NY CATSKILLS ride report w pics...lots of them

[9fingers]

I bugged out of my office Friday at noon and headed up one of my new routes to the Pepacton Reservoir in New Yorks Catskill Preserve. We had a strange heat wave and it was to be around 70 degrees for 2 days....so I HAD to go! I usually take the V Strom 650 as I do the ride up and back in one day.....around 5.5 hours in the saddle....and the Strom is more comfortable for all day rides than my V7III Special. But Sophia was dying to try some of the most excellent roads I had found and this time I was staying the night, so I could ride some Saturday as well and then work my way back home. I usually ride thru the Sundown Wild Forest and Peekamoose range and then come down thru Big Indian and past Slide Mountain This is a super fun route through the forest and I could do it every week and still love it. But I found a slightly more direct route to Pepacton going thru Swan Lake and then the farm town of Jefferson and up thru Livingston Manor. If you like old wooden covered bridges there are 2 of them on this route. I think they are kinda cool and enjoy blipping the throttle and hearing the muted roar of my Agostini pipes (with DB killers) as I ride thru the single lane bridges. This time I rode UP thru Big Indian and past slide Mountain and straight across rt 28 up a winding road that was simply too much fun to stop and photograph. I took a sort of circular loop up and around The town of Hunter...Hunter Mountain ski area....and then back down 214 to Phoenicia for an early dinner of amazing sesame crust pizza at Brios, which I ALWAYS visit. My Hotel was another 20 minutes west on 28 and I wanted to reach it before dark as I only ride in the dark if something has gone wrong with my plans. Some pics of this leg of the journey, about 5 hours of riding and still quite comfortable thanks to the Knight Designs 1" lower footpegs. At 6'1" I am just a bit tall for a V7 with stock pegs. I have 2 pics of the approach to the Beaverkill Bridge, from the north....though I came thru the other way. It did not show well in the photo but it has a totally nuts steep downhill entrance that I could not really capture on a pic from my bike.

[9fingers]

The next pics will be of a map and of the route around Hunter.





 
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[9fingers]

On the route down to Phoenicia and my early dinner at Brios. And on to the River Run Inn, Fleischmannns. I think the Inn was built in 1852 or something like that. Some pics for those that like charming old places like this. Comfortable, quiet and with a really good breakfast. And they let me park my bike behind their place on their porch, instead of leaving it out on the street. I cabled it to one of their porch columns. I sleep better knowing she is safe.

And for you Formula one fans......this part reminds me of Eau Rouge at Spa.......If I hit it at 190mph or so........




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[blackcat]

Nice pictures, I always try to stop for pizza in Phonecia. Fun riding up there, I always ride 212 through Woodstock which also has a good pizza establishment in town.

[s1120]

Ive been on a few of those roads before. Nice riding in the whole aera. So much good riding on both sides of the river in the upper Hudson valley!! 

[9fingers]

Now for some Pepacton Reservoir pics.........the thing is huge...extremely long, so just a glimpse. And this is Saturdays loop ride up through Andes, over to Delancey and down to Downsville. Incl a pic of the route so you see. That wiggly white line on the north side of the Pepacton is one of the best roads I have ever ridden, and friends that have ridden it with me agree. Also note all of those offshoots thru the middle of this loop. I intend to explore them next. Might have to stay 2 night next time! There is no cell service in this area and I promised my wife I would stay on actual roads where I might see another vehicle if I have a problem. I saw very very few vehicles of any kind on this ride. It is past leaf peeping season and pre ski and there is simply no one around. I saw a few bikers but not many. I am going to need one of those Garmin satellite SOS devices soon. I think my wife has one planned for Christmas. Note: for any of you with an Iphone 14, if you are in a dead zone that phone does have a Satellite SOS and text capability.

[9fingers]

And now a few pics of Andes and Downsville. I love beautiful I Italian made espresso machines and this one was new. The Cappuccino was excellent and the blueberry scone perhaps the best ever.











And the towns of Andes and Downsville.

[9fingers]

And on the way home......more super narrow backroads that I love. And I met a new friend on the way....I have pics and videos. I see dead porcupines all the time, in NJ, PA and NY and saw 4 dead on this trip alone. But then I saw a live one! Made my day! As a side note, yesterday out in PA for a lunch run, I saw a bobcat from only 15' away and that made my day as well.








One of the benefits of riding solo is the ability to wander off on any sideroad or to stop anytime to take pics. I like taking pics and hope you enjoyed my 2 day journey....I certainly did.
Scott

[kingoffleece]

Nice!

[9fingers]

Thanks king!

[Guzzi Gal]

Gorgeous!

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Very underrated area and I hope it stays that way!

[Dilliw]

Thanks for the memories!  Loved riding that area while living in Schenectady.  Also liked skiing at Plattekill; it's an old school throwback with a lot of telemarkers!

[JJ]

Thanks for the write-up and great photos!   Beautiful time of year to ride there...

I spent my teenage years in the Red Hook / Rhinebeck area of the Mid-Hudson Valley, and have fond memories of riding my 1971 Yamaha 360 Enduro in the Catskills, in many of the areas you posted.  Wonderful!

[MMRanch]

That 360 is sure a nice looking bike !

The RE Scram would seem to be the modern equitant ?

[JJ]

That 360 is sure a nice looking bike !

The RE Scram would seem to be the modern equitant ?

For a skinny high school kid, that Yamaha 360 was quite the bike.  I washed dishes at a local restaurant on weekends for 2 years to pay off the loan for that bike, but I was a happy camper!

Yes, perhaps the 411cc RE Scram would be a modern equivalent...4-stroke vs. 2 stroke...also, maybe the Kawasaki Versys 300 (???)

[steven c]

 You can't beat a small light bike on back roads.

[JJ]

You can't beat a small light bike on back roads.

Yes...agreed...and before I pass on to the "Great Big Road Trip in the Sky"...

I hope to buy another small, light bike to enjoy all the rural back road of the Verde Valley and Vortex-Land!

Fortunately, there are a lot of excellent choices out there today...