Why this ride
A 525 km one-way ride from near West Long Branch, about 8 h 18 of riding. It goes by way of Dover Beaches North and Wurtsboro. The climbs: near Saint James and Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Appalachian Trail Ridge Day · short arc
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 525 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 8 h 18
- Journey
- One way; return travel is separate
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Appalachian Trail Ridge Day fuel gate → Appalachian Trail Ridge Day fo
35 km on Appalachian Trail Ridge Day fuel gate → Appalachian Trail Ridge Day fo.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 35 km
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Fuel stop near West Long Branch
Planning note
Appalachian Trail Ridge Day is where the day begins. Next is Appalachian Trail Ridge Day food stop.
2. Dover Beaches North
When Hurricane Sandy struck the Jersey Shore in October 2012, Ortley Beach, part of Dover Beaches North, was one of the hardest-hit places on the coast. The storm surge swept across the barrier island, destroying hundreds of houses and leaving sand piled in the streets. The community has been rebuilt, with new houses raised on stilts, but the memory of the storm is still fresh.
Read the complete Dover Beaches North write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Appalachian Trail Ridge Day food stop is where this day stops to eat. Next is High point near Saint James.
3. High point near Saint James
Planning note
This is where the road stops climbing. Next is Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga.
4. Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga
Fort Salonga takes its name from a British stronghold of the Revolutionary War. Fort Slongo stood on a bluff above Long Island Sound, and in 1781 American troops crossed the water from Connecticut and raided it. Nothing much remains, but the name lives on in this leafy corner of the North Shore, between Kings Park and Northport, where wooded hills drop to rocky beaches and the Sound glitters to the north.
Read the complete Photo stop near Fort Salonga write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
The high point of this section. Next is New York / Hudson Valley rides return.
5. Near Wurtsboro, on the way back
Gliders have been launching from the airfield at Wurtsboro since the late 1920s, and it claims to be the oldest soaring site in the United States. On summer afternoons, sailplanes circle silently over the Shawangunk Ridge, riding the thermals and the updrafts along the cliffs. The spot is close to Wurtsboro, in the valley between the Shawangunks and the Catskills, in Sullivan County, New York.
Read the complete Near Wurtsboro, on the way back write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
New York / Hudson Valley rides return sits at 402 km, late in the day. Next is Photo stop in Crandon Lakes.
6. Photo stop in Crandon Lakes
Planning note
The route ends here after 503 km.
Leg by leg
Fuel stop near West Long Branch to Dover Beaches North
Fuel stop near West Long Branch → Dover Beaches North is 35 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
High point near Saint James to Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga
High point near Saint James → Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga is 25 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga to Near Wurtsboro, on the way back
Scenic stretch near Fort Salonga → Near Wurtsboro, on the way back is 188 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.