Tyler99

Hey everyone, I'm planning to ride from Denver, CO to Cape Cod, MA. I have a route planned from Denver to Indianapolis, where my uncle lives, so I can get a day or two of rest there. But then, I'm not too familiar with Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on good roads to ride through these states. Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm leaving in a week. Thanks

nancy sv

We cycled that part of the world on our last trip and just used regular maps for most of it. However, BikePA has a great series of maps with routes to get you across Pennsylvania. We followed their Route S across the southern part of the state and it was a great route. Dowload the whole set of maps before you leave, because it might be hard to find a computer and printer along the way!

Once we got across PA, we headed over to Atlantic Highlands in New Jersey and got a ferry to Manhattan. Getting out of NYC was a challenge, but if you time it for Sunday morning, it's not too bad. Then you can follow the highway along the coast of Connecticut and up. We stopped at my MIL's house in Guilford, CT, but you should be able to follow the highway almost all the way to Cape Cod.

Have fun!!

automated11

Im not sure exactly how the road is outside of Pennsylvania but Route 40 in Pa which runs across the US is a great road to bicycle. It has some hills but not bad. Then once you reach PA Route 519 approx 25-30 miles from the WV PA border you could take the north bike route to Erie PA (in the north west corner of pa near lake erie). Im not sure of the options in NY but I believe there is a Tow Path near Niagra Falls, NY to go across the state west to east (460miles) PM or email me (automated11 at yahoo dot com) I am right off of Rt 519 about 10 miles north of route 40 and you are more than welcome to stay in my back yard overnight if you wish.

ken cummings

There is a reason the Eire Canal and the first railroads from the East Coast to the Mid-West went through central New York. It has the only east/west break in the Appalachian Mountains between Georgia and Canada. Go to the New York Department of Transportation site and look up State Bike Route 5. Straightest and flattest bike way from Niagara Falls to the Mass state line. From Indy go NE towards Erie, PA and Buffalo. Adventure Cycling may have some ideas for getting through Massachusetts.

Adventure Cycling has one route through Vermont and new Hampshire to maine, hilly. It also shown the east coast route through Connecticutt to Maine with a branch to Boston,

bktourer1

I can get you through NY / CT /& MA to the cape if I knew what part of NY you are coming through. Get the Conn bike map through their DOT site and Rubels bike maps at Bikemaps.com. write me offlist for my cue sheets

Ed

rhm

Yeah, we need to know your final destination, more or less. New York is a big state.

Tyler99

Thanks for all the responses, is it definitely worth going north to niagra from pittsburgh and then east? A friend of mine went through upstate ny to Maine and said it was the most difficult part of his trip, with tons of traffic and huge hills. but he may have taken some different roads. I'm curious about the bikepa path through southern pa like someone else mentioned, but then I have to deal with nyc. So if that route from niagra to mass is pretty moderate, I'll probably take that. I'm guessing it's beautiful too.

bktourer1

Once you get into NYC, a good way to to the North & South County bike paths is to take the #4 Subway to Woodlawn Road and then ride to the trail head in Yonkers. get the maps for these trails at westchester.gov. write me for my cues. I rode from Springfield MA to NYC and was once a resident.There is also a free bike map for NYC at any (?) bike shop. Also look at Traillink.com and NYC Transportation Alternatives for routes in the city. By the way you camping or motels?ED

monkd

You can ride 40 across ohio with a minor detour south from Cambridge, OH to Morristown, OH. Then in Wheeling,WV you can take Route 2 north to Weirton, WV then the Panhandle Trail (bike trail) to the Montour Trail (bike trail) on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. Once in Pittsburgh you could hit the Great Allegheny Passage (bike trail) down to Cumberland, MD. Then in Cumberland take the C&O Canal trail to the outskirts of Washington D.C. then you can head north on the ACA Atlantic Coast Route.

That's what I would do! If you want to talk about it more in detail let me know.

monkd

wellshorton

How to cycle across New York State depends one what type of riding you enjoy. The secondary roads in upstate New York are for the most part some of the best in the country. If you stay further south you will have a very different experience with more urban environs. There is the NYS Erie Canal Trail that starts in downtown Buffalo and travels to downtown Albany. There are some sections of roadways, but about 70% is crushed limestone. Generally good for riding, but much slower than pavement. The drawback for many on the trail is it is mostly flat. I have done the Erie Canal Trail with my 12 year old and he loved it. It's something like 383 miles from Buffalo to Albany.

There are several other ways across NYS and there are just a few suggestions. New York State Bike Route 5 is somewhat flat with rolling hills. That will get you across the state on good roads, but with some traffic in places. Adventure Cycling has a beautiful route that goes through the Finger Lakes and up to Lake Ontario. After that it cuts across the Adirondacks and brings you to a ferry across southern Lake Champlain to VT. Across VT and NH to MA would be a good way. Years ago many cross country cyclists took NYS Rt. 20 all the way across the state. It is a very wide road with great shoulders and it is beautiful. For the most part there is not much traffic. What Rt. 20 has is hills. It is frequent up and downs of up to several hundred feet. So if you enjoy hills consider either NYS 20 or Adventure Cycle route. If you enjoy more flat consider NYS Bike Route 5 or the Canal Trail. There are several other ways across the state, just inquire at local bike shops.

If you decide to take a more urban route via the New York City area one consideration is to ride east on Long Island to the North Fork and Orient Point. From there you can take the ferry to New London, CT. From New London you can either ride via RI or possibly ferry hop to Cape Cod.

Enjoy and may the wind be at your back!
Wells

olafub

Here's some info on the Erie Canal bike route.
https://www.nycanal.com/recreation/hikebikemain.html

roseyscot

See my journal if you like. I just rode through those states and am ending in Boston, not far from the Cape.
www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/rosey2008