Places local cyclists like to ride

By Pete Colaizzo
Poughkeepsie Journal

- Paul Olbrich, Poughkeepsie: Olbrich rides a 10-mile loop in the city and town of Poughkeepsie several times per week. The loop goes through Vassar College and Vassar Farms. Olbrich said he also likes to ride on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail in Amenia and the Wallkill River Rail Trail in New Paltz. ''I've been cycling for five years now and I love it,'' he said.

- Steve Miura, Hopewell Junction: Miura is a road cyclist who does most of his riding on the rural roads of eastern Dutchess County. He just got involved in competitive racing in the past two years and he finds the local terrain prepares him well for the challenges of racing. ''If you live around here and you road bike,'' he said. ''a normal ride is going to take you up some steep and long hills.''

- Tom Snediker, Newburgh: The manager of the Wheel and Heel bicycle store in Newburgh, Snediker and a group of mountain biking friends pick an off-road venue for a group ride each week. Some of their selections: Mount Beacon, Stewart Airport Buffer Zone and Vassar Farms.

- Mike Bakker, Fishkill: For road bikes, Bakker said he likes to ride on Route 9D. And for mountain bikes, his destinations of choice are Minnewaska State Park and Mohonk Preserve in Ulster County.

- Stacy Kearse, Beacon: Kearse listed the Stewart Airport Buffer Zone as one of her favorite places to ride.

- Jonathan Tuscanes, High Falls: The well-groomed trails of Minnewaska State Park in Ulster County were the pick with this rider.

- Mike Rawdon, Poughkeepsie: This rider listed ''anywhere east of the Taconic (State Parkway)'' as a great place to pedal a road bike.

- Robert Cahill, Castle Point: This southern Dutchess County cyclist cited the Fishkill Creek trails between Route 9 in Fishkill and Route 52 in the hamlet of Brinckerhoff as his favorite place.

- Matt Nolan, Fishkill: In training for his 100-mile ride at Lake Tahoe, Calif., Nolan did much of his training from Woodstock, so he rates that among his favorite places to ride. But, he added: ''Southern Dutchess is beautiful, too.''