Exploring Scenic Routes and Coffee Shops: A Ride to Peekskill

The Ride

A beautiful, clear summer morning was the perfect start for the day. I was joined by a riding buddy who had come on a few coffee rides on Tank of Coffee as we departed from Cross River, NY. Our ride wouldn’t be long as we headed to another New York coffee spot. The Beeline Moto’s Compass mode indicated 16.3 miles as the crow flies. See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.

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My friend was aboard his new-to-him Honda Goldwing F6B while I was on the BMW R1200GSA.  With both boxer engines fired up, we headed north on Route 121 for a few miles before turning west on Route 138 to match the compass heading. This brought us across Route 22 and Interstate 684 just before the road became a causeway across the Muscoot Reservoir.  I would have preferred to turn off onto Plum Brook Road, but the old bridge that crossed the reservoir at the end of it has been closed for several years now, so we stayed on Route 138 till it ended at Route 100.

With a left on Route 100, we continued south to find the other side of Plum Brook Road and headed west.  The road climbs a hill as soon as you get onto it with a pair of doglegs before it ends at Route 139. It’s a lovely local road to climb out of the valley where the reservoir is located.

Route 139 runs perpendicular to our intended direction, so I took a left with the Goldwing following behind and then a quick right onto Van Rennselaer Road, which then joins Route 35.  While we could have taken Route 35 directly from Cross River, our route was more interesting.

Route 35 passes by Lasdon Park on the left.  Lasdon Park was an estate built in 1933 with a colonial-style house modeled after George Washington’s Mount Vernon.  It has been owned by Westchester County since 1986.

After the Park ends, the road makes a 90-degree turn to head north toward the dam for the Amawalk Reservoir.  Just before the road would turn west beneath the dam, we broke off onto Lake Road, running alongside the reservoir.  Whenever I can take a road alongside a river or reservoir, I do, as they tend to be more scenic and windy.  Our article on finding the best biking roads gives more tips.

We continued to loop around the reservoir on Route 202 and then took Granite Springs Road to continue west, matching the compass indication.  This brought us by Stuarts Fruit Farm, a popular family-operated farm since 1828 where you can pick apples, peaches, and pumpkins in the fall.  Their store offers plenty of delicious pies as well.  While there is limited parking along the gravel driveway near the store, in the busy season, they overflow into the grass fields on the other side of the street, so if you come on a bike, be ready for that.

Our diversion onto Granite Springs Road ends as it rejoins Route 202 in Yorktown. We stayed on Route 202, heading toward our destination as it perfectly aligned with the compass heading.  The road passes under the Taconic State Parkway and several shopping centers on either side, and the distance to our goal kept counting down. The road is now dual-named Crompond Road and Route 202.  As we arrive in Peekskill, Route 202 switches to South Broad Street, heading north, but we stay on Crompond, which leads us right to the shop.

The shop is in downtown Peekskill, so there is just street parking. None was available right near the cafe. After a few loops around the block looking for a parking space, we found one a couple of blocks away.

It is pay parking on the streets that you can pay for via an app called Park Smarter. We found the app to be a terrible experience, though, as we had to download it right there, and it had no Apple Pay integration, so we had to enter a credit card number manually.  While I’m generally in favor of eliminating coin-operated parking meters so I don’t need to carry change, there are so many parking meter apps now & each municipality uses a different one.  I only use parking meters when I’m visiting another town, so it feels like you’re constantly just downloading another app and setting up an account, so the convenience vs the coin-operated meters is significantly reduced.  My fingers are crossed, and I hope for some unification or at least simplification in the onboarding process.

Rever indicated 28.2 miles for our ride to Beanrunner Cafe in Peekskill, NY.  See the route below.

REVER is a mobile app designed to help you track, plan, or navigate your ride. With the app, you can easily plan your route, view maps and directions, and track your distance using GPS technology. The app is an excellent tool for anyone who loves to ride and wants to keep track of their progress and distance.

The Coffee Shop

Peekskill is located on the Hudson River, about a 50-mile ride north of NYC at the northern end of Westchester County. The 1970s-80s TV show The Facts of Life was set at the fictional Eastland School in Peekskill, NY.

Down the street from Beanrunner Cafe is a restored 1930 movie theater, now home to the Paramount Center for the Arts.  We were able to grab a spot just down the block from the theater.  Several actors were born or lived in Peekskill, including Mel Gibson, Stanley Tucci, and Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman).

Beanrunner Cafe is situated on a street closed to traffic, a unique nod to a European tradition that creates more pedestrian space. This charming setup allows several shops along the street to offer outdoor seating, enhancing the cafe’s ambiance.

Entering Beanrunner Cafe, there is a space for bands on the left as you walk in.  A bright yellow color adorned the walls, with plenty of seats.  The person behind the counter warmly greeted us.  We asked for a table & were guided toward a place for four, giving us plenty of space to store our riding gear.  Only one other person was inside at the time, but a few tables outside had patrons during our early morning weekday visit.

Beanrunner Cafe offers a diverse menu with plenty of typical options for coffee, including standard espresso fare like espresso, cappuccino, and lattes. However, what sets it apart is its extensive food menu, making it more than just a coffee cafe-it’s a place to eat and enjoy a variety of dishes.

I ordered a Latte, served in a ceramic mug with the text “But first coffee” inscribed on it.  I always appreciate shops willing to be witty or campy with their mugs, so I was already in a good mood before the first sip.

I also ordered a Nutella crepe to go with the latte.  It was nicely presented on a rounded corner rectangular plate with some chocolate sauce dribbled across the top in a stripe pattern and a few whipped cream dollops.  Lest you think the fare was all show and no go, the crepe and the latte were outstanding.

While the trip wasn’t very long and the parking situation wasn’t ideal, I would encourage you to channel the Facts of Life theme song where, “You take the good, you take the bad,” since the food and the coffee were outstanding.