To Tarrytown

June 8, 2021

Enough of walking back through time - let's start biking!

I packed everything up, checked out of the hotel, and was suddenly on my bike in the heart of mid-town morning traffic. Fortunately, New York does have a large number of designated bike lanes - you just have to navigate the one-way streets to get to a bike lane headed in your direction. Also, the bike lanes are used by both commuters and bike delivery folks, all of whom seem to be in a hurry without regard to traffic control signals. And finally, there is alway some construction project that foils even the best plans.

I headed off and made my way down 9th Ave and across W21 St to 12th Ave where I waited with a congregation of toddlers, strollers and caretakers. The light switched to walk, and all of us eagerly headed for the Hudson River. I had originally planned to bike down to Battery Park. the official start of the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail (HVGT), but reconsidered as rain was predicted for later this afternoon. Also, I'd been to lower Manhattan each of the past two days and it was time to head north. And so I did.

The Greenway is heavily used by cyclists - both commuters and those out for a morning spin. Traffic moves along fairly briskly on the dedicated bike and jogging lanes, which separated from pedestrians up to W59th St. Beyond that, the bike path runs alongside the river mostly on a shared use path. After passing under the George Washington Bridge, the HVGT climbs steeply away from the river to the Fort Washington Park Greenway, which parallels the Henry Hudson Parkway.

I entered the Greenway at W21st, near Chelsea Piers

In the Hudson River Park section of Hudson Valley Greenway, pedestrians must cross the bike path to access the separated the pedestrian walkway

The George Washington Bridge dominates the greenway as you move north

First sighting of Empire State Trail signage

Rock figures along the greenway - worriedly waiting for their ship/loved one to come in?

Taking a rest at an unnamed Greek-like pavilion high above the Hudson

The Hudson Valley Greenway Trail (HVGT) is an interconnected patchwork of smaller greenways and roads that extends from Battery Park in lower Manhattan to Albany. The HVGT is also part of the 750 mile Empire State Trail, together with the Erie Canal Trail and Champlain Valley Trail. After climbing up from the river, the HVGT followed the Fort Washington Park Greenway for about 3 miles until bike path ended, dropping me down to city roads near Fort George.

At that point, I was glad to be off the greenway, where opportunities for food were limited. I'd skipped the packaged muffin the hotel provided for breakfast and had eaten only half a Clif bar all morning. As the route entered Fort George commercial area, I searched vainly for a place to stop for coffee and a breakfast/lunch bite. I had little luck, and settled for crackers, a cookie, and a bottled Frappuccino purchased at a small bodega. I found a park bench to consume my meager, sub-optimal fare and then tried to find my way out of town. This involved turning around several times searching for route signs, or an indication from my gps that I was on my planned route. I opted to follow the posted signs, which put me on a busy route through the center of town before turning onto quiet residential streets. After 3 miles, the route joined the Van Cortlandt Park Greenway and followed designated greenways for the next ~16 miles until I exited the HVGT outside of Tarrytown, my destination for the day.

The greenways were lovely tree-lined paths of generally good surface. The day was hot and the shade appreciated. However, I was hemmed in by two major highways - the Saw Mill River Parkway to the west and I87 to the east. Thus, there was almost no access to any nearby towns. I decided not to worry about food until Tarrytown, and to take my time enjoying the ride.

While this journal purports to focus on a journey back to my beginnings, I recognized that only a small pre-segment of the tour would be directly relevant to that mission. I was therefore surprised at how much today's trip sparked memories of my earlier years. The two triggers were the George Washington Bridge and the Saw Mill River Parkway.

We lived in central Connecticut during my junior/senior high days and would often travel to northern New Jersey or the Jersey shore to visit relatives. There are a variety of route options for crossing the Hudson and bypassing NYC when traveling from New England to New Jersey and points south, and the matter is often hotly debated. In my family it was alway the GW and the Saw Mill - I can just hear my dad detailing the exact exits to anyone who cared (or not) to listen. Thus, I was delighted when the bicycle route ran alongside and criss-crossed the actual Saw Mill River, tiny though it was.

The Westchester South County Greenway parallels the Saw Mill River Parkway while criss-crossing the small Saw Mill River

Vine cutting seems to be a popular activity of the Saw Mill River Coalition - along with birdhouses

I left the HVGT a couple of miles past Elmsford and swooped 3 miles down to Tarrytown, which sits just above the Hudson River. This is the land of Washington Irving, Sleepy Hollow, and the Headless Horseman. The skies were threatening and I texted my AirBnB host hoping for an early check-in before the rain commenced. After about 20 min with no response, I got a smoothie from the grocery/deli and sat down to wait the 30 minutes until check-in. However, the rain didn't wait for check-in time and neither did I, arriving at the AirBnb a bit soggy and chilled. But thankfully I'd missed the big downpour and thunderstorm.

The rains had subsided to a light drizzle by 7, and I went out in search of real food. Most of the restaurants were closed, so I ordered a spicy pork burrito bowl from the local taqueria. While waiting, I walked down to the river, hoping to get a closer look at the Tappan Zee bridge as it crosses the Hudson. After I learned to drive, the Tappan Zee was always my preferred route for crossing of the Hudson. The bridge has been renamed the Gov Mario M Cuomo Bridge, a name I reject on a variety of levels.

The Tappan Zee bridge crossing the Hudson

Today was a short and, save for the heat, an easy day. A good start, indeed.

Heart

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Today's ride: 34 miles (55 km)
Total: 34 miles (55 km)

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Kathleen JonesYou’re bringing back a lot of memories for me too. I spent my high school years at the other end of the Tappan Zee Bridge. I laughed out loud when you said your father gave the exact exits to take - same as mine. And same with the listening (or not). And same with the heated discussions about which bridges and highways to take that persist to this day. I remember too that when someone said they lived near NYC you’d ask not what town but what exit.
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2 years ago

Susan CarpenterHi Kathleen
Yes - I recall many "I live near NY thruway exit..." Glad you're enjoying the dad stories and other NY memories. Thanks for the comments.
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2 years ago