Riding with the Rich & Famous along the Hudson & Delaware Rivers

Crossing the New York state line from the east, I was surprised at how richly treed the region was. I had imagined that as I approached the sprawling monster that is New York City, I would face nothing but concrete and traffic. I had, in fact, considered using I-684 to avoid the imagined gridlock, but I was pleasantly relieved as I rode along Sylvan Route 202 and Sawmill Parkway, which rolled along nicely all the way to Tarrytown atop the Hudson River Highlands.

At Lyndhurst Estate, a groundskeeper noticed my licence plate. “Ontario? I’m from Kingston!” he gushed as he stepped out of a garden. We chatted for quite a while and he confirmed my suspicions: “You go five miles farther south and you’ll find exactly the traffic you’re afraid of.” Lyndhurst, built in Gothic Revival style for railroad magnate Jay Gould, is one of several tycoon-era mansions along the Hudson River in this retreat from the Big Apple.

From there, I attempted to visit Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, but, alas, it was closed on Mondays. So, beginning my northward exploration up the river, I stopped at Union Church in Pocantico Hills to view the little-known contributions of two artistic masters: Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall. This church’s prominent stained glass windows, commissioned by