NJ to Baltimore; critique my route?
 

Leaving next saturday morning, plan on it taking 2 days, but no biggie if it takes 3. Not camping but hoping to get in about 80 miles the first day, and stop in Newark, DE at a motel.

One major challenge, my buddy is taking his single speed road bike (with rack), while I'll be on my 27 speed touring bike.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sadd...8,3.339844&z=9


http://content.screencast.com/users/...09-11_1101.png

I have ridden most of the part from Newark Delaware on and it is all a nice ride. There are a lot of options from the Belair bypass on but Harford Rd is OK. If you want slightly more scenic, but a bit longer I could suggest some alternates, but it is fine as is.

If you need anything near Parkville, let me know. You will be pretty close to your destination by then though.

It is a really nice ride, but I wouldn't want to do it on a single speed since it is fairly hilly.

Yes, it is going to be quite a challenge on the single speed although that is part of the reason he'll be riding it, but it does have a flip flop hub with a much lower gear on the other side, and we plan to switch up bikes every now and then, and we'll both be riding with SPD pedals. We're both pretty strong riders, so I'm not too concerned unless we get hit with some major heat.

If worse comes to worse you can walk the steepest hills. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Hey, that's a pretty ballsy route, and if you do it, I want to read your report.

I've never ridden most of those roads, but I've driven a lot of them. You'll be going through parts of Philadelphia that I would prefer not to go through; the streets are bad, there are trolley tracks (not to mention trolleys), double-parked cars, and a lot of urban blight. Nothing to be afraid of, exactly, but I would find it distinctly unpleasant.

My preference --disregarding the bicycles-- would be head west to Lambertville, then drop down a bit, pass through Coatesville , Parkesburg, Quarryville, and cross the Sesquehanna at Holtwood, then head south. I haven't ridden most of that route either, but again, I've seen a lot of it from the car, and to my mind it would be way nicer than what you're suggesting.

But maybe that's just me... good luck!

Hey man! I live in Newark! You and your buddy could probably stay here. We have two couches, be warned though, Saturday night is generally a party night in my house. I believe my band might be playing a show that night too but you could totally camp out in the yard if its too noisy in the house, I have a one person tent and I'm pretty sure I could get another tent if you wanted one. PM me.

ALSO:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sadd...51,0.2211&z=12

This slightly changed route is the way I take from school in Wilmington back home to Newark. The roads are a little bigger my way but they are MUCH less hilly once you get out of Wilmington. Your route through Brandywine Springs park is actually one of the steeper hills around here. Theres a couple sketch sections without shoulders on this route I mapped you but they aren't too bad.

I won't comment on the part of your route north of Newark De, since i haven't ridden it, but the part from Newark south. I have ridden all but a bit of the baltimore city part a bunch of times and think it is a very nice ride.

I have ridden the Holtwood to Bmore route too. It also is nice.

Yeah, I know. I actually sent this route to a coworker and he immediately commented on how bad some of the areas are, and showed me the Google StreetView as proof. But, I've ridden through a lot of bad areas around NJ, Camden, Newark and NYC as well as Baltimore itself, and never have been bothered. I'm big at 6', and pretty well built as is my friend. I just avoid eye contact, and pedal like the bike is stolen! We thought about going around Philly like you suggested but we're trying to limit the number of miles and days of riding to 2 so we can have fun along the way.

Lot of the route through Philly goes along bike lanes that I found here: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...1&source=embed

I would personally take Lindbergh Avenue instead of Woodland. Woodland has trolley tracks that make lane positioning very difficult. Also, the neighborhoods along Lindbergh are better. When you get to Hook Road/84th Street, you can either make a right on Hook Road and take it back to Chester Pike, or you can make a left onto 84th Street, a right onto Bartram, and then a right onto PA 291/Industrial Highway, which you can follow for several miles until it meets up with 13.

If you choose Hook Road, it is somewhat busy, but rideable, and there is one short climb as you approach Chester Pike. I personally prefer taking Bartram Avenue/291, as there is somewhat less traffic. It is also probably a (marginally) safer route through Chester.

Edit: Something like this: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sadd...04549&t=p&z=15

Looks like fun! I'd circle around some of the iffier areas in Philly as well. I can't get to Google Maps from here; are you planning to use the Ben Franklin to cross the river?

I would also advise you to be out of the North Market St. area in Wilmington before it gets dark. Not too bad but not a place you want to be if you're not familiar with it.

Keep in mind any ride through Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester counties in PA is going to be hilly.

That said, here's a Coatesville to Baltimore route:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...Coatesville-PA

Jerseysbest has kindly allowed me to invite myself along for the first day's ride. I'll post updates via cell phone to my Twitter feed, is anyone willing to update this thread?

Thank you all for the route advice, especially south of Philly and between Wilmington and Newark, I heeded some of it and adjusted my route.

And Neilfein will be joining us. Hopefully I don't embarrass myself too much!

I'll bring the video camera to catch anything embarrasing. To youtube! :thumb:

Hmm, a video camera mounted on the handlebars facing the rider. How interesting. :)

Not feeling well, I had to cancel. :(

Sorry to read of that.

Best of riding to Jerseybest and his friend! Have a safe trip!