"Country roads take me home" (west)


ride to New Paltz via the Appalachian hamlets of Hawley Corners and Plutarch - includes a short section of the new / and or proposed BR 299 and a ride 
through the Hugenot Street historic district in New Paltz - the return is via the Atlantic Coast Trail (CR12)



dist.: 26.4 mi
terrain: rolling, some flat, several notable (short) HFH

rev. 1  

start: Stitzel Field parking lot (Eastman Park) in the city of Poughkeepsie	

(at road test sign)
00.0  R out of parking lot
  .05 CROSS Montgomery / Pine Street at TCL
      RNCT Jefferson Blvd.
      CAUTION! must get in LEFT lane for below turn
  .3  L US# 44 / SR# 55 WEST bound arterial
      CAUTION! very high speed traffic - trucks weekdays
        toward * Mid Hudson / FDR Bridge *
      CAUTION! traffic merge from right
  .55 R at opening in guard rail 
      ONTO SIDEWALK
      CAUTION!
      PREPARE TO DISMOUNT
      WALK BICYCLE across bridge on NORTH SIDE ped. walkway
 1.25  RE-MOUNT  } now in Ulster county NY
        follow walkway to RIGHT into Johnson Iorio park
        follow road out of park
        * good view of Hudson River and Poughkeepsie to right *
      RNCT Haviland Rd.
 1.6  R Ransom Rd. 
      CAUTION! 
      EXTREMELY STEEP DOWNHILL 
      CURVES SAND
        follow signs for Mariner's Harbor restaurant / marina
      go UNDER  RR bridge  
        * old Poughkeepsie-Highland RR trestle/bridge scenic area *
{1.8} L&R just after going under RR Bridge 
        continuing DOWN-HILL
        RNCT Mile Hill Rd.
      CAUTION! 
      STOP AT BOTTOM OF HILL
 2.0  L at "T" Oakes Rd.
      CROSS RR (1 track)
      CAUTION! VERY active RR (HD freight)
        at Mariner's Harbor restaurant (fancy)
        RNCT River Rd.
        past tank farm
      CROSS RR (2 tracks)
      CAUTION! rough crossing       
 2.4  BEAR R at Maple ave. (#1) 
      TO REMAIN ON
        past sewerage teatment plant
        steep grade  
        * scenic area *
 3.0  BEAR R at "Y" Maple Ave. (#2)
        go under US# 9W
        LEFT / BEAR LEFT onto Vineyard 
        still up-hill 
 3.3  R Main Street
        HIGHLAND lodging (on US # 9W)  
        FOOD pizza deli - other food OFF ROUTE (on US# 9W)
 3.4  R at "Y" Church Street
        steep grade
        RNCT CR# 12 New Paltz Rd.
        * Atlantic Coast Trail and BR299 *
 4.5  R So. Chodikee Lake Rd.
        steep grade 
        * Hudson Rail Trail near this turn *
 5.2  BEAR L at "Y" 
      ONTO Ose Rd.
        very steep grade
        rough road
               
                       " more people, more scars upon the land... "
 
 5.6  L SR# 299
      CAUTION! traffic LTAH
 5.9  R No. Chodikee Lake Rd.
        steep grade
      CAUTION! below turn on downhill
 6.5  L Hawley Corners Rd. 
        * Van Wagner cemetary * 
        HFH (short) next 3.7 mi.
      VERY LOW GEAR REQUIRED
        HFH [#1 of 4]
        * scenic area - typ. Appalachian hills farm country *
                      
                             "... almost heaven "
 
 7.8  L at "Y" unmarked
      CAUTION! DOGS 
        HFH [#2 of 4]
        go PAST Lily Lake Rd.
        > prepare to downshift
        HFH [#3 of4]
 
                          "...blue ridge mountains.."

       CAUTION! on down hill rough road
        go PAST No. Elting Corners Rd.
        * Plutarch United Methodist church *
 9.4  CROSS Plutarch Rd.
        RNCT Van Nostrand Rd.
        HFH [#4 of 4]
      CAUTION! on down hill
10.2  L No. Ohioville Rd.
11.2  R Eliot La. (twn. rd.)
        cross over I 87
      RNCT CR17 Horsenden Rd. 
      CAUTION! on down hill curve  
12.7  L SR# 32 BRIEFLY
      CAUTION! traffic LTAH
12.8  R Old Kingston Rd.      
        on bicycle route
        * Express Inn B&B * 
14.2  R Hugenot Street
        New Paltz
        cross * Walkill Rail-Trail *
        * historic district - old stone houses *
15.0  R 
      note : one way (OPPOSITE TO DIRECTION OF TRAVEL) 
             Sunday until 12:30

                                 " Shenandoah River.... "             

15.3  BEAR R
      TO REMAIN ON
        * Hasbrouck House museum *
15.6  L SR299
         * now on Atlantic Coast Trail (old ECBT) *
         NEW PALTZ almost full service (no hospital)
         CAUTION! high traffic (most esp weekends) very busy college town
         FOOD many numerous
         steep grade
{15.8} CROSS Chestnut Steet at TCL
        SR# 208
        bottom of Main Street / hill  
       RNCT SR#299 / 32 
       hwys. merge
       CONTINUE UPHILL
{16.3} CROSS Manheim Blvd.
        SR# 32 turn off
        * SUNY New Paltz *
{16.9}  CROSS CR17 Putt Corners Rd.
        top of Main Street / hill 
        CROSS over I 87
        CAUTION! vehicles entering and exiting interstate
        CAUTION! MUST GET INTO LEFT LANE FOR BELOW TURN
17.5  L No. Ohioville Rd. at TCL
17.55 VERY QUICK R old 299 /old New Paltz Rd.
                      
                      " country roads take me home ... "

19.7  L SR# 299 BRIEFLY
           CAUTION! traffic LTAH
19.75 QUICK R CR#12 New Paltz Rd.
         CAUTION! BELOW TURN ON DOWNHILL
23.3  R Church Street 
        HIGHLAND (see outgoing for services)
23.4  R US# 44 / SR# 55 
        Vineyard Ave.
      CAUTION! BELOW TURN ON DOWNHILL
      PREPARE TO DOWNSHIFT
23.7  L Tilison Ave.
        very steep grade
      CAUTION! on down hill curve stop
24.1  L at stop sign         
        * Atlas Motor Lodge *
24.15 CROSS US #9W at TCL
      RNCT Haviland Rd.
      CAUTION! rough road
      follow down hill into park
        * Johnson Iorio Park (see out going) *
      PREPARE TO DIS-MOUNT
25.1  DIS-MOUNT
      WALK BICYCLE ACROSS BRIDGE NO. SIDE PED. WALKWAY
      WALK OVER RR & US# 9 overpass
      CAUTION! HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC MERGE
      VEHICLES ENTERING AND EXITING
      L ACROSS GRASSY AREA (near US# 9)
26.0  RE-MOUNT
      on UNION STREET - to right
        * now on BR9 - follow route signs *
26.1  R Jefferson Blvd. Extension
        steep grade
26.15 CROSS US#44 / SR# 55 arterial at TCL
      RNCT Jefferson Blvd.
      CAUTION! storm drains
26.4  CROSS Montgomery / Pine Street
26.45 IMEDIATE LEFT into Stitzel Field parking lot
     
                        [ end of route ]