This isn't the most direct route in the world, but it's simple and it avoids most of the main roads.

At the intersection of W. John and Rt. 106 (Wendy's on the left, diner on the right), go straight across Rt. 106 (busy road) and straight across Rt. 107 (another busy road that runs parallel) and continue onto E. John Street. At the end of E. John, turn right onto Bay Ave, go under the rr trestle, and turn left onto Woodbury Rd (busy road) for just a few blocks. You'll pass a half-as-ed bike shop on the right, if you need anything. When you reach 7-Eleven on the left, turn left onto Bethpage Rd and immediately right onto Twin Lawns Avenue. This will take you parallel to Woodbury Rd while avoiding the mess.

At the end of Twin lawns, turn left onto Miller Rd. Miller will turn sharp right at a small industrial complex and then come to a STOP sign two blocks in. Turn left at the STOP sign onto Miller Place (small green sign reads "To 495"). Stay on Miller Place, cross under the Northern State Parkway, and you will soon be parallel to the LI Expressway (495). Google Maps shows Miller turning into Marlene Place, but ignore this. When faced with the choice of bearing left onto the LIE Service Rd or bearing right into what looks like a safer, quieter route, bear LEFT. Sorry, you need to ride the service road for a short distance here, but luckily, you can stay to the right, rather than having to merge left in all that exiting traffic.

At the traffic light for South Oyster Bay Rd., go straight and continue on Terrehans Lane. Take Terrehans to the end and turn left onto a quieter section of Woodbury Rd. Pass Lark Drive and Wren Drive and make the third right, right before the LIE overpass, onto an unnamed street. This will take you to Manetto Hill Rd. I have ridden this road many times and it is not as bad as it might look on Street View. It's DEFINITELY not as bad as Merrick Rd, anyway! Take Manetto Hill a couple of miles, past 2-3 shopping centers (including Fairway) and you will eventually arrive at Washington Avenue (YWCA and Dr. B. Well Natural Foods on the left). Turn left on Washington and take it all the way down to the bike path entrance, just before the LIE. Note that you will pass the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park, which has some bathrooms, on your left about halfway down Washington.

To head south on the path, you need to turn right off Washington Avenue. From here, it's a nice ride (with a couple of decent hills, but nothing like the ones you will have skipped) all the way to Bethpage State Park, where the original section of the bikeway picks up and takes you all the way down to Massapequa. As you approach Merrick Rd on the bikeway, you have the option of getting off the path and following my alternate route (detailed at nyrides.freehosting.net) or continuing to Merrick and turning right all the way to Cedar Creek Park, dodging speeding motorcycles and opening car doors all the way

Have a great ride, and let us know how it worked out.