Ken, June 2004:
Peekskill to Ossining and Sleepy HollowI took the Metro North train up to Peekskill and skated back
south to Ossining and Tarrytown. I followed a bicycle route
GWB to Bear Mt Bridge Loop, using the cue sheets for East side
sections B, C, D. I liked several parts of it, but two of the
downhills south from Ossining seemed close to the high-risk end of
my tolerance for danger and hazard. I think I might rate parts
of section C as "extreme".
Now I can see why the Empire Skate club normally stops its skate
north from Manhattan at Sleepy Hollow.
route section B (see
cue sheet directions): I liked the first 6.5 miles, with the
views of the lake from Westchester Ave and the Hudson river at
Verplanck Point. Miles 7.0 - 9.1 had little traffic, but also
a sizable amount of coarser pavement. I think next time
skating I might try Variation B-3 instead. I tried the side
trip to Croton Point, and that worked out fine -- at the end I
walked a little on the grass to get to a shaded picnic table beside
the River.
route section C (see
cue sheet directions): going thru the main city area of Ossining
was fine -- always a bit tricky finding the correct turn from
Aqueduct St onto unsigned Brandreth St. The downhill on Spring
St is rather steep and long -- taking skates off and walking down it
is the sensible way to handle it. At least there wasn't much
traffic on it. I don't know a better alternative yet -- Rt 9
near here has hills too, and lots more vehicle traffic. I made
a food stop at a Starbucks in a shopping center by Rockledge Av and
Rt 9.
The first part of Kemeys Ave was rather rough and broken up, but
then south of the train station the pavement turned nice and it was
pleasant and pretty. South from there was a
moderate-steep downhill on Rt 9 with some curve and lots of trees
and bushes near to the road where there was little or no shoulder --
felt a lot more risky to me than other sections of Rt 9. But I
don't know a good alternative, other than riding on the train
between Ossining / Scarborough stations and Philipse Manor /
Tarrytown train stations.
route section D (see
cue sheet directions): skating thru Sleepy Hollow Manor was
mostly straightforward -- except for the downhill into a stop-sign
intersection that comes immediately after the first Right turn off
Rt 9 into Sleepy Hollow Manor on Hemlock Drive.
