I went for a ride today
 

I drove my wife down to Woodstock (NY) to visit her sister. I though I might try throwing a leg over the bike today. I had my wife drop me off at Hurley NY to meet her later in Woodstock

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/map.jpg
my route: Hurley to Marbletown to Highfalls to New Paltz, US 44 over the Shawgunks to Kerhonkson to Samsonville to 28A then east along the Ashokan Revoir to West Hurley, ending in Woodstock. about 45-50 miles estimated (I forgot to zero the odo)

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/me1.jpg
I am serious about this ride today!


http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/rt1.jpg
I have seen this rail trail before and wanted to try it. I rode my trusty old rigid MTB "Zeke" today. Zeke's 26X1.5 85psi semi slicks lets me switch street and trail at will.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/rt2.jpg
Sweet little trail mostly screened and packed old ballast

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/rt3.jpg
Even a couple little bumps at this missing trestle so you don't get bored.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/beave.jpg
A beaver "mac mansion"

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/mthouse.jpg
Off the trail and on the local roads .Lots of old stone houses in the area.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/minne1.jpg Climbing time! Looking back down US 44 through the hairpin. nice smooth road with some shoulder so the traffic doesn't get crazy behind you. Man I was hurtin coming up!


http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/awostingfall.jpg Minnewaska State Park this is Awosting Falls been raining alot lately so the falls is pretty wild today. Also a pretty lake up here that I decide to pass on. There was a bunch of nimrods on unmuffled Harleys riding around up here and they think it's cool to blip thier throttles when passing. What a-holes!


http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/mtn1.jpg Just a few miles south of West Hurley is one of the earthen dams that impounds Ashokan Reservoir. This is looking south over the reservoir.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/ej1.jpg A smiling SWMBO! why is she smiling? because I got back on time! which has happened only 3 times in 20 years.
She is 50 I am still a pup at 49 :D


Thanks for Looking!

Nah.......she's smiling because she's thinking of your negative tests. Great pics, lovely ride......I crave that hairpin.

It looks like a wonderful ride.

And it seems you are coming back from your illness!

Just absolutely great!

Love the scenery. Wow!

Wow!! What a beautiful area to ride in!! Thanks for the pics!

That off road trail looks really nice. Do you know how long it is? Looks like great ride.

Terrific scenery...must have been a fun ride.

Thanks for sharing.

Looks like a great ride. More to dream about.
How many miles did you ride?

The Hurley rail trail was about 6 miles maybe 7, there is supposedly more of it. but it went down to a rough 8" wide rut so I bailed onto the local roads.

There is another rail trail a few miles east of there called the Wallkill Valley Railtrail that runs between Rosendale town line and Gardnier NY with New Paltz in the middle. Out and back on the Wallkill rail trail is about 25 miles There is aother 2 mile extension that continues to the Rosendale trestle that is in private ownership, the owner allows public use of the trail. The whole trail is beautiful from one end to the other
The old train station in Newpaltz is a microbrewery called the Golden Otter that features " rail trail pale ale " (pretty good).
http://www.gorailtrail.org

Super pix.

Two questiosn:

What does SWMBO mean?
Do you use a special program for loading pix Bike Forums?

The 8" ruts are the fun bits- especially if wet!!!

Great ride but a pity about the Tarmac saving the Butt a bit.

Good ride. And Pics. Still no pie though.

SWMBO= She Who Must Be Obeyed.

I save the pictures on the web space that comes with my ISP account and then link to them from Bike Forums.

I've ridden in that area once, years ago. I'd forgotten how beauitful it was. Thanks for the post.

Huzzah! Velonomad. Either you've read the H. Rider Haggerd novel "She", or better, you are a fan of Rumpole. From that smile in her pic, I doubt you've been thrown to the lions very often when pedaling in late.

Beautiful Pics!! I haven't been up that way in NY in years. I'd forgotten how pretty it is. Nice ride report. I often have my wife drive with my children to her family's home about 26 miles away and ride it on my bike taking back roads. Not quite as scenic as your trip, but a nice way to get a good ride in.