Week 16, Day 4 Bike Exercise: A 3 Boro Tour

View of Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan Bridge

I had to be at the office at 8 am for an event this morning--also meaning that I would need to be wearing a suit, so I decided that I would put off my bike-riding as a post-work activity.

I decided that the parameters for my evening ride should include a trip at least as long as the two 5.9 mile legs to my office and back. As I began thinking about possible routes, I was reminded by a friend that I still needed to sign up for the 5 Boro Bike Ride, which I've been saying for the past six weeks that I really want to do.

Unfortunately, when I went to go sign up I discovered that the Bike Ride in fact sold out on April 4. However, this immediate disappointment gave me inspiration for tonight's ride: a 3 boro tour, which included:
- beginning at my house in Williamsburg,
- running through Queens to the 59th St bridge,
- over that to 2nd Ave
- down 2nd Ave>Christie all way to the Manhattan Bridge
- over that and around lower Brooklyn and make my way home.


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On the Pulaski Bridge from Greenpoint to Queens

Overall the ride was about 13.9 miles and I had a great time. We left around 7:05 pm and got home around 8:35. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, we rode for long enough and at the right time to experience late hour sunlight, and then transitioning into dusk, sundown, and then night time. Everything about the ride was fun and only left me thirsting for more.


Me attempting to liveblog on Manhattan Bridge (didn't work)

A few thoughts I had durng the ride
- I really need to buy myself a decent used roadbike--the one I have works but it's really old and out of shape and I think a better one would make this experience even more fun that its already been
- Riding in Manhattan is WAYYY different than riding in Brooklyn--wayyyy more serious. I've had lots of experience driving cars all across New York, I think way more than most, and I can attest at how crazy and bad most drivers are here--but holy shit, cruising down 2nd Ave today was like a whole other level. No one uses turn signals, people swerve and weave in and out of lanes constantly and, of course, drivers seem to have no regard whatsoever for bicyclists on the road--basically it's a dangerous shitshow, and I'm very glad I was wearing my helmet.
- Next time there's a transit strike, I'll be ready (praying that it's not in Winter again, of course).
- I think a huge reason I like biking more than running is the simple fact that you get to alternate between work/coast as you're going along, which I think is crucial to someone who's still pretty much uncommitted to exercise (let alone the "total body punishment"of serious running).

The best part about the whole trip is that as we began to near home, I felt like I could have kept going for another hour. Maybe next time I will.