Are You Ready for Bicycle Season in New York?
So, over the winter a bunch of my friends got e-bikes. This got me thinking again about riding a bike in the Hudson Valley.
We have no shortage of bike riders in our area. When the weather is nice you will pass a bicycle rider on just about every road or trail. Over the last few years, many of our trails have grown. The Empire State Trail project has wrapped up in our area and left bicyclists a path to just about anywhere.
Hudson Valley Has Lots of Trails For Bicycles
I was talking to a friend the other day who has been busy discovering all the different trails in Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster Counties. While chatting we quickly realized how easily you could go from trail to trail with only having to use a few roads.
Think about it for a second. You can hop on a rail trail in Dutchess County in Hopewell Junction and peddle your way up to the Walkway Over the Hudson. Once you are there you can keep going across the Hudson River and travel through Highland to New Paltz.
Once you get to New Paltz you can take trails north or south on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. Or just keep going west toward the Shawangunk Ridge on the River to Ridge (R2R). I don't know exactly when it happened, but the reality is, the green commute is fast becoming something you can do in the Hudson Valley.
I am not saying we have trails mastered to the level that you might find in Davis, California where more than 17 percent of the population uses their bike to commute. But one day we might beat Burlington Vermont which has more than 5% of its population making a green commute according to Wikipedia.
What is a Green Commuter in New York?
In case you are wondering exactly what makes someone a green commuter Mossy Earth describes it as a person who carpools or cycles to work. I will admit I don't see many bikers riding to work, especially in the colder months, and as for carpooling, I think we are scoring low there as well.
We will work on it for 2025 but in the meantime get out and bike our Hudson Valley trails. Don't have a bike or yours is in need of some TLC the list below can help you get back out there this year.
Hudson Valley Bicycles Shops
Bicycle Shops in the Hudson Valley
Gallery Credit: Paty Quyn