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

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?

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.

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.