Enjoying a Refreshing Ride to Bunbury Coffee in Piermont
The Ride
With the first few days of clear roads after the seemingly endless snow this season, it was great to get back out on the BMW R1200GSA for today’s ride. It wouldn’t be a long ride as the Beeline compass indicated 22.6 miles as the crow flies to my destination on the other side of the Hudson River. See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.
I knew it would make more sense to take the Tappan Zee Bridge… err, Mario Cuomo Bridge since that let out close to Piermont on the western edge of the river. As they lead to more populated portions of Westchester County on the eastern side of the river, I didn’t have high hopes for the roads and expected to hit a bit more densely packed roads.
I left Cross River, heading west on Route 35, which winds alongside the Cross River Reservoir. After crossing Interstate 684, I crossed the Croton River and turned southwest on Route 100. I passed the Muscoot Farm, now a county park that still has livestock, which provides an educational opportunity for people to see what farms in the area used to be like.
I turned west onto Route 118 as the Croton River turned west. This is a lovely road following the river toward the New Croton Reservoir. There is a small road following along the Gate House Bridge across the Croton River, which I take. The road is named Croton Dam Road as this was the original location of the Croton Dam to fill in the reservoir.
At the intersection of Aquaduct Street, I turn left onto that road, as it aligns better with the compass. Beyond here, Croton Dam Road becomes more of a dirt road. While on the GSA, I’d never tried Aquaduct Street, so I was keen to explore it.
The road climbs a small hill and then begins to parallel the Taconic State Parkway. It lets out at Kitchawan Road, a major four-lane road providing access to the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center from the Taconic State Parkway. I could see the entrance to the IBM facility directly across from me as I pulled up to Kitchawan Road. IBM has several facilities across Westchester, with its headquarters in nearby Armonk, NY.
Kitchawan Road, or Route 134, heads southwest along a gentle winding path. It crosses Route 9A, a highway section, and heads toward Ossining, NY. Ossining is home to Sing Sing Prison and First Village Coffee, which we’ve previously covered on the site.
I turn south onto Route 9, a main road passing through several small towns along the Hudson River. Fans of the Headless Horseman will recognize the village of Sleepy Hollow, home of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetary and the nearby Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground across the street from Philipsburg Manor. The church was featured in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Katrina van Tassel’s real-life inspiration is buried there.
After passing through Tarrytown, I enter Interstate 287 across the Tappan Zee Bridge. On the far side of the Hudson River, I head south on Route 9W. Coming down from 9W, there is a steep descent to the ground level with several switchbacks. One passes an earlier train station for Piermont, but the line has been pulled up and is now a rail trail. The station I passed was built in 1873, though service ended in 1966.
I turn right onto Pierpont Place and find Bunbury’s Coffee Shop. Rever indicates I’ve traveled just 33.4 miles, though due to the town’s history, passing through Sleepy Hollow feels like a bit of time travel. 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. Check out our full review of Rever.
The Coffee Shop
Piermont is a village in Orangetown, Rockland County. The Tappan Zee Bridge takes up a bit of the view of the river alongside a long pier stretching far out into the river. The town was initially called Tappan’s Landing, and the long pier was built by the Erie Railroad in 1839 to provide a terminus for a ferry pickup to the other side of the river. The pier stretches 4000 feet into the river. However, with the changes to interstate rules early in its history allowing transit across state lines, the railroad moved to Jersey City as the main terminus. The railroad shops were closed in 1869 and eventually burned down, leaving only the concrete pier.
Today, Pierpont has a historic downtown district, and it is there that we find Bunbury Coffee Shop. There is lots of street parking around it, and I found a space just in front. A tiny stairwell leads to the door.
Once inside, a small alcove with a table is surrounded by windows on either side alongside the stairs. Bright yellow walls and several small metal tables and chairs provide seating areas as you walk in. Along the walls are several pieces of art. When I arrived, I heard the owner say they had the replacement art in a box near the counter and changed it each month. It was near the end of the month when I visited.
Toward the back is the ordering counter. Some pastries are on display, and the chalkboard highlights the coffee options. A couple of groups were taking up some seats, so I put down my gear at one of the last available tables before heading to the counter to make my order.
The shop’s small, narrow space limits sit-down traffic, so many customers get takeout. In keeping with that, the Cortado I ordered was served in a paper cup. It had more of an espresso ratio to the milk, so it had a stronger flavor than a typical cortado, but I still enjoyed it. I paired it with a cinnamon coffee cake. I found that quite nice, and the cake had a soft texture.
The coffee shop is a perfect place for those wanting to follow this trip to stop and grab coffee. While visiting the picturesque little village, be sure to experience the long pier, which stretches so far into the Hudson River. It provides a close view of the Tappan Zee Bridge to the north and the NYC skyline to the south.
