I'm in for this, treating it as an A race.

Nice, Sean. I saw you floating up Perkins last weekend. Niall, was that you with him? I was descending as y'all were headed up. I want a good result at Bear, even though it's my first time. At the least I'll get good training for Battenkill two weekends later.

I'm definitely in ... I'm in town the next 5 weekends , look forward to the riding 

Also in. May is looking pretty good...

OK, OK, after like 8 years of racing bikes in NYC I'll do Bear.

Who's up for a ride to Bear next weekend, Saturday April 30 or Sunday May 1? I'd love to recon parts of the course with Kissenas who have raced it before. 

Details are my favorite:

Sun May 8, 2016

https://www.bikereg.com/30527

I won't be able to race because I'll have family in town for my graduation, but I'm in for the recon/training ride on April 30 or May 1.

Just signed up for this race. Super excited!! I can't do the recon this upcoming weekend but will be reading all the helpful posts earlier on this thread 

I would like to, but how do we get there?

Bummer, will be traveling that weekend but would have loved to go. Looks like a lot of fun! Good luck, all. 

I could be talked into driving up for a recon ride next weekend. I will suck at going up the hills but I love the course. I could carry one other rider & bike.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk said:

I'm up for the ride, and the race.

Unless others are driving, the next easiest is to train up, ride 3 or 4 laps, train home.
Saturday 4/30 works well for me, especially since this will require a relatively early start.

I'll prob be out "late" for the Redhook Crit on Sat night, so an early Sunday is out for me.  Saturday it is for this dude.

I am up for saturday 4/30 recon ride! 

Niall and I were talking about doing this on Saturday, riding from BK / Mahattan to Bear Mountan, doing the course (possibly 2x), then rolling into Peekskill for a train back to the city (what was not discussed was the Peekskill brewery, but I'll leave that to someone else ...? )

From BKB --> Bear (2x) --> Peekskill is ~65 (75ish) miles.  Seems like a decent day.  I'm in.

registered for cat 5!

If my bike is ready I'll be up for the recce this weekend. I doubt I'll find out until Friday though. I may also be keen for the race. I could probably do with the practice.

@Scott Kuhlke we could split the difference between yours and Bruce's plan - take the train up and ride back? Either way I'm in.

i'm in for saturday as well

Bruce van-Schalkwyk said:

I'm up for the ride, and the race.

Metro North from Grand Central to Peekskill takes about an hour. 

On Saturday, 4/30, there's a 

6:43 AM train getting in at 7:48

7:43 getting in at 8:48

Others should consider going on the ride, even if you're not racing.  Bear Mountain should be on your yearly goal list, at least once, and we can ride that at the end.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4398086

FWIW, you can also take NJ Transit to Sloatsburg, NY.  The ride from Sloatsburg is definitely easier.  9mi to Lake Welch beach.  

i have access to a car we can use, either this weekend or for the race. one roof mounted bike rack, and can probably fit two more with the back seats down. would give a total capacity of 3 riders. 

also up for the train if that's best. 

Car or train for the race day is fine for me, b ut I was wondering also it might be worth going there the day before and sleep nearby and get some good sleep... who agrees?

GiacomoVischi said:

Car or train for the race day is fine for me, b ut I was wondering also it might be worth going there the day before and sleep nearby and get some good sleep... who agrees?

I'm looking into renting a cabin in Harriman.  They open that weekend.

Met up with Riley and James Shaw last night.  We plan on riding bikes to Bear Mtn from NYC.

I'll be at BKB 8am and GW at 9am for others who want to join in on the fun.  Perhaps if JP is also running about, he can show is the best route to Bear w/o having to roll up 303 or 9W the whole way.

I will probably be up to ride to Bear Saturday. If we're not in a rush we can take the path along the Hudson from Nyack to Haverstraw and then there are a few more roads we can take close to the riverbank before we get on 202 in Stony Point.

See y'all there. Should be a fun recon ride. 

Scott Kuhlke said:

Met up with Riley and James Shaw last night.  We plan on riding bikes to Bear Mtn from NYC.

I'll be at BKB 8am and GW at 9am for others who want to join in on the fun.  Perhaps if JP is also running about, he can show is the best route to Bear w/o having to roll up 303 or 9W the whole way.

SeanMiles said:

I will probably be up to ride to Bear Saturday. If we're not in a rush we can take the path along the Hudson from Nyack to Haverstraw and then there are a few more roads we can take close to the riverbank before we get on 202 in Stony Point.

Putting these two together, if you go with Sean along the hudson from Nyack to Haverstraw, you can take the first left and climb up the elevated ramp.  If you turn left on 9W (aka turning back), you take the first right and that's south mountain.  You can ride it to the Orchard and make a right on 45, cross 202, get onto Thiells Mount Ivy Road, an take that to Letchworth Village Road. Left onto Letchworth, left onto Willow Grove, and that eventually climbs into Harriman behind Lake Welch.

Or you can ride into Haverstraw, turn left and get over to 202, which will eventually take you to the same place.

And here is the most direct route
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/E+Palisade+Ave+&+New+York+State+Bicycle+Route+9,+Englewood+Cliffs,+NJ+07632/US-202+&+NY-45,+Pomona,+NY+10970/@41.0412854,-74.1239786,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c2f145a4e15eeb:0x27a70a462841699f!2m2!1d-73.9512299!2d40.8805226!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c2dcae06259685:0x7701f0001b9d46fe!2m2!1d-74.036055!2d41.186522!3e1

anyone intesrested in taking the train up, riding 3/4 laps and riding back home? or viceversa...

This goes over Little Tor, or, from JPs directions, pass that along South Mountain Road and go around.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/7275268