Mileage: 100 miles; Almost all on paved rail trails; 4 miles on New Paltz streets and 6 miles on the unpaved Wallkill Valley Trail
Pace: 12-16 mph
Level: The Century Ride is most suitable for B- and above riders wanting to do a full day long distance ride. Normally stronger C+ riders who have been training for the Century and are confident about the speed and distance are most welcomed as well.
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36156480
* Register by June 14th. $10 at signup to cover food costs at lunch and final return pit stop in Hopewell. Riders should also carry in their own snacks for the first stop. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance.
Refunds may be subject to processing fees.
Narrative/Description of Ride:
The opening of the Maybrook Trailway as part of the N.Y. Empire State Trail initiative enables us to ride almost entirely on dedicated rail trails from Brewster to the heart of the Hudson Valley at New Paltz. The Maybrook connects seamlessly at Hopewell Junction Depot with the Dutchess County Rail Trail, which in turn connects with the Walkway Over the Hudson and then the Hudson Valley Trail into New Paltz. While the last few miles into New Paltz are on local streets, and we will do a few miles on the unpaved Wallkill Valley Trail, overall the route is almost entirely on new to relatively new pavement on the various trailways. We will pass several lakes and ponds, a couple of marshes, the impressive back side of Greenhaven Prison(!) and the spectacular Walkway built over a 100+ year old railroad bridge at Poughkeepsie. We’ll also see historic New Paltz, originally a Dutch settlement.
The route is in excellent condition, almost completely paved, quite flat and has only a few street crossings. An inside rest room is available at the Hopewell Junction Depot and Port-o-San type facilities are located at several points along the DCRT route. Restrooms are also at both ends of the Bridge and at our luncheon stop in New Paltz.
Approximate schedule/duration of Century ride: We will organize into two groups, a B- group and a somewhat faster B group
7:15/7:30: Arrive Brewster Trailhead (near Pump House Road)
7:30: Start B-ride
8:00 Start B ride
10:00 : Arrive at Hopewell Junction –snack and rest room break. Note: bring your own snacks for this stop
10:15: Resume Ride
12:30/12:45: Arrive New Paltz via DCRT, Walkway, Hudson Valley Trail and Wallkill Valley Trail ( 5 minute break on Bridge)
12:45-1:30 Lunch in New Paltz Russo Deli https://www.russofamilydeli.com/
1:30: Resume Ride
3:15: Arrive Hopewell Junction Depot pit stop
3:45: Resume ride
5:30: Arrive Brewster at end of ride (Sunset on June 16 is apx 8:30 PM)
Driving Directions—Ridgefield area to Brewster Trailhead
1-From Intersection of Route 121(Peach Lake Road) and Route 6, take Route 6 West
2-On Route 6 West proceed to Peaceable Hill Road (right turn just after Route 6 turns away from Route 202)
3- Take Peaceable Hill Road to end and turn RIGHT onto Tonetta Lake Road;
4-In less than 200yards, just past the Rte 84 underpass, Pump House Road will be on your LEFT;
5-Follow Pump House a half mile or so over the tracks and Trail to the end of Pump House into a small park where a gravel entryway takes you to the parking area for the Brewster/ Maybrook Trailhead.
.Some related website links below:
https://www.hopewelldepotmuseum.org/
http://www.walkway.org/
http://hudsonvalleyrailtrail.net/index.php
https://wallkillvalleylt.org/wvrt/
RIDE LEADERS: Joe Boland (B-), Roger Van Ausdal (B)
MOBILE: Joe Boland (914) 450-0473 Roger: (914) 475-7835
EMAIL: mailto:jnboland@optonline.net Roger Van Ausdal
How to Ride a Century
* The key to a successful century ride is not to go out too fast. We will control the pace to the advertised specs, and urge riders not to break the group.
* Stay ahead of the curve on hydration and food; drink/eat early and often, particularly if the weather is not friendly; it’s a cumulative thing. If anyone feels they are struggling at any point, raise your hand; do not be a hero.
* Nothing compromises a century like repeated, unnecessary mechanicals that interrupt the rhythm. Flats happen, so bring full change sets that can handle two, but to cut down on mechanicals, a thorough pre-ride bike check is strongly recommended. The best option is to bring your bike into the shop and let the pros do it but consider checking:
- tire wear and pressure
- brake pads and position
- loose connections (bounce your bike and see if anything rattles)
- spokes
- saddle position ( 7 hours is a long time)
- electronics/battery changes (Garmin, gears, etc)
- lights/reflectors
- gears, chain, lubes
- shoes/cleats/peddles (wear and security)
* Make sure your helmet fits securely
* Check the weather for proper clothing
* Since we will be on the road all day, preparing topics of conversation can be useful so no one gets bored……….only kidding. Not.
