Newark is New Jersey's biggest city and one of the oldest in the United States, founded by Puritans from Connecticut in 1666. It grew into an industrial powerhouse, making leather, beer, jewellery and much more, then suffered badly in the decline of the late twentieth century, including the riots of 1967. Today it is a city of contrasts: a business district of office towers, a major university and arts centre, airport and port, and neighbourhoods that are still recovering.
This finish lies near the Passaic River, close to the Ironbound district, so called because it was hemmed in by railway lines. The Ironbound has long been a Portuguese and Brazilian neighbourhood, and its streets, especially Ferry Street, are packed with restaurants serving grilled meats, salt cod, seafood rice and enormous portions at reasonable prices. After a long day in the saddle, a plate of grilled chicken and a cold beer here is about as good an ending as you can get.
Across town, Branch Brook Park has one of the largest collections of cherry trees in the country, which bloom in spectacular pink in April, and the Newark Museum of Art holds an excellent collection. Newark's Prudential Center hosts hockey and concerts, and the city's Penn Station is a handsome 1930s building.
The roads into Newark are among the busiest in the country. The New Jersey Turnpike, Route 1&9, Route 21 and Interstate 280 all converge here, with heavy trucks heading to the port and airport, constant construction and complex junctions. Potholes are common. Ride defensively and expect to sit in traffic at peak hours. Remember that in New Jersey an attendant fills your tank for you.
Fuel, food and every service are close by. If you want to see something before calling it a day, the riverfront park along the Passaic in the Ironbound is a pleasant spot to stretch out, with views of the bridges and the city skyline. Behind you lie the hills and forests of the Berkshires and Vermont, and for all its grit, Newark makes a lively and well-fed place to roll in at the end.