Been going down to Lavallette NJ for some time only recently been really cycling as well. The last 2 years I limited myself to Island Beach state park but that gets boring for anything over 2+ hours.
Any recommendations on routes from the Lavallette area for 40, 60 or 100 miles? I’ve seen some routes on Strava heading out on 70 but that seems pretty sketchy.
I will be down there this Thursday to the following Saturday (7/9) if anyone wants to meet up for a ride. Usually head out around 7 - 7:30 am to minimize down time with the family.
You can ride along the ocean up to FT Hancock at Sandy Hook State Park; north on rt 35, stay straight through Pt Pleasant on Ocean Ave, left at Broadway back to 35, over Brielle Bridge and take first exit onto rt 71, go to Sea Girt Ave, right and follow it up around a couple of bends until you see water, right turn then left at ocean. Straight through Spring lake, Belmar (love Belmar), Avon (with a flat A) Bradley. At the end of Bradley go onto the boardwalk and enter Asbury Park (Bruuuuuuce!), go through the Casino and get off and ride along the ocean, Follow the road and make the first right after you go around the lake at the North end of Asbury. Go straight with a couple of adjustments in Long Branch you can ride along the ocean up to Sandy Hook. Keep going and ride through the old Army base. Round trip will be about 60 to 70 for you.
Or, you can go north on 35 to Mantaloking Rd, left, over the Mantaloking bridge. Mantaloking Rd will eventually become rt 528. Keep riding until your legs get tired. Turn around and go home.
First Reply is the best bet if you don’t want to drive down 37 park and ride 9 south from there. There can be very busy areas of rt9 though. Search up Sandy Hookers triathlon club and you should be able to get some help from them also.
I have done the 35 North/South but it gets pretty busy in season with all the traffic stops.
I saw Bike Beast when I was searching strava segments. One loop I saw was 70 → 72 → 9 and back home. From street view it looks like there is at least a shoulder but those are 50mph roads.
You could try taking 35 to Manasquan and them aiming out toward the Manasquan Reservoir. there are good roads out there for a longer ride, where you will get a good twenty mile chunk that is lightly traveled.
Once you get into Manasquan you can hop onto a paved trail that takes you to Allaire state park and then hooks up to a route you can follow all the way to Trenton.