here is a short ride (with an optional longer hillier loop to St.
Remy and Rosendale) I had done this past Sunday 08/03/08 also some
notes for the village of Highland NY

Highland NY (Ulster County)NOTES:
River Rd. is now open (had been closed most of last season for re
paving etc.) there is still / or now is contruction at the
bottom near the sewerage treatment plant

there was an unpaved gravel patch and construction under US rt. 9W
(the rt. 9W overpass is being re-built - take note)

the El Passo Mexican Grocery / Cantina is still open - was open on
Sunday - homemade Mexican food - homemade chips etc.

the bathrooms in the Hudson Valley RT pavilion were open this Sunday
(other times I have been there the bathrooms were closed)

there is a new Subway restaurant and Dunkin Donuts on rt. 9W north at
Haviland Rd.

here is that ride I did - I did not document all the mileage - the
route ostensibly starts from the El Passo Grocery/Cantina -
I did not document the distances on all turns

KEY:
ACR = A tlantic C oast R oute (Adventure Cycling)
CR = C ounty R oute
LTAH = L eft T urn A cross H ighway
RNCT = R oute N ame C hanges T o
SR = S tate R oute
TCL = T raffic C ontrol L ight
HFH = H ills F rom H ell
UC = U lster C ounty
PO = P ost O ffice
YGTSTB = Y ou've G ot T o S ee T o B elieve

distance in miles

R onto Vineyard for 100 yrds. DO NOT GO DOWNHILL
L Main St.
Bear R straight onto Church UC rt. 12 / ACR south
1.2 R So. Chodike Lake Rd.
* Hudson Valley Rail Trail 100 yrds. to the north - pavilion with
bathrooms *
<1.5> * Fox Hill B&B *
L / BEAR L onto Ose Rd. HFH 12% grade
CROSS SR 299
CAUTION! NO TCL HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC
ONTO Riverside Rd. CR 15 (UC) - no county route marking at this end
L US rt. 9W at TCL
NOTE: trip wire does not seem to be sesitive enough for bicycle - may
have to wait for motor vehicle
begin gradual descent
CAUTION! SHOULDER NARROWS ROUGH IN SECTIONS
<6.4> * Cabrini West Park *
begin complex of various Catholic religious institutions stretching
for about a mile along the highway on both sides
NOTE: did not see sign for the Monastery
<7.0> West Park Winery
NOTE: the driveway is a HFH 15% grade
<7.2> * sign for Santa Maria * part of above complex
8.0 L Floyd Ackert Rd. - twn. road
CAUTION! LTAH NO TCL
FOOD Global Plate Restaurant
* West Park PO *
go past mobile home park
8.3 CROSS RR
CAUTION! HD FREIGHT CSX MAIN LINE
HFH begin rolling ascent through forest 13% max grade
<9.0> * John Burroughs Sanctuary *
*Slabsides National Mounument *

{I saw - but have not ridden yet - an unpaved gravel carriage road
leading into sanctuary - not sure if cycling is allowed but
most likely is - I think this sanctaury is one of Scenic Hudson's
(the organization www.scenichudson.org) parks/preserve}

go down a bit then back up to below
<9.7> * Transformation Life Center *
down hill from above
10.4 intersection with Swartekill Rd. for LONGER loop could continue
straight on Floyd Ackert Rd.

to continue on short loop I had done would turn LEFT onto Swartekill
Rd. - see below for longer much more chalenging
(and even more scenery) route

SHORT ROUTE RETURN
10.4 L Swarte Kill Rd.
rolling ascent - moderate grade - did not document grade
<11.8> go down rolling descent
STRAIGHT at Plutarch Rd. - sign turned around
L Hawley's Corner Rd. and QUICK R onto Elting Corners Rd. - did not
document distance
16.9 L at intersection Old New Paltz Rd. twn. road
L SR 299
NOTE: did not document ditances for below turns
CAUTION! LTAH HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC NO TCL here on this side
QUICK R to continue on Old New Paltz Rd.
RNCT CR 12 - at sign for rail trail
L CR 15
QUICK R down into park for Hudson Valley RT
follow paved RT for ENTIRE length of 2.5 mi going PAST pavillion and
parking lot
CAUTION! pavement ends - gravel
left at end of gravel ROW onto side rd./driveway
R Commerace Street
QUICK L onto Vineyard Ave. SR55/US rt. 44
down hill 3 to 5% grade - levels off in "downtown"
El Passo grocery/Cantina
END OF LOOP - should be about 20 miles

LONG LOOP to St. Remy Rosendale et al

10.4 STRAIGHT TO CONTINUE ON Floyd Ackert Rd.
continue on Floyd Ackert Rd. to CR 16 Old Post Rd.
L CR 16
R Popletown Rd.
HFH very steep grade (as of 08/03/08 have not documented this climb)
begin climb of Shaupeneak Mtn.
PARTIALY UNPAVED ROAD (unpaved part on uphill)
* Shaupeneak Ridge reserve - Scenic Hudson *
CAUTION! VERY STEEP DESCENT (this part was all or mostly paved)
STOP AT BOTTOM
L CR 24 Union Center - no services
follow down to SR 213
CROSS SR 213
CAUTION! NO TCL
onto Main Street St. Remy - no services
follow through village/hamlet back out to highway (SR 213)
L SR 213
CAUTION! NO TCL
CROSS Roundout Creek
CAUTION! narrow bridge
L Canal Street CR 25 - just after above creek crossing
Eddyville
FOOD ICE CREAM / SNACK STAND (burgers hot dogs etc.)
continue on CR 25 along Roundout Creek
RNCT Creek Locks Rd.
follow ALL THE WAY to Rosendale - SR 32/213

ROSENDALE
FOOD Stewart's near above intersection ON ROUTE - OTHER FOOD and
BICICLE SHOP OFF ROUTE in "downtown" Rosendale on Main
Street SR 213 (SR 213 and 32 split at above intersection)

{ * Wallkill Rail Trail * (unpaved) - to get to northern most
terminus go "downtown" on Main Street then turn LEFT onto Keator
Ave. CR 7 CROSS Roundout Creek - good view of RR trestle (take note
of how high it is)
HFH very steep grade - have not documented but AT LEAST 15% - maybe
more in one short section near this turn - the RT is at
or near top of this grade - the road crosses the ROW - to the RIGHT
is the trail head parking lot and access to that
aforementioned RR trestle - to the LEFT is the RT SOUTH to NEW PALTZ }

return continuation
L SR 32 at TCL
LEFT James Street
CAUTION! LTAH
HFH very steep grade 12- 15% grade estimate (have not documented yet)
RNCT Bloomingdale Rd.
R at T Grist Mill Rd.
L Perrine's Bridge Rd. (map shows as Brock Rd. but think sign says
Perrine's Bridge Rd.)
follow out to highway
L SR 32/213
CAUTION! LTAH HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC
L SR 213 (highways split)
CAUTION! LTAH
go under I 87 (NYS Thruway)
* Perrine's Bridge - covered *
* Dashville Hydro Electric Plant - spillway *

CAUTION! BELOW TURN ON DOWNHILL
EXTREMELY STEEP GRADE - PREPARE TO DOWNSHIFT OR DIS-MOUNT

R Dashville Rd. AND VERY SHARP RIGHT ONTO AND UP Cow Hough Rd.
HFH YGTSTB estimated grade in EXCESS of 15% at bottom - levels off
to "just" a very steep grade of about 15% or a bit less
climb about 1 mile or a bit more
* good view on top - looking back *
CAUTION! very steep downgrade
L Van Nostrand Rd.
CAUTION! very steep downgrade
INTERSECTION AT BOTTOM OF GRADE
CROSS Plutarch Rd.
RNCT Black Creek Rd./Hawley's Corner Rd.
* old country church - typ. Appalachian community *
up hill (have done this from opposite direction - not sure of how
long or steep this part of grade is)
R North Elting Corners Rd.
pick up short loop here for return to Highland

END OF LONG ROUTE