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Jersey Shore...is it nothing but flats?

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Jersey Shore...is it nothing but flats?

Old 08-25-08, 06:46 PM
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Jersey Shore...is it nothing but flats?

i may be moving down that way in the next few months.

And I'd really like to do the LIVESTRONG Challenge again...maybe even go for the century next year.

But is there anywhere down there to get some hill training in without driving a million miles?

Hell even if there's just one steep road somewhere that I can do laps on that would be better than mile and miles of flat in every direction.
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Old 08-26-08, 08:26 AM
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None that I know of. If you head into Central and Northern NJ you can find some hills.
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Old 08-26-08, 08:31 AM
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You may try to find out the wind conditions, it can get windy down at the shore, at least. I know sometime by my sister's place near sandy hook, it gets windy..

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Old 08-26-08, 10:59 AM
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If you're going to Monmouth County, you can head up to the Highlands (near Sandy Hook). Some nice rolling terrain further west in parts of Middletown, Colts Neck, etc., but I guess it would depend on your definition of hilly. If you're going further south into Ocean, Atlantic, or Cape May Counties, your best bet would be a good, stiff headwind. The better climbs are in the northern parts of the state.
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Old 08-26-08, 12:01 PM
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Yep, right by Sandy Hook there's a few nice hills (by the twin lights). What part of the shore are you moving to? Cape May area? AC area? Point Pleasant Beach area? Asbury Park area? Sandy Hook area?
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Old 08-26-08, 12:29 PM
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There are some moderately hilly routes by the shore - the communities on the shoreline west of Sandy Hook come to mind. The best climbs I know of in-state are in NW Jersey, riding towards or away from the Delaware river. In Hunterdon county, the hills going East from Lambertville are pretty epic.

Even though not exactly in-state, the Appalachians in PA near Bethlehem make Hunterdon county look like Kansas. I hear that High Point has some pretty decent climbs as well.
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Old 08-26-08, 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11
Yep, right by Sandy Hook there's a few nice hills (by the twin lights). What part of the shore are you moving to? Cape May area? AC area? Point Pleasant Beach area? Asbury Park area? Sandy Hook area?
Probably going to be bouncing back and forth between Lavallette and either Sea Bright area or maybe up near Keyport.

In Lavalette, as far as I know the only route is to ride all the way to the end of Island Beach State Park. It's about 30 miles round trip, and I'll likely get a constant head wind going one way.
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Old 08-26-08, 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by bravo106
If you're going to Monmouth County, you can head up to the Highlands (near Sandy Hook). Some nice rolling terrain further west in parts of Middletown, Colts Neck, etc., but I guess it would depend on your definition of hilly. If you're going further south into Ocean, Atlantic, or Cape May Counties, your best bet would be a good, stiff headwind. The better climbs are in the northern parts of the state.
Rollers will help. I'm looking for anything but constant flats...otherwise I'll be doomed next year when LIVESTRONG comes around.
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Old 08-26-08, 01:12 PM
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IBSP is nice and so is Sandy Hook (for the flat land you don't want). I'm not a road biker at all, but don't they sell a small parachute type harness so you have more wind resistance?
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Old 08-26-08, 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11
IBSP is nice and so is Sandy Hook (for the flat land you don't want). I'm not a road biker at all, but don't they sell a small parachute type harness so you have more wind resistance?
Go, baby!

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Old 08-26-08, 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11
IBSP is nice and so is Sandy Hook (for the flat land you don't want). I'm not a road biker at all, but don't they sell a small parachute type harness so you have more wind resistance?
IBSP?
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Old 08-26-08, 02:29 PM
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Island Beach State Park, sorry. Lol.
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Old 08-26-08, 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11
Island Beach State Park, sorry. Lol.
Oh you mean that place that I was the first one to mention. DUH!

I kind of like the route. Only place I know of in NJ where the beach is free too...as long as you walk or ride in.
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Old 09-03-08, 05:33 PM
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Grunzter, you have some decent rolling hills in Highlands, some parts of Middletown, Holmdel, Colts Neck... It's where I trained for the super-hilly Black Bear triathlon.

So you're gonna be around Keyport / Sea Bright? If you want, msg me, we can ride together. I can make a 50mi route with over 4000 ft total climb, without any repeats.
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Old 09-03-08, 07:11 PM
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Come to Highlands and Atlantic Highlands...we have some great hills, views of the NYC skyline, sandy hook, and some good restaurants in both towns. It's a great area to be a roadie.

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...ntic-highlands
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Old 09-03-08, 09:06 PM
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where in s nj?
Breakneck road in barnsboro, delsea drive in pitman, rt 540 into alloway are a few i can think of now!
what area?
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Old 09-04-08, 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by chrisuletz
Grunzter, you have some decent rolling hills in Highlands, some parts of Middletown, Holmdel, Colts Neck... It's where I trained for the super-hilly Black Bear triathlon.

So you're gonna be around Keyport / Sea Bright? If you want, msg me, we can ride together. I can make a 50mi route with over 4000 ft total climb, without any repeats.
Actually the plan is to move on board a boat within the next year, or preferably sooner.

Ideally I'd like to get into Ocean Beach Marina for the summer, since my sister has a house right down the block, and then move further North (closer to work) for the winter.

Unfortunately, I'm hearing slips are kind of hard to come by in NJ these days.

So, very possibly Keyport/Highlands area, because as far as I know, that's the only area in NJ that has tons of moorings.

I'd be interested in even coming down that way in the next few for a ride. Maybe even next weekend?
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Old 09-05-08, 05:49 AM
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Originally Posted by grunzster
I'd be interested in even coming down that way in the next few for a ride. Maybe even next weekend?
I'd be into this as well!
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Old 09-05-08, 08:53 AM
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Or what about a weekday next week?
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Old 09-06-08, 07:39 AM
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Weekdays are rough for me. I only have a few vacation days left and I'm probably going to need them all to get a boat from FL to NJ.

I do have a few Mondays I took off after Sunday rides, though. Next one is the 29th.
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Old 09-06-08, 11:23 AM
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Monmouth hill

I grew up in middletown. I do recall some hills heading back into Holmdel, though traffic is probably pretty bad nowadays. And I agree a few hills in Highlands, you can do repeats. I live in Baltimore now where a 20 mile ride from my house has a minimum of 1000 feet of climbing and a forty mile ride can be 2000+. Easy to do a 50 mile 4000+ ride around here. But then we also have the nice flats of the eastern shore. You gusy should come down for the Seagull Century in Oct.
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Old 04-05-09, 09:05 AM
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Well, it's official. Highlands it is! I finally move in 3 weeks.

I think I saw those hills you guys were talking about.
Especially right by the water there's a few shorter, but VERY steep ones.
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Old 04-05-09, 10:46 AM
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The ride from Highlands to Red Bank is decently hilly!
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Old 04-05-09, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by neilfein
The ride from Highlands to Red Bank is decently hilly!
I'm assuming you mean North of the river, right?

Like maybe along Navesink River Rd. or even going a little further North, is probably even more hilly?
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Old 04-05-09, 01:01 PM
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Originally Posted by grunzster
I'm assuming you mean North of the river, right?

Like maybe along Navesink River Rd. or even going a little further North, is probably even more hilly?
This seemed a lot hillier when I rode it! (At night in the winter with a moderate touring load.) 150 feet of climbing over 10 miles:


https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Atlantic-Highlands-ferry-Molly-Pitcher-Inn-Red-Bank


Here's one with 986' of climbing over 30 miles, much of it in the first 10 miles with one big climb about 20 miles in:

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...-Highland-Park

If you really want NJ hills, head to the Delaware River, specifically Hunterdon County. The first 8 miles of this one is pretty steep:

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Nov-tour-day-4
The first 100 miles of the High Point to Cape May trail is respectable, but it's really High Point itself that's the roughest bit.

(This is all relative, of course. For real hills, you can either go to the Adirondacks in PA, or ride along the Hudson. Bear Mountain is pretty steep; I haven't been brave enough to try this one.)
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