The West Hill Start
The West Hill starting place is used every Thursday for the "slow rides," as well as for a number of Sunday rides that head off to the west or north. The meeting place is the parking lot of the Cayuga Professional Center Medical/Dental Plaza at1301 Trumansburg Rd (aka NY 96 north, or Cliff Street). The lot is right across from Hayts Rd and just north of the traffic light at the entrance to Cayuga Medical Center. It is about 2.5 miles from the bridge over the Cayuga Lake Inlet in Ithaca.
If you're coming from the city of Ithaca, take Buffalo Street west -- or look for signs to NY 96 north as well as the "H" signs to the hospital. You'll go across the railroad tracks by GreenStar and cross a couple bridges. After the second bridge is a traffic light; from this light it's about 2.4 miles to the ride start -- all of it up hill on a busy road. The first mile is within city limits, where the two-lane road has a curb and sidewalk on the uphill side. Many people prefer riding on the sidewalk for this stretch. Thereafter, the road has a wide shoulder. After you pass the traffic light for the hospital entrance, it's the next driveway on the right.
If you're coming from the north, find your way to NY 96 south; look for the parking area after you pass the Indian Creek vegetable place on the west (right) side and Duboise Rd on the east. The parking area will be on the left just as you pass Hayts Rd on the right. |
