Guys:

I'm planning a solo trip that will take me on the WS Highway Greenway to the GW bridge onto 9W (maybe Alpine).

Where can I refill water bottles along this route?

Thanks.

At Alpine the police station has water and is a regular stop for a lot of riders. It's at the top of the hill from River Road, right off 9W. There's bathrooms too.

Uh... You're going to Hudson and Bergen Counties, not Death Valley.

Bring 2 water bottles and some cash, there are plenty of places to get fluids along the way.

what's it like there this summer? i remember there was some conflicts with the station not wanting cyclists to get water or use the bathroom there. is that still going on? (haven't been up there in a while).

Thanks for the helpful post.

I am aware of the bathroom at the Police station, but especially on the West Side path, where do you guys go to refill?

I know I can head East into the city, but I prefer not to bring a lock.

Any ideas?

West side path, right around the 72nd street exit's plenty of water fountains.
Once you get up 9W, alpine has a fountain in the police station.

I don't know how much you drink but on 95 degree days, if i drink before i leave the house, 2 water bottles can last me to nyack if not farther.

Any house with a spigot or garden hose will do. Knock on the front door before filing up and ask . . .

Chelsea Piers has a public bathroom, a water fountain, and sports drinks in their vending machines. There's probably a fountain at the 28th Street pier and in that little park in the West 50s. Also, as slvoid pointed out, bathrooms, water fountain and juice vending machine around the 79th Street boat basin. I'd imagine there's a water fountain by the playgrounds at 150th street and there's another bathroom around 168th Street. Last but not least, there's a water fountain by the Little Red Lighthouse. Almost any spot along the Greenway intended for families and small children will have a bathroom and water.

As you go up 181 West Street towards Fort Washington Avenue, there's a bodega on the right, and there was a Starbucks on the left, the last time I was there.

On the Jersey side, there's bathrooms and water in the Fort Lee Historic area of the park. Each of the picnic areas along Henry Hudson Drive (River Road) has bathrooms, water, and maybe even candy bars just in case you need a sugar fix.

I was there refilling with my teammate at 8-ish yesterday AM. No problemos.

Where are you starting from? There is an outdoor cafe at the 70th St fishing pier, and if memory serves me there is a water fountain on the bike path right behind it. Don't know if it is operational or not. There are bathrooms around 74th St, and a fountain near the children s playground there. In the summer there are often vendors near the parking lots at 158th St. If you take River Road to Alpine there is a Snack Bar open in the summer at the Englewood Boat Basin. You can dine with your bicycle right at one of the picnic tables on the river. If taking Hudson Terrace to 9W, you can make a right into Allison Park, maybe a mile north of the bridge where you can find bathrooms and water. For long rides in hot and humid weather I like to carry an hydration pack along with 2 water bottles filled with an electrolyte replenishment drink.

Wow - when I went up to Nyack earlier this year I had two bottles (one gatorade) and two liters on my back, temps in the 70's. Emptied it all before I got to Piermont and almost emptied them before getting back.

Didn't know about the police station but after that nothing until Piermont (about 17 miles at that point I think). Plenty of random water fountains along the west side highway.

Scorer75... c'mon, man. I can understand being cautious, but you're cycling in one of the most populated parts of the world. I'd be openly shocked if you were more than 30 minutes (by bike) from water at any point on that ride. Heck, start out with 2 bottles and you could easily make it from the GWB to Piermont without running out.

Seriously, there is absolutely no reason to worry about getting water or liquids on that ride.


Different riders need different amounts of water/liquid when cycling. For example, I only need 20 oz of liquid per hour in 80 degree weather.

It's pretty easy to figure out.

1) weigh yourself before a ride
2a) do a 1-hour ride without drinking, or
2b) keep precise track of how much you drink during the ride
3) weigh yourself after the ride
4) figure out how much weight you've lost during the ride, and convert that into ounces. If using 2b) you will want to subtract the amount you drank from your final weight.

Also, slvoid is rather fast, so it probably takes him a lot less time to get to Nyack than you or I.

Thanks for the excellent info guys.

I'm going to be starting in Long Island and ending in Rockland County.

The reason for the post was not because I was worries I'd be stuck without water, but because I was wondering if there was something I was overlooking that might make it easier. For example, I never thought of the picnic areas on River Road as a good refill spot. I just wanted some input on where you guys fill up.

Thanks to all those that responded.


SLVOID: Please don't compare yourself to the rest of use mortals. You got your girlfriend to post practically topless in a cookie monster jersey and posted it here. My wife doesn't want her picture anywhere online that is publicly accessible.

There's a convenience store on 9W just north of the bridge and past the state line in Sparkill. I bought a couple bottles of Gatorade in sports bottles there. I'm sure they have sandwiches too

it's always good to know where water\supplies can be found. might have a crash, mechanical, or need to help someone else. never know.

that said, i usually make it to piermont using 1.5 bottles of water. i buy something up there to fill up and by the time i get back to brooklyn i'm pretty much empty. that's right around 55 miles i think.

There lies the problem. To those from Long Island, Rockland is a rural wasteland.

Wow, this place is tough to please.

I was born and grew up in the city. I move 2 miles from the city border (I still work in Brooklyn) because I want my kids to have a yard, and all of a sudden it's assumed my geographical knowledge of the city and it's surroundings has disappeared.

Have you ever gotten into certain habits and realized there was an easier way to do something? All I was looking for was where you guys recommend filling bottles. I got some responses I knew about (like the police station at Alpine) and one I never though of, like the picnic areas on River Road.

That is all.

I know this fact quite well One of my cycling goals is to be fast enough to keep up for one of his recovery rides!

There's actually a bathroom at the first picnic/rest area if you go on River Road (hang a right at the first fork). The other water fountains are spotty so I'd recommend filling up earlier than later.

Stacy - is that convenience store past where 'River Road' lets out? I know there's a deli three miles from Piermont if I don't take the easy way of getting there. If you just go across the bridge there's a gas station and a few places just north of the bridge as well.

Air
The convenience store is past River Road, past the state line, at the bottom of the hill and past the bridge, just a couple of miles south of Piermont. It's on the west side of 9W and there's a small parking area outside so it's set back slightly from the road. No bike racks or other places to chain up your bike so I wouldn't linger inside for too long, but nobody bothered my bike when I propped it up outside.

I guess you could call it a deli but it's sort of a suburban deli so I called it a convenience store

Bottom line is there are lots of places. I never give it a thought when I go up that way.

Last tennis court on the right, just before the little red lighthouse.

If you are doing 9w up instead of river road, you can stop at the police station right on hudson terrace right before you hit the left turn.

Nope, no water available. You'll have to ease your way down to the banks of the Hudson if you want to drink....

Lots of vending machines/water fountains on the west side, Bathroom at the Alpine station & shops in Piermont. Haven't checked in Tallman but there is probably some fresh water available there too.


2 bottles will get me to Nyack from lower Manhattan, unless it's insanely hot & I'm pouring water over my head. Then I'll refill at Alpine and in Nyack.

UPDATE:

The Police station at Alpine is open without restrictions on cyclists. As a matter of fact, the officers were cordial if not friendly. The only difference I noticed is a small sign in the bathroom asking people to clean up after themselves and be considerate of others.

The cans of soda in the soda machine are still $1 and I still climb like a wimp.

Good luck and thanks to all those that responded to my original question.