Team Arrow Dynamics Takes on the 2016 New Jersey Arrow

When I first heard that NJ Randonneurs was sponsoring its first ever "arrow" event, I knew I had to assemble a team. Like an ACP "fleche," (fleche is actually the French word for arrow), this event would require that teams of 3-5 cyclists ride together for a minimum of 360 kilometers in 24 hours over a course of their own design to a predetermined finish location. All teams would start at 10:00 am on July 9 and finish at 10:00 am on July 10. The rest was up to us. Luckily, I was able to pull together a team of seasoned randonneurs with whom I've very much enjoyed riding over the years.

One of the first challenges of an arrow is that the team (through the team captain) is responsible for designing the route it will follow from a starting location of its own choice to the finish. Like "arrows" homing in on a target, the idea is that each team arrives at the precise same place and the precise same time, yet having come from a very different starting point. While I've ridden in several fleche events, this would be my first time serving as team captain. In addition, NJ Rando elected to host this event as a fundraiser so there would be money to raise as well.

Route design proved to be about as challenging as I expected it to be, which is to say significant. The catch is that unlike standard brevets, which typically follow circuitous routes, we would be riding in a linear (point-to-point) fashion with the added challenge of getting 200 miles back to the cars and belongings we left at the start. With two riders on the team from New England, I knew that we should try to start as far north as possible. Another challenge I faced was mapping the unfamiliar roads in the southern third of the route after crossing out of New York and into New Jersey. I discovered that my first attempt was a disaster when I drove the southern section and realized that there were no safe shoulders on a considerable stretch of road. As a result, I reached out to Joe K., the NJ Rando RBA, and he shared a RUSA-Approved permanent route with us that solved our problems perfectly leaving a gap of only several miles between our familiar northern route and the finish.

I had originally wanted to start in the Berkshires, which would have enabled us to cross four states in our journey, but there was no realistic public transport option further north than the MetroNorth commuter line so we selected the Wassaic station on the Connecticut border as a compromise. This looked as though it would work out just fine until several days before the event when a friend (riding on a different team) sent me an email with news that there was construction on the Wassaic line all weekend that put shuttle buses into service, which could not accommodate bicycles. After some mad scrambling, hectic rerouting, and patience from the organizers, we drafted a plan to start at the Walkway Over the Hudson just north of the Poughkeepsie train station instead. Only the first 33 miles of the route would need to change. We would pick up the original route in the village of Clermont in southern Columbia County, where we would turn south to follow some lovely roads parallel to the Hudson River taking in several historic estates along the way.

The forecast for the weekend was both favorable and unfavorable. The incessant heat was scheduled to break and when we clipped in temperatures were in the upper 60s (whereas they had been hovering in the 90s for days). The downside of this change was that we would encounter unstable weather with showers pretty much inevitably at some point in the day and/or night. Luckily, we only encountered two real rain storms and neither was as bad as we feared. Luckier still, the most serious storm took place just a few yards from a convenience store as we were cycling through some pretty remote countryside. While we stayed a bit longer than five minutes (see photo above), it did not take too much time out of our budget. Wet, gritty roads often lead to tire trouble and this event was no exception. As a team, we tallied four flats in 24 hours and while this slowed us down quite a bit, it did not present any challenges we could not handle.

A critical component of route design on events such as this involves identifying suitable 24-hour establishments where teams can find food, water, and a place to catch a few hours of shut-eye. Our first two checkpoints were outstanding. Tivoli, NY provided both a lovely bakery and a general store where each of us was able to procure a baguette sandwich (some with ham, some with salmon) that had the effect of connecting me instantly with the food of Brittany I enjoyed so much at PBP last summer. Our next checkpoint was located in New Paltz at The Main Course, where we enjoyed a delicious dinner. The following checkpoint, at a McDonald's in Port Jervis, was more of a necessary evil, but the staff was welcoming and the furniture comfortable. Trouble came around 3:00 am when we arrived at a 24-hour Dunkin' Donuts with a plan to sleep for 60-90 minutes before sunrise. Little did we know that only the DRIVE-THRU window was open for 24 hours and we would need to push on in search of a safe, dry place to catch a few winks.

Luckily, we would soon be entering towns from my childhood and I was confident that we'd find something suitable before too long. As we rolled into Peapack-Gladstone and passed the school from which I graduated, I remembered a covered gazebo in the park at the town's center. Not only was it dark, but it was quiet, dry and empty when we arrived at 3:45 am. Setting my alarm for 4:45 am, we could get an hour's rest and still be off before the sun rose and no one would be any the wiser. Dawn brought new energy to our legs and bodies as it always does and we pedaled our way to the penultimate checkpoint where all of the other teams would meet before the final push to the finish.

The fundraising aspect of the event added excitement and purpose. While I normally ride for the selfish pleasures that spending hours on my bike affords, on this event, we would be riding to raise money for Hunterdon Youth Services, a wonderful community organization that sponsors programs for young men in need of a helping hand. What started out as a modest effort to raise a few dollars resulted in the collection of far more money than I would have anticipated. As a result of the generosity of friends, family, and fellow riders, we raised $1000 shattering my initial goal of $500.  

As one of my teammates reflected after the ride, "for years I declined to participate in fleches because I couldn't figure out the reason for an all-night ride where you had to spend 24 hours doing it, subject to a bunch of arbitrary constraints. It sounded to me like mandated, unnecessary suffering. On this Arrow, though, I finally got it--it's about team building, and spending 24 hours with a great group of guys. The cycling is mainly a pretext for the group experience." I could not have said it better myself.

A bike, a camera and plenty of time: Nick Hand's Conversations on the Hudson.

Every now and then, you meet someone who does something so perfect you wonder why you never thought of it. That's the way I felt when I first stumbled across the book Conversations on the Hudson a few weeks ago at a book store in Rhinebeck. This small, hardbound book is filled with gorgeous photographs that illustrate the stories and interviews author Nick Hand shares of the 20 artists and artisans he meets in his cycling journey from Brooklyn to Hudson Falls north of Albany. Nick's tale is a magical one in which he finds interesting creative people all throughout the Hudson Valley with wonderful stories to tell.

Conversations on the Hudson is not Nick's first project. He accomplished a similar (if more ambitious) journey several years ago in his native Britain. More information and photos from that project, known as Slowcoast, can be found on his website here. The book that grew from the Slowcoast project, entitled Conversations on the Coast, can be purchased through his publisher's website (and presumably in a few book shops in Britain). Another feature of Nick's brilliance is his creation of "soundslides," which are short films that include photos from each interview accompanied by the audio he captures during each interview in which his subjects describing their lives, work and passions. Think Studs Turkel for the 21st Century on a bike with a gorgeous visual sensibility.  Once you start watching these, I guarantee you will become hooked. Warning: they are quit addictive. You cannot watch just one.

British clothing designer Paul Smith discusses his life-long passion for cycling.

A tea taster explains the intricacies of his work.

A collector discusses the history of cycling in Britain from the earliest days.

A hat maker enjoys making people happy.

My lovely wife picked up a copy of this book for me several weeks ago at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck and when I noticed that Nick was coming to town to do a reading, I quickly added the event to my calendar. I knew the best way to attend a reading about cycling the length of the Hudson Valley was by bicycle and luckily the weather cooperated. With temperatures reaching the high 70s I was able to ride with a short sleeve jersey for the first time this season. After being held up by some computer troubles at home, I took advantage of some fabulous tailwinds as I rode north to the bridge making great time and turning what might have been a lazy saunter into a full-out sprint.

Miraculously, I made the 19 miles to Rhinebeck in about 1:04 and arrived in plenty of time to find a seat and settle in for a very enjoyable talk as Nick read from his book and showed several soundslides he created on his journey. Nick was joined by Ken Greene of the Hudson Valley Seed Library who's featured in the book and who told us about his fascinating work preserving heirloom seed varieties in the region. After the talk, I introduced myself to Nick, had my book signed and took off to cycle to Vassar College 20 miles to the south where I met my wife and daughter for a performance by the amazing ZviDance Company.

Another great day in the Hudson Valley. Nick reads from his book at the Rapha Cycling Club in NYC on Wednesday evening. Check it out if you're in town.

The Festive 500: There's No Place Like Home

The Festive 500, like all good long rides, was a bit like life in microcosm. There was joy, there was disappointment. There was anger, there was humor. There were parts that exceeded my expectations and parts that fell short. There were the plans and there were the modifications to the plans.

All in all, this challenge provided me with just the kick in the pants I needed to jumpstart the new season. It felt great to ride longer, harder and farther than I would have without the peer pressure involved with 30,000 other nuts trying to ride at least 500 kilometers over the course of eight winter days. It does a body good to go a bit too far, especially where training is concerned. I'm proud to have completed this challenge for a third year in a row. Would I have liked to have ridden 1500 kilometers like some other lunies? Sure, but I'm glad I have a family that needs and wants me around.

Over the course of eight days, I saw some beautiful houses, but my favorite by far is the one I live in myself. There's no greater feeling, after a long, cold ride, than returning to your own warm, cozy home.

Happy New Year!

The Festive 500: Recovery Ride to Slabsides

While Gilded Age robber barons were erecting massive estates along the Hudson River and throwing parties that cost more than most people earned in a year, a quiet man named John Burroughs (who also built a lovely home on the west side of the Hudson) snuck up to this rustic cabin and wrote some of the most influential works on environmentalism to date. I could not think of a better site to visit on my recovery day than Slabsides, which sits high on a rocky outcrop about a mile from my own house. Burroughs is not very well known these days, but he was one of the most highly regarded writers of his generation. His influence on others such as John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt was significant. Legend has it that TR sailed the official presidential yacht up the Hudson and walked up the hill to meet Burroughs at this cabin, irritating Frederick Vanderbilt right across the river to no end.

Today's recovery ride reminded me of that wonderful feeling that comes from riding too far. After several months in which I rode about 100 miles per week, five days filled with 270 miles creates a feeling that is both pleasing and hard to describe. Onward ho!

The Festive 500: Olana Century Edition

I made a few more stops in my quest to visit the major Hudson Valley estates during this year's Festive 500 Challenge. Today's weather was a huge improvement, so I chose to celebrate by riding a full century that began and ended at my doorstep. In between, I rode up the west side of the river until Catskill where I crossed at the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and then found my way back home on the east side of the river crossing on the Walkway once again. This path placed me in the neighborhood of both Thomas Cole's Cedar Grove and his student Frederic Church's famed Olana masterpiece. Not surprisingly, both of these pioneering landscape artists of the Hudson River School chose to live in houses with spectacular views of the river as well as of the Catskill Mountains.

Olana sits amid 250 acres at the top of an imposing hill just south of the town of Hudson. Cedar Grove, on the other hand, is a much simpler affair right on the edge of town across the river in Catskill.

The third stop on my journey today was Clermont, an estate once owned by Robert Livingston who was issued a patent by the British crown granting him the privileges of manor lord over 160,000 acres from the river to what is now Massachusetts. It's hard to imagine how feudal life was in this region before the Revolutionary War, but it was.

As for riding, it was a great workout on a glorious day and my legs are definitely feeling the results of 400 kilometers ridden over four days, but that's what base training is all about, isn't it?

The Festive 500: Montgomery Place Ramble

Ah, what a difference 10F and a little bit of sunshine makes. After a dismal ride yesterday, I bounced back today with a 50-mile ramble through some lovely countryside along River Road in Dutchess County north of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge.

Like many Hudson Valley estates, the grounds at Montgomery Place are free and open to the public year-round, while the mansion itself is open for tours during the spring and summer months for a fee.

Just north of Montgomery Place is Bard College, which boasts one of the nicest college campuses in the country. It feels a bit like entering a magical land filled with gorgeous building both old and new, all of which appear completely in their element. The Fischer Center, for example, designed by Frank Gehry, is a remarkable performance space both inside and out.

Just Under the Wire: Coffeeneuring Ride 7

One of the first rules of randonneuring is to front-load your riding so that you don't run out of time. Up against time constraints, we learn early on not to tempt fate by assuming nothing will go wrong, because, so often the unexpected rears its ugly head. Luckily, nothing went wrong for me over the past few months, but I've been working six-day weeks for some time and with a few college tours thrown in, that number or busy days per week has crept to seven on several occasions. As a result, I found myself undertaking my final coffeeneuirng ride on November 17, the last day of the challenge, with one hour to spare before heading to work in Long Island. I rode to the closest place that sells coffee. It's a shop I don't particularly like, owned by someone I don't particularly want to give my money to, which sells something hot and dark which looks vaguely like coffee. When in a pinch, we do what we have to do. I'm done. Mission accomplished.

Location: Esopus, NY
Venue: The Country Store
Coffee: black
Carbs: none
Mileage: 10

On to Old New Paltz: Coffeeneuring Day 6

New Paltz is a Hudson Valley gem. Founded in 1678 by French Huguenots, the village still hosts a rich collection of colonial stone houses and churches. Home to a state university campus and nestled into the side of the remarkable Shawangunk Ridge, New Paltz has something for just about everyone. The climbing, hiking and cycling are all world class and the food and shopping aren't bad either. When in town, be sure to stop by the Bicycle Depot for all of your cycling needs.

Location: New Paltz, NY
Venue: The Mudd Puddle
Coffee: Espresso
Carbs: Chocolate chip cookies
Mileage: 22

Linking East & West: Coffeeneuring Day 4

Several years ago, the amazing Walkway Over the Hudson was unveiled and since then it has become a wonderful local resource as well as a significant tourist destination. The Walkway is the tallest and longest pedestrian bridge in the world and it's well worth a visit whenever you find yourself in the area. It was not until this fall, however, that the two preexisting rail trails on either side of the river were completely and permanently linked together to form a full 18-mile linear park that connects Dutchess and Ulster Counties.

I decided to mark this auspicious occasion with an end-to-end ride with a short break in the middle to enjoy some hot coffee and a seasonal treat. The Dutchess Rail Trail begins at the old Hopewell Junction train station so this is where I began my east-west journey after dropping my daughter off at a local high school to take her SAT II exams. The air was crisp and the skies were blue with a few colorful leaves still hanging onto the trees along the way.

The completion of this linear park required a few bridges and the purchase of a few miles of land from CSX. The next stage planned to enhance the bicycle infrastructure in the area involves building a massive elevator to connect the Walkway with the Metro North train station in Poughkeepsie 220 feet below. After crossing the Walkway, I found a nearby Dunkin Donuts and after enjoying a coffee and a pumpkin donut, I rejoined the Hudson Valley Rail Trail and rode the 10 miles to the trail's end in Highland. Rejoining local roads, I was home in no time.

Location: Highland, NY
Venue: Dunkin' Donuts
Coffee: Regular
Carbs: Pumpkin donut
Mileage: 30

Any Excuse for a Hot Cider Donut: Coffeeneuring Part 3

No autumn gastronomic cycling challenge in the Hudson Valley is complete without a stop at a local farm stand for some hot mulled cider and a fresh cider donut. The Apple Bin is a local favorite, perched on western shore of the Hudson River along a particularly bucolic stretch of iconic Route 9W. Last Sunday, I carved out a short loop in the crisp morning air, while enjoying the remaining color in the trees along the way.

Location: Ulster Park, NY
Venue: Apple Bin Farm Market
Berverage: Hot mulled cider
Carbs: Cider donut
Mileage: 16

A Coffeeeneuring Ramble to Stone Ridge: Day 2

Day two of the Coffeeneuring Challenge brought me to the village of Stone Ridge, NY, which lies just a few miles away from Kingston. Filled with stately colonial homes, Stone Ridge served as the temporary capitol after the burning of Kingston by British troops in 1777.

The weather today was again glorious as I pedaled through several lovely Hudson Valley towns (some which will be featured in future Coffeeneuring adventures) on my way to Stone Ridge.

The hamlet of Stone Ridge sits at atop a hill as the name implies so I was happy to see Jack and Luna's Cafe as I reached the end of my climb. I was less happy, though, when I saw the scant collection of baked goods that was left on the counter at 11:30am, but selected this miniature lemon poppy bundt cake in hopes that the tremendous flavor would make up for it's diminutive size. I was sadly disappointed, though, and the coffee wasn't much to rave about either. 

So after finishing up at Jack and Luna's, I said hello to a few friends and swiftly rode down Main Street and descended the ridge to begin my trek home, already visualizing where coffeeneuring would lead me next weekend.

Location: Stone Ridge, NY
Venue: Jack and Luna's Cafe
Coffee: Hot and black
Carbs: Itsy, bitsy lemon poppy bundt cake
Mileage: 36

A Little Late to the Party: Coffeeneuring Challenge Ride #1

I know, I know, it's been WEEKS since this challenge began. It's been a bit busy recently, so today marked my first stab at the Third Annual Coffeeneuring Challenge. Unlike past years, this time around I think I'll follow a theme or a plan of some sort. Yes, this year I'll ride to seven separate towns that represent my some of my the amazing richness of life in the Hudson Valley.

I begin my odyssey with a ride to one of the earliest European settlements in the area. Originally named Esopus, Kingston, NY was settled, along with Albany and New Amsterdam, by the Dutch in 1651. It persisted as a Dutch settlement for many years, but like most of the area, was taken over by English-speaking colonists during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1777, Kingston became the capitol of New York State for a short time until the city was torched by British soldiers during the American Revolution. The historic Senate House and several of the other 17th century stone homes are open for tours.

Today, Kingston is divided into three sections, the most interesting of which is the Uptown or Stockade district. Filled with historic stone homes, the area is also home to a growing community of artists and creative souls. The Outdated Cafe is one of my favorites. Where else can you sit and enjoy a giant, freshly baked pear scone with piping hot Costa Rica gold alongside antique dress frames and manual typewriters? I almost felt like a hipster!

Location: Kingston, NY
Venue: Outdated Cafe
Coffee: French Roast Costa Rican
Carbs: Pear Scone
Mileage: 32

Tour de PDS: Stage 2 (154 Miles on the West Side)

Like the American West, the west side of the Hudson River Valley, home to New Paltz and Woodstock, is rugged and funky. When I was first contemplating our move from NYC in 2002, a friend who lives in the area told me that while there was plentiful farmland on both sides of the river, on the east they tend to raise horses while on the west they grow apples. While this is not universally true, it's not a bad way to understand the difference. 

The signature difference between the east and the west for the cyclist, though, is the hills. In general, the west side is more rugged and less suburban in it's development and the Shawangunk Ridge and Catskill Mountains play a significant role. Stage 2 took me into these mountains and while the route was 25 miles shorter than Stage 1, the hills provided balance. After a rest day on Tuesday, I rolled out of my driveway in West Park to begin Stage 2 at 6:30 Wednesday morning. The weather again was perfect.

Tour de PDS: Stage 2.

Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Highland. 

A little patriotic fervor in New Windsor.

A mechanical pink ape sells car washes in Newburgh.

Blooming Grove marks the southernmost reach of PDS.

The corn is coming up on this western farm.

Historic homes abound.

Gardiner, NY - 1 mile.

Technology Director David Held joined me for a spell.

The Modena Rural Cemetery.

Iced coffee and black and white cookies hit the spot.

The Shawangunk Ridge from New Paltz.

On top of Mohonk Mountain. 

The Catskill Mountains lie ahead. 

One of the many quaint shops in High Falls.

Stone Ridge, NY 12484

The Catskill Mountains rise out of the Ashokan Reservoir.

A few PDS students smiling before spraying me with a hose! 

Phoenecia - home to several of our northernmost families.

One of the many monasteries on the west side of the Hudson.

The Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge connects east and west.

A familiar site to older PDS students springs to life each fall.

Stage 2: 154 miles. The Tour de PDS is complete.

At 331 miles, the Tour de PDS is complete! What a thrill to see all of the towns and villages that send students to our fine school. Will this become an annual tradition? Who knows.