Cycling Poughkeepsie - Rail Trails and History

Traveling via Amtrak to Poughkeepsie with my folding bike.

In mid-October, I loaded the Downtube Dyan for a solitary visit to the Poughkeepsie region. I've visited the area before and was enamored with both the cycling network and Hyde Park's Historic buildings. There was more to discover, plus to revisit the fabulous Walkway Over the Hudson. I'd ridden west, exploring trails around New Palz earlier this year, so my goal was to concentrate on the eastern side of the Hudson River.

I used large rear panniers to carry enough gear for 4 days, 3 nights at a hotel. My purple tote bag was handy for organizing anything extra, like hauling groceries, and became my daily carry-all on the front rack. I arrived at my hotel before dark, picked up groceries, then settled in to plot the next day's adventure.

Unlike the Roosevelt Mansion, the Vanderbilts spared no expense.

Following Google Maps, I avoided busy Route 9 and pedaled to the Vanderbilt Mansion. A National Park treasure, I also purchased a lifetime parks pass, one advantage of being 64 years old! 

National Parks tour guides are the best. I learned that all furnishings were imported. It's an eclectic mix of the Far East, gilded bedposts, tapestries; even the dining room carpet was gargantuan - never seen one that large! We toured 3 floors and the servant quarters. 

After lunch, I set off to visit Franklin Roosevelt's presidential library, a couple of miles down the road - the first presidential library. While the building appears single-story, the self-guided tour covers multiple floors (including underground), a chronicle of 4 presidential terms, preserved memorabilia, and special documents. 

Eleanor's many published works, and Franklin's adaptive automobile.

I was reminded again how much Eleanor Roosevelt contributed as first lady and, after Franklin's death, how she advised and influenced other politicians. Years ago, I read Eleanor, a comprehensive and very readable account of her amazing life - a highly recommended read. During the library tour, I learned that she wrote many books herself.

The highlight was underground. That's where Franklin's car was preserved, and where you get a preview, behind climate-controlled glass, of the classified documents stored vertically, like large pages in a book.

On historical overload, and too much time on my plantar fasciitis-affected foot, I rested, then hit the road, pedaling back to Poughkeepsie. I had wanted to also visit Eleanor's Cottage, but knew I would likely avoid returning the next day. I couldn't bear repeating the same, boring route. 

On the way back, I ate an early dinner at Millhouse Brewing, one of the recommended Poughkeepsie breweries. Millhouse was convenient and much larger than I expected. They had a tasty IPA, so I was content. I like sitting at the bar, bending a bartender's ear, for a local's view of the region.

The next day started out chilly, though I came prepared. I wanted to spend much of the day riding and give my foot a break. I regained the Empire State Trail via a slightly different route, pedaling near Vassar College, to see a little more of the city. I continued onto the trail, enjoying the barely changing autumn colors, and several miles later, ate a snack at Hopewell Junction, my turnaround point. I had been there on a previous trip, and like then, I appreciated the preserved railcars, station, signal tower, and amenities like a water fountain and bathroom.

Mid-Hudson Bridge.

On the return journey, I headed to the Walkway Over the Hudson and, from information boards, decided to ride the loop back on the Mid-Hudson Bridge, an iconic suspension bridge, with protected pedestrian/cycling lanes on both sides.

The fascinating, unexpected benefit of crossing was listening to Bridge Music, a push-button-activated speaker system, belting tunes under each bridge support. Joseph Bertolozzi composed several songs by rapping on bridge apparatus, creating unique percussive sounds. Threaded together, the songs are wonderful!

And of course, a great view of Walkway Over the Hudson.

A barge traveling downriver.

I'm impressed with Google's navigation. Routinely, I was routed through interesting, low-traffic neighborhoods back to my hotel, bypassing the busy road where my hotel was located and entering on a side road.

Part cemetery, part arboretum.

However, on the last morning, I decided to investigate the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery on that same busy road. I rode the sidewalk until it disappeared, eventually navigating a narrow angled rough strip between the guardrail and the road. Fortunately, it passed quickly, and the cemetery grounds were interesting!

The land, bordering the Hudson River, was donated by Smith Thompson, former politician and Supreme Court Justice, and wouldn't you know it, I stumbled onto his gravesite!

View from the Mid-Hudson Bridge with the Walkway in the background. Upper right is the spur to Marist University, and lower right, my hangout spot.

I headed towards the old Italian section and realized I was at the entrance to Mid-Hudson Bridge. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to listen to more Bridge Music...plus one more pass over the Walkway Over the Hudson...

With a fully-loaded bike and a 3pm Amtrak date, I didn't want to stray too far, fearing a breakdown without a backup plan, especially after I rolled over numerous acorns - one loud crack freaked me out, though my bike tires were fine. I discovered a mile-long spur trail heading towards Marist University, then hung out near the entrance to Walkway Over the Hudson. It was a good place to rest and people-watch, complete with a bike rack, a bench, and a bathroom, until it was time to roll the last mile to the train station.

What a fun few days!

Riding More Trails Around Montreal

 
In mid-September, we headed north into Canada, for a few riding days. My husband and I love the Canadian trails, and we simply made reservations at our favorite, reasonably priced KOA. The hardest part about vacationing in Canada is finding accommodation. After too many $300 hotel rooms, "Camping" at KOA was the perfect solution. Their cabins are rustic, but they have electricity, so we bring a heater, electric hot pot, etc., making our stay comfortable. They have decent mattresses also; we provide the bedding.

First up: riding a section of the Soulanges Canal from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. In the summer, a ferry crossing allows a nice loop, but we cycled one side, crossed on a pedestrian bridge, and also made an interesting stop at Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site, a section of the St. Lawrence River rapids, tracing its history from First Nations inhabitants to early canal usage for maritime trade, and later as a strategic stronghold.

I visited the site many years ago with Adele.

The second morning, we started in La Salle (10 miles west of Montreal) and headed east on a favorite trail following the Lachine Canal. It's popular trail for locals, so doing it mid-week was a great plan. We stopped at Atwater Market to pick up an Italian lunch and ate it in a local park.

New Lighthouse Pier in Lachine.

The loop was shorter than we remembered, but returning along the Saint Lawrence River is always a highlight. The Montreal Region's bike trails mainly follow waterways - and that's why I return time and again - and are often part of the long-distance Route Verte network. We investigated the interesting sculptures at René Levesque Park  and a newly revamped lighthouse pier in Lachine.

One of the many Hydro-Québec dams.

On the third morning, we started just north of downtown Montreal, riding toward the Prairies River, the border that separates Montreal from Laval. We discovered a two-way bike route expressway, best described as on-road but segregated by concrete barriers. I was impressed by how fast we traveled, even through intersections. 

We ate lunch at a Lebanese restaurant; I've forgotten the name, and couldn't finish the huge helpings of a delicious chicken-and-rice dish. Afterward, we headed eastward along a riverfront park, through low-traffic neighborhoods. At some point, we turned inland, looping back towards our vehicle. Some neighborhoods, especially the Italian section, warrant better bike navigation and signage. We used Google Maps to zigzag through a busy, industrial, congested area until it became easier to follow a bike route. During this craziness, we spotted a man riding a bike, precariously carrying 4 automobile tires: one looped around his neck, one secured to the front rack, and two on his back rack - holy cow!

Thank you, Canada. We'll return.

Riding from Albany to Saratoga Springs - Zim Smith and other trails

Staying at the Olde Judge Mansion in Troy.

As with many of my Amtrak weekend adventures, it takes a good weather window to even think about planning a trip. Late August was perfect. I was thrilled my husband wanted to tag along, so I bought a reservation for his full-size bike, an Amtrak requirement.

To prepare for my first time using the Downtube Dyan - no reservations or cost to bring a folder - I practiced folding, protecting the frame, strapping everything together, and wheeling the folded bike. The curved handlebars required loosening to compact them against the frame, an extra step worth their added comfort.

I organized the protective foam pieces and strap in a nylon bag for easy access at the train platform. My husband and I rode our loaded bikes a few miles to the station, allowing extra time for the folding process and consolidating bags. I stowed the removable front rack in my panniers.

We stored our bikes safely inside the Bnb.

The train journey went off without a hitch, save for the suggestion to stow my bike in a tight closet - which would prove to be a problem later on. We exited in Albany, New York, mid-afternoon, planning to ride to Saratoga Springs the following day.

It's a gentle ride north on a decent bike route to Troy, a city I've stayed at a couple of times. It's hilly too. We pedaled around, mostly looking for an interesting grocery store, but ended up back across the Hudson River in a neighboring community before returning to Troy. A larger store satisfied both our diets - we found something we could bring to the BnB for dinner.

We had a pleasant evening and a nice breakfast on Sunday before setting off, riding north on the Uncle Sam Bikeway. Though I was familiar with the first 10 miles - it was all new to my husband!

In Waterford, the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson River, we investigated the first lock and adjoining park, one end of the Erie Canal, before continuing north along the Champlain Canal towpath. Once in Mechanicville, we connected with a trail new to us both, the Zim Smith Trail, the impetus for the adventure, as it would bring us most of the way toward Saratoga Springs.

The trail was hilly and beautiful, often wooded, and connected parks all the way to Ballston Spa. Even watched a heated cricket match! I had trouble shifting into the much-needed lowest two gears and eventually gave up, making do with limited range. We regrouped in Ballston Spa, stopped for pizza slices, and plotted the next miles.

Beautiful architecture in the grand Saratoga Springs homes.

Surprise! After a couple of road miles, we found another off-road path along Geyser Road, and eventually connected with Railroad Run, cruising into central Saratoga Springs. A few hours before train departure, we rested in beautiful Congress Park before heading to the famed racetrack. 

Racing was in full swing. We hung outside a chain-link fence, watching the tall-legged, twitchy horses led to and from the stadium. The horses were hosed off after each race, and we even saw one spit second of a race whiz by. People didn't seem bothered that we stayed a while. What an experience! 

Our train was, unfortunately, delayed 1.5 hours. Ugh. But we grabbed some food and headed to the station. It's a newer Amtrak station. We noticed they were also under construction, building a much-needed level ramp to enter and exit the train. 

After 40+ miles, I was exhausted and frantic, struggling to fold my bike, though I reminded myself, no hurry, we had plenty of time. It was a long evening. We eventually rode home in the dark, arriving home sometime after 11 pm.

Bike update: our son, the bike mechanic, couldn't figure out exactly why the shifting was so horrible, but once he replaced both the cable and housing, it was fixed. We presumed the cable had become crimped after I stored my bicycle in the closet. I know better now. Always seek the end of each train car with plenty of space to store my bike. Since then, because we often have to enter the car at prescribed doors, I've wheeled the bike down a crowded aisle, and there's just enough room for this maneuver. Phew.

Preferring Kingdom Trails in Late August

Burke Mountain Resort rooms have views of Lake Willoughby or Burke Mountain.

In years past, we've made (once or twice by myself) an annual pilgrimage to ride the Kingdom Trails, though usually in July, to celebrate my birthday. I have always enjoyed their breadth of intermediate, interesting, and confidence building, extensive single track network. It's inspiring. 

Though steamy in July. 

This time we went late August. For the first time, we pieced together 2 amazing loops, totaling approximately 10-12 miles each. It felt like a breakthrough, enjoying the longer distance on mostly new-to-us trails. I finished with a big grin, astounded it was so much fun. And I wasn't worn out. My husband confirmed he felt the same way. Maybe it was lowering the saddle with my new dropper post. Or we gained fitness, recently riding both Millstone and Cricket Hill trails. More likely, it's because of cooler weather and being hydrated. 

We rounded out the third morning on rolling Campfire Ring - a favorite - and slogged up and whooped down new-to-us Pudding Hill trail - never again, before driving home.

Yup, we'll be back next year!

Slow Rolling with Adele - Adirondack Rail Trail During Peak Foliage

Adele and I headed to Lake Placid, New York, in early October for our annual riding pilgrimage, this time tackling the 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail. (Last year's adventure was in Canada.)

I've ridden the trail in sections, but never end to end (and back the next day). Adele had barely heard of the trail! I knew she was in for a treat. Adele is slowing down, and I knew this might be a great ride for both of us. There is a lot to absorb: numerous small lakes, bridges, waterfowl, and often turtles, especially snappers. It was hard to miss a large one as it crawled across the gravel trail.

To our delight, we happened upon peak autumn foliage. What a gorgeous ride!

The trail travels by Saranac Lake and ends in Tupper Lake, our destination for the evening.

Even during mid-week, the trail is busy. It's a gem in the Adirondacks, completed only a year ago.

There were 36 miles total to reach our room for the evening. Tupper Lake is a little rough around the edges, but we were lucky to snag the last available room!

We always laugh and talk about everything. 

We enjoyed the return journey and had fish and chips with salad at River Trail Beerworks before riding the slight incline back to Lake Placid.

As we age, I'm thankful for any time on two wheels with my dear friend. Pedal on, Adele, pedal on.