csi56

Last time I did it on my Trek in late April I started at the Mass Park station and got as far as the downslope near the construction on the north side of the park - a small section of the new trail, just a sample. Really cool to see the Vanderbilt Parkway remnant, since it passes me where I live in Queens, near Cunningham Park. I'd love to see the reconstruction of the whole path as a MUP, as seen here: Motor Parkway Trail Vision Plan - Proposed Motor Parkway Trail

I do check your site periodically and will again. Thanks for that site, it has pointed me to some of my favorite rides!

GlennR

I went out with the "A" riders out of Bethpage. North to Roslyn and ramble around Brookville and Muttontown.

42 miles, 1663' climbing, 1534 calories max speed 30.4mph.

I faded at the end.

Garmin Connect

Papa Tom

>>>...as seen here: Motor Parkway Trail Vision Plan - Proposed Motor Parkway Trail...<<<<<

I wish I could see the road names on those satellite views. When you enlarge it past a click or two, it all blurs.

Yes, there is more right-of-way screaming out to be part of the envisioned Motor Parkway Trail. A lot of it follows electrical lines, though, so who knows what kind of panicked logic will prevail as the plan moves forward -- or doesn't.

The section in Queens started out quite crappy and has really been improved over the years. I find it a bit hilly to bring my wife, though, and for me alone, it's not really worth the drive. If you live in Queens, I'd suggest checking this one out.

csi56

I had a nice ride down along the Kissena Corridor to Flushing Meadow Park today, including a loop around Meadow Lake. Nearly perfect weather, and the new Downtube handled it all very well. I had hoped to do more than the 11 miles I managed, but OK, let it build.

At the west end of the bike path in Kissena Park there's a plaque mentioning an old railroad that used to run towards Garden City through the Kissena Corridor. Did a little reasearch a couple of months back: as I recall the story, it branched off the LIRR near CitiField, and ran through Creedmoor on its way out to Garden City. I always enjoy seeing little snippets of history like that. When I have walked that part of Kissena Park I have been tempted to dig in the brush looking for old tracks and railroad ties.

Papa Tom

As a local historian, all my rides are colored by cool historical facts and sites like that. Did you do some Googling of Flushing Meadow Park and the 1939-1964 World's fairs before you went there?

csi56

I should probably Google it each time I go out. I was born in Queens and lived within biking distance of the 64-65 World's Fair, so it's a comfortable place for me. My "range" as a teenager was Flushing Meadow to Alley Pond, but not much north or south. My wife co-wrote a book about Fresh Meadows and is on a bunch of Facebook groups related to local history - probably should get you two connected.

Planning Mass Park ride after work tomorrow, bringing the 9FS in my trunk.

csi56

C'mon, boys and girls, let's keep this thread going!

This evening I rode a little short of 15 miles from Merrick Road up the Bethpage Bikeway, just short of going on the Papa Tom Bikeway (ran out of steam). I turned around at the rest room adjacent to the parking lot, just where we used to finish before the extension. For some reason the gates were closed on the section between the traffic circle and the spot where the path crosses the entrance road - everyone was going around the blockage, including me.

I've been breaking in my Downtube 9FS, which is going well so far - rides of 10, 11 and 15 miles. Only problem I had was when my phone leapt from the handlebar pack and skidded along the ground. It shut off, so I ended up manually entering my route into MapMyRide to measure it. Phone was OK when I got back to the car.

The bridge over the Southern State kills me, but I can do it on the Downtube whereas I couldn't on the Trek. Maybe I just find the gears easier on the DT.

GRVR6

Great ride out east, Sag Harbor, E Hampton, Springs, and back to Sag. Even on a summer weekend, hardly any cars.
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Papa Tom

>>>Great ride out east, Sag Harbor, E Hampton, Springs, and back to Sag.<<<<

Try going the other direction, using Rt. 114. Take the bridge from Sag Harbor to North Haven, ride across North Haven and take the south ferry to Shelter Island, ride across Shelter Island and take the North Ferry to Greenport. Bring a $20 bill for the ferries and expect some change.

GRVR6

I've done that too. The whole area is great for biking.

C Law

Thats pretty much the normal saturday morning sag harbor bike shop ride except you cut off part of the napeaugue stretch.

I live right at the bottom west part of your route

GRVR6

My friend did the bike shop ride a few weeks ago. He told me to come out and do it, but when I saw how fast the group was, went on a separate ride. His average speed with the group was 20mph. That's beyond me.

meolsen

The Sag Harbor Bicycle Shop ride does a warm up to Georgica Beach, about 12 miles, 38 minutes, from the shop. There it splits into an "A" and "B" Group. The A is getting pretty fast, but if you drop off the back you will get swept up by the B group.

Good riders with good pace line discipline. Keeps the pace high and safe, so important to pay attention.

csi56

Short ride for me today: 5 miles along the Vanderbilt bikeway in Queens - the section from Fresh Meadows to Alley Pond, which seems like it's all uphill. At least it was in the shade, and going back downhill was nice. It felt like it was a lot warmer than the 81 degrees my phone reported.

Papa Tom

Funny you mentioned the "uphill" sensation. I was going to comment on that a while back, but I thought maybe my recollection was wrong. Now I don't have to go back there to confirm it!

csi56

According to MapMyRide the bridge at Springfield Blvd. is 110 feet higher than the intersection of Francis Lewis and the Vanderbilt, over about 1.6 miles. It's a slow but steady climb and I had to stop several times. Way outta shape but the only way to fix that is to keep riding! https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/632351171

Papa Tom

Did you ever check out the link I posted for the Vanderbilt Cup Races? It's a cool, comprehensive guide to the races that spawned the Queens to Suffolk roadway that is now being converted to bike paths. For me, the history makes riding the Queens section and the section in Bethpage State Park a lot more of an "event."

The posts above have inspired me to do the "Across The Forks" ride (Greenport to Sag Harbor) tomorrow, as my wife will be away. It all depends on whether I can scrounge up the ambition to drive all the way out to Greenport and back. We'll see...

Papa Tom

Nah. Way too breezy -- even a little chilly -- today for a ride on the east end.

GlennR

Rode to Bayville today with the "A" riders. While I was on the back most of the time, I did hang in there.

41 miles, 15,7 average, 1680' climbing.

Papa Tom

I started heading to Bayville, myself, today. About halfway around the block, the wind started blowing and the Indian food in my belly started backing up into my throat. I turned around and went home. No ride today, but I'll probably drive to Bayville or Oyster Bay to read a book or something. I should have just gone to Connecticut with my wife, I guess.

csi56

Yeah, it was delightfully breezy if you were sitting and enjoying company or a good book, but discouragingly breezy if you wanted to ride. I've been away, and probably won't ride again until one evening this week, dammit.

I saw that Vanderbilt site when you posted it. In Fresh Meadows and in Bethpage I've enjoyed finding the concrete posts and the original blacktop. A few days ago I was hunting Bike Junkie in Farmingdale near where I work; I spotted a NY State blue marker sign that said Vanderbilt Parkway, on Central Avenue, back against the LIRR tracks past Bethpage station. I was in a hurry but I need to go back, and try to correlate that spot with the maps at Motor Parkway Trail Vision Plan - Proposed Motor Parkway Trail .

kaos joe

Delightfully breezy, period! Did MPBC AA ride Bethpage to Eaton's Neck & back, 54 miles. Wonderful day unfortunately marred by one of our riders fracturing his tibia in a walking-speed topple-over crash up at Eaton's. Would have been a perfect ride otherwise.

GlennR

Decided top get out and take a easy ride. I headed down to Cedar Creek and asked how was it down to the beach. I was told it was pretty crowded, but decided to give it a try.

There were a lot of people, as I approached the first bridge I can see a crowd and people were queued up waiting to get across the narrow path. I decided to turn around and head north instead.

IT WAS WALL TO WALL PEOPLE

Headed north up Wantagh Ave to Bethpage, around the park, down Round Swamp and then back to Massapequa.

On the weekends, you have to hit the paths early or expect a lot of traffic.

Papa Tom

My wife and I took an easy ride today (Sunday 7/6), too, on the southern end of the Bethpage path. Damn, it was crowded!

Billy1111

just did the usual 84st to Canarsie today.....Im off the week of july 12 plan on doing the full ride from 84 st to 69st pier, south county trailway and maybe the hudson or bethpage to jones