Wanderers Club

2021 · Empire State Trail

We’re a collective of cyclists and fitness enthusiasts from New York and California. This year, our inaugural year, we’re adventuring on a 5-day ride along the newly completed Empire State Trail in New York. We will ride the north-to-south segment of the trail starting in Rouses Point and ending in Battery Park in Manhattan.

We’ve organized all of the planning that we’ve done here on this little website and are sharing it for anyone who’d like to join us. Anyone looking to tag along for all or part of the trip is welcome — we look forward to saying hi!

Dates

August 22–26

Distance

395 miles

Length

5 days

Elevation

16,661 feet

Trip Details

Daily Plans

Daily Schedule

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Details
  • Every morning we’ll have a small breakfast, grab some coffee, and head out.
  • Around 1:00 PM each day, we’ll stop for lunch at the nearest town.
  • We’ll head back out after lunch and stop once we reach that day’s destination.
  • We’ll have some dinner (maybe some drinks) and call it a night.

Resources

If you plan on joining us, we’d love to know and hopefully meet up to say hi. Shoot us an email and let us know if you plan to tag along.

Email us if you're riding!

Timeline & Routes

  1. Saturday, August 21

    Arrive in Rouses Point and rest before the first day's ride.

  2. Sunday, August 22

    Wake up and head to Keeseville for lunch.

    Continue riding to Westport and crash for the night.

  3. Monday, August 23

    Head out to Ticonderoga for a quick lunch.

    Hop back on the bikes and finish the day’s ride in Fort Edward.

    Pop over to Glens Falls for dinner and some sleep.

  4. Tuesday, August 24

    Quick breakfast then on the road until we hit Troy for lunch.

    Finish the day in Hudson.

  5. Wednesday, August 25

    Ride from Hudson to either Kingston or Poughkeepsie for lunch and a coffee refill.

    Continue on to Brewster for the day.

  6. Thursday, August 26

    We’ll target somewhere in Westchester county for lunch.

    Hit the road to wrap up the final day in beautiful Battery Park.

  7. Friday, August 27

    Big rest day! 😅

Questions?

What should I wear?

You will obviously want to pack a couple pairs of comfortable bib shorts, weather-appropriate jerseys, a weatherproof jacket, and a helmet. Solid eyewear to help with the wind and sun, gloves, toe covers, and maybe even a neckwarmer would be helpful as well.

What tools should I carry?

As far as tools: tyre levers, spare innertubes, patches, a pump, a multitool, chain quick links, CO2 cartridges, front and rear lights, a bike lock, and maybe cable ties. You’ll also want to make sure you have 1–2 water bottles and cages to stay hydrated throughout the day. Lastly, a bike computer will come in handy to stay on route.

What else should I pack?

Bring other clothes that you may want to wear when we’re not riding. You’ll want to pack quick-to-eat, carb-heavy snacks to stay energized during rides (these gels are great, for example). A waterproof bag or case is great for your phone and wallet. Plenty of sunscreen and some basic first aid supplies should round out supplies.

Where will we sleep?

One option is to stay in hotels along the way. We plan to stay in the nearby town at each day’s stop and have collected a few hotel options in the POI map.

Another option is to camp. The Empire State Trail’s website has a number of campsites marked on their map. Be sure to keep in mind that if you plan to camp, you’ll need to pack additional camping gear as well.

What about COVID?

It’s still a thing. We recommend doing the ride only if you’re vaccinated since you’ll be visiting a number of different areas in New York. With that said, feel free to join at your own risk and be sure to pack plenty of masks.

Should I train for this ride?

Absolutely. Unless you’re an experienced cyclist with a lot of miles under your belt, we recommend training for 1–3 months to acclimate yourself to riding around 80 miles per day, over 6-ish hours, for 5 days straight.

Should I do the ride alone?

We recommend pairing in a group of 2–3. Riding alone isn’t the safest idea. Also, a small group is nice to split hotel and other costs with.

How do I get to Rouses Point, NY?

The easiest way is to take Amtrak there. They let you bring your bike on the train and it’s a relatively comfortable ride.

Another option is to fly to Montreal and ride or drive across the border. However, Canada does not yet allow travel from the US for discretionary reasons (learn more).

Lastly, you can have a friend drop you off at Rouses Point to start the trip.

Do I have to follow the same plan you all are doing?

Of course, not! Feel free to use as much or as little of our plan as you’d like. You can make the trip shorter, longer, stop at different cities — whatever your heart desires.

What sort of bike do I need?

A road or gravel bike will do just fine. The majority of the route is asphalt with a few spots of rocky/sandy trails.

Have another question? Email us.

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