NY: Good driving in NY State

[cyrilgrey]

Feel free to add to this please.

Great roads to travel: (somewhat random order)

#1: My opinion of best in the state: Taconic parkway from I-84 junction to Albany. All curves, best views, good traffic flow. Watch out for state troopers with Camaro SS and more importantly watch those crossroads.
#2: Hutchinson River Parkway from Whitestone bridge to White plains: High speed, tight curves the whole way, not too many places for a cop to sit. Traffic flow is good except during evening rush hour for saw mill exit. Also continues on to the merrit parkway in CT for some more fun driving (watch for cops up there)
#3: I-84 western NY: Straight highway mostly. Very nice scenery up in the mountains.
#4: Rt. 17 from lower new york to binghampton: Nice old two lane highway, good views, small scary towns. Stop at the Roscoe Diner and pick up one of those stupid bumper stickers. Good trout fishing near Roscoe in summer.
#5: Bear Mtn: Haven't been on it yet, rave reviews from sport bike crowd. WATCH FOR BIKERS. Please, don't kill us. Nice and curvy, good mountain/forest views.
#6: Ocean Parkway, Jones Beach: Known for flat out running, or just a nice drive day or night.Two/Three lane road. Night is entirely desolate...road runs straight for longer thanyou can believe. Historical lighthouse visible at end of road. Rabbits and other wildlife easily seen at night.
#7: Saw Mill Parkway: Deadly, deadly, deadly road. Bear this in mind. Fast, very curvy, two lane punctuated by stop light intersections occasionally. Runs from the Bronx to white plains/684 interchange.
#8: Forget name of road: Some of you may know this "secret road". It's a small road you can access from rockaway blvd past JFK airport. Last stoplight before five towns has a gravel mill on the left. Take that left. Road is very curvy and at night empty. Most fun on a road to be found for miles around. Do be careful, traffic flows both ways. If you screw up, you'll wind up in the swamp with dozens of stripped cars and probably some bodies.

[turbolover2]

RT-17 is one of my favorite places to drive. The roads are wide, and very curvy with some big hills. But there are a lot of cops around, and half of the road has a 30mph speed limit. I stayed in Roscoe for 2 nights once (there is nothing there except the diner). The driving in the surrounding areas is great. Curvy mountain roads with zero traffic. I love it up there (for driving, not living).

Ocean Parkway is cool for a nice cruise. You can do some high speed runs because there really isn't anywhere for a cop to hide.

The road by JFK is scary man. Two narrow lanes, with swamps on either side. I wouldn't go fast on that road unless your itchin' to be stuck in nasty ass, smelly, muddy "water".

Another NY area road is the road that runs parallel to the Palisades Pkwy. Its very hilly and curvy. But a lot of bicyclers in the warm weather.

Car and Driver had a list of good driving roads. They listed a road in west NJ that run parallel to the Delaware River. I've driven it a few times, it's excellent, but I can't remember the name or how to get there.

EDIT: I found it. Old Mine Rd. You take Rt80 to the last exit before it gets into PA (exit 1). Follow the signs to the Park Ranger station and get a map. It's a very fun drive.

[wagonator]

I've spent alot of time around Rhinebeck/Kingston (just go about two hours N of the city on the taconic pkwy). Get off anywhere and drive the county roads, it's some of the most fun driving I've done. Tons of two lane backroads with crazy twisties.Stay away from 9 and 9g though, lots of cops. Rt. 22 from hillsdale to I-90 is also awesome. On the otherside of the hudson, the area around Andes is also really fun. It's right in the middle of the catskills, with good hiking/ biking if you're in for that type of thing. Plus, every fall it's the home of Rally New York, an SCCA clubrally event.http://www.rallynewyork.com/
If you've never watched a live rally, Go! It's some scary s**t watching Subies and such blast past doing 100+ on a fire road. Well, that's my opinion at least.

[bedabi]

Watch for deer n the Saw Mill!

[wrxlude]

I live in Albany. I have friends that live down near the Pawling area. that IS a fun drive. Done it in the Prelude numerous times, but never got the chance to yet with the Scooby. TRUE test of handling!!! I've been fortunate w/ no ham in my diet. The Merit Parkway would come close second to the Taconic IF there wasn't so much damn traffic.
-Stomp

[cyrilgrey]

Originally posted by wagonator
I've spent alot of time around Rhinebeck/Kingston (just go about two hours N of the city on the taconic pkwy). Get off anywhere and drive the county roads, it's some of the most fun driving I've done. Tons of two lane backroads with crazy twisties.Stay away from 9 and 9g though, lots of cops. Rt. 22 from hillsdale to I-90 is also awesome. On the otherside of the hudson, the area around Andes is also really fun. It's right in the middle of the catskills, with good hiking/ biking if you're in for that type of thing. Plus, every fall it's the home of Rally New York, an SCCA clubrally event.http://www.rallynewyork.com/
If you've never watched a live rally, Go! It's some scary s**t watching Subies and such blast past doing 100+ on a fire road. Well, that's my opinion at least.

how could i forget 9 & 9G? i spent so much time on 9, and the roads crossing between the taconic and 9 at many points. Almost 8k miles to be exact. Especially through Rhinebeck and around Bard college.

those connecting roads are nice to wander on.
i'm getting nostalgic and misty eyed. i had the danbury to bard college run down to 45 minutes.



if you're at wits end, and up for strangeness take a trip to ithaca, ny for no reason by way of elmira. bizarre land over there.

rt 7 in CT is nice to take north. i followed it until it ended in chain link fence, at the canadian border. it passes by and through lots of lakes and towns in ct, mass, and vt.

[Sotbas]

One of my favorite roads in New York is in the Adirondacks. You get off the Thruway, I-87 at exit 26, the Pottersville exit and head towards Minerva/Newcomb. The road is windy as all hell for miles and miles and there are almost no cars around at all. And also, I've never once seen a cop on that road ever. I was talking to a local one time who lives in one of the little towns along the road and he said that he basically never sees a cop around because of the area the road is situated on. It's really far for county cops to travel to and the nearest trooper station is also quite a ways away. I cant wait for my next trip up there!

[ScoobySteve]

Originally posted by cyrilgrey
how could i forget 9 & 9G? i spent so much time on 9, and the roads crossing between the taconic and 9 at many points. Almost 8k miles to be exact. Especially through Rhinebeck and around Bard college.

those connecting roads are nice to wander on.
i'm getting nostalgic and misty eyed. i had the danbury to bard college run down to 45 minutes.

I too remember those very roads with nostalgia. Another good one is Slate Quarry Rd. between 9G and the Taconic. Not so bumpy as some of the other area back roads. Totaled my Alfa Romeo there as a matter of fact, getting a little too enthusiastic. The Taconic is beautiful, but way too many lurking troopers in feldgrau as I recall. Also, what was the road going up from New Paltz towards the Catskills ? I don't recall the route number but it was fun drive.

[wrxlude]

Originally posted by Sotbas
One of my favorite roads in New York is in the Adirondacks. You get off the Thruway, I-87 at exit 26, the Pottersville exit and head towards Minerva/Newcomb. The road is windy as all hell for miles and miles and there are almost no cars around at all. And also, I've never once seen a cop on that road ever

Sotbas, have you ever taken exit 30 (i think) off of 87 and head up towards Lake Placid? oh, mna, that IS a trip, but it's cool as hell. flies by like nothing. my brother graduated from Clarkson (up there) years ago, but Placid to Saranac Lake trek is one of the coolest I've been on thus far (not yet taken in the wrx though)

[Sotbas]

Yes, I have taken that trip!! Both in the summer and the winter. The winter is insane on that road. HUGE cascading ice off the rocks on the side of the road. It is a great trip. And I guess we've both made some trips to Potsdam, NY because that's where I went to college! I graduated from SUNY Potsdam and have made many trips from Long Island through those mountains. What a coincidence!! Now I'm feeling like I need to make a trip up there and tear through those roads! I think i will once they thaw out up there.

[wrxlude]

Sotbas, one of my favorite roads is that 2 lane road about 10 min outside of Saranac. the long straight aways and all....then you hit the road that says <-potsdam malone->
i was a GOOD patron of that Burger King in Saranac! lol...the memories (AND the calories!)
if you wanna do a trip, I'll go! just let's do it before gas is 3 bucks per
btw, What made you wanna go to cow and bar country? lol
-Stomp/Michael

[Sotbas]

Yea, I know the spot that you're talking about. I usually avoid going around the Saranac Lake area because that is one of the spots where there are actually cops. That's why I go exit 26 where there is no one around. So what made me go up there you ask? I went to the music school at SUNY Potsdam. There's no way I would have been hauling my butt up there if it wasn't for a good reason! I have been up going up to the Adirondacks ever since I was little so I know some of the roads pretty well. My god there are some scary middle of nowhere hick infested areas around Potsdam. I've found all the spots in my years there. I'm talking "Deliverance" style: no electricity no plumbing type houses. As a matter of fact... I think I've heard some faint banjo playing...

But yea, cant wait to take the WRX up there. It'll be great. I'm game if you are for a trip up! Where are you from anyway?

[wrxlude]

I'm from Latham (8miles north of Albany)
My brother went to Clarkson for the engineering program that they have (but you know that by now)
I hear you about the hick areas surrounding Potsdam. Traveling ANYWHERE from Potsdam (ie Messina), it feels like you are a embarking on unchartered territory. funked up, to say the least. COPS? hahah some areas around those parts are SOO damn poor, Roscoe is the only cop that they have
btw, I BOYCOTT that damn A&P up there...they suck!!! ttyl
-Stomp

[5'7 Assassin]

Well folks if you have a chance try checking out Vanderbilt Parkway here's a little history (From nycroads.com):

THE NATION'S FIRST SUPERHIGHWAY: Instead of running the race over dangerously narrow local roads, Vanderbilt conceived of a landscaped parkway, where banked curves and the elimination of grade crossings would permit speeds of 60 MPH or more. Along the course of the parkway, 65 reinforced steel-and-concrete bridges would be constructed, none of them having a span that exceeded 23 feet long. The 16-foot-wide roadway (later widened to 22 feet) would be constructed of reinforced concrete.

Try the Vanderbilt Parkway at Dix Hills, this little stretch or part of the road which ends either at Deer Park ave. if you going west or at Commack Road if you are going east on this road, will surely show you what the WRX is all about

[Sotbas]

Can you give me exact direction on how to find this in Dix Hills? I have heard about this road but couldn't find it. Help!