StalkerZERO

I've been using the search button......really...I have. But I'm having a tough time finding a route from anywhere in Long Island to Floyd Bennett field. I was hoping ideally for a scenic route somewhere that I could take a LIRR trip to then head all the way back home.
I was thinking maybe a 65 mile trip max. Any ideas?

I am open to an alternative where I could ride out to long island and do a 50 or more mile loop around somewhere on the scenic North shore of Long Island where I would have to drive to first. But most of these dang L.I. bike club web sites keep their precious bike routes a secret.

Can someone offer a suggestion or two?

Scorer75

I can offer a ocuple of suggestions.

1. Go to Great Neck on the North Shore.
Plan a route and go riding, make sure you spend lots of time in Kings Point. Kings Point has has some amazing homes, great roads to ride, and some nice rolling hills. I don't know about 50+ miles but a loop of 30-40 miles should be a great ride.

2. To get to Long Island from Floyd Bennet Field is no problem as long as you don't mind riding through the projects in Far Rockaway. I can recommend various routes but this is part of my commute and I can't even count the number of double takes even the cops do when I ride by. It's like oh look, white guy on a bik, holy ****, there's a white guy on a bike!!

I've been riding through there for a few years and never had a problem but I've heard from others who have.

If you are interested, I can give you detailed route options that will get you to the five town area of Long Island or Long Beach where you can pick up Sunrise Highway or a train back to the city.

Let me know if you are interested.

StalkerZERO

Well how about this:
I could hop on a LIRR train and head out to somewhere on long island where I can pick up peninsula blvd. Then I can take peninsula blvd all the way west til I can pick up the nassau expressway heading south. Once I can pick up seagirt blvd to head west then I would know how to get to floyd bennett from there. Does anyone have experience with peninsula blvd? And what LIRR stop could I get out at that would be closest to peninsula blvd and also be out east far enough into L.I. that it would be a challenge?

See, thing is while I would settle for driving a car to L.I. and route a nice loop then drive home....I would much rather the challenge of just being on the bike and if I wanted to sleep home that night my best option would be to ride my lazy butt home.
Of course, if I get a flat or damage to the bike I can't fix my punishment for my failure is a train ride back home.
More thoughts?

StalkerZERO

ARGH!!
Just had a horrible thought! What are the local subway and LIRR train schedules gonna be like for labor day?
Gulp!

StalkerZERO

Eeek!! On the off chance that the trains won't be running tommorow (good possibility) I will take you up on your route suggestion. Actually, can you provide a link to a decent map? If the LIRR thing falls through then I will end up driving out there with the bike. Please, provide some info.

zacster

The best thing I can think of is to take Long Beach Road to Long Beach and ride west along the beach, through the west end, through Atlantic Beach and across the Atlantic Beach bridge to Far Rockaway. At least you won't be in the center of Far Rock, and you follow along the beach in an OK area. I assume you'll find your way through. What you do on Long Island before you go through Long Beach is up to you.

StalkerZERO

Well, here is the plan as of 9:18 m tonight...

gonna ride on a train all the way out to wantaugh then take sunrise hwy west to peninsula blvd then south to nassau expy then seagirt then west to floyd bennett.
Doing that would negate the need for a car however it will sacrifice a nice scenic ride along the north shore like you guys are suggesting.
In case the LIRR ride doesn't work out can any of you guys suggest a nice loop near Great neck/kings point?

Oh, and zacster I've been to atlantic beach and the thing is I wanted to go further east of that but bikes aren't permitted on that highway. LOL! Originally I wanted to ride from captree island state park all the way west til I got to atlantic beach. But alas...it wasn't to be.

Scorer75

LIRR runs tomorrow, but you need a permit for a bike on the LIRR. It's $5 but I'm not sure where you'de get one between now and then.

I never had a "route" when I rode Kings Point, I always just rode around until I got bored, then picked up a main street and went back to Great Neck. Not a hard place to ride without a map but you can mapquest the area and make your own loop.

If you decide to do the ride home thing, here's what I would do. Forget Peninsula. Use Sunrise Highway. It's easier to ride on (safer) and that's actually where the LIRR is.

Pick your distance and do the ride. Let's work it backwards. From Long Beach (really Atlantic Beach) to Floyd Bennet is about 12 miles. These numbers are off the top of my head and may be off by a bit. From Long Beach Road in Oceanside through Long Beach to Atlantic Beach is less than 10 miles. You can add ten miles to your trip by going left off Long Beach Road to Point Lookout and coing back to Long Beach (it's a dead end so it's literally a 10 mile loop, very popular inthe area).

So it's about 20odd miles from when you get to Long Beach to Flyd Bennet Field. Now decide how far up Sunrise you want to take the train and work your mileage from there.

When did you want to ride? Maybe I'll join you for part of the trip. One more thing. Doing Far Rockaway with 2 or more people is a lot safer. The other alternative is riding on the boardwalk. You can pick it up at Beach 9th and take it all the way into Belle Harbor. I can't ride the boardwalk with an aluminum frame and my tires at 125psi, it hurts to much.

Hope I helped.

Scorer75

Stalker, I've takenb that highway, it leads either to Jones Beach or the Meadowbrook. I took it on Memorial Day to see the BLue Angels at Jones Beach. A State Trooper saw mw and just kinda shook her head. Nobody else bothered me.

StalkerZERO

Thanks for the offer but this particular ride I'm planning is a solo ride I've been thinking bout for a long time. Its sorta a milestone thing where I can get into a zone do some deep internal thinking.
Tell me though.....what kind of neighborhood is between sunrise hwy and nassau expy on peninsula blvd? Is it a rough n tough project filled neighborhood or something? Because if I do stay on sunrise hwy all the way west its gonna turn into conduit avenue then I will still have neighborhoods I wouldn't want to ride in. :| At least when I take peninsula blvd to nassau expy south then I would be in the atlantic beach area which isn't too bad. Seagirt blvd west will take me under some railroad tracks and then get me to rockway beach. those neighborhoods I can handle. Then continuing west to Riis park is also low traffic and not bad.

StalkerZERO

Wait though! From lido blvd on the east end of atlantic beach...up over that little bridge on loop pkwy then south over the bridge at meadowbrook pkwy to jones beach.....you've done that?

Scorer75

Not at all. Excellent neighborhood, no problems should come up at all.

The road is a little "tight" at some points so just be careful with cars. Other than that, no problems at all.

One thing I would consider. Instead of taking Sunrise to Peninsula, Take Sunrise to Broadway. If you take Broadway all the way down, it hits the 878 (Nassau Expressway) about two lights before the turnoff for Seagirt. Some parts of this are also a little tight but there are no cars going by you at 50mph and there are no commercial vehicles to deal with.

Scorer75

Yes. I've done exactly what you describe on Memorial Day for the air show.

StalkerZERO

Ok.
But I would still have to pick up peninsula for a bit til I got to prospect avenue. I would make a left there then a right on rockaway avenue to pick up broadway. Sounds good.
How is the sunrise hwy itself though? Its listed on the long island official bike map (terrible looking map almost hand drawn) as a shared roadway.

Scorer75

One more idea for you, it'll also add a couple of miles to your trip.

At about Beach 92nd head north. Take the Cross Bay Bridge through Howard Beach to the Belt Parkway, and pick up the bike path along the belt and take it to Flatbush Ave, then continue on the path South to Floyd Bennet.

I like this route because it eliminates traffic and if you want to really just zone out, it's a great place to do it. Also adds some rollinghills/overpass bridges to the ride.

StalkerZERO

Before we go any further lets talk about your alleged bike trip to see the blue angels.
There are 3 bridges on loop pkwy heading toward jones beach that look sorta dangerous to cross having to share with traffic....at least from wayyyyy up above looking down with google earth. How is it on the ground?

Scorer75

Sunrise is ok because it's really big, ranges from 3-4 lanes for the most part and a nice shoulder.

I use Sunrise all the time.

Scorer75

Empty on the way there, stupid on the way back.

The way there was early with no traffic and it was just ok. There's really no shoulder (unless you ride on grass) at some points. THe way home was a bit scary but I'm kind of used to riding alongside cars doing 50+ mph.

Hindsight, I'd need a really good reason to do that trip again.

StalkerZERO

Nah. LOL!

Lemme explain. Sometimes I like to do a mini ride/fun ride starting from floyd bennett on the belt parkway east to cross bay blvd then south over the bridge to the beach then west home to complete the loop.
From floyd bennett there is a patch on the path somewhere near exit 15 by that new mall. That patch is all unfinished!! Its like riding through a mine field! Sometimes I'm in the mood to ride through it and sometimes not. Not to mention there are several places in that area east of floyd bennett on the belt where there is gravel EVERYWHERE. It sucks sometimes. If only the powers that be would finish pave that area like they promised some time ago. If it wasn't for that I would be riding that loop every day!

StalkerZERO

Oh, and I just called the MTA and they said I could buy a permit right there at the station tommorow. So it shouldn't be too much of a prob. But, we'll see. I've got my repair kit ready to go and all my supplies.
I'll let ya know what happens tommorow.
This site is gonna need a thumbsup smile.

Scorer75

Correct, Erskine Street. It's better than it's been, but like you said, it's still loose gravel.

Not enough of a reason to keep me off the path though.

I seem to ride all the worst areas. What I wouldn't do for a nice country two lane road with rolling hills.

Scorer75

Have a good night, hope I helped more than I confused.

Best of luck tomorrow. I'm not sure where I'm riding or when but if you see a big guy on a red Cannondale Cyclocross Disc, don't forget to wave.

StalkerZERO

haha sure! But if ya see a semi poser on a speciliazed roubaix with a nasty look on his face its probably me. If I don't wave please don't take offense. I will probably be wearing my bulldog floyd landis defiant face. And I would be in full combat mode.....and in the zone!