Scouting out the big ride thru the Catskills

[Oss]

Hit the road around 730 this morning to scout out one of the big rides

This ride will either be the Saturday or Sunday ride and will  go up  the goat trail and over the Bear Mountain Bridge, a short distance on the Palisades to the circle for 7 lakes drive, past Tiorati and Sebago alpine lakes and winding thru one of my favorite roads 106 past Mount Tom and Sterling Forest on 17A past the black soil of Pine Island and down the big hills of 6west into Port Jervis proceeding on 97 to the spectacular overlook by Hawk's Nest,

https://www.google.com/#q=hawk%27s+nest+ny
From there
along the scenic byway on the NY side of the Delaware River and then up 55 and a long winding series of backwoods roads most of which are right alongside creeks and streams into Sullivan County  and the Halls Mills covered bridge in Neversink, then up and up
passing by Slide Mountain, the tallest peak in the Catskills
http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/9150.html wilderness coming out thru Phoenicia by 214 and north right by Hunter Mountain,
then over to Catskill with its wowee descent to the Hudson by Rip Van Winkle bridge
I have several plotted routes back down from there with the one I did today covering the sweepers on the (cars only) Taconic Parkway which should be gorgeous that time of year

It was 280 miles door to door and folks this will be the epic ride of the weekend, and the road conditions are terrific with lots of good blacktop    No potholes on this ride.

Friday will be a shorter ride thru the Hudson Valley probably including the motorcycle museum, the West Point cliff road, Perkins Drive and Cold Spring

The 3rd ride will take us up thru western Ct and Massachusettts to see covered bridges and eat BBQ at bigW's.  If we dont get 10 the rate wont be held so if Baldo and Hook want to go home Sunday during the top of the ride thats a good jumping off point for them

Thanks Wild6 for posting my route today here
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/13+Tappan+Terrace,+Briarcliff+Manor,+NY+10510/41.1636431,-73.8357278/@41.692156,-74.8734949,9z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m44!4m43!1m40!1m1!1s0x89c2bf538a9ada3b:0x38a7ab793181ed5f!2m2!1d-73.835989!2d41.163602!3m4!1m2!1d-74.1243797!2d41.2345793!3s0x89c2dbd89bef2361:0x79cd6dd159c011f4!3m4!1m2!1d-74.3759575!2d41.2474307!3s0x89c3249cf7e46995:0x7e30665acb47381!3m4!1m2!1d-74.650286!2d41.3680101!3s0x89c348853b582e11:0x5567c4b291bc5aad!3m4!1m2!1d-74.8924431!2d41.4587569!3s0x89c356b97d55e635:0x56d84827f3abb41c!3m4!1m2!1d-74.5780856!2d41.9034386!3s0x89dcecbb4611ac8b:0xefadd13d72225e6b!3m4!1m2!1d-74.1937396!2d42.1852176!3s0x89ddacdd9d6d5819:0xef8763433d248ee3!3m4!1m2!1d-73.800579!2d42.217309!3s0x89dd965122e05b11:0x511064caf566df60!1m0!3e0

[The emperor has no clothes]

I love epic ! 

[Hook#3287]

That looks like a great plan. Looking forward to it.

[baldo]

Oss, that sounds great. I can't wait.....

[Highbinder]

Sounds like a great ride Evan, wish I could make it...I use to live in Milford, Pa. and rode the Hawk's Nest many times, what a great motorcycle road, high above the Delaware River along the cliffs...there use to be a restaurant along the way that hung over the cliff with a great view of the river, don't know if it's still there...scouting rides are just as much fun as the actual ride..   Hey, thanks for the photo you sent me awhile back...

[Oss]

Don, As of last summer it was still there, people camp there and launch their canoes and rafts and like you said the view is terrific

It was pretty badly damaged when the Delaware blew over its banks with mud up to road 

I think the pic I sent you was taken by Joanne Tompkins at the Blue Grey ride at the battlefield in Pa. 

[Harryc]

Any plans for a Columbus Day weekend ride this year?

[Oss]

Yes Harry !

Ive just been too busy to get the hotel set up


I plan to do a few scouting rides later this month going up near Hunter Mountain.

One route is after crossing the Hudson to take 52 from just west of Newburgh into the Catskills to 55 and up Claryville Rd along the streams (47) to 28 to 214 to 23 A   Have you ever done that ?

Don last year our group ate at that restaurant. It was good but lunch took several hours and I took us on an alternate route home.

[baldo]

[G-Man]

 

I would love to host a dinner one night if possible.  The house will probably be within 5 minutes of any hotel Evan chooses.  Steaks, dogs, burgers, chicken, fish, and of course, gluten free for Bonnie!

[3fan4life]

Hey Oss,

What are the dates for this ride?