niagarabycycle - Montauk to Niagara by bicycle

Maps Quick Links Donate Riders Hosts Contact Michael's Blog John's Blog	A 600 mile bicycle trip across New York State from Montauk Point to Niagara Falls	niagarabycycle.org Summer 2011: July 27-August 6

8/6/11 We're here!
Thank you
to all who
participated and
helped us along the way

8/17/11 We made
our fundraising goal!
$5148 raised
Thank you to all
who donated

Read about our ride
John's blog http://niagarabycycle.blogspot.com Michael's blog http://elcoolocrowell.blogspot.com

Note that donations will continue to be
accepted and appreciated now that the ride is complete

The Trip The trip will start at Montauk Point - the easternmost point in New York State. Eleven days and 600 miles later, we plan to arrive at Niagara Falls. Along the way, we'll cross the Brooklyn Bridge and the Walkway Over the Hudson at Poughkeepsie. After riding through the Catskill Mountains, we'll swing north to the Erie Canalway trail for our ride through western New York. I've laid out route maps with help from Google maps and cyclists familiar with the areas that we'll be traversing. e-mail comments on the routes are still welcome. We would also still be happy to hear from anyone interested in joining us for a piece of the ride. more

Fundraising While riding, we'll be raising money for 3 excellent not-for-profit organizations. Each of the three organizations is outlined below. You don't have to wait for the ride. We're open for donations now. Click the Donate button below and your donation will be split evenly between the three organizations. If you want to specifically direct a donation to one organization, you can click on the Donate buttons displayed with each of the organizations below. Follow these directions if you want to donate by mail. more

Click on this button and your donation will be shared equally between PDF, The Ministries, and UUSC

Sponsor by the mile...

pennies per mile	donation
2	$12
5	$30
10	$60
25	$150

... or donate any amount you like

$5148 raised (8/17/11)

PERSONAL
Parkinson's Disease Foundation
Research and Support

LOCAL
The Smith Haven Ministries
Community Outreach

GLOBAL
UU Service Committee
Clean Drinking Water Projects / Haiti Relief

John is riding in memory of some special people who left this world in 2010. His mother, Marye Morris, was progressively weakened by Parkinson's in the last years of her life. His dad, John Morris, was Marye's primary caregiver until he passed away from a heart attack early in 2010. A good friend, Arnold Cushing, was cut down way too early in his life by aggressive, early onset Parkinsons. more

Even in times of plenty, there are some in our communities who are left out. The Ministries is an interfaith organization in our home area that tries to help those who are struggling put food on their tables, keep their homes warm in winter, and get help at times of crisis. As economic times have worsened, demand for the services of The Ministries has increased. more

While riding across New York State, there will be clean drinking water available at taps along the way. We take it for granted. It's mind boggling to think that, with all the world's resources, thousands die each day from causes directly related to contaminated water. ( Read about UN Report on water ) The Unitarian-Universalist Service Committee supports programs around the world... more

Donate to the
Parkinson's Disease
Foundation

Donate to The Ministries

Donate to the UUSC

To donate by mail,
send your check to:

Bicycle Trip
c/o Smith Haven Ministries, Inc.
3680 Route 112, Suite 2
Coram, NY 11727

To make a shared donation, make your check payable to The Ministries, Inc.
and write Bicycle Trip Shared on the memo line of your check.
Or make a directed donation by making your check payable
to just one of the organizations above.

Parkinson's Disease Foundation
Here's a description direct from the Parkinson's Disease Foundation - The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) is a leading national presence in Parkinson’s disease research, education and public advocacy. We are working for the nearly one million people in the US who live with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by funding promising scientific research to find the causes of and a cure for Parkinson's while supporting people with Parkinson’s, their families and caregivers through educational programs and support services. Since its founding in 1957, PDF has funded over $85 million worth of scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, supporting the work of leading scientists throughout the world and has funded over $34 million worth of educational and advocacy programs to support people with Parkinson’s, their families and care partners.

Smith Haven Ministries
... More and more people from the local community need food from the Emergency Food Pantry or help from Project Warmth to keep their homes heated.
The Ministries was founded more than 40 years ago as a joint project of a group of local churches and temples in Suffolk County. Originally based in Nesconset, The Ministries has been operating out of its offices in Coram, NY for more than 25 years. In addition to the Food Pantry and Project Warmth, The Ministries offers extensive youth and family counseling services and runs a shelter for runaway teens. John has been on the board of The Ministries for several years. You can read more at The Ministries website or follow recent events at The Ministries facebook page.

UUSC Clean Water Projects / Haiti Relief
The Unitarian-Universalist Service Committee supports programs around the world that promote and defend the human right to water. A good overview of world water problems can be found at this website. A disturbing trend is the treatment of water as an economic commodity rather than a community resource. (John provides this aside: I did a google search for 'water commodity' hoping to find some info about this trend and the top links are to sites pitching water investments with phrases like 'how to make money from water shortages','profit from the global water crisis'. sigh!) UUSC programs around the world promote citizen involvement in the utilization and management of water as a common resource.
The UUSC, which began during World War II with the mission of rescuing Jews and others from Nazi persecution, is also involved in other programs that promote social and environmental justice worldwide. A number of us who are riding are longtime members of a Unitarian-Universalist congregation (UUFSB) and have heard about and supported many excellent UUSC projects over the years. A recent focus area has been on projects to help Haiti recover and rebuild after the January, 2010 earthquake.

Riders

The whole way: John Morris, Michael Crowell

Day 1 Montauk Point to Miller Place: Greg and Michele Maggio, Alice Cialella, Rick Wagener


Greg and Michele Maggio	Alice Cialella	Rick Wagener

Day 2 Breakfast Ride to St. James: Greg and Michele Maggio, Lem Coley, Colleen Rudman, and Pat Killian


Lem Coley	Colleen Rudman	Pat Killian

Day 3 to 5: Dan Dunmire	Day 7 to 11: Diane Sipple

Day 10: Jim Marks escorted us out of Irondequoit and sent us on our way toward Lockport.

John
Why am I riding? There are multiple answers. I love riding my bike. I love New York State. As a child growing up on Long Island, upstate NewYork was a magical place for me. I've loved the idea of bicycle touring (multi-day trips on bicycle) since I first tried it by joining my daughter in 2005 for a week of her cross country ride. Bicycle touring in New York is something I have not done yet. So on one level, this trip is a chance to do something that I've always wanted to do. I'm sure it will seem like hard work at times, but mostly I think it will be fun. But I'm also thinking of this trip as way to do something positive for my community and the world by raising money for some good organizations. I considered trying to pick just one recipient for fundraising but then decided that the split donations reflect not only my interests but the realities of our complicated world. Help is needed in many areas. People used to say "Think globally, act locally". I think that action is needed at many levels and we all need to put our heads together and think about how to act in ways that can solve problems. You can think and act at local and/or global levels. The important thing is that you DO think and that you DO act. I think I'll make that my message for this project. I know times may be tough, but think about more than your house and your job. Think about the community you live in and the world we all inhabit. Join with others in trying to think of ways to make our communities and the world a better place. Think and then act. And remember that donating money to a worthy cause IS a legitimate form of action.

Michael
Crowell

Michael
Why am I riding?
Rather amazingly in retrospect, I got through most of my childhood without a bicycle, but I've more than compensated since then for that lack. Since getting my first 10-speed in 1980 at age 19, I've done tons of bicycle riding, quite a bit of bicycle commuting and a little bit of bicycle touring. I've ridden from throughout southern Maine and New Hampshire, from Providence, RI to Montreal and clear across Massachusetts (twice!). I love biking, and I'm in love with the idea of biking: it seem so much more appropriate a means of personal transportation for many uses than a gas-guzzling car. I share John's respect for the work that will be involved in riding clear across New York, but I really look forward to the challenge.

Our Wonderful Hosts

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This trip would have been so different if we just had a hotel room or campsite waiting for us at the end of the day.
The places we stayed along the way were a big part of what the trip was about.
The hospitality shown to us was extraordinary.
Thank you for the dinners, the breakfasts, the advice, the soft beds, the showers, the use of laundry facilities, etc.

My wife Lee greeted the first day riding crew with a feast and a welcoming party back at the homestead in Miller Place.	My nephew Brian, his wife Liz and smiling Patrick welcomed us into their Middle Village home after our passage through suburbia.
The barbecue chicken was waiting for us at the Wurtzel house in Accord after a hot day with plenty of climbs. My old friend Bob and his wife Aileen were wonderful hosts and their son Jose was a nonstop source of entertainment.	Wilmer and Ethel Sipple(Diane's parents) put us up for two nights in their cottage on beatiful Lake Muskoday outside of Roscoe.
The home of Dorothy and Burt Harrold in Manlius was a welcome sight after a long, wet day of riding.	Michael's friends Jim and Jane Marks opened up their Irondequoit home to us and even enlisted the help of their neighbor Heidi who hosted Diane in her home.

Bicycles and Other Equipment

I know that some people may be curious about the logistics of a long bicycle trip ( e.g. what kind of bicycle do you ride? what do you carry with you? ) so I'll be adding some info here.

Michael is riding a Rans Rocket recumbent.

fujitouring

John: I'll be riding the much less interesting Fuji Touring bicycle, 2005 model. Touring bicycles are optimized for comfort, durability and carrying heavy loads. They generally have steel frames with mounting points for racks. They have a longer wheelbase than road bikes - for comfort and to provide room to keep your heels from clipping your saddle bags. They typically have fatter tires, too. I have 700x28mm tires in front and 700x35mm in back. Touring bicycles have a low "granny gear" for climbing hills with a load. Fortunately, we won't have to carry very heavy loads because we're not camping along the way. I purchased my bicycle and I get advice and repairs from Rocky Point Cycle.
For the trip, I put on a new rear tire to help prevent flats. It's the same kind of tire I usually use (a Michelin City) but the puncture resistance is much better when the tire is new. I'll carry a patch kit, a couple of tubes, a pump, and (new to me) a couple of CO2 cartridges for a quick refill. I'll carry one spare tire in case I get a flat in which the tire itself, not just the tube, is damaged. I'll also be carrying a couple of extra spokes. If I'm unfortunate enough to break a spoke, I should be able to replace it on the road as long as it's not cassette side on my rear tire.

The Route bicycle

Here are our day by day plans. We plan ten days of riding with one rest day in the middle of the trip. We'll pass through New York City, travel up the Hudson Valley, cross the Catskill Mountains and then finish with several days on the Erie Canal bicycle trail. We would be happy to hear alternate suggestions for the daily routes from people who know these areas well. Send me e-mail at jtmlife@gmail.com if you have advice for us. - John
Note: If you can lay out what you think is a good route in Google Maps, you can then click on the Link button over the map, copy the link text and send that to me in an e-mail.

And as long as I'm making maps, here's a training ride in Port Jeff with plenty of hills (elevation profile here).

Wednesday, July 27
Day 1 - Montauk to Miller Place
81 miles

Link to this route in google maps (as ridden)
( route as originally planned )

Montauk Point Lighthouse

Shelter Island South Ferry

Day 1 Elevation Profile

On the first day of the ride, we have a convenient stopping point back at the Morris house in Miller Place.
I've ridden this route (in the reverse direction) a couple of times.
All riders are welcome to a spaghetti dinner at the Morris house at the end of the day!

Thursday, July 28
Day 2 - Miller Place to Middle Village, Queens
60 miles

Link to this route in google maps - part 1 Link to this route in google maps - part 2
It's in two parts because they are joined by a connecting path that Google Maps doesn't know about.

Miller Place Duck Pond

Bicycle path in Cunningham Park

Day 2 Elevation Profile

I've tried this whole route out. It looks pretty good.
Lesson - There are decent roads for cycling even in congested areas.
It does mean lots of turns along the way as Google Maps and I
try to keep us on quiet streets where possible.

Note to local riders:
We're going to start day two with a 12 mile ride
from Miller Place to St. James where we'll stop for breakfast.
If you don't feel like riding a long distance,
maybe you can join us for this breakfast ride.
(and it's flat terrain the whole way!)

Friday, July 29
Day 3 - Middle Village to Peekskill (via Brooklyn Bridge & Hudson River Greenway)
68 miles

Link to this route in google maps

Brooklyn Bridge

Hudson River Greenway

Day 3 Elevation Profile

I've tried this one through Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and a short way into Westchester.
Nice bike lanes and bike trails for almost the whole day.
I followed the Putnam and South County Trails in the Bronx and Westchester.
It follows the right of way of the old Putnam Railroad.
We'll continue following that same trail system into northern Westchester.
At Yorktown Heights, we leave the trail and head west to Peekskill.

Saturday, July 30
Day 4 - Peekskill to Accord
70 miles

Link to this route in google maps
( alternate route New Paltz to Accord via Mohonk )

Walkway over the Hudson

New Paltz

Day 4 Elevation Profile
Profile for Mohonk route

We'll cross the Hudson at Poughkeepsie and
head into the mountains west of New Paltz.
On the east side of the Hudson, I put together a route
based on maps I found at this Bike Hudson Valley site.

Sunday, July 31
Day 5 - Accord to Roscoe
57 miles (336 total miles)

Link to this route in google maps

View near Ellenville

Day 5 Elevation Profile

Riding through the Catskills

Monday, August 1
Day 6 - day of rest in Roscoe

Tuesday, August 2
Day 7 - Roscoe to Bainbridge
64 miles

Link to this route in google maps

Cannonsville Reservoir

Village of Hancock

Day 7 Elevation Profile

Wednesday, August 3
Day 8 - Bainbridge to Manlius (near Syracuse)
73 miles

Link to this route in google maps (as ridden)
( route as originally planned )

New Michigan State Forest

Village of Manlius

Day 8 Elevation Profile

Thank you to the Onondaga cycling club for some help laying out this route.

Thursday, August 4
Day 9 - Manlius to Irondequoit (near Rochester)
102 miles

Link to this route in google maps (as ridden)
( route as originally planned )

Lift bridge on the Erie Canal

Rochester skyline

Day 9 Elevation Profile

The longest ride of the trip!
We expect it should be quite flat since we're joining up with the Erie Canal trail at this point.
We'll have to add a mile to the ride somewhere to make it a century.

Friday, August 5
Day 10 - Irondequoit to Lockport
73 miles

Link to this route in google maps (as ridden)

Along the Lake Ontario Parkway

Village of Medina

Day 10 Elevation Profile

Saturday, August 6
Day 11 - Lockport to Niagara Falls(Canadian side)
24 miles

Link to this route in google maps

Old five step lock structure
in Lockport

Niagara Falls
View of American, Bridal Veil,
and Horseshoe Falls

Day 11 Elevation Profile

A short ride for the last leg!

Contact Info: John Morris jtmlife@gmail.com