Riding Day 1 - May 28th, 2019

Start: New York, NY
End: Danboro, PA
Miles: 87.0
Feet climbing per mile: 42
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/35268027

What a relief it was to start riding today! All the planning and preparations are over and now my days will be filled with riding and dealing with whatever occurs.

I’m glad I chose to take the ferry across the Hudson. There were a few places near the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers where I had to walk my bike or scoot it along because of debris or gravel, but overall the ferry ride and the subsequent ride to Newark was superior to taking the PATH train.

Manhattan as seen from the ferry heading to Paulus Hook

Although it was sunny when I left home I soon encountered a downpour that lasted throughout the morning, but not heavy enough rain to have me stop and wait it out.

My first stop, shortly after noon, was the Starbucks in Somerset where I had a large hot chocolate and a chocolate brownie. The manager told me she got in trouble after I was there a few weeks ago because her superior saw a video of my bike inside. I told her that this was the halfway point of the first day of my 4000-mile journey and surely Starbucks makes an exception in such a case. I bought a second brownie to take with me.

The actual name of the road is “John Paul George & Ringo Road”.

I had planned to have a scoop of chocolate ice cream at Dilly’s at Center Bridge just across the Delaware River, but they were closed. I guess I should have called in advanced to make a reservation. Instead I had my second chocolate brownie before proceeding up the steep climb away from the river.

I was happy to have my bar-end mirrors, and happy to see in them that all the drivers were moving into the next lane to make a safe pass around me when I would take the lane. I found Pennsylvania drivers again especially polite, and even the New Jersey drivers were, with one or two exceptions, well behaved.

I appreciate the generous hospitality of my host, Mike Hesser, whom I met on warmshowers.org last fall. Not only did he provide me with a comfortable room in which to sleep, he also grilled me a rib-eye steak accompanied by vegetables and salad!

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The spreadsheet at Big Loop includes information about the earliest possible day I would arrive at each of my destinations. Throughout my ride I will update the spreadsheet to reflect any deviations between my plans and what actually happens, as well as any changes to my plans.

You can find links to all my routes here: Big Loop Event

Riding Day 2 - May 28th, 2019