Albany to NYC Bike Tour

26 Feb 2023   fitness

Note:  I wrote this post on July 9, 2022 but never got around to cleaning it up and publishing it. I'm giving up and just shipping it as-is. "Perfect is the enemy of done", or something like that.

(Link to Mike’s post: https://fiddlingmarcus.substack.com/p/empire-state-trail-to-nyc)

Last weekend, Mike and I rode from Albany to NYC. It took us roughly three days from start to the finish. For me, it was the perfect combination of experiencing something new, going on a grand adventure, and feeling completely free (of life’s other responsibilities).

I had the time of my life.

Highlights

• Passing through small towns and meeting their friendly inhabitants
• Getting hit by a bug directly between the eyes at like 20mph
• Crossing the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge
• Watching fireworks on the Walkway Over the Hudson
• Narrowly avoiding multiple suicidal squirrels
• Passing a cave that magically produced really cold air
• Falling like Joe Biden, then watching Mike do the same
• Riding a busted tire 120 miles, from Kingston to the Bronx

Stuff I wish I had

• Gatorade powder packets
• Super glue
• Cycling shirt
• Multi-USB charger: phone, watch, two bike lights

Timeline

Pre-race:

• Bike rack installation (see pictures below)
• Ad hoc half marathon, family wedding

Day 1:

• Drove from Buffalo to Albany, about four hours
• Changed into cycling clothes at the train station
• Ate a chicken wrap, packed my messenger bags
• Met up with Mike, got lost for a bit right at the start
• Eventually made it onto the trail, lots of gravel riding
• Rode close by the water, then went inland, lots of above-ground pools
• Stopped at a country store, consumed an apple and some lemonade
• Witnessed the following animals: horses, chickens, deer, etc.
• Made it to Hudson, NY; went to the park along the river, went to Airbnb
• Ate dinner at a burger place, walked around for a bit, then bed

Day 2:

• Mike went out to get breakfast and coffee early - thanks Mike!
• We packed up the Airbnb, brought our bikes outside, and applied sunscreen for 20 minutes
• We departed for the day, had a huge climb right at the start, went on a big detour around a highway roundabout, and saw a dead possum - busy first section!
• The morning was mostly rolling country roads, cows with flies on them, and apple orchards
• We rode over a huge bridge over the Hudson, I stopped to take some pictures
• I got a flat tire right after the bridge, a few miles out from Kingston (Mike’s POV)
• Whilst trying to fix the original popped tube, we popped my replacement; thankfully, Mike’s replacement was an absolute beast and held up
• We made it to Kingston, ate delicious tacos in the shade; no bike shops were open, however
• We rode sunny-but-shady back road trails all the way to Poughkeepsie (slight detour)
• We rode past a cave blowing out super cold air, it was honestly so cool (pun intended)
• We made it to the pedestrian five minutes too late, had to take other bridge, got lost, lots of climbing to make it to our hotel
• We checked in, showered, took an Uber to diner (chicken parm for me), walked to the bridge, watched the fireworks show, and walked+Ubered back to the hotel

Day 3:

• We woke up super early, I ate a bike of my apple turnover, pumped up my tire a bit, stole two apples from the hotel, checked out, and hit the road
• Especially in the morning, I felt really lethargic, legs hurt, butt hurt, everything hurt
• After riding along rail tracks for about 20 miles, I need to stop to lay down for a bit
• We roughed it to Brewster, ate delicious corned beef hash and eggs, drank frappacino
• I felt a lot better after breakfast, went shirtless because of the humidity, pretty fast riding to Tarrytown, lots of paved trail, went over a big wooden bridge and through a tunnel
• We rode downhill to tacos and smoothies in Tarrytown, and by then my tire was really struggling (tube was showing) so I retaped it
• We roughed it for 20 more miles on a trail by the highway, into Van Cortland park; I had to stop again pump my tire, eat some chews, etc.
• On the other side of the park, we rode across some sketchy-ass (read: bumpy metal) bridge that completely destroyed my already-damaged tire; from there Mike rode his bike to the almost-closed bike shop, I followed him, walking my bike, and I finally got a fresh tire (yay!)
• In the later afternoon, we road along Riverside and Battery Park, saw the George Washington Bridge, Intrepid, World Trade Center, etc.
• We eventually made it to the end (start?) of the Empire State Trail and celebrated our accomplishment by taking lots of pictures (and lying on the ground)
• I took the subway and Metro North back to Harrison, and Christine was waiting for me at the train station with a medal - she’s the best!

Lessons learned

1. First mount bike your bike, then start your watch, then clip in, then go
2. You have to unclip before stopping, preferably long before
3. You should also downshift before stopping so that it’s easy to get going again, especially since you have to pedal with one foot while clipping in the other
4. Cars don’t expect you to have trouble clipping in - be careful
5. Try to stop on flat or downhill, if possible, because starting on uphill is hard
6. That said, downhills preceding intersections are the worst, they’re such a waste of momentum if you have to stop
7. Aero bars are more difficult than they look; they take some getting used to, and you need to practice drinking and eating while using them, else you’ll crash
8. Polarized glasses make it difficult to see in the shaded forest, but are necessary for keeping bugs and debris out of your eyes
9. Drafting actually works, surprisingly
10. Riding on shaded trails is my favorite
11. Hang signals: slow down, get behind me, pointing for traps in the road, turning signals (obviously)
12. When not riding, for safety, put the bike in between the road and yourself
13. How to change a tube: check for debris in tire before inserting new tube, reattach wheel before pumping, use a dollar bill to prevent bulging, etc.
14. My Garin watch has a “Resume Later” feature that is perfect for when you stop for food
15. You can wiggle your toes to prevent numbness (my big left toe was numb)
16. Similarly, it’s important to change seat position, hand position, etc.
17. I felt a small twinge in back from pedaling too hard, should just downshift next time
18. My trap muscles got very sore from being hunched over for so long, riding with my hands on aero bar pads helped
19. My right quad was very sore near the knee, my neck was sore and my helmet felt heavy; I don’t have a good solution for either
20. Riding on an empty stomach is no good; it’s much better - and surprisingly easy - to ride on full stomach: much more energy, no cramps, etc.
21. The cappuccino was actually pretty clutch, maybe caffine is useful after all
22. Compensating for sore sit bones by standing on your pedals leads to exhaustion; instead, just suck up the saddle pain
23. That said, to save your sit bones unnecessary pain, stand for bumps in the road
24. Time dilates on the bike; the day goes fast but I remember a lot
25. I need a device for note-taking while riding. My mind wanders and I want to remember my thoughts, e.g., “Clips are designed so that putting your foot out to brace a fall unclips you.”
26. After a while the pain plateaus, no new pain, Mike says it’s all mental
27. Mike carried this trip: tire repair, intersection management, drafting, holes in road, navigation, music, etc.
28. I was sore all over for almost a week, and I should expect similar duration of recovery next time

Pictures

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