Vicki and Becky Ride Again, Our Town, Fall 2009
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OURTOWN OURTOWN A couple of years ago , we mapped out Carpenter Gothic former school - our ride. We'll meet you back at Route 10) is take a left for a couple WHEELS a series of bicycle rides around house, which will be on your left as Otto's, where we're sitting at a table hundred yards and find a piece of Claverack for this magazine. We've you turn right onto Wire Road. outside, just about ready to get back industrial history in the brick build - been venturing further afield over the Ride on Wire to Dales Bridge and on our bikes and head east on 8. ing to your right, the old Burden Iron years, and here are four of our turn right. We can only say "Be There are, alas, a few hills to deal Mine. favorite Columbia County rides. We Careful!" as you go really fast down - with. Just after passing the hand - If you're not interested in mill really like flat rides, but geography hill and across the Roe-Jan Kill, some Rockefeller Homestead (on ponds or iron mines, then just keep doesn’t always cooperate, and we because you'll have to walk your bike your left), you'll find the Keep pedaling on 31 through the orchards have to deal with hills. Only one of up the hill on the other side. Once Conservation Preserve, where you —Hopedale Farms has an honor sys - these rides is completely easy ( The you've made it up and can breathe can take a break to watch birds and tem PYO apple concession on Klibar Copake Cows and Camping Ride ); the again, continue to the end of the road wildlife. Continue on 8 to Eastern Road to your right—and back to others are moderate. Mostly flat but where you'll see the Taconic Farms Parkway. Turn left on Eastern (this is Buckley's Corners and your car. with a few unavoidable hills. From 17 complex in front of you. Make a left a very dangerous intersection, so to 21 miles; they take anywhere from onto County Route 33. At County please be careful) and ride along a THE RIVER AND RIDGE RIDE an hour and a half to a little over two. Route 8, turn right into Germantown lovely road that passes the Diehl This 19.5 mile ride from Kinderhook The last two rides include portions on where you can refresh yourself at Brothers vineyards and takes you to Stuyvesant and back took us about dirt or gravel roads. We've indicated Otto's Market on Main Street. back to Dales Bridge. Right on Dales two hours. It's more hilly than we like where, so riders with road bikes can This is the mid-point of the basic Bridge and build some momentum (we had to get off our bikes three choose alternative routes. They're all ride (21 miles total if you head back because it's down and up this way times to walk up hills), but the views beautiful, simply because they’re now). If you want to keep riding, head too. At the top of the hill, turn right are more than worth a little huffing here. on into Tivoli by continuing west on 8 on Wire. Almost immediately to your and puffing. Bring plenty of water to the traffic light at 9G. Make a left, right, tucked down a long driveway and maybe a snack to reward yourself FRUIT LOOPS (VICKI'S FAVORITE RIDE) when you get to the top of Ridge We think a good bike ride has three Road. (Although we think riding elements: little traffic, wonderful along a road with the Berkshires to views and the possibility of a snack, your left and the Catskills to your because you do get hungry when you right is a reward in itself.) Other ride. This ride has all the above and rewards include stopping at either another virtue: the possibility of varia - Bean's Place or Pi Café in Kinderhook tions that make it a little bit longer, for an afterparty. somewhat longer, and so much Starting from the four corners in longer that we can't do it, but maybe Kinderhook, head south on Route 9, you can. 4/10 of a mile, passing some gorgeous The starting point is Buckley's historic houses, including one visited Corners, the intersection of Routes by the historically notorious Benedict 9/23 and County Route 31 in Arnold, to Eichybush Road. Turn right Greenport. You can park and shop at and go straight on Eichybush, the Eger Brothers farmstand, the first through rolling farmland (if you've of many produce vendors and farms been hankering for a farm to call your you will be passing on this trip. Ride own, there's one for sale on your right) south for a mile on Blue Hill Road to Hollow Road, and turn left. The (Route 31). Make a right on Route 14, road is downhill most of the way, past which is Church Road. On your right, sheep and cattle grazing in the fields you'll pass Don Baker Farm, which and down into the cool, swampy hol - has PYO (Pick Your Own) cherries in low. There's a noteworthy waterfall to season, and apples in the fall. After your left as you begin to climb back Pleroma Farm (organic meats, raw up the hill. At the top, you'll be at milk, eggs and vegetables) make a left Gibbons Road. Turn left, but only for on Howe Road. There's no road sign, 3/10 of a mile. Turn right on but there are signs for both Smith Summerset Road, which will take you and Fix Brothers Farms. Howe Road past more cattle grazing, and down a becomes White Birch, for a reason hill into Stuyvesant. At the small town that soon becomes apparent. At park at the bottom of the hill, make a Smith Farm you can pick raspberries and then your first right onto the you will see stately Teviotdale, the right, which will lead you to Route 9J. (while admiring Olana's tower in the wonderfully flat Woods Road. There's 18th century Georgian home of Make another right, onto 9J North. (If distance) from late July until the first a dog leg at County Route 6, which Walter Livingston and his son-in-law you turn left, you'll end up in frost, $2.50 a pint. Mrs. Smith doesn't you follow to the right, past Clermont Robert Fulton, of steamboat fame. Stuyvesant, where you can stop at the spray the raspberries, so you can eat (where you might want to ride in for a Continue on along this perfect Riverview Café for refreshment.) them right away instead of having look at Chancellor Livingston's man - country road. Protected forever by a Traveling north along the river, them turn into jam in your backpack. sion, the beautiful grounds, view, and conservation easement, Wire Road is you'll get some spectacular views: of She also has peaches, nectarines and gardens, or the Saugerties Lighthouse an untrafficked ride with a postcard the river itself and the cliffs on the VICKI AND BECKY apples. A little ahead on the left is Fix across the river) and then left at the T view of the Catskills to the west and Greene County side, and the Catskills Brothers, where PYO begins with into Tivoli. the Rockefeller farmhouse to the beyond. At mile 7.7, there's a road cherries in the early summer and con - Still not tired? You're now on your north, surrounded by abundant corn, marker on the left commemorating tinues all summer with peaches and own, because we can't do it, but if you wheat and soy fields, grazing cattle, Henry Hudson's landing on apples, and you get stunning views of can, consult your map and continue and long open views. September 19, 1609. As you travel just RIDE AGAIN the countryside from the top of the south to Annandale Road and make a At the end of Wire Road, turn left past this point, there's an unobstruct - ..................................................................................................................................... hill you have to ride up to get to the right. Ride through the Bard Campus on County Route 31. If you're up for a ed view across the river. And while Four fabulou s–and mostly fla t–Columbia County bike routes. trees. and don't forget to take a look at short detour, take your next left onto you're gazing, don't forget to look up Continue on White Birch, past the Frank Gehry's Fisher Center (on your Walkers Mill Road. The bridge is —you might see an eagle or falcon, recently acquired state forest on your right). Annandale eventually turns closed but you can stop and admire cruising above the river, looking for BY VICKI ROSENWALD AND REBECCA STOWE right, until White Birch ends at into River Road and you can ride all the mill pond and the old mill before lunch. County Route 10. (Again, no sign.) the way to Rhinebeck, 50 miles or so turning around and returning to 31. Just around the bend after cross - Left on 10 into the charming hamlet round trip. The other thing you can do, when you ing Mill Creek, you'll see (on your of Linlithgo, with its gray and white But enough about you. Back to get to the next crossroads (County left), the entrance to the Nature 30 | our town [ fall 2009 ] [ fall 2009 ] our town | 31 OURTOWN OURTOWN Mine Road.