Jay NY / Adirondacks Route Suggestions ?

[adampaiva]

On thursday I am leaving for a week in the Adirondacks with my parents at a cabin in Jay, NY and will be bringing my bike and hoping to get 2 or 3 good rides in. Bike will be my rando Lyon with 48 mm Compass tires so gravel and road ride suggestions would be welcome. Anything in the 40 - 130 mile range and with some good climbing. I'd like to do at least one really climby day and one really long day.

I'm good at reading a map and putting together routes, and perusing rwgps for routes, but figured I'd ask here as well.

thanks!

[Likes2ridefar]

This is a great loop from a RAAM qualifier I did a while ago. One loop is 136 or so miles:

http://www.adkultracycling.com/adk540/map.htm

[djg21]

On thursday I am leaving for a week in the Adirondacks with my parents at a cabin in Jay, NY and will be bringing my bike and hoping to get 2 or 3 good rides in. Bike will be my rando Lyon with 48 mm Compass tires so gravel and road ride suggestions would be welcome. Anything in the 40 - 130 mile range and with some good climbing. I'd like to do at least one really climby day and one really long day.

I'm good at reading a map and putting together routes, and perusing rwgps for routes, but figured I'd ask here as well.

thanks!

You can ride the Lake Placid Ironman course. That’s got a decent amount of climbing between Lake Placid and Keene, and from Jay to Wilmington, and then a long rolling uphill along the Ausable River between Wilmington and Placid. There also are a number of seasonal gravel roads going east over the mountains from Jay to Rt 9 between Elizabethtown and Lewis. I’ve not yet explored them as I’m currently limited to a road bike. But this is a start:

https://gravelmap.com/#12.24/44.28614/-73.66387

You can ride down from Jay through Ausable Forks and Keeseville and over toward Essex (take Highland Road for good climbing — rolling and steep in sections — and great views). There are a lot of rides on RidewithGPS in that area. The main roads are fine for bikes and relatively lightly trafficked, and there are plenty of back roads to explore too. I think the riding is better in the Champlain Valley to the east of Jay towards the Lake. But there is no such thing as a really flat ride in that area; even the flat rides are rolling 2-4% grades most of the time.

If you get to the Wadhams area, the Dogwood Bread Company is a nice stop for mid-ride coffee and food. https://www.dogwoodbread.com/. Unfortunately, with the pandemic it’s doing curbside pickup and there’s not much outdoor seating right now. There are some nice dirt roads right outside of Wadhams too.

Plan a ride to end at the Ausable Brewing Company on Mase Chasm road (https://www.ausablebrewing.com/)
just south of Ausable Chasm. Again, the pandemic has screwed up its regular business, but it has outside service, good beer, and food trucks that alternate different nights and serve food grown/raised by the local farms. The beer is good, and it’s a family and dog friendly place that is really fun.

[verticaldoug]

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33675321

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5888011
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/17664779
I think weekday this may work, weekend, NY73 etc too much traffic

[adampaiva]

Thanks guys for all the suggestions so far. Will review all of this between now and Thursday.

[Buzz Killington]

https://placidplanet.com/trailfinder/

Then click on road cycling for suggestions.

I’d go from Jay to Keene, climb Hurricane Rd, then head East to Elizabethtown. Then follow west shore up through Essex, and then make my back through Ausable Forks to home.

[adampaiva]

Thanks again guys.
I have two routes planned out based on advice here
long (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33901696)
+
grav (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33941907)

One question. Is Whiteface Mountain Road worth it? I'd do it on a weekday morning to hopefully see less traffic. I want that 3500' climb.
Whiteface (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33942160)

[morrisericd]

I did the Whiteface hill climb for several years. The view from the top is spectacular! We would always start / stop at the base of Whiteface. Great climb!

[verticaldoug]

Thanks again guys.
I have two routes planned out based on advice here
long (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33901696)
+
grav (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33941907)

One question. Is Whiteface Mountain Road worth it? I'd do it on a weekday morning to hopefully see less traffic. I want that 3500' climb.
Whiteface (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33942160)
gravel day is a lot bigger than it looks from just a straight mileage point of view. I think this day is tougher than the long route. I hope you have a pie plate on the back wheel.

[adampaiva]

34x32 low gear. Plan to try that one tomorrow. If I’m really suffering I will reroute onto pavement from Keeseville. Is the section across Jay Mountain just climbing or is it really rough? I’m on 650 x 48 tires so ok with rough roads, just don’t want to end up on some trail I should be riding on a full suspension mtb.

[verticaldoug]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVGm0yEAQgo

this is a video of the leadville qualifier which some of your course runs on. There is nothing in here needing a full suspension in my opinion. But YMMV.

I don't know how much rain you have had recently, the issue is wet/mud more than rough.

https://trailgenius.com/trail-genius-map/wilmington-whiteface-mtb

this will give you a better view. Section 11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3036&v=9b1J3HIsNCU&feature=emb_logo

50 minute mark. you are going in the reverse direction I think.

[Buzz]

The Whiteface climb is absolutely worth it. Tough one too especially the first part up from Wilmington to the toll booth. UnfortunateLy you do have to pay the toll to use the road. I think it’s $8? The road was rebuilt a couple of years ago and all the frost heaves removed so it was nice and smooth last summer when I did it. When you do the descent you can reward yourself get a nice soft serve ice cream cone at Whitebrook dairy bar. It’s the first right when you reach Wilmington and a couple of hundred yards down the road on your left. Be forewarned the large is enormous.

[GregL]

The Whiteface climb is absolutely worth it. Tough one too especially the first part up from Wilmington to the toll booth. UnfortunateLy you do have to pay the toll to use the road. I think it’s $8? The road was rebuilt a couple of years ago and all the frost heaves removed so it was nice and smooth last summer when I did it. When you do the descent you can reward yourself get a nice soft serve ice cream cone at Whitebrook dairy bar. It’s the first right when you reach Wilmington and a couple of hundred yards down the road on your left. Be forewarned the large is enormous.
It’s now $15 to ride your bike up Whiteface. That’s the same price to drive it for a single vehicle occupant. I wouldn’t pay that on principle. By comparison, Prospect Mountain in Lake George charges $10 for a car (regardless of number of occupants) and $2 for a bike. Prospect Mountain is of course less than 1/2 vertical gain of Whiteface. Can you still bootleg the Whiteface climb/descent if you complete it before the road is opened to traffic?

Greg

[Buzz]

It’s now $15 to ride your bike up Whiteface. That’s the same price to drive it for a single vehicle occupant. I wouldn’t pay that on principle. By comparison, Prospect Mountain in Lake George charges $10 for a car (regardless of number of occupants) and $2 for a bike. Prospect Mountain is of course less than 1/2 vertical gain of Whiteface. Can you still bootleg the Whiteface climb/descent if you complete it before the road is opened to traffic?

Greg

$15 is messed up reflecting a lot of issues in NYS. I understand not paying on principle. But for a one time ride the cyclist will have to decide if it is worth it. A hamburger in LP can easily set you back $15. Use to be if you got their early enough no problems or even further back in the day the attendant would likely let you pass if they knew you were a local but those days are long gone...

[Likes2ridefar]

$15 is messed up reflecting a lot of issues in NYS. I understand not paying on principle. But for a one time ride the cyclist will have to decide if it is worth it. A hamburger in LP can easily set you back $15. Use to be if you got their early enough no problems or even further back in the day the attendant would likely let you pass if they knew you were a local but those days are long gone...

I rode up it for free not too ago..I think it was because it was before a certain time.

[adampaiva]

Man! What a dreamy place the Adirondacks is for riding!
Thank you to verticaldoug for the route suggestions which I combined into today's ride.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3988934350
A challenging ride for sure but really nice mellow gravel roads in great shape and no insane climbs. I was on 48 mm Compass slicks and they were the perfect tire for the day overall. There was a 1/2 mile or so section coming down Jay Mountain that had logging activity and the road was all torn up by the trucks/tractors and slick mud so it was pretty loose for that couple of minutes.

photos from today (starting w/ our cabin for the week)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50288199206_be021b3ef5_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50287523938_e63a88ee0f_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50288349852_1062faa977_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50288350222_c1b3b275ba_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50288350417_296d4a494e_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50287525063_8806071661_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50287525253_92b50c1489_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50288198861_585098d343_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50288351292_ec7f57cdc5_b.jpg

I've got 2.5 more days to try to squeeze in a century and Whiteface out of these old legs.

[adampaiva]

also, there is surprisingly cheap and interesting property around. Has me thinking.

[skijoring]

That view down to Lake Champlain has me missing Vermont.
Beautiful shots...

[Seott-e]

Love the last photo of the old town on the river. Where is that ?

[GregL]

Love the last photo of the old town on the river. Where is that ?
That's beautiful downtown Keeseville, NY. My wife and I took a self-supported cycling tour in that area many years ago. Some of the best cycling experiences of my life (so far...) on that tour!

Greg

[Buzz]

Keep posting your photos. Hoping to get back in late September...

Enjoy the rest of your stay.

[adampaiva]

Did the big ride today. I am fully fried, in a good way. Doubt my legs will be willing to make a Whiteface attempt tomorrow. Maybe I can recover by wednesday (last day here).

[AngryScientist]

Thanks for sharing this Adam.

I've been out exploring the daks myself a bunch this year absent of other travel.

i think i was on the other side of the lake the other day when you were out there.

i declare that the pavement in NY is better taken care of than the gravel, and just the opposite in VT. the dirt road system in VT is really better to ride on road tires than the blacktop, ha. NY must have better budgets, as the pavement is better kept in the rural areas.

anyway, i'll pm you offlist for some ideas for riding. another big weekend upcoming!

keep up the good work!

[adampaiva]

man there is some really primo pristine blacktop that I would eat off of on some of the roads here. A few photos from today...

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50292673321_445695e879_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50292822127_e8c59461a5_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50291996953_07bfdba0c9_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50292822247_cdda1f5649_b.jpg


I'm going to have to come back next time with my Rock Lobster to get really lost in the woods though.

[Hilltopperny]

Good stuff Adam! They did just pave route 10 and parts of route 8 last year. We did a road ride from Pine lake and around Piseco lake earlier this year and the rough roads from the year before were now fresh pave. It looks like they must have paved that this year!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[djg21]

Thanks for sharing this Adam.

I've been out exploring the daks myself a bunch this year absent of other travel.

i think i was on the other side of the lake the other day when you were out there.

i declare that the pavement in NY is better taken care of than the gravel, and just the opposite in VT. the dirt road system in VT is really better to ride on road tires than the blacktop, ha. NY must have better budgets, as the pavement is better kept in the rural areas.

anyway, i'll pm you offlist for some ideas for riding. another big weekend upcoming!

keep up the good work!

We never spoke after our last ride. The photo of the lake is from the winery on Highland that we rode by. We need to plan another weekend. Maybe in the later fall. Maybe we can get a group from the forum to go.

[charliedid]

Such a great place to ride bikes. I toured through there in 2012 on our way to the east coast and it was indeed stellar. Real deal for more than just bikes too.

Love it.

[natan]

It’s now $15 to ride your bike up Whiteface. That’s the same price to drive it for a single vehicle occupant. I wouldn’t pay that on principle. By comparison, Prospect Mountain in Lake George charges $10 for a car (regardless of number of occupants) and $2 for a bike. Prospect Mountain is of course less than 1/2 vertical gain of Whiteface. Can you still bootleg the Whiteface climb/descent if you complete it before the road is opened to traffic?

Greg

Yes. According to toll booth emplyees if you're there when they're not there, it's free. Before 8.30am and after 6.45pm.