How to Make It to Montauk
August 31, 2010 12:57 PM Subscribe
I finished my first century ride last weekend, and I want to do another one! So I'm planning a DIY century from either Queens or one of the stops on the LIRR to Montauk (I'll take the train back). I've never set foot or wheel on the south shore. Please help me plan the trip!
My questions fall into two categories.
First, what route should I take? I found cue sheets online that go NYC (start) > Queens Blvd > Union Trunpike > Sunrise Hwy > Montauk Hwy/Suffolk 85 > Montauk and NYC (start) > Hicksville > Central Islip > Medford > Center Moriches > Mountauk (finish) (see website here). Are these too complicated? Too crowded? Too ugly? How would you do the ride? PS: I've also written the 5 Borough Bicycle Club and the guy who runs the Ride to Montauk to see if they are willing to share their special secret routes with me, but I suspect they may be reluctant to do so.
Second, I'd welcome any tips you have for good places along the way to take breaks, especially if they have delicious local food (lobster roll? Ice cream?). And if you have any recs for where to go for dinner in Montauk before I get back on the train, I'd be grateful!
Thank you so much!
My questions fall into two categories.
First, what route should I take? I found cue sheets online that go NYC (start) > Queens Blvd > Union Trunpike > Sunrise Hwy > Montauk Hwy/Suffolk 85 > Montauk and NYC (start) > Hicksville > Central Islip > Medford > Center Moriches > Mountauk (finish) (see website here). Are these too complicated? Too crowded? Too ugly? How would you do the ride? PS: I've also written the 5 Borough Bicycle Club and the guy who runs the Ride to Montauk to see if they are willing to share their special secret routes with me, but I suspect they may be reluctant to do so.
Second, I'd welcome any tips you have for good places along the way to take breaks, especially if they have delicious local food (lobster roll? Ice cream?). And if you have any recs for where to go for dinner in Montauk before I get back on the train, I'd be grateful!
Thank you so much!
My friend and I took this route a couple of years ago. It was a really nice ride, lots of pleasant scenery, plenty of room on the shoulder for most of it, not complicated at all. I highly recommend it.
posted by otolith at 1:26 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by otolith at 1:26 PM on August 31, 2010
that is OP's route but avoiding Nassau and Queens via the train.
posted by JPD at 1:31 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by JPD at 1:31 PM on August 31, 2010
Oops, why so it is. In my opinion, it's worth is to take the train and avoid the nasty business of getting out of the NYC metro area. Once in Babylon, you'll have plenty of nice long stretches of uninterrupted riding.
posted by otolith at 1:39 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by otolith at 1:39 PM on August 31, 2010
Response by poster: JPD, where are the Pine Barrens? Or rather, at what point would I cut down from 25a to 24? To get from Roslyn to 25, would I take 107 (N. Hempstead Turkpike) to 106 (Jericho Oyster Bay Rd) to bypass the Long Island Expressway?
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 1:43 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 1:43 PM on August 31, 2010
I'd suggest doing Babylon to Montauk. Glen does that century ride earlier in the summer, so does 5BBC. The route I've taken each time is MUCH more through side streets and cute, low-traffic areas. I'll dig around and see if I still have a cue sheet and if so will mefi mail it to you.
I took a look at the 5BBC link you sent and the route I'm suggesting is much tamer and safer. I know the route I've done with Glen/5BBC started in the parking lot of the Babylon LIRR. I'll see what I can find... have fun!
(on link review, @ololith's link looks similar if not the same)
posted by scwebd at 1:43 PM on August 31, 2010
I took a look at the 5BBC link you sent and the route I'm suggesting is much tamer and safer. I know the route I've done with Glen/5BBC started in the parking lot of the Babylon LIRR. I'll see what I can find... have fun!
(on link review, @ololith's link looks similar if not the same)
posted by scwebd at 1:43 PM on August 31, 2010
Response by poster: Otolith, it sounds like you still need to go though a lot of traffic and suburbia if you leave from Babylon. Did you find that to be the case?
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 1:43 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 1:43 PM on August 31, 2010
25a not 25. The Pine Barrens are great big empty area out in Western Suffolk.
N. Hempstead Turnpike is 25a not 107
There are 2 24's - Hempstead Turnpike (Don't want) and Riverhead Hampton-Bays Rd (maybe want)
posted by JPD at 1:48 PM on August 31, 2010
N. Hempstead Turnpike is 25a not 107
There are 2 24's - Hempstead Turnpike (Don't want) and Riverhead Hampton-Bays Rd (maybe want)
posted by JPD at 1:48 PM on August 31, 2010
Response by poster: Whoops, Google maps failed me. The go through the Pine Barrens, would I turn south towards 27 on County Rd. 105/Cross River Dr.?
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 1:59 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 1:59 PM on August 31, 2010
In my recollection, we didn't have to deal with a lot of traffic on the ride. When going through the center of towns along the way, traffic was slow and not a problem and when on the faster roads between towns, I felt quite safe with the amount of room we had on the shoulder. I'm a nervous cyclist and getting around in NYC gives me stomach cramps, but I don't remember any times on the Montauk ride that it felt uncomfortable. It was rarely even necessary to take up a lane of traffic, since there was so much space on the side.
In terms of suburban density, yes, there are a fair number of towns along the way. But it's not like you're riding through constant suburbs. There's plenty of green space on the route. I actually found it pretty interesting riding through all of the small LI towns.
posted by otolith at 2:01 PM on August 31, 2010
In terms of suburban density, yes, there are a fair number of towns along the way. But it's not like you're riding through constant suburbs. There's plenty of green space on the route. I actually found it pretty interesting riding through all of the small LI towns.
posted by otolith at 2:01 PM on August 31, 2010
how's about this I have to admit I am a driver, not a biker but with the exception of parts of 25a being built up in western suffolk, and maybe there being a better path through riverhead, this should be a pretty good route - but maybe some other bikers here can give you a heads up incase I've shown you something crazy. Also make sure you look at a terrain map first. This is much hillier then the south shore.
posted by JPD at 2:02 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by JPD at 2:02 PM on August 31, 2010
Just looking at that I threw it together - you might want to just stick w/ 25a out in the Stony Brook/Rocky Point area. also there are a few things that didn't come out perfectly in Southampton so you can avoid sunrise hwy as long as possible. mefi mail me if you want more clarity. Also further lane and old montauk hwy in E Hampton
One thing I really don't know about is shoulder room just FYI.
posted by JPD at 2:19 PM on August 31, 2010
One thing I really don't know about is shoulder room just FYI.
posted by JPD at 2:19 PM on August 31, 2010
It's been years since I did the ride out to Montauk, but I would totally avoid Sunrise highway - I can't remember what's the exact route I took (but I definitely cut south on Springfield --> Braddock Ave --> Tulip ave before the city line, and went east through Floral Park/Mineola/Garden City). I also rode for quite a bit on Old Montauk Highway. I do remember passing the Bayard cutting arboretum on the way out. Damn, let me look at a map later and see if I can jog my memory.
posted by Calloused_Foot at 2:28 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by Calloused_Foot at 2:28 PM on August 31, 2010
Ah - East Merrick Road in Nassau (Route 27A) is what I mostly took - what I can't remember is how I got down there from the Garden City area.
posted by Calloused_Foot at 2:31 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by Calloused_Foot at 2:31 PM on August 31, 2010
Oh, and I know it's been suggested to skip the Queens/Western Nassau part of the route (you'll probably do about 110-117 miles if you leave it in), but if you're comfortable in heavy traffic, I'd say do it - some of the areas near the city line can be pretty ghetto, but others (like Garden City, parts of Floral Park, some of the non-nasty parts of Hempstead) have a bit of a quaint, old small town feeling to them - I think it would be nice to have them as a contrast to the eastern part of the ride.
posted by Calloused_Foot at 2:40 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by Calloused_Foot at 2:40 PM on August 31, 2010
Response by poster: JPD, I just memailed you...
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 2:56 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 2:56 PM on August 31, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
25a and its ilk on the north shore are much nicer although can be hilly. The cut down through the pine barrens to 24 into southampton.
You could probably take the train to Manhasset or Roslyn and have this be about 100 miles and get right out into a less densely populated area (by LI standards)
posted by JPD at 1:10 PM on August 31, 2010