Rt9 in NY info needed

[02Tac]

  I am considering taking a trip to Albany NY in Aug.  I am thinking about picking up 17 off of 287 and taking that to 32 outside New Berg junction and then 9 at Central Valley for the final run up to Albany.  Have any of you run this route and if so what do you think?

[marc11]

Lots of small towns, lots of weekday and weekend traffic.  Mostly one lane in each direction.  There are WAY WAY better roads.  If you are coming off 287, look around as soon as 287 meets the Thruway, there are tons of good roads, unless time is an issue?

[Boxerdawg]

I don't have extensive [ie. many trips/year 'round] experience on that route, but IMHO rt 9W is generally a nice ride spoiled by the traffic.  

[02Tac]

Time is not a big factor, but I do not want to go real far out of the way and a cursory look at the map did not show a better path.  Normally, in the cage, I just zip up the thru-way.  TO some extent I can pick the day/time I go up so I should be able to avoid a good portion of the work traffic.

[marc11]

I still say avoid 9w, I do.  Let me look at the map a bit and I will make a few suggestions.  Some that come to mind would be to take 17a either through the park or just of the Thruway (exit 15 or 15a IIRC), or pick up 23 off of 287, take that to 42 then to 97.  Take 97 to 30, which is a great road, then from 30 you can take it all the way to 10 or I-88 and get to Albany, or more back roads.  Once you are 30 the world is yours as for low traffic awesome roads.  Hell, tell me when your coming, maybe I'll take a ride...

[02Tac]

How is 9 above Newburgh? My only experience (20 yrs ago) with 9 is in the Plattsburgh to Elisabethtown area.

[marc11]

I don't know, I've only taken route 9 up to about the Mid-Hudson bridge and it is always crowded and boring.  I wouldn't take it, not with all the other roads available in the area.

[nnjhawk02]

What is ur starting point?

I would say 9W around West Point is nice - always Rt. 218 runs north from West Pt. along Hudson River.  

I would stay away from Newburgh / Middletown Area - & head over to Rt. 55 - take 32 or another road  up to 55 over to Kerhonson, make right on 209  go East about 2 miles & pick up Rt. 3 north up around Ashokan Res. & up to Woodstock via Rt. 28A

[marc11]

What is ur starting point?

I would say 9W around West Point is nice - always Rt. 218 runs north from West Pt. along Hudson River.  

I would stay away from Newburgh / Middletown Area - & head over to Rt. 55 - take 32 or another road  up to 55 over to Kerhonson, make right on 209  go East about 2 miles & pick up Rt. 3 north up around Ashokan Res. & up to Woodstock via Rt. 28A

True, but 9 from say the Bear Mountain area to and including 218 is like a 10 or 15 mile run tops, then he is down in Cornwall with NOTHING around but to fight 32, 94, etc to get to better roads.  I say scrap the whole 9 idea, just way better roads in and around it.  IMHO anyway.

[nnjhawk02]

True, but 9 from say the Bear Mountain area to and including 218 is like a 10 or 15 mile run tops, then he is down in Cornwall with NOTHING around but to fight 32, 94, etc to get to better roads.  I say scrap the whole 9 idea, just way better roads in and around it.  IMHO anyway.

Yeah but ripping over mtn on 9W is nice - albeit short.  Was w/ some guys last year who ripped that road

Line up was - 3 - Duc 1098's, 675, Mille R, New Gixxer 750, 749 & me on the ole VTR.  One kid on a new 1098 - past me in an apex leaned so far over (as I never seen on public roads or racetrack before) I thought he would low-side into minivan in next lane.  & Oh was riding w/ Timberlands, Duc T-shirt, jeans & backpack  

[FiremanBob]

You have to hit 9 really early in the morning to avoid fun-sucking traffic. Best to plan small, windy roads off to the side.  The Google maps route-dragging function is your friend.

[02Tac]

What is ur starting point?

Nnjhawk - My starting point is Dover Delaware.  I am only considering 9 as an alternative to slabbing it all the way to Schenectady.  I do not want to get to far off the beaten path as the trip will is in the 6 hour range when done on the slab so I do not want to turn it into a 10 hour trip.

[nnjhawk02]

Nnjhawk - My starting point is Dover Delware.  I am only considering 9 as an alternative to slabbing it all the way to Schenectady.  I do not want to get to far off the beaten path as the trip will is in the 6 hour range when done on the slab so I do not want to turn it into a 10 hour trip.

Then u need to head thru Catskills - 55, 209, 3, 28A, 28, 30
These roads will take u - just west of ur destination.
Will not disappoint

[marc11]

Then u need to head thru Catskills - 55, 209, 3, 28A, 28, 30
These roads will take u - just west of ur destination.
Will not disappoint

What have I been saying?  Then again, I have only been riding around here for the past 15 years, so what do I know?  

[02Tac]

Then u need to head thru Catskills - 55, 209, 3, 28A, 28, 30
These roads will take u - just west of ur destination.
Will not disappoint

  Looks like a nice route, but for the purpose of my ride (just to get there and then return 2 days later I do not want to add that much to my route.  Plus, this will be the longest ride I have taken in over 10 years.  Not sure just how much punishment the old tush can take.

[Geezer]

I live in the Catskills and work in Poughkeepsie.

Route 9 from Beacon North through Poughkeepsie and Hyde park is pretty much straigh and loaded with traffic lights. There is always some traffic, but it is worse during commuting hours. From Hyde Park on up to Albany has lighter traffic, but still kind of boring.

Another option is to go east and pick up the Taconic Parkway. It is a little narrow but traffic is not too bad during the day and it is very scenic.

Route 9W is better because of less traffic and a few more interesting sections than 9.

From Newburgh I would take 32. It will take you through New Paltz and then up to Kingston so it isn't too far out of your way. From Kingston you can get on 9W through Saugerties, Catskill, and up to Albany.  

In any case, the west side of the river has less traffic.

[Seb]

I live in the Catskills and work in Poughkeepsie.

Route 9 from Beacon North through Poughkeepsie and Hyde park is pretty much straigh and loaded with traffic lights. There is always some traffic, but it is worse during commuting hours. From Hyde Park on up to Albany has lighter traffic, but still kind of boring.

Another option is to go east and pick up the Taconic Parkway. It is a little narrow but traffic is not too bad during the day and it is very scenic.

Route 9W is better because of less traffic and a few more interesting sections than 9.

From Newburgh I would take 32. It will take you through New Paltz and then up to Kingston so it isn't too far out of your way. From Kingston you can get on 9W through Saugerties, Catskill, and up to Albany.  

In any case, the west side of the river has less traffic.

I'll second this(I live near Catskill), and want to add that the section of 9W from Saugerties to Catskill is actually fun... except for the 2 underpasses, there are no lights.

From Catskill you can get on 23 for a bit, then hit 32 north to Delmar.

[BigBen]

Routh 9 is too commercial, you might want to conside this route up to Albany:

RT17
|
RT32 North
|
RT17K West
|
CR302 North
|
RT52 West
|
RT209 North
|
RT9W North   (partially commerical)
|
CR385 North
|
CR61 North
|
CR144 North to Albany.



PS.

Rt9 gets better from points north of Albany all the way to Adirondack Park.  So you might want to extend your ride to about 80 miles north of Albany.

Thank you,

Ben

[shah269]

Rt9 gets better from points north of Albany all the way to Adirondack Park.  So you might want to extend your ride to about 80 miles north of Albany.

+1! On the way up stop over in Glens Falls at a place called New Way lunch AKA Dirty Johns.
Geat hot dogs!