The JSTS Summer Tour of 2023 will be taking place from Friday, June 23 thru Monday, June 26.
This year our adventure will take us to the Hudson Valley Region of New York, specifically Kingston (about a 2-1/2 hour drive from Monmouth County). Our home base for this self-supported multi-day ride will be the Best Western Plus Kingston Hotel And Conference Center.
This is a great chance to ride outside the borders of NJ without breaking the bank. While most other multi-day tours have fees simply to join the ride that run into the hundreds of dollars, the JSTS Summer Tour is still FREE! All you need to pay for is your lodging and meals (and you need to be a JSTS club member for insurance purposes).
Our Ride Coordinator is hard at work planning routes from 30 to 100 miles for up to 4 days of riding, and you are welcome to join for all or just some of the days. For those interested in riding all 4 days, the plan is to arrive in Kingston on Thursday afternoon/evening, June 22, ride on Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon, and then depart on Monday afternoon/evening, June 26.
On Sunday, June 25, we will be participating in Discover Hudson Valley 2023 (separate fee / registration required). Centered around the Walkway Over the Hudson, the world’s longest footbridge, this ride is all about discovery. For some, that means taking it easy on one of the shorter routes and simply enjoying the gorgeous scenery of Ulster and Dutchess counties. For others, it means discovering what you’re capable of—with more than 5,800 feet of climbing, the 100-mile route is a century worth bragging about.
Registration for Discover Hudson Valley 2023 is now open! Separate registration is required for this day of riding. Participating in these local events is one of the ways we help support the local communities in the places that we visit!
This is a busy time of year in the Hudson Valley, but we have secured a block of rooms at the Best Western in Kingston at a special group rate – but only until MAY 22, or until all the rooms in our block are taken! Start by clicking on <Register> and completing the registration for the JSTS Summer Tour, after which you will receive an email with instructions on how to reserve one of the hotel rooms in our block. Early interest to join this ride is always strong, so don't wait for the warm weather to be here to make your decision.
Cost for lodging across all 4 nights averages out to $209 $196.50/room/night (plus 10% tax). Assuming you share a room with someone else and stay all 4 nights, that's a total of $418 $393/person (+ tax). If you don't have a roommate (and want one), we can put you in contact with others that are going.
If you are not able to join us for all 4 nights, then here are the costs for the individual nights: Thursday and Sunday nights are $129 $119/room/night (+tax); Friday and Saturday nights are $289 $274/room/night (+ tax).
While in past years the majority of the people attending this tour have been B/B+/A- riders, our preliminary survey to gauge interest in the tour this year showed that we have riders interested in joining the tour at ALL pace levels!
Also, as a self-supported ride, there will be no official SAG available. Make sure you are prepared to perform basic repairs while on the road (like fixing a flat), as there won't be anyone riding around in a car to fix a flat for you… or, in the event of something more dire, cart you and your bike back to the hotel. If you do end up needing a lift back to the hotel (for whatever reason), you will have to wait for someone on the ride to offer to come back for you AFTER they get back to the hotel.
We’re looking forward to riding the hills of the Hudson Valley Region... come join us!
Barb Bennett (JSTS Ride Coordinator)
Rob Leitner (JSTS Summer Tour Organizer)
