# Suggestions for Manhattan to Hackettstown, NJ



## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

I'm planning to ride from Manhattan to Hackettstown, NJ. Any suggestions about roads to take or avoid, and places to eat?

Here's the route I'm considering:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/14443688


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## robnj (Sep 26, 2013)

Not really my domain, so I cant comment on the details you need. But I will say, I hope you get through Irvington quickly. You plan on doing this early in the day? I would suggest this much.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

robnj said:


> Not really my domain, so I cant comment on the details you need. But I will say, I hope you get through Irvington quickly. You plan on doing this early in the day? I would suggest this much.


I do plan to leave early. What is the issue with Irvington?


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## robnj (Sep 26, 2013)

Newark and Irvington would be pretty rough areas to ride in. Do some google street views. Best to ride very early through them.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

robnj said:


> Newark and Irvington would be pretty rough areas to ride in. Do some google street views. Best to ride very early through them.


I'd probably do best to choose a route that avoids Newark and Irvington.


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## SpankingSally (Apr 16, 2012)

This route is not feasible. Specifically, once you get off Broad St in Newark (Clinton Ave./Avon Ave/Springfield Ave) you are in a pretty rough part of town. Springfield Ave through Irvington could be very sketchy from a safety perspective. I certainly would never ride there (even in a car). Millburn and west is perfectly fine however the section on Rt. 24 is not rideable. Its a full-on highway and you'll be in a shoulder with cars going by at 60+ MPH.

I would suggest taking a train from Penn Station to Millburn or Summit/Chatham/Madison and picking up the ride from there. 

If you really want to ride from Manhattan I'd try to find a route over the GWB and connecting through Bergen County, although finding a good east-west connection might be sort of hard.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

SpankingSally said:


> This route is not feasible. Specifically, once you get off Broad St in Newark (Clinton Ave./Avon Ave/Springfield Ave) you are in a pretty rough part of town. Springfield Ave through Irvington could be very sketchy from a safety perspective. I certainly would never ride there (even in a car). Millburn and west is perfectly fine however the section on Rt. 24 is not rideable. Its a full-on highway and you'll be in a shoulder with cars going by at 60+ MPH.


I will stay out of Newark and Irvington. The portion of the route that appears to be on 24 is actually on 124 which runs alongside 24.



> If you really want to ride from Manhattan I'd try to find a route over the GWB and connecting through Bergen County, although finding a good east-west connection might be sort of hard.


I'm now looking at routes over the GWB. Here's one:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/14448710


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## RL7836 (Jun 17, 2014)

SpankingSally said:


> ... however the section on Rt. 24 is not rideable. Its a full-on highway and you'll be in a shoulder with cars going by at 60+ MPH.


I see that you've also selected a section of Rt 46 - this is not a road I'd ride for pleasure.

As an observation, it looks like you've selected a driving route that basically stays off interstates & would make for a horrible bike ride (imho) (my apologies for appearing very negative). 

Could you share your goals for the trip? (ie: lowest mileage, most scenic, fastest, fewest hills, etc). Also - what navigation equipment do you have? (Garmin 500, 800, none)


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

RL7836 said:


> I see that you've also selected a section of Rt 46 - this is not a road I'd ride for pleasure.
> 
> As an observation, it looks like you've selected a driving route that basically stays off interstates & would make for a horrible bike ride (imho) (my apologies for appearing very negative).
> 
> Could you share your goals for the trip? (ie: lowest mileage, most scenic, fastest, fewest hills, etc). Also - what navigation equipment do you have? (Garmin 500, 800, none)


Thank you for expressing your negative opinion about my proposed route. If my route is no good I need to know that.

My goal for the trip is to ride 50 or 60 miles from Manhattan in one day on scenic routes. I recently rode from Manhattan to West Point in one day and back in one day two days later so that sort of climbing difficulty is ok, but no harder than that. The destination can be any place 50 or 60 miles from Manhattan where I can book a place to stay, probably through airbnb. I have an iPhone SE for navigation.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

SpankingSally said:


> I would suggest taking a train from Penn Station to Millburn or Summit/Chatham/Madison and picking up the ride from there.
> 
> .


^^^ THIS ^^^

Pretty much everything west of the Summit/Chatham/Madison area is great for cycling, and the further west you go, the better (more scenic, more hills, less congestion). Pretty much everything between Summit/Chatham/Madison and NYC would make for miserable cycling.


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## johnlink (Jun 12, 2010)

AlanE said:


> ^^^ THIS ^^^
> 
> Pretty much everything west of the Summit/Chatham/Madison area is great for cycling, and the further west you go, the better (more scenic, more hills, less congestion). Pretty much everything between Summit/Chatham/Madison and NYC would make for miserable cycling.


Thank you, AlanE.


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## SpankingSally (Apr 16, 2012)

My advice for a good long ride directly from Manhattan would be the route over the GWB then into Rockland County. I would suggest a destination of Cold Spring/Garrison. Same route as you've done but its a good one. 

However I would strongly consider just taking a 45 min train from Penn Station out to Far Hills and making your big ride from there. The train is very reliable, you are allowed to bring a bike, and the riding west of Far Hills is just incredible. If you are looking for about 50-60 miles, I'd suggest a route from Far Hills to Frenchtown and/or New Hope PA. You can also log miles in Bucks County PA which is just supreme riding.


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

robnj said:


> Newark and Irvington would be pretty rough areas to ride in. Do some google street views. Best to ride very early through them.


Being a south Jersey person, I had never heard of Irvington so I had to look it up. It looks like the kind of place that folks from outside Jersey picture when you mention Jersey. I am surprised the Google car that did the street views was not stolen


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## RL7836 (Jun 17, 2014)

AlanE said:


> Pretty much everything west of the Summit/Chatham/Madison area is great for cycling, and the further west you go, the better (more scenic, more hills, less congestion).


Yes, if you're willing to take a train to central/western NJ, the options available really become much more pleasant.

You might want to find lodging that suits your tastes (air bnb or bnb) & then figure out which train & which stop to get off. Then plot a scenic route to get to your lodging in the late afternoon & another to return back to the train the next day.


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## merckxman (Jan 23, 2002)

Route 46 around Budd Lake area is nasty. Avoid. Bicyclist hit by car in Budd Lake


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