Living and Riding on Long Island, NY
As I ride in rural and country like settings in Vermont, NY State, Cape Cod, Connecticut and other areas in reasonable driving distance, I wonder what the residents of this area think about riding on Long Island, NY.
What it really is like?
First of all, much of Long Island is built up, flat and has too much traffic. We do not ride in these places.
Northern Nassau County and Gold Coast Area
Susan I took a ride today, and I took some photos. We park one block south of very busy Jericho Turnpike in Westbury NY. As soon as we cross the road, however, for all our senses know, we are in the country on Hitchcock Lane.Its only a mile long, but there is a school and horse farm on the left and “eat your heart out” estates on the right. What a great way to start a ride. A parallel road, Post Road has a similar look | |
After we cross the Long Island Expressway overpass, we enter State University of NY, Westbury Campus. The first mile is Empire College surrounded by a horse farm and wide open fields. That is followed by the four mile loop around and exit from the school, that is on the left. So, in traffic filled Nassau County, NY… just East of NYC, the first five miles or so of our ride is pretty much country like roads. . |
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The remainder of the ride does include some main roads, but no busy busy roads. We ride through areas with estates that border on or have their own little forests, horse farms, lakes and ponds.Even the roads through towns are not overly busy and often have wide shoulders.
Sagamore Hill, Teddy Roosevelt’s house is a favorite rest stop, if one is willing to climb the roadway uphill. |
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There are also lots of roads with water views.All in all, this area of Long Island is pretty riding and far cry from the southern part of Nassau County just a few miles away. | |
Eastern Suffolk County
There are still open and rural areas out here.
There is North Street that runs for seven miles through the Pine Barrens, a forever wild protected area.
There are miles of shore line roads with picturesque houses.
If you want, we can even give you a 55 mile route with over 4,000 feet of climbing.
There are no large hills on Long Island, but neither is it as flat as some people think.
Out here there are roads that go for miles without a stop light or stop sign.
If you want something different from country riding, Long Island has great areas to explore.
Ride sheets are available on this site, key words “long island (click)”
Glenn
What a lovely piece. I really enjoyed reading about your journey.
specialized
there are some really nice trails down in southern utah just outside of zion national park. if you ever get out this way you should check it out