Weekend Trips 2007: Oceans to Mountains and All In-Between

These were the weekend trips that were scheduled in 2007. A wonderful time was had by all. If you didn't go on our weekend trips – well, then you missed them. But the good news is that many of these will be back in 2008, plus there are new trips for next year being scouted now, plus we're bringing back some of our best from previous years. Check back here about March 2008, and enjoy your weekends!

Also see our archive of weekend trips from 2006, 2005, and 2004.

Steve Sakson
2007 Weekend Trips Coordinator
Weekends@5BBC.org

Photo: Jim Zisfein

A twist on the 5BBC’s springtime classic
MONTAUK CENTURY WEEKEND
May 19-May 20 (Saturday morning to Sunday evening)
Trip No. MCW
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $250
Early-bird discount price (Deadline April 19): $225
Transportation: van
Lodging: hotel; double occupancy accommodations
Trip Rating: A, B
Mileage: Flexible: 67 to 100 miles per day, mostly flat
Leaders: Ken Williams and Wentworth Price

For years cyclists from across the Northeast have come together for a springtime classic, the 5BBC Montauk Century. There’s no wonder why: the ride is flat, scenic and superbly supported. However, not everyone is up for 145 miles in one day. Now, we’ve got your solution – do it in two days on our Montauk Century Weekend! This year we’ve added additional mileage opportunities for those interested in completing a gorgeous and easy double-century over the 2 days. You’ll start pedaling east from Manhattan Saturday morning, supported by our private SAG van, which will also tote your weekend bag. Near the midpoint, we’ll gather for a fine dinner and then retire for the evening at a hotel. Sunday, we’ll join the throng for the rest of the route out to Montauk, enjoying all the Montauk Century services along the way. After you arrive in Montauk, just hop in our van and we’ll bring you, your bike and gear, back to the city.

Memorial Day Weekend in Amish Country
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH TREAT
May 25-May 28 (Friday morning to Monday evening)
Trip No. PDT
Deposit: $150.
Regular price: $365
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT PRICE EXTENDED – $329
Transportation: van or carpooling
Lodging: farmhouse; shared rooms, double or triple accommodations
Trip Rating: B
Mileage: Moderate, 40 per day on rolling hills
Leaders: Steve Sakson & Andrea Mercado

Step back to a simpler time during our trip to bucolic Lancaster County, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. We’ll ride up and down rolling farmlands, through lush pastures, and over historic covered bridges, accompanied by the clip-clop of horse-drawn carriages and the friendly smiles of Amish farmers. We’ll visit a working grist mill, and picnic on the site of an early settlement village. We’ll lodge at local B&B, home to a working dairy farm, where we’ll experience the country life, first hand, including a chance to milk the cows. Dinner will be a unique experience every night. One evening, we’ll be guests at the home of an Amish family. We’ll also partake of a traditional Penn Dutch all-you-can-eat smorgasbord, and we’ll cap off the weekend with an elegant dinner at a historic colonial inn. Great for singles and couples.

"Loaded for Bear"
Photo: Vernon Bailey

Trek to Lake Tiorati
BEAR MOUNTAIN-HARRIMAN STATE PARK
May 26-May 28 (Saturday morning to Monday evening)
Trip No: BM
Deposit: $100.
Regular price: $135
Early-bird discount price (Deadline April 26): $122
Transportation: Self-contained
Lodging: Cabins/dorm rooms
Trip Rating: A
Mileage: Hard, 50 each way with some very steep hills
Leaders: Ira Najowitz and Manny Sanudo

Our host for this adventure-filled trek is the idyllic Camp Thendara, a 90-year-old mountaintop lodge, complete with stone fireplace, on Lake Tiorati in Harriman State Park. We will cycle 50 hilly miles from midtown Manhattan on Saturday, going “self contained,” meaning we’ll carry all our gear on our bikes. A REAR RACK AND PANNIERS TO CARRY YOUR GEAR ARE MANDATORY. Sunday offers a variety of options: you can swim or boat on the lake, hike the trails, bike in the park, or just relax. We’ll work up our own home-cooked breakfasts and dinners, and trail lunches, all included in the price. Guests at Camp Thendara prepare their meals together and perform light clean-up chores. On Monday, we’ll bike home via a different route, with plenty of quiet back roads. For more information on the camp go to http://www.thendaramountainclub.org.

Photo: Sharon Behnke

Vineyards of the North Fork
BIKE-BOAT-WINE-DINE
June 2-June 3 (Saturday morning to Sunday evening)
Trip No: BBWD
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $265
Early-bird discount price (Deadline May 2): $239
Transportation: van or carpooling
Lodging: motel; double accommodations
Trip Rating: A/B/C
Mileage: Various, mostly flat but hillier on Shelter Island
Leaders: Sharon Behnke and Brian Hoberman

Join us for a weekend on Long Island's serenely beautiful North Fork. Our trip features mostly flat biking, lush vineyards, scenic coastlines, a lighthouse or two, and an optional excursion to Shelter Island. On Saturday, we'll tour some of the area’s finest wineries and sample their vintages. We’ll lodge at the Mattituck Motel, a short walk from town and the beach, and we’ll have an incomparable dinner experience at Connie’s Café, a charming “touch of France,” featuring cherry wood décor, homemade baked goods, and an herb garden out back. On Sunday, we’ll join our friends at the Suffolk Bike Riders Association for their annual Bike-Boat-Bike Century (http://www.sbraweb.org), offering distances from 25-125 miles, rest stops, sag support, and ferries to Shelter Island for the longer routes.

New trip! Long Island and Connecticut combo
SHORE TO SHORE
June 23-June 24 (Saturday morning to Sunday evening)
Trip No. STS
Deposit: $100
Regular price: $120
Early-bird discount price (Deadline May 23): $108
Transportation: Train and ferry, partially self supported
Lodging: Dorm rooms
Mileage 65-75 miles/day
Trip rating A-B. Ability to maintain all-day pace of 17 mph on flats. Ability to follow cue sheet. No point-drop-sweep.
Leaders Dennis Griffin, Jonathan Friedman, Susan Rodetis

Picture perfect views of the Long Island and Connecticut shores and the beauty of L.I. Sound are among the highlights of this unique ride. Early Saturday, hop onto your LIRR station of choice to arrive at Smithtown at 9:15 AM, where this trip starts. We cycle along the North Fork, past farms and wineries, to the Orient Point ferry. The boat zips us across the Sound to New London, a historic whaling and seafaring community, now a scenic resort town. That night we’ll sit down to a deelish shore-type dinner, and overnight at Connecticut College dorms. Sunday’s bike ride skims the shoreline and ventures inland to a petite ferry crossing the Connecticut River. Trip ends at New Haven Metro North station approximately 5 PM. You must have rear and front lights, a lock, and cyclometer w/mileage metering. You will carry your own toothbrush, light toiletries, and overnight clothes. We provide bedding and towels. Trip runs even with rain as we’ll have a fun alternative transport plan.

The Mad River Valley, Vermont
Photo: Adam Dluzniewski

New trip! The beauty of New England
VERMONT AND LAKE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
June 29-July 4 (Friday morning to Wednesday evening)
Trip No. VTC
Regular price: $675
Early-bird discount price (deadline May 30): $608
Transportation: car pooling (Note: Transportation costs are not included in trip price. Travel expenses are shared within each carpool.)
Mileage: 35-65 per day, some days hilly, others mostly flat
Trip rating A-B-C
Leaders: Susan Rodetis, Jim Zisfein

Tour central and northern Vermont, based mostly out of Sugarbush Valley, with yummy and substantial catered dinners and breakfasts. We’ll do loop routes in the river valleys, with 1 optional (and very doable) century ride. Lake Champlain valley and shoreline are another not-miss, for their fab views and the flattest cycling you’ll ever find in VT. Our visit wraps up with the wonderful, wacky, creative, patriotic local 4th of July parade and country festival in Warren, one of the 10 top summer events in Vermont. The trip starts and ends at our lodging in Vermont.

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Photo: Sharon Behnke

New Trip: Rail Trails and Country Roads
HARLEM VALLEY RAIL WEEKEND
July 28-29 (depart Saturday morning, return Sunday night)
Trip No. HVRW
Deposit: $100
Regular price: $165
Transportation: Metro-North Railroad and self-contained
Lodging: budget lodge (semi-private rooms & communal bath)
Trip rating: A/B
Mileage: flat-to-mountainous, 100 to 170 miles in 2 days
Leaders: Jim Zisfein and Cesar Vasquez

This self-contained 2-day trip features an escorted ride, a hike, a swim, and admission to one of New York's best bicycling events. Saturday morning we take the train from NYC to Wingdale for an escorted bicycle ride on the acclaimed Harlem Valley Rail Trail and low-traffic country roads. Saturday afternoon's activities include a hike to beautiful Bash Bish Falls, an optional ride up a steep mountain road to a spectacular vantage point, a visit to a museum of the industrial history of the region, and a refreshing swim in a lake formed from an abandoned iron ore mine. Dinner is served at the historic Taconic Wayside Inn. On Sunday we join Bike New York's Harlem Valley Rail Ride, a hugely popular and fully supported event with 30-100 mile options. Then it's a short spin back to the railroad station for the train home.

Photo: Caryn Greenberg.

Lancaster's Crown Jewel
COVERED BRIDGES RIDE
August 18-19 (Saturday morning to Sunday night)
Trip No. CB
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $230
Early-bird discount price (Deadline July 18): $207
Transportation: van or carpooling
Lodging: motel; double accommodations
Trip Rating: A/B/C
Mileage: Various, on rolling hills
Leaders: Manny Sanudo and Martial Henrys

Discover some of Pennsylvania’s most famous rural scenery and best biking as we join 3,000 other riders in the annual Covered Bridge Metric Century. This major Northeast biking event, produced by the Lancaster Bicycle Club (http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org), offers the choice of 62-, 31- and 15-mile routes, with a maximum of seven different historic covered bridges, followed by a post-ride party at a brook-side park. You’ll get a free T-shirt for doing the ride and will be rewarded with a traditional Lancaster County smorgasbord dinner on Saturday night.

Labor Day Special
CAPE ESCAPE
Aug. 31-Sept. 3 (Friday morning to Monday night)
Trip No. CAPE
Deposit : $150
Regular price: $365
Early-bird discount price (Deadline July 31): $329
Transportation: Van
Lodging: hostel, dorm rooms
Trip Rating: B/C
Mileage: Easy to moderate, 30-40 per day, flat with some rolling hills
Leaders: Clyde Eisman and Sharon Behnke

This year, 5BBC returns for our annual sell-out trip to Cape Cod . Join us to bike, kayak, explore, or just make new friends at one of the best casual cycling spots in the Northeast. The Cape is completely surrounded by water, and it’s crisscrossed by gently rolling trails that are ideal for cycling. We stay mid-Cape, at a hostel that has both a fireplace and outdoor barbecue. Our trip includes an optional excursion to Provincetown , kayaking, swimming (or sunbathing), and one or more dinners out. This trip is ideal for singles – but is also great for anyone who enjoys casual cycling, great conversation, and group fun. Questions? Feel free to email Clyde at Originallawfirm@mindspring.com.

New Trip! The heart of the Golden State
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
Sept. 1-9 (9 days, 8 nights; finishes Sun. 9/9; can optionally extend trip at either end)
Trip No: CD
Price: $1200 (w/o airfare; no early bird discounts)
Lodging: Victorian mansions/motels/condos
Trip Rating: A/B, perhaps a few Cs
Mileage/riding style: Ability to ride sequential 45-75 mile day rides. Some challenging hills/routes; occasional shorter options. Ride at leader’s pace as a group, or follow cue sheets. No point-drop-sweep or SAG. Daily luggage transport provided.
Leader: Susan Rodetis

What an amazing collection of vistas and experiences, including the California seacoast, Central Valley & Delta, San Francisco Bay, wine country and coastal ranges. We start/finish in Sacramento; cycle San Francisco city environs and across the Golden Gate Bridge; through Sausalito and Marin County (optionally up the famed Mount Tamalpais), then north along famous Pacific coast vistas. We’ll tour Point Reyes National Seashore, Tomales & Bodega Bays; cross the coastal range and sleepy towns; follow the Russian River into Sonoma valley, cross into Napa and Calistoga, track the wine country’s famed Silverado Trail; then back to Sacramento. Along the way we pass wetlands, farms, ranches, vineyards, orchards, rolling hillsides, valleys, small mountain ranges, rivers, sea cliffs, whales, seals, elk and many, many breathtaking views. California is indeed one awesome cycling state. And it’s dry season, so no “R” words in the weather!

New addition to the lineup!
SEEKIN' HYDE PARK
Sept. 29-30 (Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon)
Trip No. SHP
Deposit $100
Regular Price $185
Early Bird Discount Price $167 (Deadline Aug. 29)
Transportation: Metro North Railroad and self-contained
Lodging: College campus
Trip rating: B
Mileage: 65 miles in 2 days, some hills
Leaders: Susan Levine and Stephen Jackel

Pack your panniers for a self-contained trip to the historic Hudson Valley. We'll head up on Saturday morning via train and over the course of the weekend will ride the highways and byways of beautiful Dutchess county to the Franklin D. Roosevelt presidential library and the estate of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt's grandson. Tours of both sites included. Sleep in style at a stately Tudor mansion on the campus of Vassar College. Expect to ride about 20-25 miles on Saturday -- from Beacon to Vassar, where we'll drop off our gear, have lunch and then continue to the FDR library. On Sunday, 40 hilly miles and the Vanderbilt tour before we head home by train from Poughkeepsie.

Easiest 100 miles in the East
SEA GULL CENTURY
October 5-7 (Friday morning to Sunday evening)
Trip No. SGC
Deposit: $150
Price: 425
Early bird discount price (Deadline Sept. 5): $383
Transportation: Van
Lodging: Motel, double accommodations
Trip Rating: A/B/C
Mileage: 65 miles or 100 miles, mostly flat
Leaders: Steve Sakson and Wentworth Price

This annual event is often rated the best century ride in the East, and the easiest! No wonder it attracts more than 6,000 riders every year. But, don’t worry about crowds. The Seagull features only quiet country roads through the Chesapeake Bay’s finest farmland. Sponsor Salisbury University offers top-notch support with plenty of rest stops loaded with goodies, including pie a la mode. By midday we’ll reach Assateague Island State Park, where the wild ponies roam, and where you can take a dip in the ocean before heading back. Saturday night features a fun karaoke scene with the finest local talent, or perhaps an extreme bowling excursion featuring dayglow pins and blacklights. Sunday we’ll take a shorter cool-down ride before heading home.

New trip! Metro North Open House
ENGINEERS and HOBOS
October 19-21 (Friday morning to Sunday night)
Trip No: EH
Deposit: $100
Regular price: $150
Transportation: Self contained
Lodging: Tents
Trip Rating: A/B 40 miles each way, varied terrain, relaxed pace
Leaders: Richard Sanford and Will Batista

This self-contained ride is perfect for train lovers and hearty campers. It’s centerpiece is Metro North’s Open House at the Croton Harmon Rail Yard. On our first day we pedal along the Hudson River to Croton Point Park. We shop for food, pitch our tents, and enjoy dinner surrounded by trees bursting with fall colors. The next day we darn our engineer caps and check out the equipment and controls aboard the humongous Metro North locomotives. We’ll eat out Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. You will carry your own tent, sleeping gear, wash kit, plate, bowl, cup, utensils, and rain gear. (Bird enthusiasts: Field guide and binoculars are a must.) Water will be available in campsite but showers may be turned off for the season.

Summary of weekend trip rules

1. To go on a weekend trip you must be a member of the Five Borough Bicycle Club.

2. Our rides come in several varieties. In some cases we take vans or carpools to locations within 6-hour drives, and ride through the locale. In others, we go self-contained, meaning you carry most or all of your overnight gear with you. On these trips, we either bike from a specific meeting place in the metro area, or take commuter trains to nearby starting points. On our longer trips, such as California Dreamin’, you’ll fly to a faraway city (air fare separate from our trip fee), then meet the group at a pre-set location.

3. You may sign up by mail, and pay using a check or money order, by using this form and mailing it to the 5BBC, 891 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 10025.  Or you can register online at www.active.com where registration fees apply.  When registering by mail, you may enclose just a deposit (exact amount listed with each trip), but must make full payment no less than 7 days before the trip.  We offer a 10% discount for early registration, more than 30 days prior to the trip.  To be eligible for the discount, you must make full payment by the early discount deadline, which is listed with each trip.  When registering online a small fee applies, and you must pay the full amount up front. 

4. Cancellations, or transfers between trips, are restricted by club rules, and subject to withholding costs based on non-refundable expenses incurred by the club, such as lodging and event fees.  Full refunds are available if you find a substitute to take your place.  No refunds for cancellations less than 14 days prior to a trip.

5. Your trip leaders will contact you a week or so before the trip to confirm your attendance, inform you of the details of the trip, answer your questions and tell you the meeting place and time.   Questions?  E-mail weekends@5bbc.org

6. Full recitation of weekend trip rules can be found here.