Biking from Shady to Boiceville

Boiceville seemed like almost the end of the earth to me when I was going to High School at Onteora.  But it’s not a bad ride: Google Maps for Bicycling reports it at a bit over 11  miles, and it only took an hour. I don't pedal that fast.  I was happy to find I could still pedal up the Cooper Lake hill despite a three month winter layoff.

As Gray Harrison at Worcester Earn A Bike says, "You can always walk."  I am thinking I might start an Earn A Bike chapter in Woodstock, and anyone interested should contact me.

Cooper Lake still had a skim of ice on it last week, but this week all the ice is gone and the cove nearest the road is a big algified green.  After passing what used to be the Lake Hill Store, I turned left on Sickler Road.so I could enjoy the view of  the long back slope of Mount Tremper that eases down into Silver Hollow  and also the view of Olderbark Mountain (between Lake Hill and Willow, across from Mt. Tobias).  After Sickler Road rejoins Rt. 212, at the foot of Mt. Tobias, Rt. 212 follows the Beaverkill all the way into the hamlet of Mount Tremper. This stretch of Rt. 212 is mostly slightly down hill, there's little traffic, and it seems a fun pedal.

Mt. Tremper to Boiceville is also mostly level.  Rt. 28 has such wide shoulders that it’s actually more comfortable for biking than some of the county roads.  All roads should have shoulders wide enough for bikers and hikers, RIGHT?  Send the governor a letter.   In Boiceville, you can find excellent sandwiches, Jarritos soda and even organic snacks at the Boiceville Market, or you can eat a tasty Chinese lunch at the Hong Kong Restaurant.  Or just a pork bun (bao) (only $1.15) and a cup of tea.  Hong Kong is a nice little Chinese restaurant with a steady flow of business that indicates it has steady customers.  Look for it behind Sands Salvage -- the telephone number is (845) 657-6711. 

Google Maps for Bicycling reports this as an 11.3 mile trip, and it took hour, going at an easy pace while I enjoyed the gorgeous spring sunshine in the Catskills.  From Woodstock, it would be about an hour and twenty minutes

I rode this twice.  The first time I came back via Winnie Road and the Wittenberg Raod to Bearsville.  This did not save any time and the hills were a bit steeper.  I had to walk up part of Winnie Road and also I had to walk up one big hill near the Mt. Tremper end of the Wittenberg Road.  There were some entertaining ups and downs on the Wittenberg Road, and going down the hill into Bearsville was fun.   There was little difference in the amount of traffic on the Wittenberg Road and Rt. 212, even though the Wittenberg Road might be slightly quicker by automobile.  Rt. 212 is slightly up hill from Mt. Tremper to Willow, and that makes foir a good (but relatively easy) steady-paced workout.