Water. It's something that's important to all of us.
After all, water is what we're mostly
made of. We all know how important it is to stay hydrated when you're
out riding on a
hot day. We take our water for granted. If you live in New York City
you are especially
lucky. The water you get out of your tap is some of the best in the
country. But have you
ever thought where it comes from? In order to get it into your tap
the city has to collect it
someplace and then pipe it into your home. In order to provide water
to the growing
population of New York city fathers decided to begin what would become
one of the
largest water projects in history. In 1837 the city condemned more
than 400 acres of land
in Westchester county and began to build a dam on the Croton river
about six miles
upstream from where it entered the Hudson. Between 1837 and 1911 ten
more dams were
constructed along the Croton river to expand the reservoir system.
Once the dams were
built and the water was flowing, the city worked hard to protect its
water supply. New
York city condemned all sorts of industries that might pollute the
water. They haven't
allowed any sort of development around the reservoirs either. Today
the Croton system
only provides about 15% of the city's water needs. The rest is met
by the Catskill and
Delaware reservoir and aqueduct systems.
So what does all this talk about water have to do with motorcycling?
Well, there may not
be any development around the reservoirs but there sure are roads.
Some very nice ones if
I might add. This season I'll be touring each of the three systems
along with where ever
else I end up going. This month we'll find our way around the Croton
water system. My
goal was to stay as close to the water as I could. To do this though
meant riding over a
few stretches of hard packed clay/gravel road. All of them had a solid
surface with no
deep ruts or loose gravel. Anyone can ride them with just a bit of
care. The few miles
you spend on the dirt have some great payoffs though. If you follow
the route sheet
carefully you'll get to see some wonderful views that you could never
see from the big
roads.
The route starts on New York Route 22 North just as it crosses Interstate
287. To get
there from the City, follow the Major Deegan (I-87) North to I-287
East. Follow I-287
East to the NY 22 exit. At the top of the ramp turn left. The route
sheet starts at the
traffic light just after the bridge over I-287. From there you'll follow
NY22 North until
you get to the Kensico Dam. Once you turn left and cross the dam you'll
be tracing the
path of NYC's water back to the source. The Kensico Reservoir is where
water from all
three of the systems converge to be piped into the city. I did my best
to keep the route as
close as the roads would allow me to the water. You'll be surprised
how close in a few
places. From Kensico the route winds through upper Westchester County
until it reaches
the Croton Dam. From there it runs around parts of the Croton Reservoir
system that you
normally wouldn't see if you stayed on the big roads. The route ends
in Carmel, NY.
From there you can go West on US6 to pick up the Taconic Parkway to
get back to the
city or you could go West on NY 301 to Cold Spring.
As always, pay attention to the road, traffic and people walking and
riding bicycles along
the route. Much of it runs through park area that is part of the protected
watershed. Its
very early in the season and there is still lots of stuff on the road
left over from winter.
Enjoy the ride.
Water Water Everywhere
0.0
0.0 STRAIGHT
NY22 North and I-287 -
Follow NY22 North
2.2
2.2 LEFT West Lake Drive - LIGHT
3.7
1.5 RIGHT YEILD - Columbus Ave.
3.8
0.1 RIGHT West Lake Dr. - Follow W.
Lake Dr.
5.0
1.2 RIGHT STOP - West Lake Dr. Cont.
6.3
1.3 STRAIGHT
STOP - West Lake Dr. Cont.
6.6
0.3 RIGHT T - STOP - Nanny Hagen Rd.
8.2
1.6 LEFT T - STOP - NY 120 North
11.1 2.9
RIGHT LITE - NY 120 N Cont.
11.2 0.1
LEFT LITE - NY 120 N Cont.
11.6 0.4
LEFT-RIGHT Follow NY 120 thru Chappaqua
11.9 0.3
LEFT-RIGHT LITE - On to Douglas Rd.
12.8 0.9
RIGHT YEILD - Hardscrabble Rd.
13.4 0.6
LEFT Campfire Rd.
15.5 2.1
LEFT STOP - T - NY 100 South
15.7 0.2
RIGHT Inningswood Rd. - After overpass
16.9 1.2
LEFT STOP - T - Pinesbridge Rd.
17.1 0.2
RIGHT Grace Lane
17.9 0.8
LEFT STOP - T
18.3 0.4
LEFT Allapartus Rd.
18.9 0.6
SHARP RIGHT Spring Valley Rd.
19.7 0.8
LEFT Teatown Rd. - Turn at the lake
21.5 1.8
RIGHT Quaker Bridge Rd.
21.8 0.3
SHARP LEFT Quaker Bridge Road East
22.4 0.6
RIGHT Cross the bridge
22.8 0.4
BEAR RIGHT Y
22.9 0.1
RIGHT STOP - T
23.7 0.8
RIGHT Croton Dam Road
24.7 1.0
LEFT STOP - T
27.3 2.6
BEAR RIGHT Y - Aqueduct St.
28.7 1.4
LEFT STOP - Kichawan Road
30.4 1.7
LEFT STOP - T - NY 100 North
31.8 1.4
RIGHT LITE - Crow Hill Rd
31.9 0.1
LEFT Lake Street
33.4 1.5
STRAIGHT Meetinghouse Rd
34.3 0.9
LEFT STOP - T - Croton Lake Road
37.0 2.7
LEFT STOP - T
37.9 0.9
RIGHT LITE - Follow NY 35
43.3 5.4
LEFT LITE - NY 121 North
46.5 3.2
LEFT LEFT onto Boggtown Road
49.3 2.8
RIGHT-LEFT STOP - Titicus River Rd.
49.4 0.1
RIGHT THEN BEAR LEFT NY 22 North - Follow NY22
51.5 2.1
LEFT LITE - Croton Falls Road
51.6 0.1
STRAIGHT LITE
52.1 0.5
BEAR RIGHT Hemlock Rd.
52.5 0.4
RIGHT Cross the dam
52.8 0.3
BEAR LEFT Y
52.9 0.1
STRAIGHT STOP
57.0 4.1
LEFT LITE - US 6 West
57.8 0.8
RIGHT LITE - NY 52 North to Carmel