Difficulty Rating:
4 out of 5
A direct route with few turns and few hills. Most intersection choices are default on your heading. Still, there are a few important features which need to be known beforehand. Ideally, do your homework and follow the cue sheet on maps for the most efficient, comfortable journey. This is not a country ride, although there are long stretches on country roads. Historically, you will be following the Delaware Raritan Canal below Bound Brook, NJ, crossing the Delaware where George Washington stood up in the boat and traveling through the oldest section of Philadelphia.
Because the original route (NYC-Philadelphia 107) is not bike friendly till Newark, the RWGPS routes starts at the PATH station in Newark.
If you insist on leaving from Jersey City, the ride starts on the first stop on the Path train in NJ from the World Trade Center. If you are taking the Christopher St/Hoboken tube you will have to take a train back on the WTC line to Exchange Place, or, cycle to it. Out of Jersey City the ride crosses 2 bridges. The first is over the Hackensack River and the grated surface is devilish, having parallel ridges. It is treacherous in wet conditions and might not be much better when dry. Taking the pedestrian walkway on the right is strongly advised. Also, traffic here does not respect bicycles. The second bridge over the Passaic RIver has a good riding surface but, similarly, traffic is not bike friendly.
On and off ramps on the cue sheet must be carefully followed. Please note there is a single lane, one-way section on Bristol Pike, where you are going the wrong way, into traffic. It is a short, remote stretch. But, just when you just pass this one lane section your instincts are to pull as far to the right on the shoulder as you can. THIS IS A PROBLEM! There is a one and a half inch gap running parallel to your direction of travel between the concrete paving sections. The author went down hard as his wheel dropped into the deep gap. You will too unless you actively pay careful attention to it. Resist the urge to move to the right on the shoulder. If in doubt, walk your bike for this short stretch and identify the gap. Stops for fluids are not on the cue sheet. Please note these 2 recommended stops. The first is Krauzer's, at mile 40 at the end of Millstone River Rd, on the left, at the "T" onto Rt 206. The other is a Cumberland Farms, in a strip mall, about 0.1 mile, on the left, BEYOND where you will turn onto RIver Rd after crossing the Delaware River at mile 65. It is not obvious until you are close by it. Return to NYC is on 2 trains from 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. You buy one ticket to Trenton, NJ on SEPTA and another ticket from Trenton to Penn Station, NYC on New Jersey Transit. You can purchase both tickets from the same machine. You will change trains in Trenton. It costs $21 (as of 8/30/08). If you take Amtak, there is a question of whether they will accept your bike on the train, and, it will cost an arm and a leg.
HS 3/26/15
