The Long, Climbing Ride from NYC: Bear Mountain via Gate Hill & Tiorati
I set a bunch of cycling goals for myself in 2021. Along with the usual "win a race," "get upgrade," etc., I added a few redemption rides to mark my long road back to fitness. One of them is the famed Orchards, Gate Hill, Tiorati & Perkins ride. I rode it once a few years ago and had an awful time, so I've always wanted to try it again.
All photos by Russell Karn
Getting to Lake Welch
The original story
The first time I rode this route was a few weeks after I joined the team in 2018. I went on what was supposed to be a team ride to Nyack and halfway through, Ted Teyber convinced me to ride with him to Bear Mountain. It was October and I still had some residual road fitness, so I said sure why not. It turns out there were a bunch of reasons for not doing it, including but not limited to: Ted was super fit and is known for picking routes that were extra spicy, the weather forecast was bleak and I wasn't dressed for it, I hadn't eaten breakfast and brought no food, etc.
It ended up being one of the hardest and most grueling rides I have ever done. It started snowing on us on the road up to the Orchards. My hands and feet were freezing, and I fatigue started setting in. Gate Hill is a blur, and I don't remember the long downhill to start the climb up Tiorati. I have a faint memory of finally getting reaching Perkins and begging us not to go to the top of Bear, only to be overruled and have to suck it up. I remember dying slowly on the climb into Peekskill after the Bear Mountain bridge. I fell asleep on the train and hated every second of the trek home from Grand Central. I didn't touch my bike for a few days after that.
The redemption
After deciding to take last year off, I decided that 2021 is the year I get fast again. I knew I had a long way to go, so I set some milestones to get me there. One of them was redoing this ride. It wasn't hard to convince Russell to come with me, and with a little nudging I got Yosef and Leah to join us. Because why not, right?
Yosef on Gate Hill
It was one of those extremely windy spring mornings and I was a bit worried on the way up to GWB. Wind, whatever, but cold wind? No gracias. At least I was dressed properly this time, and made sure to fuel every chance I got. It ended up being windy all day, but things generally calmed down once we got further North into the woods. I'm happy to report that our ride went without a hitch and with many laughs and good hangs along the way, especially as memories of my previous attempt came to me and I pointed out the spots where I was suffering last time.
Lake Tiorati
We ended the ride at Peekskill Brewery with some burgers to go that we ate on the grass by the station. Just like last time, I fell asleep on the train, but this time feeling much more accomplished.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I race road for To Be Determined and work in technology in NYC.
