Bikepacking Long Island! Hidden Trails & Coastal Views.
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- Опубликовано: 21 дек 2024
- Bikecamping and bike touring Long Island to New York City has been on my list for years now. We started in Connecticut and rode to New London where we jumped on the ferry. We crossed Long Island Sound and rode a few more hours before setting up camp. The next day it was 87 miles into Queens. It was a mix of bike paths, country roads, suburbs and finally The City itself. It was great couple rides! Over 160 miles on the bicycles.
#bikecamping #bikepacking
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That fenced in bike path system was formerly the Calverton Grumman aircraft plant, where they built and tested the F-14 and other Navy aircraft. It’s now partly parkland, partly industrial park and now has a 10 mile bike path around the inner perimeter. There is as BTW, about 200 miles of marked dedicated mt bike trails in 15 or so parks on L.I., all maintained by CLIMB, the local club. They have a website with trail maps. And yes, the north shore of L.I. is pretty hilly, thanks to the glaciers. South short is totally flat. Enjoyed this video of my stomping ground.
Oh thanks! I'm surprised I didn't know that about the F-14s as I'm a bit of a nerd(well about everything) about aircraft.
Thanks!
@ They have one on display on the trail on the north side of the park.
The older we get the slower we get. However, the riding is just as enjoyable. Thank you as always for sharing.
What an amazing ride with beautiful weather. I love google street view. I found endless bike routes just crawling down streets and poking about.
Born and raised on Long Island and live here half of the year and the other half in the Catskills. Your route is pretty dang good, the only thing I would of added would to have (at 14:13) taken the right down into port Jefferson instead of continuing on the rail trail, and finished the remainder from port Jeff to Smithtown on North country Rd. It’s part of George Washington’s spy trail and you have Port Jeff Brewing down at the bottom of the hill and further into St James you have saint James brewing. Saint James brewing has a nitro quadruple Belgian that I would ride 200 miles in a hail storm to drink! Awesome stuff!
Thanks - I will definitely be returning to this comment if/when we come back!
Thank you for sharing your rides. In 2012, along with three others; I took a ferry from new London CT, to Long Island. It was an amazing day of riding, stopping for food, and faster riding than I was in shape to do. we were able to make each ferry. Your video reminded me of that ride, and the tears I shed, as I remembered rides with my then, newly deceased husband. Traveling on a bicycle, is the best! Truly appreciate your commentary as well.
🥰
"Definitely not chillin" is my favorite speed. Dylan is a machine. His bike bags are very streamlined.
100%
You did great on the route! We usually hit more mid-long island going to Montauk - which is a bit less hilly, if you want flatness - you ride south, but there is not much biking infrastructure, same with mid LI, but middle has still less cars. If you ever approach the city from the same angle - try hitting old Vanderbilt Motor Parkway which has been converted to paved bike / walk path. Easy to do if you go thru the easy trails in Alley Pond park (and you can even peep [allegedly] the oldest tree in NYC around there). Vanderbilt connects to many more bike paths and also goes to Kissena velodrome and park. Oh and you were right around Rocky Point Pine Barrens State forest - there is insane amount of trails - but a lot of them require hike a bike and are quite sandy. Plus insane amount of bugs in the summer :D Always pleasure to watch your videos!
Thanks! Appreciate all the info. I love getting route choices and all the facts from having this channel!
Looks like a great adventure, thanks for sharing.
My hometown, New London. Still have a lot of family up there. Actually, after you guys crossed the bridge from Niantic into Waterford I saw you cruise past the road my sister and bro in law live on
Nice!
I live on Martha’s Vineyard and have been scheming on a trip that involves as many ferries and island as possible from NYC to Boston. 🙌
Nice! Do it!
Ferry to New Bedford. Bike to New London. Ferry to Orient Point,NY. Explore Long Island but make sure to pass through Shelter Island, which will involve two short ferries. You can also add in the ferry from Port Jefferson to Bridgeport, CT.
DUDE! It’s scary how much Dylan looks like me when I was younger.
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There can be only one! I challenge him to a nude fist fight over hot coals. 🤘❤️🤘
I'll let him know😂
That bridge brings back memories! In 1989 I rode cross country, starting from north of Boston. My aunt lived in Old Lyme so we stayed with her for a night then walked our bikes (the path was narrower, in my memory) across that bridge the next day. Somewhere I've got a pretty great picture of my friends and I with our (over)loaded bikes on that path.
Awesome!
Cool watching your video I’m a local and it was funny to see you taking so many roads that I ride on regularly then you rode through my neighborhood in huntington 😂. I’ve done some racing back in the day at Kissena . Great job editing . Try Central Park up over GWB and then up 9w to bear mountain you can also throw in Harriman park some great riding up there . Best riding on Long Island is on the north shore staying mostly north of 25A . BTW you started on the east end north shore 😜 Thanks for sharing
Nice! Funny you are the first person to call out my directional mistake. I noticed it after the upload - which is even funnier because you can tell I paused to “get it right”.
We rode up to the GWB the next day but didn’t cross the bridge - our New York friend does group rides to Bear Mountain that way he was telling us(vid will actually be out tomorrow).
We rode the OCA the last day we were here which I absolutely love(that vid will about sometime soon too).
I definitely want to come back when we have more time. So many places I haven’t been. I really want to ride to the Rockaway’s in the summer.
Cheers!
Tim, great camera work, you’re a true professional. Appreciate your work in showing other parts of the Country.
Thanks!
Beautiful ride Tim and interesting videos as always.
I’m always interested in bike and gear choices.
What bike is Dylan riding?
You both make these long rides look so easy.
He was on a Cotic Cascade. We were both trying to pick the best bike for such a varied trip. It would have been nice to have my drop bar gravel bike for this part of the trip...
@@TimFitzwaterthanks so much. Although I’m in my 60’s I’m still relatively new to cycling and have learned so much from your videos.
Living the dream
It looks like your route modifications avoided traffic as much as possible.
Looking forward to seeing your next video of riding around NYC.
Thanks
🥰
Wow really cool. My boss has a contract street sweeping the bike paths. I’m in a dump truck sometimes right to that Orient Point ferry. I’m not sure how it was, they clean them once a month. It is nice over there. Was the airport in Calverton? Rt. 25A? That’s the old Grumman, where they built the F14 and other fighter planes. Many legal MTB trails on the Island. Nice choices you made.
It must have been because a few other told me about the F14s in the comments.
Thanks!
Love the views! Thanks for taking us along Tim. 🍻
Yeah - it was a really cool trip. NYC next!
I am a subscriber and long time fan.....I live right off that trail where you asked about off road stuff....I ride that path all the time....:we actually have tons of MTB trails within close range of your route...not really gravel rides...but single track made by our awesome local MTB club....you were within 2 miles of my house.....but your route was the right one....definitely the best way to go..:::that damaged road was a road by a pond that hooked up to a grist mill and it was all destroyed by a rainstorm on August 18th of this year....that is the LIRR and will take you to NYC
Cool! Thanks for the info too.
Thanks for sharing. Your route took you a few miles north of where I live and right by my parents’ house. It’s cool seeing familiar roads through a different set of eyes. That highway route was the LIE service road. It’s popular with roadies, but I find it downright scary
Yeah - that was the sketchiest part of the ride. I could really tell how much I disliked it when I went to edit and realized I barely filmed any of it.
Great video. Looking forward to the next. 👏👏
Great rout! New London has good vibes and ferries to the islands are great trips. I love bike touring on LI in the summer - lots of sights and places to stay. My family always jokes when we camp in Suffolk county, that we spent the weekend in the Hamptons.
Nice!
I definitely would do it again and mix up the route(and spend more time).
Cheers!
I live in CT and frequently take the ferry to Orient Point. Next time you go swing into Greenport, it’s stunning. Only 8 miles from Orient Point. Great video
Thanks! I will keep that in mind / one thing I love about people watching these now is all the great tips and info.
Awesome video, what a sunset @9:46!
Right!? It was awesome.
we rode 37 miles in the other direction to New Haven, which is also a good route.
Lovely photo's at the end! Looked like a great ride with all the pretty colours!
Thanks! 🍁🍂
Awesome trip report, thanks for sharing. I have considered doing the ferry-and-ride myself and it looks like it was generally a good time!
It was worth it for sure!
I have been watching and subscribed for awhile now. I can't believe you were riding on the bike path not too far from where I live. I have ridden it many times. I live close to Port Jeff, where the Bridgeport Ferry takes you. Love the video!!
Awesome - thanks!
Awesome video and what a great trip! I grew up on Long Island but didn't start mountain biking till after I moved upstate to the Albany area. If you ever get a chance to ride Cunningham Park, do so, it is an awesome place. Lots of places to mountain bike on Long Island as you know, Glacier Ridge is another great trail system that I hit when I am back visiting family. Ride safe!
We definitely would have ridden Cunningham if we were staying more than a day. Next time for sure.
Cheers!
Tim and Dylan, ya'll absolutely nailed this route! i've ridden similar routes a few time's, there is NO better way to get across LI then the way you guys took! I'm absolutely joining next time!! you rode right through my town of Huntington. (look's like you were close by at 17:25, and yes, that is the LIRR) South shore west of the Hamptons is flat, boring and super super homogenized suburban sprawl, the north shore is the way to go, if you had more time, there are some amazing trails up here. well done ya'll, great trip.
also, that damage to the road was NOT from Helene, but some pretty bad flooding in that area in August. such a shame because that was a really really beautiful park in there.
Maybe next year we could work it out to do this again but spend some more time enjoying it - you'd know where we should stop I'm sure. Trail & food. Glad we got to hang a bit at Nutmeg though.
Man!! You got some energy in your legs. Best wishes from the UK
New London is not seasonal summer town. Most well known for the Coast Guard Academy & Electric Boat Submarine plant. I have seen a naval sub cruising into port while on a boat off Fisher's Island which was wild
Cool!
You made some pretty good route choices. Some of our roads even the ones marked as bike routes are pretty congested. Looks like you had it relatively ez. In terms of traffic. Cunningham Park is nice but has technical sections and an occasional paint ball militia battlefield!
I've watched Terry B's videos on Cunningham and we were hoping to ride it with him but we just didn't have the time....
That looked like a great ride -- thanks for taking us along Tim. =]
Would love to show you around The Bronx!!
I hope to be back next year. I have ridden through a few times. Stopped at Bronx Brewing once.
That road damage is from heavy rains prior to Helene. Great vids!
Thanks!
Wow that’s one heck of a ride! Thanks for the share!
Cheers!
Can you tell me what brand bike bike you guys have. And the type it is
I ride a Gunnar Rocktour. Dylan is riding a Cotic.
Great video. I use to live on the south sore of Long Island. Would love to know where those paths are. I don't know how to use strava. Thank you stay safe and God bless
Thanks!
It’s just a map - a link to the route.
Beautiful route!
You know , I never thought of that . Years ago I took that Ferry to fish Orient Point but I left the car in New London so that sucked , not being able to jump over to Montauk. And I got insanely attacked by Sand Flies or Deer Flies on the beach. So you did all of Long Island in one day? 100 miles? Amazing.
87 miles in one day(day two)- we camped about 38 miles in.
Just moved to NJ from Queens. NJ drivers horrible to bikers NYC so much more interesting Last part of your great video made me so nostalgic
New London is a summer place like mystic
I have an open invitation to hang out in Stonington, but I'm leaning towards driving down there because riding roads like RT 12 past the Casino Zone and Norwich is pretty dicey. You have to see the inland , northern part of Norwich at night, it's super spooky. Planet Of the Apes, storefronts boarded up, No human activity... All that posh touristy stuff goes inland about a mile...
Thanks Tim , I have a friend in Southold . Be well
Long Island was home to the original dense suburban development in the US, Levittown, NY.
Great vid... You passed my home in Queens.
Nice! Thanks!
wonderful video, as always. Different topic/??--Any recommendation for bike torque wrench for "average" cyclist that occasionally works on his bikes but doesn't want to spend "a lot" (< $60)?? thanx
Thanks!
I don’t . But if I’m being honest I wouldn’t want to cheap out on a torque wrench as I feel it would be defeating the purpose if it isn’t accurate. Almost all my tools are Park or Pedro.
@@TimFitzwater Thanx
Sweet
Just cut the NYC vid and loved reliving that day. So much fun - thanks for showing us around!
New London is my favorite gritty city in CT. Too bad you didn't have time to wet the back of your neck at Dutch Tavern, owned by one of the singers and guitarists of The Reducers, Peter Detmold and his wife. You were a block from it when you were on Bank St.
Good to know for future reference!
Love riding along with you... Cool route . Gotta ask.. is it uncomfortable to hold the go pro in your mouth for a long time?
Thanks! Really I don’t hold it there that long - these clips are pretty much what I film - just cutting off the beginning where I put it in my mouth and the end where I turn off the camera. The most I got is a couple minutes but if it isn’t off road I don’t need to “clamp” that hard.
That destroyed road area is where a old damn broke from an insane rainstorm.
Ah. Recently?
I think thats probably from the Aug 18th crazy rain event, that hit long island and ct
@@TimFitzwater It happened in August but Long Island towns love to debate everything :D. I think the consensus is to rebuild now. Two dams broke in that rainstorm; Stump Pond at Blydenburgh Park in Smithtown and Mill Pond at Avalon Park Preserve in Stonybrook. That building to the right, past the Unstable Ground Sign, is the Stony Brook Grist Mill. It was built in the 1800s and is still preserved by the community.
Love the content
Thanks!
The North Shore of Long Island is far hillier than the South Shore, as you guys found out, but it is definitely prettier as well.
Sounds like from all the comments that the hills are worth it.
20:32
You set a goal and then you DID it! This is inspiring me to go the extra mile and plan some epic adventures next year. I wanna take the Amtrak down to Winona and ride in the Driftless Area.
Heck yeah! Do it!!
🙏🏻
Hey if you or any of your guys have ridden CT's Airline Trail , I'd love to get a rating. I just figured out via Google I can take that to connect to RT 85 then 215 to RT 1 north. However the cue sheet Google gives has a street turn every .4 of a mile , potential insanity. Some of the "Trails" they designed here have a lot of road connectors . 6 hrs. 14 minutes 66 miles total.
We did ride parts of it on the first Nutmeg but being that it was in the context of a completely mixed route I wouldn't have a clear enough memory. What we were on seemed like Towpath - crushed limestone or something.
@@TimFitzwater One old guy I know here rode it recently. And crashed. But he's okay. I'll ask him . 2,000 plus feet of climbs. This route is pretty close to what I used to drive to Watch Hill RI. Looks like you guys did RT 25 West, all the way to NYC. I freaking LOVE that. Purges my brain of enduring the dreaded L.I. Expressway as a kid.
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never once said IN Long Island, you did your research 😂