June 10, 2021
To Tivoli
In store for another long hot day, I was wanting to make short work of breakfast and be on my way. Best laid plans…. On my way to the dining room, I was stopped by Bill, a Londoner over for his daughter’s college graduation. He was an avid cyclist, having toured through the Alps years ago with his brother. His happily shared that the best rain gear was a swimsuit and poncho – though I can’t see myself donning a bathing suit in the midst of a downpour. After the nice but not brief chat, I found myself in the breakfast room joining a group of nine long-time friends who had gathered from various parts of the Northeast for their own cycling holiday. Needless to say, there were many shared stories all round and I did not make quick work of breakfast. Then, just after I checked out and was about to leave, Bill came round again to inspect my bike and set-up. I was finally on my way by quarter past nine.
The morning HVGT route followed rail trails through Putnam and Duchess counties, with each county offering their own amenities to trail users. Duchess County provided benches every few hundred feet, each dedicated to a particular person or organization. A dirt pedestrian path ran alongside the paved cycleway, and though the trail was heavily used it did not seem crowded. I ran across my breakfast cycling buddies a few miles south of Poughkeepsie, and we exchanged contact info and stopped for pictures. We bid each other farewell, though I reckoned I might see them again as we were all headed for the "World's Longest Elevated Pedestrian Bridge."
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The Walkway Over the Hudson is a NY State Historic Park refurbished from he former Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge. The railroad bridge was abandoned following a fire in 1974, and was re-opened in 2009 as an elevated walkway for pedestrians, cyclists and persons with disabilities. The 1.28 mile-long Walkway stands 212 feet over the Hudson River, providing a 360° view of the Hudson River Valley. In 2016, the Hudson Valley Trail Network, comprising the Walkway Over the Hudson, the Duchess Rail Trail, and the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, was inducted into the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.
Crossing the Walkway is best done at a leisurely pace, allowing ample time to take in the views as well as the unconventional – the juggling cyclist, the unicyclist. There was a second gathering of the Le Chambord Cyclists, then we said our final goodbyes as they had reached their turn-around point for the day. I headed north on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, regrettably missing the Sojourner Truth statue located on the western side of the Walkway.
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The Hudson Valley Trail runs about 7 miles east across the highland above the Hudson River to New Paltz at which point it connects with the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. I was hoping to find something to eat in New Paltz, but the HVGT route skirted north of the city and I settled for an egg and sausage sandwich at a roadside market –more like a second breakfast rather than lunch.
After the heavily used, well-maintained rail trails on the east side of the Hudson, the 13s mile of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail seemed a bit like riding in the wilderness. It was the first non-paved section of the HVGT I'd encountered, with a crushed stone surface running through a wooded corridor. There were few amenities along the trail – except for trailside rest area/food stand that was closed. Overall, the trail seemed little used, at least on this mid-week afternoon. It was however, a delightful place to ride on this hot sunny day. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, deer stood and watched while I fumbled with my camera, and two river crossings provided some variety and views.
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The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail ended on the outskirts of Kingston, where one of the "street sections" of the HVGT began. It was hot and I was needing a pick-me-up, but things looked bleak as a sat on a main street bench amidst the noise and dust of a street construction project. Google maps found me the perfect solution - an ice cream place two blocks way and on the route out of town. Refreshed by shade, cold water, and a root beer float, I was off to face a bit of highway riding and my second crossing of the Hudson, this time on the Kingston-Rhineland Bridge. It was a piece of cake - the shoulders were wide and I opted to use the separated walkway on the south side of the bridge. The walkway was to narrow for relaxed riding, but it did allow me to stop and take some pictures.
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Back again in Duchess County, the route took me along smaller, undulating roads wound north towards Tivoli, my destination for the evening. I passed through the expansive campus of Bard College, a private liberal arts college that “seeks to inspire curiosity, a love of learning, idealism, and a commitment to the link between higher education and civic participation.” I’ve always thought of Bard as being a bit arty and non-conforming, which is not necessarily incompatible with the official mission statement. A final challenge to the day was the two miles through the Tivoli Bays Wildlife Reserve, an up and down adventure during mosquito feeding hour!
My arrival at the Tivoli Hotel was greeted by Tara and Mel, the owner and staff person. Vivien George was placed in her own house two doors down and I scored an early dinner reservation, despite the “phone ringing off the hook.” Cleaned and refreshed, I enjoyed a wonderful repast of oysters, grilled baby squash, and a root vegetable tagine. I couldn’t resist a small dish of ice cream topped with chocolate sauce – the kind of sauce that hardens when it hits the cold scoop.
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Tivoli is essentially a small college town of around 1,000 residents, not counting Bard College students or those who have temporarily re-located north to flee the pandemic. Over dinner, I watched the comings and goings of townsfolk and eavesdropped on conversations at nearby tables. There were plenty of arty and quirky folks, but what stood out was the joy and warm embraces of friends and acquaintances when they saw each other for the first time in ages. For some, it was their first evening out since the pandemic began. After dinner, I wandered around this wonderful little town and headed towards the river in hopes of a good sunset view. Alas, the road ended well before I got to the Hudson. Although I never got my river view, I believe I glimpsed a little of the soul of Tivoli.
Today's ride: 57 miles (92 km)
Total: 150 miles (241 km)
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