The New York Red Bulls play football at a sleek stadium on the banks of the Passaic river in Harrison, and on match days the small town fills with fans. Harrison is an old industrial town in Hudson County, New Jersey, across the river from Newark, where factories once made thread, steel and light bulbs. Many of the old works have been demolished and replaced with apartment towers, and the PATH train connects the town to Manhattan.
Across the river, the Ironbound district of Newark is famous for its Portuguese, Brazilian and Spanish restaurants, serving grilled meats, seafood and wine. The neighbourhood got its name from the railway lines that surrounded it, and it is one of the most vibrant food scenes in the New York area.
Coming back from the Jersey Highlands and Greenwood Lake, a day of wooded hills, lakes and twisting roads in the north of the state, home comes via the interstates into the urban core. Traffic is heavy, and the roads around Newark are a maze of junctions and ramps. Watch for potholes, trucks and aggressive drivers.
There is no great scenery to reward you at the end, but there is food. Cross the bridge into the Ironbound, find a rodízio where waiters keep bringing skewers of grilled meat until you surrender, and wash it down with a glass of vinho verde. Fuel is on every main road, attendant service included, as everywhere in New Jersey.
On match nights, check the fixtures before you plan your route. The streets around the stadium close and fill with fans, and parking a bike becomes a negotiation.