Coffee Ride to Foundry 42+ - Port Jervis, NY
The Ride
The Beeline direct route indicated 56.8 miles as a Beeline, so I took the fastest path through the Westchester roads to the Bear Mountain Bridge as I was on the BMW S1000R, and it doesn’t love traffic. See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.
Across Bear Mountain, the roads are closed, so I stayed on US Highway 6, climbing over the mountains into the valley near Interstate 97 in Harriman, NY. I continued on 6 to bypass the populated areas around the valley before exiting just past Monroe to get onto Route 17M. This parallels US Highway 6 and is mostly shopping centers until I make a left onto Route 94 and begin the journey into some exciting backroads.
94 continues until it meets Route 17A, where the path continuing straight is now Route 25. I take that until it connects with Route 6, the Pulaski Turnpike. This isn’t the same as US Highway 6, a limited-access highway. This is more of a typical country backroad. I continue till I see a turnoff for Pine Island Turnpike (Route 1).
Pine Island is a hamlet within the town of Warwick, NY. It is famous for the rich black dirt of the many fields and comprises most of the Black Dirt Region of NY. You can stop almost anywhere in the area & see rich black earth in the fields as far as the eye can see. Pine Island Turnpike runs through the middle, crossing the Wallkill River, which provides much of the floodplain water source for the valley. Historically, these fields were used to grow onions, and an annual onion-eating contest was held. More recently, the crops have diversified, and several apple orchards are in the area. There is also a distillery producing bourbon, rye & apple brandy.
I finish Route 1, which terminates again at US Highway 6, which I follow for the last bit into Port Jervis. Close to Port Jervis, I get off of US 6 onto the Old Greenville Turnpike, which is better aligned with the compass but a relatively small shortcut, reconnecting with US 6 within a mile.
I cross the bridge over the Neversink River, bringing me to the central part of Port Jervis. Immediately to the left is a road leading to a small peninsula between the Neversink & Delaware Rivers, mostly parkland. At its tip is the Tri-States Monument, where NY, NJ & PA meet.
US Highway 6 takes the long loop around downtown Port Jervis. While I can see the rough direction for my destination on the compass, I don’t know which of the streets is the right one to get there. I make the mistake of staying on Route 6 as it passes under the railroad tracks and begin to see my destination behind me. I look for a way back on the side streets, but all the roads stop at the tracks. Fowler Street looks like it used to cross over but is now closed to through traffic. I backtrack to 6 and make the first right after the tracks, which curves around and lets me out on Front Street. I find Foundry 42+ on my left, a bit down the street.
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.
Not bad for the S1000R, as the actual track recorded by REVER ended up as 76.8 miles, which is about when you want a break on a sport bike. See the route below.
The Coffee Shop
Port Jervis is often a starting point for many riding in the Catskills. It sits right on the confluence of the Neversink & Delaware rivers at the corner of NY, NJ & PA. The Hawk’s Nest is just up Route 97, a favorite motorcycle road. Port Jervis was an early railroad town, home of the Erie Railroad. While passenger service ended in 1970, there is still a rail line and one of the few remaining turntables in the country.
Nowadays, Port Jervis is an entryway to the Delaware Water Gap activities, including hiking & rafting. The roads along the Delaware are some great motorcycle roads, so it is a frequent stop for riders.
Located on Front Street, Foundry 42+ is in the heart of Port Jervis. Parking on Front Street is more limited, but a parking lot is directly behind Ball Street with a door for access to Foundry 42+. If you explore the area, a bit further down Front Street is the Erie Depot, the original passenger terminal for the Erie Railroad.
The building for Foundry 42+ is a relatively large space with two levels. The main level has various books and arts & crafts items for sale. Several wooden tables and chairs offer space to relax and enjoy coffee alongside several available food options. Large can lights and several ceiling fans provide the primary lighting, but string lights and several old Edison bulbs along the walls create a warm feeling.
Standard coffee options include latte, cappuccino, americano, macchiato, & drip coffee. Flavor shots and options for iced versions of each beverage are also on the menu. Food options include yogurt & granola, avocado toast, quiche & salad, and a few sandwiches, including their take on PB&J, The Crosby. Plenty of baked goods if your palate leans more to the sweet spectrum with your coffee.
It’s not just a cafe; several home goods are also available for sale. If you cannot find a space to sit on the main floor, there is an additional floor upstairs with comfy couches and more.
The staff is quick to provide excellent service. A fellow patron dropped their avocado toast just after receiving it, and the staff promptly made another for them. My americano was served in equally speedy effort.
I learned about the Upstate Coffee Crawl sponsored by Foundry 42+ with the incentive to visit other coffee shops in the surrounding area. This was a perfect fit for the mission of Tank of Coffee. I quickly noted the site to add the shops participating to the Tank of Coffee backlog.
The Refreshments
My Americano was served in a paper cup, but they have some reusable cups for other drinks, so they likely thought I was going for takeout. I carried it further into the space and sat at one of the wooden tables. Several other patrons were enjoying their coffee & food while looking at their laptops, so many also use it as a workspace.
The Americano’s flavor had an earthy tone, providing an appealing richness. I also had a blueberry muffin and would easily order both again as I enjoyed them. Next time I’ll have to try some of the savory dishes on offer.
