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Based on another Poughkeepsie ride experience there have been few modifications to this ride to account for the time constraints:

- we will NOT stop at Café Mio for the second meal, we'll just grab some snacks at a deli or stop for a quick pizza if we get hungry.
- you should really bring food, just in case.
- two bottles of water minimum
- we'll get breakfast at Grand Central and eat it on the train so we can start rolling promptly without stopping for breakfast. NOTE: there ARE restrooms at the Poughkeepsie station
- if you drive then park at the Poughkeepsie train station NOT the Walkway Over The Hudson, as originally posted, and meet us outside the station building and do not be late! Time your trip so you wait for us, we will not wait and we'll start a.s.a.p. right after we're done with bike check. If you are running late text Adam DZ (718) 757-4102.
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We will cross Walkway Over the Hudson and ride few miles on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail. Then we’ll ride on country roads with some light traffic and with nice views of the Shawangunks range. We’ll loop and return to Poughkeepsie. We’ll take the 7:43 AM train from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie and we will start rolling at around 10 AM. You can also join us at 125th St station at 7:54 AM. We’ll try to catch the 5:53PM or 6:53 PM train back to NYC. So this will be a long day.

Please meet us at the station no later than 7:20 a.m. We’ll meet in the Main Concourse area on the left side (facing away from Lexington Ave) by the closed ticket booths. Please don't be late! This is a popular train for cyclists so we'd like to get on the train early to make sure we grab good spots for our bikes so we'll get on the train at 7:30. If you arrive late and we're not there any more, just go directly to the track and get on the train (just make sure the ride hasn't been cancelled, see Cancellation Policy below), you can learn the track number from the large displays above the ticket boots. Look for 7:43 a.m. train to Poughkeepsie.

The route is about 65 miles long and, despite being so close to the Gunks, not very hilly: only around 2200 feet of elevation gain. It’s a moderate-advanced ride though as we’ll try to keep 15-17 mph pace on flats.

The ride is very picturesque; it runs along woodlands, streams, farmlands with panoramic views of the Shawangunks range. We’ll have to walk our bikes once over a dirt trail for few hundred yards after we cross the Perrine's Bridge over the Wallkill River, the second oldest covered bridge in the New York State. If we make good time we may stop optionally at the Shawangunks Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge.

Related Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/333591750136939/

Please bring:

- helmet
- lightweight bike lock
- two spare bike tubes
- pump
- two bottles of water or hydration pack
- FOOD
- cell phone
- lunch money

RIDE CANCELLATION POLICY

Check this 5BBC ride page or the 5BBC Facebook page after 9PM the day before the ride to see if the ride is on! A cancellation notice will be posted on both at 9PM on the day before the ride.

We will NOT meet if the ride is canceled!
The leaders will not travel to the start location if the ride is cancelled!

If in doubt email bikerides@a-world.net or call or text Adam DZ at 718-757-4102 in the morning after 6 a.m.

If you have registered for the ride on the 5BBC website you will receive a confirmation or cancellation email around 9 p.m.the day before the ride.

TRAIN FARES

Since we’re starting and ending at the same station please purchase an off-peak round-trip ticket from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie which is $34.00 ($22.50 for seniors). It’s cheaper than buying two tickets. Purchase the tickets at the train station either from the booth or from a vending machine; they cost more if purchased from a conductor on board of the train. The conductor only accepts cash. No credit cards on-board the train. The above price is for tickets purchased at the station.

Bike Permit: $5 (good for life). If you're planning to buy the permit in the morning please have an application ready to save the time: http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/mnrbikepermit.htm

FOOD AND REST STOPS
Lunch will be at mile 24 in New Paltz at P&G’s Restaurant (http://www.pandgs.com). We will also pass by couple of delis and a pizzeria so we can get some snacks along the way.

MAPS AND CUE SHEETS

Ride with GPS route:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4964656/

Downloadable GPS track, GPS course, PDF cue sheets:
http://a-world.net/bikerides/walkway-over-hudson/