lunchtime ride.

That Mountains of Monmouth route is cool, just what I was looking for... I think I can make it into a 40-50mi loop to cover all the climbs around my house.
I was planning to try part of it on Monday when it's supposed to be 55 deg, but I just had a nasty crash while skiing, my knees are all swollen and bruised....

That Mountains of Monmouth route is cool, just what I was looking for... I think I can make it into a 40-50mi loop to cover all the climbs around my house.
Where did you find the Mountains of Monmouth? Afer my mid-terms on Monday, I'm hoping to put on a few miles. 55 sounds like a heat wave to me. ;)


I was planning to try part of it on Monday when it's supposed to be 55 deg, but I just had a nasty crash while skiing, my knees are all swollen and bruised....
Dang, at least it's early in the season, heal up quick! My right knee/leg is still a bit sore from some damage I did to it. Legs seem to heal real slow. I'm hoping not to hurt it again but I need to abuse it with proper training. :)

I was surprised, that route showed a 4000ft total climb, quite impressive for an area whose maximum height is around 300ft. I finished mid-terms last week.
Last time something similar happened, I couldn't do anything for 10 days. Ended up quite well... easy 2 mile run after those 10 days, and 3 days later had a 13 minutes half marathon PR. It's just a bruise... 3 actually, hurts but shouldn't be any other damage.

That area is great for short, fairly steep climbs.

Take the Rt 35 bridge, going from Perth Amboy to Sayreville, then follow the route I have laid out in the link I listed a couple posts ago.

Thanks, Rog

I didn't know that bridge or Rt 35 was bikeable. It looked a kinda hairy on googlemaps. Could I take 35 between the bridge and where it hits 27 around Rahway?

Separate question, can I take 36 from Highlands down to Long Branch? I have a cue sheets for another route that I did with a club, but this looks so appealingly direct.

Zowie, 36 should be good between Highlands and Long Branch, a bit crowded in Sea Brights (and narrow until there), but then it has wide shoulders.

Thanks, Rog

I didn't know that bridge or Rt 35 was bikeable. It looked a kinda hairy on googlemaps. Could I take 35 between the bridge and where it hits 27 around Rahway?

Separate question, can I take 36 from Highlands down to Long Branch? I have a cue sheets for another route that I did with a club, but this looks so appealingly direct.

That bridge rocks...wide, wide bike lanes on either side. I have a couple pics from the top...I'll have to dig them out. Anybody know what windows app I have to use to open a tarball?

As far as taking 35, yeah, you can, although I have no experience north of Main Street, 514. But it's only a couple more miles from there to 27, so I'm sure you'll be fine. There are no bike lanes, but I've never had a problem.

One thing - study a map before you go over that bridge...you are going to need to get on to local roads after it, as 35 turns into a real highway very shortly after that bridge. If you need some suggestions, let me know.

Great, great. Hope to get there toward the end of the month ~ I'm just taking my legs out of winter storage.