In the grand tradition of Day One of the former Boston to New York AIDSRide, there
is one thing to know about this day: there are LOTS of climbs, thirty in all. They
are spread out pretty evenly throughout the day.
Today begins with a scenic ride across the Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River,
then it is up and around the mountain. At about mile 5.7 if we look to our left and
up, we will see the castle that cab driver legend tells as inspiration for the one
in the Wizard of Oz.
Between Pit Stops One and Two, the route is very shaded and lovely as we ride through
Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park and around Segamore Lake, Boyd Corners Reservoir,
West Branch Reservoir, and Lake Gleneida. At that point we make our way into the
quaint upstate towns of Carmel, Southeast and Brewster.
Just before lunch we enter Connecticut in Danbury as we head through Bethel and Newtown
toward Rte 34 for a lovely tree lined ride alongside the Housatonic River. We will
be sharing the road with some large vehicles so we must remember STAY ALERT! STAY
ALIVE! Along the river, we will be making a Pit Stop at the Yale (Gilder) Boat House
where Riders (at our own risk) may cool off by taking a refreshing dip in the river.
The final part of the route travels in to New Haven to the Yale University campus,
where we will be spending the night at the Yale athletic fields that surround the
Yale Bowl. Where the Yale Bulldogs have been taking the field since 1914.
| Where: | Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park. (Picnic area just southwest of the main camping area along Rte. 301.) |
| When: | 7:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. |
| Where: | Putnam Plaza Shopping Center - Carmel, NY (Along Rte 6) |
| When: | 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. |
| Where: | Danbury (CT) Park-n-Ride. (Just inside the Connecticut border. Near the entrance to I-84.) |
| When: | 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. |
| Where: | Rogers Park at the War Memorial - Danbury, CT. (Do not park on Rte. 53 or Main Street.) |
| When: | 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. |
| Where: | Shopping Center at the corner of Church Hill Rd. and Queen Street - Newtown, CT. |
| When: | 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. |
| Where: | Shopping Center on Rte 34 - Derby, CT. |
| When: | 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. |