Everything you wanted to know about the wind but were afraid to ask. Yeah, it was windy today! Did I say it was windy? It was windy!

Having an opportunity to get out and squeeze a ride in on what appeared to be a beautifully sunny day, I met up with Steve at Action Bikes and Outdoor in the heart of Milford. On a whim, we decided on a ride around the Delaware Valley and a climb up Greenville Turnpike.

Leaving the shop, we headed east on Rt. 209/Rt 6. Although flat and fast, we had to deal with a lot of evening traffic, oh and did I say, wind? Just as we crossed Rt. 84, we turned left onto Mountain Avenue to avoid busy Matamoras. Turning right on Delaware Drive, we approached the Port Jervis/Matamoras Bridge and I couldn’t help but think that as we ride through this area on a daily basis, it’s real easy to take for granted the scenery that is all around us. A perfect example was the ride over the bridge and the view of the incredibly serene Delaware River.

Pushing through the wind, we made our way through the streets of the old, up and coming small city of Port Jervis, NY. (The once rundown, river city is making a comeback with scores of new businesses and great restaurants). Going under the overpass and up Pike Street, we made a right on E. Main Street and pedaled over the Neversink River Bridge and into Montague, NJ.

We hung a left on Greenville Turnpike, got out of traffic, back into New York and started to climb. At a little over 3 miles, Greenville Turnpike starts out a mere gradual uphill for the 1st 1.25 miles. As it bears right, the road inclines sharply and continues to climb for about 2 more miles, passing some hillside homes and a parking area for the trailhead to the Shawangunk Trail in the Huckleberry Ridge State Forest, before dropping back down to where we made a left on Old Mountain Road. Old Mountain Road is carved into the side of the mountain, providing a road surface that is smooth but slanted down to the low side.

Old Mountain Road drops down to a sudden stop at Rt. 6 in Greenville in front of the Firehouse Deli. A steep, half mile climb awaits as we turn left on Rt. 6. For some reason, the climb seems fast(just one of those roads that feels like your going faster than you should). As we capped the summit, I zipped up and pulled my gloves on and prepared for the long, descent. Did I say it was windy? It felt like the wind was actually pushing us back uphill. Rt. 6 drops through Deerpark, NY for 3.5 miles to the border of Montague and Port Jervis. Pedaling back through Port Jervis, E. Main Street eventually rolls right into Rt. 97. We climbed up to the Main Street overlook and were treated to an excellent view of the city.

Descending Rt. 97 to Sleepy Hollow Road, we winded through the quiet West End Neighborhood of Port Jervis and back to the bridge and across to Matamoras. As we traveled through Matamoras and into Milford, we were hit hard by the wind. For 5 plus miles, we crawled back to Action Bikes and Outdoors, happy to have gotten it in.

What’s Playing: (What am I’m listening to while writing or what’s dancing around in my head while riding) Today –Genesis – Abacab