RE: [CR]New Jersey Shore Ride Back On! / April 3rd

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From: "Thomas R. Adams, Jr." <kctommy@msn.com>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: RE: [CR]New Jersey Shore Ride Back On! / April 3rd
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2004 18:25:12 +0000


After some weekend reconnaissance, I've decided this is one ride that needs to be held, so I'm officially announcing the Jersey Shore CR Vintage bike ride, to be held on April 3rd at 10:00 am. The date is a bit early, and the start time is a bit late. The second is in response to the first so there's a maximum chance for warmth to seep into the atmosphere before we start. Hopefully, this early in the year, traffic will be minimal to compensate for our late-ish start time. 95% of the route is either on bike paths, low traffic roads or roads with generous shoulders.

As announced before, the route will be from 7 Presidents Park in Long Branch New Jersey out to the light house on Sandy Hook and back. I rode the route this weekend, and it took me 52 minutes one way, so the entire route is probably about 18-20 miles (yes, I'm that slow). Given the short distance, I'll definitely lead an additional inland loop on the way back which will require us to climb the hors catagorie Mt Mitchell Park Col (hors on the Adams scale), but which will give us a nice view of the Big Apple (weather permitting), and a chance to ride the 1.5 mile winding downhill into Atlantic Highlands. We'll then zig zag back to the sea shore and rejoin the main route in Sea Bright. Exact mileage will be posted as soon as I have a chance to drive the route, but the long route shouldn't exceed 27 miles.

If you're going to do the out and back route, fixed gears are fine, although someone went out this winter and stuck a in few hills that I didn't remember. But the worst hill is the highway overpass going into to park. The rest are minor league. As an added bonus, the new Sandy Hook Park bike path is 95% completed, a full car lane wide and too new to have started to deteriorate with frost heaves and pot holes, although blowing sand has narrowed the path in a few points (break out the dry lube). If you're doing the additional inland loop, I could climb Mt. Mitchell last year with a 39x28 low gear, but I'll be on a triple this spring. Don't be surprised to see me walking :-) But the view and the downhill are worth it.

Informal parking lot post ride swap is likely, and then we'll repair to a local eating establishment for noshing and socializing. Anything is available close by from Italian, pizza, omelets, Bagel Deli, Mexican, to Fish and Chips (not in the same restaurant, of course).

So see directions and additional details below, and we'll hope to see you on the 3rd. Informality is the key word: whoever shows up, we'll ride.

Tom Adams, nervous first time host in Shrewsbury NJ


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>Just to whet you're appetites, the ride will start from Seven President's Park in Long Branch NJ. The park is reached via exit 105 off the Garden State Parkway, just north of I-195. From exit 105, go east for about ten miles on State Hwy 36 until you splash into the Atlantic Ocean. Then back up 50 yards and turn into the park's north lot. The distance from NYC is about 50 miles (rough estimate).
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>The ride will go north on Hwy 36 (which changes from east-west to north-south at the Park) right into Sandy Hook National Seashore, north to the end of Sandy Hook and rendezvous at the light house. The return will be straight back down Sandy Hook and Hwy 36 along the ocean the whole way (so this is one ride where it's very hard to get lost). There is no charge to enter the Seashore before Memorial day, but you may need picture ID. The route is pancake flat for fixie riders and the road has a generous shoulder and low traffic in the morning, but the wind is likely to blow. There is also an optional inland loop on the return with a lovely view of the NYC skyline, but some tough hills. Total distance is estimated about 20-25 miles without the inland loop, but I'll verify that before the official ride.

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