This is the Watchung country, a pair of long, curved ridges that rise suddenly from the flat suburbs of central New Jersey and give the area a surprisingly hilly character.
The ridges are made of basalt, the dark rock of ancient lava flows that poured out roughly two hundred million years ago when the supercontinent began to break apart and the Atlantic Ocean began to open. The lava cooled into hard layers that resisted erosion better than the softer red sandstone around them, so the hills stand as long, forested walls. In several places the rock forms small cliffs and waterfalls.
During the American Revolution, the Watchungs were a vital strategic asset. George Washington's army camped behind them for long periods, and from a lookout known as Washington Rock the general could see British troop movements across the plain toward New York. The view from the rock, high above the town of Green Brook, still runs out over flat country to the distant skyline on a clear day.
The Watchung Reservation, a large county park, protects much of the ridge here, with a nature centre, lake and woodland trails. The park roads curve through tall oak and tulip trees, and the speed limit is low, with deer, joggers and cyclists sharing the route. It is a pleasant, shady place to ride slowly, and in autumn the colours are generous. The roads outside the park, the old Route 22 and the main streets of the little towns, are busy and lined with shops, so the relief is real when you turn into the woods.
For fuel and food, Scotch Plains and New Providence have all the usual places, and there are many bakeries and diners, with a particular local fondness for Italian delis and sandwiches piled with cold cuts. This is the easiest ground of the whole ride, and you can pause here without any difficulty.
Spring brings dogwood and magnolia, and the humid summer afternoons often end in thunderstorms. In winter, snow can make the steep local lanes tricky, and salt makes the surface greasy.