Good route from Philadelphia to Atlantic City?

Hi. I'm seeking a good bike route to Atlantic City from Philadelphia.
I live in the western burbs of Philly and will have no trouble getting
to the Ben Franklin Bridge, but otherwise have no idea about the
safety of the roads on the other side. I've been told that both the
Black Horse Pike and the White Horse Pike are tough going for a bike.
(Way back in 1995 or so, someone posted that advice on this
newsgroup...I'm assuming things haven't changed.)

I have a 26-year-old Trek road bike with narrow tires and would prefer
a route that's relatively nonhilly, though it doesn't have to be
level. And a little less nerve-racking than a traffic-filled highway.
Back roads are preferable, though I can handle traffic as long as
there's a good shoulder.

I'm choosing AC as a destination point because it's one of the few
beach towns that has a NJ Transit connection back to Philly...I'm
thinking that after an 80-plus-mile trip I'll be a little too tired to
ride back. (If you have suggestions for alternate towns, I'm
game...but Cape May is probably a bit too far, and most of the other
beach towns served by NJ Transit are a bit pricey to stay overnight or
require a lot of backtracking and transferring on NJ Transit.)

Any suggestions? If not, any suggestions for good web sites that map
out routes? I've tried a bunch of them (Bikely.com and others) and am
surprised not to find ANY routes, though maybe I'm not looking in the
right places. Thanks for any ideas!

-Dee

"deetee" wrote in message
...
Hi. I'm seeking a good bike route to Atlantic City from Philadelphia.
I live in the western burbs of Philly and will have no trouble getting
to the Ben Franklin Bridge, but otherwise have no idea about the
safety of the roads on the other side. I've been told that both the
Black Horse Pike and the White Horse Pike are tough going for a bike.
(Way back in 1995 or so, someone posted that advice on this
newsgroup...I'm assuming things haven't changed.)

I have a 26-year-old Trek road bike with narrow tires and would prefer
a route that's relatively nonhilly, though it doesn't have to be
level. And a little less nerve-racking than a traffic-filled highway.
Back roads are preferable, though I can handle traffic as long as
there's a good shoulder.

I'm choosing AC as a destination point because it's one of the few
beach towns that has a NJ Transit connection back to Philly...I'm
thinking that after an 80-plus-mile trip I'll be a little too tired to
ride back. (If you have suggestions for alternate towns, I'm
game...but Cape May is probably a bit too far, and most of the other
beach towns served by NJ Transit are a bit pricey to stay overnight or
require a lot of backtracking and transferring on NJ Transit.)

Any suggestions? If not, any suggestions for good web sites that map
out routes? I've tried a bunch of them (Bikely.com and others) and am
surprised not to find ANY routes, though maybe I'm not looking in the
right places. Thanks for any ideas!

-Dee
I have several route to New Jersey on this page.
http://www.billcotton.com/Bill%20cot...e%20sheets.htm Cheltenham to
Wildwood Crest via Longport bridge, Spur to Atlantic City and Art museum to
Cooper River to meet the route at Cuthbert Bvld. and Park Rd.
The America Cancer ride this Sunday, 7/13/08 make a less direct route to
Mays Landing NJ and some of the riders ride on to Atlantic City.
Be aware that The Atlantic trains gives priority to handicapped vehicles
over bicycles. I was asked off a train in Lindwold when a handicap rider in
a scooter came aboard. However, all buses has front rack and will get you
back to Philly.

Thanks for the heads-up on the rules of NJ Transit. (I hope they
refund the difference if they dump you off somewhere in the middle of
the Pinelands!) Maybe the bus will be a better choice.

I may still seek a slightly more direct route to AC, if only because
it looks as if most of the routes require that I ride with the
spreadsheet in my hand so as to change roads every few hundred feet
(or at most every mile or two). Or am I reading them wrong? Or does
the inconvenience of switching roads every mile or so outweigh the
danger of being smushed by a truck? (I'm mostly a city-and-burbs
rider, riding on established bike paths and streets, so my
inexperience about riding across an entire state is showing here.) I
had fantasized about finding some secondary highway for long 20-mile
stretches that would, say, parallel the AC Expressway or Route 30, but
apparently it was just that, a fantasy.

Thanks so much for your advice, Bill! Now I have a better idea of what
I'm in for. I will also check out the cancer society ride.

-D



On Jul 11, 9:26�am, "Bill Cotton" wrote:
"deetee" wrote in message

I have several route to New Jersey on this page.http://www.billcotton.com/Bill%20cot....htmCheltenham to
Wildwood Crest via Longport bridge, Spur to Atlantic City and Art museum to
Cooper River to meet the route at Cuthbert Bvld. and Park Rd.
The America Cancer ride this Sunday, 7/13/08 make a less direct route to
Mays Landing NJ and some of the riders ride on to Atlantic City.
Be aware that The Atlantic trains gives priority to handicapped vehicles
over bicycles. I was asked off a train in Lindwold when a handicap rider in
a scooter came aboard. However, all buses has front rack and will get you
back to Philly.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"deetee" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the heads-up on the rules of NJ Transit. (I hope they
refund the difference if they dump you off somewhere in the middle of
the Pinelands!) Maybe the bus will be a better choice.


I may still seek a slightly more direct route to AC, if only because
it looks as if most of the routes require that I ride with the
spreadsheet in my hand so as to change roads every few hundred feet
(or at most every mile or two). Or am I reading them wrong? Or does
the inconvenience of switching roads every mile or so outweigh the
danger of being smushed by a truck? (I'm mostly a city-and-burbs
rider, riding on established bike paths and streets, so my
inexperience about riding across an entire state is showing here.) I
had fantasized about finding some secondary highway for long 20-mile
stretches that would, say, parallel the AC Expressway or Route 30, but
apparently it was just that, a fantasy.

Thanks so much for your advice, Bill! Now I have a better idea of what
I'm in for. I will also check out the cancer society ride.

-D
When I was asked off the train, I had to ask for a tranfer pass. I email NJT
for a refund and was denided.
As for riding the main roads, Rt. 30, White Horse Pk, or The Black Horse Pk.
will get you from Philly to Atlantic City, and 20 years ago I did ride there
roads to the shore points.
One of the worst hazraze is the right turn lanes. You are riding a long on a
sholder that becomes a right turn lane.
A cue sheet holder and a odometer is good for such a trip. A gps is great.
One of the roads on that cue sheet does parelell Rt 30 between Hamiliton and
Egg Habor for about 10 miles. CR 561.
The cancer ride is a good way to get a feel for riding NJ roads. You have
police escourt on the busy road and the Ben Franklyn Bridge is close to all
traffic but bicycle for more than an hour.


On Jul 11, 9:26�am, "Bill Cotton" wrote:
"deetee" wrote in message

I have several route to New Jersey on this
page.http://www.billcotton.com/Bill%20cot....htmCheltenham
to
Wildwood Crest via Longport bridge, Spur to Atlantic City and Art museum
to
Cooper River to meet the route at Cuthbert Bvld. and Park Rd.
The America Cancer ride this Sunday, 7/13/08 make a less direct route to
Mays Landing NJ and some of the riders ride on to Atlantic City.
Be aware that The Atlantic trains gives priority to handicapped vehicles
over bicycles. I was asked off a train in Lindwold when a handicap rider
in
a scooter came aboard. However, all buses has front rack and will get you
back to Philly.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I may still seek a slightly more direct route to AC, if only because
it looks as if most of the routes require that I ride with the
spreadsheet in my hand so as to change roads every few hundred feet
(or at most every mile or two).

How close are you to the Palmyra Bridge? You could ride route 73 south
all the way to route 322 (73 becomes route 561 for a short way just before
connecting to 322). Route 73 has a good shoulder the entire way but as
was mentioned in another post there are a lot of right-hand exits and
turns you would need to be wary of. Route 322 goes into Atlantic City.
I've riden the length of it east from where 561 connects to 322 and it's
fine for riding. The speed limit is 55 but the shoulder is very wide
the entire way.

Also, route 30 crosses route 73 and you could go east on that but I'm
not very familiar with route 30. My impression is that route 322 is
better for bicycling than route 30.