A Split Decision
October 9, 2025
Last weekend I attended an event starting in Woodstock for the Ulster County SPCA. It promised to be a great day weather-wise with temperatures in the eighties and bright, cloudless sunlight. The ride there was, as always, worth doing with the usual collection of country roads with little traffic. It started at Woodstock Harley Davidson and there was a small crowd already by the time I arrived. I had conversations with several people about motorcycles and soon it was time to go.
The first thing that came to light was that this was going to be a straight to the destination ride. Unlike most events this one stuck to main roads heading towards the finish. Even the road through the Catskills was a Federal Highway. Scenic, yes. Twisty, yes. Challenging, yes. It didn't make up for the roads prior which were State roads though. They were mostly straight and running through traffic lights in small towns. I enjoyed being with other riders but missed the fun of being on small back roads which kept my attention.
The biggest let down was when they stopped and turned the whole group around and went back to State Route 299. The first part was pretty with rises and descents but I knew this road. It goes past SUNY New Paltz and into the Village of New Paltz. Now let me paint you a picture. It's a beautiful Fall day with warm temperatures on a Saturday afternoon in a Tourist town with several, and I mean several, traffic lights. People and cyclists crossing the street as you ride...slowly.. and stepping in front of you. There were long lines of cars creeping through the lights as you hold the bike steady on the steep road up to the light. Engine heating up under you as you bake in your leather jacket and sweat into your helmet. The ride began to break up as some made it through the lights by passing creeping cars on both sides of them. When we finally got through the mess I was riding not with a group anymore but a half dozen other people. When we got to the next left turn towards the final destination I turned right. I had seen enough.
The ride home was lovely but equally traffic heavy on Route 9. Cars were backing up from Marist College which was having Homecoming Day and a football game. Police were stopping cars from entering the school and causing congestion. It was not the best riding day I have ever had but it was for a good cause so I'm glad I went anyway. As someone once said, "Better days ahead.".
The first thing that came to light was that this was going to be a straight to the destination ride. Unlike most events this one stuck to main roads heading towards the finish. Even the road through the Catskills was a Federal Highway. Scenic, yes. Twisty, yes. Challenging, yes. It didn't make up for the roads prior which were State roads though. They were mostly straight and running through traffic lights in small towns. I enjoyed being with other riders but missed the fun of being on small back roads which kept my attention.
The biggest let down was when they stopped and turned the whole group around and went back to State Route 299. The first part was pretty with rises and descents but I knew this road. It goes past SUNY New Paltz and into the Village of New Paltz. Now let me paint you a picture. It's a beautiful Fall day with warm temperatures on a Saturday afternoon in a Tourist town with several, and I mean several, traffic lights. People and cyclists crossing the street as you ride...slowly.. and stepping in front of you. There were long lines of cars creeping through the lights as you hold the bike steady on the steep road up to the light. Engine heating up under you as you bake in your leather jacket and sweat into your helmet. The ride began to break up as some made it through the lights by passing creeping cars on both sides of them. When we finally got through the mess I was riding not with a group anymore but a half dozen other people. When we got to the next left turn towards the final destination I turned right. I had seen enough.
The ride home was lovely but equally traffic heavy on Route 9. Cars were backing up from Marist College which was having Homecoming Day and a football game. Police were stopping cars from entering the school and causing congestion. It was not the best riding day I have ever had but it was for a good cause so I'm glad I went anyway. As someone once said, "Better days ahead.".
Posted by Jim Zeiser.
If you wish to comment my e-mail address is h1500e@hotmail.com. I'd like to hear anything-good or bad-that anyone would like to say. As they said in college, we're all lifelong learners.
