Ny/nj, 9w

[IP Freely]

I'm looking to take my first ride on 9W in the next couple of weeks (on the NJ side of the GW Bridge) and was wondering if anyone on the board has any advice. I'll be looking for something around 20-30 miles, with a fairly beginner type group.

Some people will be cycling across the bridge from the city, but others will be driving from points further west. Are there any decent areas to park and meet up? I've tried using Google maps and Google Earth but I still can't exactly figure out where the route begins.

Any help from the board is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Inertianinja]

It is not as big a deal as you might imagine. For the most part, as you head up there, you'll see other cyclists. just follow them.

Directions From NYC
- Riverside Drive --> 165th. Make a Right up the hill.
- First Left onto Fort Washington Ave
- Left onto 177th Street (bridge in front of you)
- Right onto Cabrini Blvd (two northbound lanes separated by a divider.
- Left onto the sidewalk, then onto the ramp up to the bridge.

The bride will end in NJ in a fenced-in area where people meet. That's Hudson Terrace.
- If you go right, you'll go towards Strictly Bicycles, and eventually to 9W.
- If you go left (stay on the left-hand sidewalk down the hill) you'll find River Road at the bottom, which will actually turn you back North, and eventually back up to 9W after some big climbs.

To get to 9W:
Right on Hudson Terrace after the bridge going North. You'll see other cyclists.
Eventually Hudson Terrace will end.
Make a Left (careful!) onto E. Palisade Ave, then the first right onto 9W.
Go north on 9W. If you keep going, eventually you'll get back into NYS. Keep going and you'll find things like Piermont and Nyack.

Parking: People park along Hudson Terrance, but if you live in NYC, just bike up.

[FrankieV]

You covered it all I-ninja except that you can't park anywhere in that area on a weekday.
You are better off parking on the NY side of the bridge.

[dendawg]

For parking on weekdays you could use Allison Park, the only right turn you can make driving north on Hudson Terrace (other than the bridge entrance). Actually a right followed by another quick right. Park is open dawn to dusk.

[richard4993]

Something I like to do is instead of riding the first mile and a half up 9W where there is no shoulder I go straight on East Palisade to the first light after 9W and make a right on Summit to the end and then a left on Lyncrest to the end a right on Woodland, right on Buckingham and a right on East Clinton and then a left on 9W right where the shoulder starts. I feel safer this way and also get to see the nice residential Englewood and Tenafly backroads. Since you sound like you want a shorter ride you can try going up 9W and make a right on Alpine Approach road which takes you down to Henry Hudson Drive/River Road which is very scenic and will bring you back to Hudson Terrace a little bit passed the GWB. You can also make a left off 9W and go to route 501 but i wouldn't recomend that for a newbie as there isnt as much space as 9W and theres a whole bunch of turns to get back to the GWB.

[zacster]

Route 501 is also a nice ride. The downhill to Tenafly is great, but then there is the reverse... You can take 501 into Piermont, but watch the signs once you're back in NYS as the number changes. All the north-south roads are pretty good actually from the bridge, but you'll have to climb back up the palisades at some point.

[daponte]

FWIW, I absolutely agree with richard4993's choice to skip the first mile and half of 9W. His suggestion is a nice work around, relaxing roads, and isn't that much out of the way.