Port Jervis, NY to Ithaca, any tips?
02-19-09, 07:16 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Port Jervis, NY to Ithaca, any tips?
Hi, I'm beginning to plan a tour with my girlfriend for sometime in the Spring. We live in Brooklyn and she doesn't know upstate much but I do, so I thought it would be nice to hop on the Metro North Port Jervis line and see where we could ride from the end of the line. Ithaca seems like a good destination with plenty of camping and day-ride options. I've spent some time there and in the Finger Lakes so I know what that region has to offer but the whole area between the western edge of Orange county and the Finger Lakes seems fairly sparse from what I can tell. I think one destination we'd like to visit would be Bethel, the site of the original Woodstock festival. Right now the tour might look like this:
Day 1
Start at Port Jervis
Stop at Bethel maybe have lunch.
Camp at Beaverkill near Livingston Manor (where my dad used to take me camping as a kid)
Day 2
Camp at Oquaqa State park or Chenago Valley State park.
Day 3
Ride to Ithaca, camp at Buttermilk Falls SP or Robert Treman SP
Day 4
Rest, hang out in Ithaca
Day 5
Ride to Watkins Glen and back to Ithaca.
Depending on how many days we have I could also see riding up the side of Cayuga or Seneca, checking out Seneca Falls, Geneva and the Montezuma National Wildlife refuge.
We'd probably take a bus back from Ithaca or Auburn.
I feel the biggest hole in the plan is the ride from Port Jervis to Ithaca. There aren't many camping options along the way except if heading into the Catskills. I generally prefer State Park campgrounds in the Northeast as opposed to private ones but I'm open to suggestions if anybody knows a great place to camp that puts us a little south of the mountains. She has a Surly LHT set up with a full touring triple and I have a Nishiki Riviera GT, which is also a proper touring but, except I have a double crank and not a wide gear range. I can't see having the money to convert my bike to a real touring drivetrain before taking this trip so I'm a little hesitant to head straight into the Catskills if there's another way to make the trip. So if anyone knows of nice, gentler roads and decent camping or even a nice Bed and Breakfast along the way I'd love to know about them and anything else that might be fun or interesting to see or places to eat along the way.
I'll be checking this post regularly as I plan the tour, thanks very much!!!!
Day 1
Start at Port Jervis
Stop at Bethel maybe have lunch.
Camp at Beaverkill near Livingston Manor (where my dad used to take me camping as a kid)
Day 2
Camp at Oquaqa State park or Chenago Valley State park.
Day 3
Ride to Ithaca, camp at Buttermilk Falls SP or Robert Treman SP
Day 4
Rest, hang out in Ithaca
Day 5
Ride to Watkins Glen and back to Ithaca.
Depending on how many days we have I could also see riding up the side of Cayuga or Seneca, checking out Seneca Falls, Geneva and the Montezuma National Wildlife refuge.
We'd probably take a bus back from Ithaca or Auburn.
I feel the biggest hole in the plan is the ride from Port Jervis to Ithaca. There aren't many camping options along the way except if heading into the Catskills. I generally prefer State Park campgrounds in the Northeast as opposed to private ones but I'm open to suggestions if anybody knows a great place to camp that puts us a little south of the mountains. She has a Surly LHT set up with a full touring triple and I have a Nishiki Riviera GT, which is also a proper touring but, except I have a double crank and not a wide gear range. I can't see having the money to convert my bike to a real touring drivetrain before taking this trip so I'm a little hesitant to head straight into the Catskills if there's another way to make the trip. So if anyone knows of nice, gentler roads and decent camping or even a nice Bed and Breakfast along the way I'd love to know about them and anything else that might be fun or interesting to see or places to eat along the way.
I'll be checking this post regularly as I plan the tour, thanks very much!!!!
02-19-09, 07:49 AM
#2
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NYSDOT has planned a bunch of state bicycle routes, and has actually published maps of three of them. I tried googling for them, and they seem to be a pretty well kept secret, but I suspect you can get the maps (for free?) if you call 518-457-8307.
At any rate, the "Southern Tier" map is one of the ones that's out now, and it will help you.
Is it Metro North that goes to Port Jervis, or NJTransit?
At any rate, the "Southern Tier" map is one of the ones that's out now, and it will help you.
Is it Metro North that goes to Port Jervis, or NJTransit?
02-19-09, 08:09 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
I actually have all three of those maps and was looking at the bike route 17 one a bit. Yes, you can call a number and request them, for free, and they mail them to you quickly. It's really one of the most tangible ways I've ever experienced a return on my state income taxes! Anyway, the Port Jervis Line is officially a Metro-North service but is operated mostly by NJ Transit out of Penn Station. That is my understanding anyhow.
02-19-09, 08:09 AM
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I definitely would stay at Chenango Valley state park. I love that park. It's usually very quiet and clean. It's a little bit of a hike to Binghamton for supplies, but you can ride right down the shoulder of Route 81 if you want. You're not supposed to but it's a huge shoulder and I've done it several times and I've seen other bikes on it as well.
Major undulating climbs once you get close to the finger lakes, as you already know.
Major undulating climbs once you get close to the finger lakes, as you already know.
02-19-09, 08:15 AM
#5
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Thread Starter
And the number to call is (518) 457-8307.
https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/ope...-bureau/biking
When I called to request maps a few years ago I got a really nice person on the phone who seemed really appreciative that I was calling, as though the main civic purpose of his job was to disseminate biking information to residents of New York State.
https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/ope...-bureau/biking
When I called to request maps a few years ago I got a really nice person on the phone who seemed really appreciative that I was calling, as though the main civic purpose of his job was to disseminate biking information to residents of New York State.
02-19-09, 08:16 AM
#6
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Thread Starter
02-19-09, 01:51 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Looks like Route 97 which hugs the Delaware river from about Port Jervis to Hancock offers a lot of river rafting/boating companies with camping. Anyone stayed at any of these? Do they suck or are any of them actually not bad places to camp?
