New to NJ

Gnarlito wrote:
That opening scene from the Sopranos accurately summarizes the
four-generation-long migration of my father's side of our family
across
the state of New Jersey. My great-grandfather was born in New York in
Hell's Kitchen, my grandfather in Jersey City, my father in
Ridgefield
Park, and I was born in Teaneck and grew up in Ramsey, in Bergen
County. I'm sure there are similar multi-generational progressions in
other New Jersey families.

I moved away from N.J. when I was 12, but I have great memories of
the
place. Where I lived in New Jersey was like all the idealized
suburban
towns in those Dick and Jane early-childhood books (or, for that
matter, Springfield as depicted in the Simpsons). There was a
beautiful
skyline on the horizon, quiet settled neighborhoods with big leafy
trees, four distinct seasons, planes, trains, ocean liners, concerts,
and museums (if you took the short trip into Manhattan), beaches;
zoos;
great pizza; and major league sports.

I'd never move back, though. I moved out west as soon as I could.
New
Jersey has a lot going for it, but there are just too many people in
too small a space for my taste. Getting out in the wilderness
recharges my batteries, and that's hard to do in New Jersey.

I am not making this up. I was hiking down from Glorieta Baldy
southeast of Santa Fe about 20 years ago, and I ran into a couple of
people hiking up not too far from the top. They were from (you
guessed
it) New Jersey. We had a really pleasant interaction, but it's the
first and only time that anyone ever asked me "how many blocks to the
top?" to get an idea of how much further they had to climb.


Well I certainly hope you told them how many more blocks they had to
go.

That would be like not knowing which exit to get off on the Parkway.

I remember when my daughter was little and we drove to the country. We
saw cows standing out in the field. She screamed right in my
ear...MOMMY...LOOK....COW STATUES!!!!!

All Good Things,
Maggie

gmail wrote:

I am in Morristown and I am willing to drive to get to some hills. How
far am I looking at?


About an hour, hour and a half northwest of you you'll find some nice
hills. I'm partial to the ride up 739 out of Dingman's Ferry. The
intersection with US 209 is where the real climb starts, and it
continues from there(elevation 400) up about a mile and a half to
Arnold's Sunoco (elevation 933). Immediately afterwards, it climbs
another 200 feet in a half mile.

From there it's rolling hills for the next several miles. By rolling, I
mean I don't believe there are any decents/climbs better than 200 feet.
You'll find another convenience store on the right(Talk of the Town
Deli). This is the "Dingman's Ferry Business District". I believe
there are 2 hardware stores that you go by either before or after the
deli. They may or may not have patch kits/tubes.

Make a right at the Wachovia Bank. This is one of the 3 flat sections
on the ride, and it lasts for all of 2 miles. Watch the open grate
bridge. You'll be back into the rolling hills, going slightly
downhill. I think it's about 300 feet of drop in 5 miles or so.

Make the left at the end of this road to go towards Milford. There are
only a few climbs here, and again, you're going towards the river, so it
is more downhill.

If you want an early out and have good brakes and/or downhill skills(but
mostly good brakes, really), make the right at the four corners onto
Raymondskill Road. Be prepared to lose 400 feet in a mile or so, on a
windy road with gravel on the shoulders. Don't worry, there's a
guardrail there to throw you over the handlebars into the thornbushes
that will slow your decent down the steeper hillside. I have
successfully negotiated this hill a few times. Only twice did I burn my
front brakes up.

Otherwise continue straight into Milford. It's your typical small
town. There is an LBS about 3 miles west on US 6 from here, and they're
open 7 days a week. Take 6 west to 209 south. You'll ride south on 209
until you see your car.

That total trip is 25 miles.


Pretty much any of the roads to the west of 209 in that area are a nice
climb. I would advise that you take anything you might need in these
areas, because not only are there no bike shops, but few convenience
stores, cellphone reception likely to be dodgy, and houses aren't that
frequent either.

I'm more than glad to bend your ear about riding in that area, as well
as the Jersey side of the river, but that's not as hilly.

The main question is do you ride ROAD or MTB?

There is plenty of riding to be had either way in NJ.

By the way, if you ride MTB, then don't be a wuss and complain that you
can't ride. I was riding before, during and after each of the recent
storms. I was even riding ROAD, things clear soon enough.


"gmail" wrote in message
oups.com...
I just moved to Northern NJ and I am looking for some good places to
roadbike. Any suggestions?