Cycling from Toronto to New York city. Don't Judge

[bad dancer]

My GF has a conference in Toronto this summer and wants to go to New York for a bit.

I have never been to NY and would love to spend a few days on my own prior to her arriving.
Have some time this summer and thought I would do a "power tour" down to NY from TO.
Anyone have any ideas ? Not my first tour and I travel quite light and cover big days. Usually 150-200 km per day if there are no massive hills. Read somewhere about the Empire state trail. Is it lame ? Good ?
I usually travel along back roads and just hit the local stores along the way for food and crash at the cheapest hotel every night. Willing to camp if necessary.
What say the collective ?
Will cross post in sprocket rockets as this may not be the correct forum ?

Cheers
Instagram onebaddancer prior tour pics.

[XXX-er]

My buddy took 4 yrs to ride 55000 kms from Smithers to Tierra del fuego and back

sounds like its about slowing down and meeting the people

he said once he got out of the USA he felt safe so look out for that country eh ?

[stuckathuntermtn]

My buddy took 4 yrs to ride 55000 kms from Smithers to Tierra del fuego and back

sounds like its about slowing down and meeting the people

he said once he got out of the USA he felt safe so look out for that country eh ?

Well,. certainly Buffalo.

[ex-powderbroker]

https://empiretrail.ny.gov/request-map

get your free map.

in all honesty the worst thing to worry about in the summer is probably the heat although once you’re in nyc van cortland park can get a little shady for a few miles.

but that’s like 0.5% of the trip.

i kinda wonder about these rails to trails on a big trip. sometimes i find them slow if im out for a rip but with a tent and everything it’s probably fine.

[Brownski]

Make sure you stop in Utica

[XXX-er]

Well,. certainly Buffalo.

buddy went down the eastern seaboard, said it was all scary until he hit the mexican border

I thot t would be the other way round

[Cisco Kid]

Sounds like an awesome trip. Seems it's about 800 km from BUF to NYC on the Empire State trail. Almost all of the route is pretty flat as far as I can tell. You'll love it. Lots to see. I know the state well but not the trail so have at it.

https://empiretrail.ny.gov/

[ötzi]

It's all uphill that way Xer

OP just ride as far as Westchester and get on a train into the city with your bike. Fuck riding into the middle of it.

[ex-powderbroker]

OP, riding in the city is awesome. don’t listen to this guy. just watch out in that one stretch of the park and also for dexter rutecki, he fkn hates cyclists.

you can see the upstate thread, finger lakes and catskills are certainly cool. hudson valley is sweet, but a ride in to nyc is literally inimitable on this planet. so much cool shit to see and the infrastructure is really good.

if manhattan wasn’t a city it’d be the crown jewel of the park system, just saying.

[XXX-er]

I'm good for about 3 weeks and then I would rather wake up to my Rancillio Sylvia

But buddy knows what he is doing when it come to long slow tours both seakayak & Bike

so last year he rode to Tuktoyuktuk on the arctic ocean, said it was an amazing ride cuz

NO traffic

[ötzi]

I bow to the voice of apparent experience. But OP maybe you better ping Benny over on the Killington forums just to get it all confirmed.

[bad dancer]

All good info so far. I love riding in metro city areas so will be pumped once I hit NYC. I also love riding in the country side.

[ghosthop]

I don’t have much to add other than I’ve ridden a bike from the GW to Brooklyn bridge and back, with a few stops in between. And one of my short-long term goals when my wife tells me we’re moving to NYC is to hit some of the trails in Central Park with a headlamp.

Good luck OP. I took my brother down 5th Avenue on a Friday around 6PM pre-Covid and it was such a blast.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Your final destination should be Coney Island or possibly the Staten Island Ferry.

Also don't try to take your bike over the Henry Hudson bridge.

[subtle plague]

Make sure you stop in Utica

Is that upstate?

[Timberridge]

I rode a motorcycle from Buffalo to LI once. This could be a fun trip on a bicycle if the weather is good. Go for it!

Is that upstate?

The poster child for it.

[Thaleia]

I've never done it but Toronto to Niagara Falls (very close to Buffalo) is a pretty popular route with Toronto area cyclists. Toronto has a beautiful water front trail (Martin Goodwin Trail). Heading west around the lake to NF it ends in Etobicoke but from there to NF it's a decent mix of road and separated path. I'd be happy to put the word out to my groups and get a detailed route to Buffalo if you wish.

Can't help with the bigger stateside section.

[petey_]

Another option to check would be travelling east from Toronto along the north shore of Lake Ontario. Sounds like some decent bike trails. Regardless, sounds like a blast of a trip.

[stuckathuntermtn]

buddy went down the eastern seaboard, said it was all scary until he hit the mexican border

I thot t would be the other way round

When? I grew up around NYC. Mostly very safe. Especially after 1990. You're not likely to get mugged rolling through some chic town in Westchester. Maybe Paterson, NJ.
Do you mean dangerous because of the traffic? I could definitely see that. I think they've gotten better about bike lanes now, though.

[gravitylover]

It's all uphill that way Xer

OP just ride as far as Westchester and get on a train into the city with your bike. Fuck riding into the middle of it.

Nah the bike trail goes right in, no messing with all the dumb shit.

OP, riding in the city is awesome. don’t listen to this guy. just watch out in that one stretch of the park and also for dexter rutecki, he fkn hates cyclists.

LOL

Your final destination should be Coney Island or possibly the Staten Island Ferry.

Also don't try to take your bike over the Henry Hudson bridge.

I think the sidewalk is open for bikes. It's nice because it drops you into the trail down the West Side along the river the whole way.

[bad dancer]

It's all uphill that way Xer

OP just ride as far as Westchester and get on a train into the city with your bike. Fuck riding into the middle of it.

I have done loads of city riding and wouldn't even think of not riding into the belly of the beast. Mexico city, Bangkok are my favourite places to be on a bike. Ho Chi Min city comes in at 3rd place. London and Paris were great with amazing bike lane infistructure. Its crazy busy but traffic flows well and I find it safer when there are more cars. Seems to be slower. Thats just me. Not for everyone of course. Really looking forward to this trip.

[ex-powderbroker]

oh yeah, you’re gonna love it then.

one thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that you may want your SO to bring a couple good locks / chain for your bike. absolutely no cable bs. don’t do it, don’t bring it.

the ride also has to come inside at night. and even during the day the frame and front wheel are mandatory lock ups.

when i worked on the ground floor in the west village i used to see guys walk by me with huge bolt cutters sticking out of backpacks and now everyone has a grinder. and fun fact, 1/4 lampposts in nyc have plugs that people can access. no lock can really stand up to a minute of an electric angle grinder.

[mud]

I use to ride from GWB to New Paltz to climb at the Gunks, take 9W most of the way, probably the best way into the city on a bike. The hill at West Point is a killer, if you want to do any camping, Bear Mountain has some old open lean2’s that looks south and have million dollar views of the city at night. Great memories riding up there, be prepared to get some flats.

[XXX-er]

When? I grew up around NYC. Mostly very safe. Especially after 1990. You're not likely to get mugged rolling through some chic town in Westchester. Maybe Paterson, NJ.
Do you mean dangerous because of the traffic? I could definitely see that. I think they've gotten better about bike lanes now, though.

yeah bro is an enviro-socialist so its possible besides the traffic he just finds America dangerous in general

[Beaver]

My buddy took 4 yrs to ride 55000 kms from Smithers to Tierra del fuego and back

sounds like its about slowing down and meeting the people

he said once he got out of the USA he felt safe so look out for that country eh ?

I used to paddle and ski with him. I watched him get carried down the mountain in an avalanche near Smithers, it spat him out the side. He's got more energy than people 1/2 his age. He rode to the arctic ocean last year.