Riding in Piscataway NJ area?

[pnsathyan]

Originally Posted by roydyates

This is the best advice, even if the driving distance from your hotel to Colonial Park probably is more than 5 miles. If you try this, here's a pretty good 40 mile Sourlands route to Hopewell. The first 8 miles on Amwell Road are not awesome but it's fine especially if you are going early in the morning. Starting at mile 9, the rest is very lovely.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36366005

This weekend there is a riding event ongoing at sourland so it might be a lil crowded out there. Just FYI.


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[Hank Scorpio]

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36366005

My route would be similar with only slight changes. This looks like a good one.

[Margot]

riding nearest hotel is the best think to do, whenever need any help we can take easily and also stay on road

[grumpus]

Lots of good options here. Hopewell Wertsville Rd is my least favorite option for getting north out of (or south into) Hopewell though. 40mph, narrow shoulders, and more car traffic (still not a ton ). Hopewell Amwell Rd is a nice ride, and the backroads east of Hopewell Wertsville are great. You can access those going Louellen to Van Dyke. I sometimes build routes in the area by using elements from these rides: http://www.kermessesport.com/events/. They do a good job of picking roads.

[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by grumpus

Lots of good options here. Hopewell Wertsville Rd is my least favorite option for getting north out of (or south into) Hopewell though. 40mph, narrow shoulders, and more car traffic (still not a ton ). Hopewell Amwell Rd is a nice ride, and the backroads east of Hopewell Wertsville are great. You can access those going Louellen to Van Dyke. I sometimes build routes in the area by using elements from these rides: http://www.kermessesport.com/events/. They do a good job of picking roads.

1000% agree.

Except the roads are West of Hopewell Wertsville accessed from Louellen and Van Dyke to Snydertown, Linvale, Rocktown to Wertsville, Dutch, Backbrook, Van Lius, Larsen, Weiswitz,

A yearly set of charity rides in the area pick the best roads. The 26 and 39 mile loops linked in the following are excellent roads. I ride a lot and a lot on these roads, very few quibbles....they are nice and pretty much exactly what Grumpus was sayin

https://www.sourlandspectacular.com/routes

[roydyates]

These are all lovely roads. It's just that the OP was looking for a nice 40 miles starting as close as possible to his hotel in Piscataway. From Piscataway, nice roads start 10 miles to the west or southwest.

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

1000% agree.

Except the roads are West of Hopewell Wertsville accessed from Louellen and Van Dyke to Snydertown, Linvale, Rocktown to Wertsville, Dutch, Backbrook, Van Lius, Larsen, Weiswitz,

A yearly set of charity rides in the area pick the best roads. The 26 and 39 mile loops linked in the following are excellent roads. I ride a lot and a lot on these roads, very few quibbles....they are nice and pretty much exactly what Grumpus was sayin

https://www.sourlandspectacular.com/routes

[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by roydyates

These are all lovely roads. It's just that the OP was looking for a nice 40 miles starting as close as possible to his hotel in Piscataway. From Piscataway, nice roads start 10 miles to the west or southwest.

Except that is not what he wrote in his first post, I also assumed he wanted a ride from his hotel area, too. That is why I suggested the canal and noted that nice roads to the west start 10 miles away.....to get into Far Hills, Bedminister, Oldwick, etc.

Later, it became clear he had a car and all the posts are pointing towards the Sourlands.

From the often suggested parking places to the start of the 26 mile loop is under 7 miles. The starts of those rides are 12 miles from Piscataway and a very easy car ride, perhaps 20 minutes each way. I would take that drive any day over riding in Piscataway, Middlesex, Dunnellen, South Plainfield, New Brunswick, etc.

[roydyates]

We're quibbling about what the OP originally said vs how he amended his request after learning about the constraints etc. Striking the exact best tradeoff between getting a nice ride and being a good soccer parent who is back on time for a kid's game is the tricky part. Those linked rides start at the Otto Kaufman rec center on Skillman Road. Coming from Colonial Park, that's an extra 20 min driving each way. My sense is that if you're time constrained, the riding on the canal road is good enough that you'd be happier spending that 40 min on the bike, even if it means you miss out on some sweeter Sourlands roads like Snydertown or Welisewitz.

As for the cycling I get the impression you and I are in complete agreement about the nice riding, whether its the Sourlands starting around, say, Griggstown, or a going west and starting out near Oldwick. If the OP has time to drive ~20 min from his hotel, I think my first choice recommendation would be to start at that parking lot at the bottom of Rockaway Road In Oldwick. I just didn't suggest it since not all riders think 100 vertical feet/mile is better than 50 vertical ft/mile.

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

Except that is not what he wrote in his first post, I also assumed he wanted a ride from his hotel area, too. That is why I suggested the canal and noted that nice roads to the west start 10 miles away.....to get into Far Hills, Bedminister, Oldwick, etc.

Later, it became clear he had a car and all the posts are pointing towards the Sourlands.

From the often suggested parking places to the start of the 26 mile loop is under 7 miles. The starts of those rides are 12 miles from Piscataway and a very easy car ride, perhaps 20 minutes each way. I would take that drive any day over riding in Piscataway, Middlesex, Dunnellen, South Plainfield, New Brunswick, etc.

[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by roydyates

We're quibbling about what the OP originally said vs how he amended his request after learning about the constraints etc. Striking the exact best tradeoff between getting a nice ride and being a good soccer parent who is back on time for a kid's game is the tricky part. Those linked rides start at the Otto Kaufman rec center on Skillman Road. Coming from Colonial Park, that's an extra 20 min driving each way. My sense is that if you're time constrained, the riding on the canal road is good enough that you'd be happier spending that 40 min on the bike, even if it means you miss out on some sweeter Sourlands roads like Snydertown or Welisewitz.

As for the cycling I get the impression you and I are in complete agreement about the nice riding, whether its the Sourlands starting around, say, Griggstown, or a going west and starting out near Oldwick. If the OP has time to drive ~20 min from his hotel, I think my first choice recommendation would be to start at that parking lot at the bottom of Rockaway Road In Oldwick. I just didn't suggest it since not all riders think 100 vertical feet/mile is better than 50 vertical ft/mile.

I have no idea how much time OP has. The only stated requirement was a 40 mile loop. He could leave the hotel at 6:30 and be back by 10-10:30.

I prefer the roads over by Oldwick, Lebanon Township, Schooleys Mountain, Point Mountain upto Hope or Blairstown, etc. too. I used to commute by bike over that hump on the way to Centennial Ave in Piscataway and lived in that area for about 10 years. I also used to commute by bike from East Brunswick to Wood Avenue thru Piscataway and it isn't good riding anywhere in that area.

[roydyates]

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

... I prefer the roads over by Oldwick, Lebanon Township, Schooleys Mountain, Point Mountain upto Hope or Blairstown, etc. too. I used to commute by bike over that hump on the way to Centennial Ave in Piscataway and lived in that area for about 10 years. I also used to commute by bike from East Brunswick to Wood Avenue thru Piscataway and it isn't good riding anywhere in that area.

I agree with your preferences. As I've been living in East Brunswick and working in Piscataway since 1990, I also agree that the roads going west and North from East Brunswick are generally not good, i.e. OK early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday, but worth avoiding during the week. In fact, this is why I am slightly obsessed about driving/riding tradeoffs under time constraints related to driving from EB to start rides in Blackwells Mill, Griggstown Causeway, Hillsborough Library, Rockaway Rd in Oldwick. For me, each successive location is more driving but the riding is also better.

[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by roydyates

I agree with your preferences. As I've been living in East Brunswick and working in Piscataway since 1990, I also agree that the roads going west and North from East Brunswick are generally not good, i.e. OK early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday, but worth avoiding during the week. In fact, this is why I am slightly obsessed about driving/riding tradeoffs under time constraints related to driving from EB to start rides in Blackwells Mill, Griggstown Causeway, Hillsborough Library, Rockaway Rd in Oldwick. For me, each successive location is more driving but the riding is also better.

Back in the 80's before Hillsborough was ruined, I used to ride from EB out to Hillsborough over the Sourlands down to Hopewell and then 518 into Lambertville. 518 was not bad then. I would go up the river to Frenchtown and then over Stanton mountain and back to EB thru Manville of all places somehow.

If OP has 20 minutes each way in a car, it is worth it.

If OP wants dirt, this one alleges to have 20 miles of 40 on dirt. I know most of those roads but have not scrutinized the route. I believe the dirt road thru Trump's golf course is now private but I also know bike riders take it. YMMV

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/3556985

[roydyates]

It sounds like you don't live in NJ anymore.

I didn't start riding until 2005 so I don't remember Hillsborough before it was ruined. The RWGPS route with 20 out of 40 on gravel looks nice, but my riding buddies who like to ride there are anti-gravel roadies.

I have ridden to the edge of the Trump course and I remember the private marking is ambiguous but my wife said it felt wrong to ride through. Does anybody here ride through the Trump course.

518 keeps getting busier but they added a pretty decent bike lane shoulder between Hopewell and Rocky Hill. Some of my friends like it because it's the fast flat route.

The roads from Stanton Mtn and around Round Valley Reservoir are mostly still lovely all the way to Neshanic.

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

Back in the 80's before Hillsborough was ruined, I used to ride from EB out to Hillsborough over the Sourlands down to Hopewell and then 518 into Lambertville. 518 was not bad then. I would go up the river to Frenchtown and then over Stanton mountain and back to EB thru Manville of all places somehow.

If OP has 20 minutes each way in a car, it is worth it.

If OP wants dirt, this one alleges to have 20 miles of 40 on dirt. I know most of those roads but have not scrutinized the route. I believe the dirt road thru Trump's golf course is now private but I also know bike riders take it. YMMV

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/3556985

[echappist]

Slightly OT, what do people mean when they say Hillsborough, NJ is ruined? What exactly was ruined, and ruined by what/whom? Is this merely another way of saying there's been too much development?

FWIW, I "lived" there on-and-off for 10+ years, mostly when on break from schooling, but also for half an year back in 2016. While I would not prefer it to where I currently live, it wasn't all that bad. And Wertsville Road was quite good for training purposes, even back when it was deteriorated and bumpy as hell (and I rode on it on 23 c tires and 25 c Gatorskins). When I moved further away, I actually would drive back into town, just so I could ride on that road, as it was relatively decent for ITT purposes.

[pnsathyan]

Originally Posted by echappist

Slightly OT, what do people mean when they say Hillsborough, NJ is ruined? What exactly was ruined, and ruined by what/whom? Is this merely another way of saying there's been too much development?

FWIW, I "lived" there on-and-off for 10+ years, mostly when on break from schooling, but also for half an year back in 2016. While I would not prefer it to where I currently live, it wasn't all that bad. And Wertsville Road was quite good for training purposes, even back when it was deteriorated and bumpy as hell (and I rode on it on 23 c tires and 25 c Gatorskins). When I moved further away, I actually would drive back into town, just so I could ride on that road, as it was relatively decent for ITT purposes.

Was going to ask the same thing in hillsborough. Cos I read there on a regular basis and it’s not all that bad compared to some of the other roads in nj !


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[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by echappist

Slightly OT, what do people mean when they say Hillsborough, NJ is ruined? What exactly was ruined, and ruined by what/whom? Is this merely another way of saying there's been too much development?

FWIW, I "lived" there on-and-off for 10+ years, mostly when on break from schooling, but also for half an year back in 2016. While I would not prefer it to where I currently live, it wasn't all that bad. And Wertsville Road was quite good for training purposes, even back when it was deteriorated and bumpy as hell (and I rode on it on 23 c tires and 25 c Gatorskins).

Poorly planned condos, townhouses, developments, strip malls, and general sprawl with lots and lots of traffic on land that used to be pristine farm land. It used to be beautiful. They destroyed the old country roads. Now, it isn't. I call that ruined.