First Cycle Tour, Astoria to Clarence Fahnestock Park 6-26 through 6-28-2012 (138.13 miles round trip)

With the small break in the heat that NYC experienced earlier this week I was able to finally take a 3 day cycle touring trip North to Carmel New York and Clarence Fahnestock Park.

Tuesday morning I woke at 6 with a mind to leave by 6:30 so as to be well ahead of the rush hour traffic. I was excited and nervous so I did not have much of an appetite, but I managed to throw back a bowl of cheerios before heading out the door. The forecast called for temperatures in the low 60's and some headwind up to 10+ mph throughout and this time the forecast was accurate. I rode over the Triboro bridge and headed toward the small bridge from Randalls Island to 135th Street in the Bronx. From here it's a matter of joining St. Anne Ave, to Park Ave, and the Mosholu Parkway Greenway to reach Vancortlandt Park and the entrance to the South County Trail.

In the Bronx, the South County Trail is mostly hard packed dirt with small roots and old railroad ties jutting out occasionally. It's nothing my hybrid bike can't handle, and a nice change from the asphalt I find myself on most of the time. Once the South County Trail reaches Yonkers the path changes to pavement. In some areas there are small signs which indicate where the path becomes extra bumpy or uneven. These bumps are mostly doable at my cruising speed with my 700 x 28 tires, but I'm sure these signs are posted for the road bike riders who might approach at much greater speeds with skinnier tires.

">

Entering Vancortlandt Park.



Entering South County Trail.



South County Trail in Yonkers, my foot gets splashed.



South County Trail continued.

Entering Westchester I passed the familiar Woodlands Lake in Ardsley. I had rode on a long stretch of the South County and North County Trail with the 5BBC on a group ride back in May. At that time I was already trying to plan my first cycle touring trip and hoped that this guided tour of the trails would help me to feel more comfortable when I finally made my way North. All the while I was waiting for the moment when I would reach the Northern most point at which the guided tour took me before it had turned West, that would be when I knew I was riding in new territory. There is a distinct landmark at this particular point, a sign pointing West (towards the Old Croton Aqueduct Trails), and North (to the North County Trail), as well as a plaque next to the last remnant of visible track on the trail as most of it was hauled away as scrap. Now that I had cruised past this last familiar site I was now staring down another long stretch of trail through the rest of Westchester and further North into Putnam County. At this point the sites and sounds grew more and more rural, with long stretches where one doesn't see a house or any other human construct, occasionally surfacing back into civilization only to dip back into the sunlight mottled green and brown expanses. A rocky cliff here, a small waterfall there, and many benches located just off the path through out dedicated to peoples loved ones usually placed in an appropriately scenic location.



Passing Woodlands Lake in Ardsley.

I was overly concerned that somehow I might lose the trail North and kept expecting some unanticipated or poorly represented navigational hiccup to throw me for a loop. To the contrary, all of the crossings were well marked and in the only place at which I needed to use a neighborhood to reconnect to the trail that wasn't marked, I happened to cross paths with a cyclist who was a seasoned local rider, who guided me through a sketchy industrial section of Elmsford, using a parking lot and a couple of industrial park lanes.

Back on the trail at this point, you ride up on a scenic stretch where power lines follow the path to another less than pleasant part of the ride where you must ride along Route 100 to access the length of trail leading in the direction of Yorktown Heights. As I rode along the path approaching Route 100 I came upon 2 younger guys riding in the same direction and caught a draft behind them for a small stretch until they pulled away on a climb on Route 100. Most of this section is either in a highway shoulder or has a path inside a protected shoulder, thankfully this is not a terribly long part of the journey and I return to the relative safety of the county trail. At different times a chipmunk, squirrel, or bird would cross my path and I could here frogs croaking in some of the streams. After another couple of miles I came upon a bridge over the New Croton Reservoir. Here you stand right over the middle of this fairly large body of water surrounded by lush trees. I took some panoramic pictures here and soaked in the exceptional view before rolling along once more.



Power lines over field in Tarrytown.

Riding along the power lines in Tarrytown.

Following cyclists to route 100.



Bridge over New Croton Reservoir in Kitchawan.

Heading North, out of the city limits, is mostly a steady climb. Much of the climb is thankfully on the 3% grade that the railroads needed to accommodate their trains engines. At this time I was beginning to feel quite hungry and began eating the dried apricots I had stashed in my pocket for on the road food. Dried apricots are one of the highest potassium fruits and supply a fair amount of carbs and natural sugars. Eating these while slowly cruising North kept me from bonking and allowed me to make to my first real rest stop about 40 miles into the trip at Turcos Super Ranch in Yorktown Heights. As I approached the supermarket I noticed they had extensive bike parking outside which gave me hope that they might be sympathetic if I asked them to stash my unlocked bike inside the store while I shopped. Thankfully I encountered no resistance and the cashier said I could leave my bike near the managers booth. I bought Sports Drink, precooked bacon, 6 organic eggs, 6 rolls, and salted fresh mozzarella to supplement the cereal bars, energy bars, and oatmeal I had brought from home. The line at the Turcos deli was too long for me to wait on so I opted to buy a slice from the pizza place next door before I set back out on the road again.

It was at some point between Yorktown Heights and Mahopac that I heard the loud and unmistakeable sound of a spoke breaking. I stopped and did a brief check to discover that I had indeed sheared a spoke at the hub and was now riding with an unbalanced wheel which would rub the brake pad when riding under certain speeds. More than a little annoyed with this outcome I rode on until I came to Mahopac and the Crossroads Deli on Route 6. I refilled my water bladder, drank another Sports drink and had some friendly discussion with the owner. He suggested that I use Route 6 to connect to 301 for the rest of my ride to the park; only one turn to remember is usually a good way to go when you don't know the area, and I'll often defer to a locals knowledge of the roads in these situations. He told me I should enjoy the view but warned me of the hills to come. At this time I felt more and more pressed for time (check-in for a campsite closed at 4pm), and thanked the owner of the deli before riding off along the hilly, narrow shouldered, Northern Roads that would be the last 20 miles of my trip to the park.

Riding on Route 6 I made a wrong turn and asked a friendly mountain biker to point me back in the direction of 301, which he did. This cost me some precious time , but soon enough I was back on track and found the turn for Route 301. This is indeed a very scenic area with Lake Gleneida, the West Branch Reservoir, and the Boyd Corners Reservoir, all passing beside you or beneath you. I stopped in a couple of these locations for some panoramic photography, but once past the Boyd Corners Reservoir it was nothing but a straight shot to Fahnestock Park along the absolute worst hills of the ride. This always seems to be my luck on longer rides, a headwind the whole way, and some big climb at the end. It was true on the 5BBT, true for the Ride To Montauk, and now it's held true for my first cycle touring trip. Hill after grueling hill, each gust of wind a mortal insult to my shredded legs. Every hill climb at this point got slower and slower until I found myself spinning through flats just to conserve energy. After what seemed like a small eternity I came upon a sign for a Buddhist monastery, and following soon after that a sign indicating 1.5 miles to Fahnestock Park!



Bridge on 301 in Carmel over West Branch Reservoir.

301 riding along West Branch Reservoir.



Riding past Boyd Corners Reservoir.

Buddhist Monastery on 301.



Sign indicating 1.5 miles to Clarence Fahnestock Park.

Exhilarated by the prospect of completing my journey I stared down the last mile more determined than ever. I entered the camp grounds and found a small booth where park employees informed that to check-in I had to go to the park office which was an additional quarter mile down the road. Turning back to 301 I slowly made my way to the office where I could sign-in and fill my water bladder as the park does not have drinking water but only water for showers and hand washing. I asked the employees present if they had seen many cycle tourers come through and they said they had not (which I thought strange), and then thanked them and made my way to my campsite to build my tent and a fire to make my dinner as I was becoming more and more hungry again by the minute.

Pitching my Eureka! Solitaire tent was very easy, and the rest of my gear required little set-up if any. The inside of the tent was as advertised, not high enough to sit up in, and takes some getting used to entering and exiting, but once you become accustomed you realize how clever (and rugged) the design is for a 2 pound 1 person tent. After a quick shower I collected a tinder bundle of dry grass and leaves, some small twigs, and successively larger branches to stock up on wood for the night. I had some luck in this regard and had gathered some decent wood in good time. This is where all of the survival reality shows I watch started to come in handy. I had learned the baton method for breaking down logs and was eager to try it with the sweet Spiderco knife my younger brother had given me. This method requires a sturdy blade which you can hammer into the log with a thick stick on an angle. Then using the same method you chop into the log from the opposite direction adjacent to the first cut to break out a wedge. Doing this around the trunk of a fairly large branch, you can make what look like beaver bites all around the log, and then prop the log on a rock or any other sturdy leverage point to then break it by stepping on it. I was very happy to see how I could make nice size logs with this method, breaking down much larger branches then I could just using leverage, or my hands and knees.

My Tent and Bike

I created a nice tee-pee formation with my firewood and kindling, and soon had a warm fire blazing to heat my food, and ward off some bugs. It was right around this time that I could have sworn I heard a bear chase some dear past my campsite, but I cannot say for sure that was what I heard. I cooked up some bacon in my Sierra cup, and melted some fresh mozzarella over it which I scooped out with the rolls, and greedily devoured. I felt a great deal of satisfaction in reaching this park on my own power, and was looking forward to exploring the area the next day after a re-cooperative night.

At some point after dinner I realized that of all the things I could forget, I had forgotten my blanket! Now all I had to sleep with that night was a beach towel and my Lightload synthetic towel. This made for a rather uncomfortable night as the temperature dropped more than I expected and I awoke quite cold more than once. Catching but a couple of hours of sleep at a time, I awoke shortly after dawn and started a small cooking fire. I made some bacon and eggs on the small rolls and by the time I had finished eating the morning sun was warming my tent significantly. I took this as an opportunity to catch a little more sleep before I would go down to the beach for a swim, and look around their cafe/store. The trip down to the beach is all downhill from the campsite and it's a very enjoyable roll down to the lakeside. I left my bike and bag by a picnic table and set my towel and water bladder down before wading into the cool breezy confines of Canopus Lake. Looking down at the waters edge small fish can be seen nibbling at the edges of the lake. Taking my time to acclimate to the cool water I slowly slipped into the water and enjoyed a relaxing half hour swim.



First look at Fahnestock Beach.



Time for a well deserved swim.

Now was my first chance to patronize the only store within any reasonable distance by bike, and that was the lake side cafe/store whose hours only ran from 10 to 4. Inside I was greeted by the friendly employees who when asked said they see hundreds of cycle touring people including having recently met 2 guys who rode up from Brooklyn. I bought a burger combo which was pretty tasty, and a bunch of other food stuffs and beverages to further compliment some of the food I already had brought. After my blanket situation I searched their shelves for the closest thing they had which I could use which was a beach towel, and a Mylar emergency blanket. After some more pleasant conversation about the park and the people that use it I bid the guys at the cafe farewell and went to the park office where I hoped they would charge my cell phone for me while I rode the bike trails. I discovered the night before that I had brought the wrong cord to be able to charge my phone with my solar panel, my second real mistake of the trip. They were happy to accommodate me and I rode back to the site and showered and geared up for the ride along the trails behind the campsite. I had begun to worry that my more perishable food stuffs were not fairing well in the rising heat, so I took another survival reality show trick and filled a large plastic bag with the "unsafe water" from the sites tap and sealed my more perishable foods in a smaller bag which I submerged inside and left in the shade on the ground. This worked quite well and I was happy to find that my foods were cold to the touch when I took them out for use. I could have also tied a sealed bag to a stick and submerged it in the pond, but I did not want to take the chance that the park employees might not approve of it.

As I descended to the back of the site I came upon a fork in the trail and opted for the right side path. This path led to Pelton Pond, and very quickly it became apparent that these were likely not the trails they mentioned back at the office. The views of the pond were very pleasant so I walked my bike around a little ways before deciding to turn back to find the fork in the road and make the left instead. Back on more hybrid bike friendly paths, I rode along the trails rolling hills littered with large sharp rocks and stiff jutting roots which increasingly seemed to get larger and more densely packed along the path. At some point while dodging the dangerous debris I realized I had left my flat tube kit back at the campsite and decided to slow my roll before I hurt my bike or myself for that matter. Knowing full well I would be riding 70 miles the next day I turned around after only a mile or so into the woods and climbed my way back to the campsite.



Descending to the trails behind the campsites.



Arriving at Pelton Pond



Walking bike around Pelton Pond.



A sittin' rock and wooden bridge on Pelton Pond.



Babbling Brook feeds Pelton Pond.



Entering Mountain Bike Trails, some fast rock dodging rolling over small hills.



Mountain Bike Trails continued.

I rode up the hills to the office to collect my now fully charged phone and it was at this time that I asked for some duct tape to secure my broken spoke to the one adjacent to it, and then rode down to the cafe/store one last time. After convincing the chef that I eat hotdogs raw I bundled together some water, sports drink, and energy bars, and climbed all the way back up to the campsite. Collecting a nights firewood once again, I cooked a couple of hotdogs I purchased earlier, and took a short walk in the nearby woods between my campsite and the pond. Besides the park office, there are electrical outlets in the bathrooms. This meant I was able to use my phone plugged in for short intervals without draining my battery as I needed a full battery for the ride home the next day. I contacted my girlfriend and mother to let them know all was still well, took a few moments to check email and such, and shut my phone down for the night.

Returning to my site I fed my fire with larger and larger logs as the sun set. By full dark I was burning 3 and 4 inch thick logs in a healthy blaze with lots of dense pine which I hoped would leave plenty of coals that could save me some time building a fire when I want to eat at dawn before leaving. Staring at the fire reminded me of how this was probably what people stared at for millennia before we had T.V.'s. This night was warmer and I had ample cover. The Mylar emergency blanket was odd. It's probably the loudest bed cover one can buy and at some point condensation formed on the underside. Sleeping under one of these is similar to sleeping under a tinfoil blanket. I decided to supplement the Mylar blanket with the 2 beach towels I had, and was comfortable throughout the night.

Awaking just before sunrise I was anxious to eat, clean, pack, and hit the road. I made the last of my eggs and bacon on the last of the rolls I bought and when all was said and done I was tires to asphalt by 6:15am. Due to the lack of potable water on site, I was forced to backtrack to the park office to fill my water bladder for the first leg of the journey. Leaving the park office heading South, I sailed over the long succession of rolling hills and at this point in the journey averaged 18.5mph over 4.5 miles. Not bad for a 250+lb guy with a 20lb pack, and a nearly 30lb bike. Reaching the Boyd Corners reservoir I stopped to take some panoramic pictures before continuing to the heart of Carmel. Though it was fun to ride these hills, parts of this road are a little harrowing for me. I'm not used to riding on what is essentially a highway with little to no shoulder. I was looking forward to reaching the safety of the North County Trail as soon as I could pick it up. Passing lake Gleneida entering the heart of Carmel, the golden sunrise warmed the air and brightened the town as it unfolded below me.

Fast Cruising on large rolling hills South on 301, top speed 31 mph.



Boyd Corners Reservoir.



Bridge over West Branch Reservoir in Carmel.



Passing Lake Gleneida on 301.

Spying an entrance to the trail well North of the one in Mahopac where I had left it behind on my way up, I picked up the trail again now heading South and was now relieved to be out of harms way for the time being. For now it was a simple matter of following the trail to Mahopac where I could refill my water and buy a sports drink. I had forgone food at the deli which was not smart, and thought I might be ok with just stopping on a bench to eat an energy bar and some apricots but it still wasn't enough as I was feeling hungry again soon after that. It was at this time that I noticed a vending machine on the side of the building where I purchased a cola which I believe gave me some extra pep to push on through the last sections of the South County Trail and finally back into the Bronx.



Bridge over New Croton Reservoir.



South County Trail through Tarrytown heading South.



Finally returning to the beginning of the South County Trail in Van Cortlandt Park.

Back in the big city I knew it would not be long before I saw a street vendor and I was not disappointed. After eating a delicious "dirty water dog" I asked the vendor for a chip of ice which I slid under my helmet and then promptly evaporated on my skull. Heading back along a similar route as the one I used to ride North I started seeing shaved ice carts and promised myself this treat at the next one I came upon. Next thing I know I'm eating a glistening fruit punch shaved ice made with delicious sugary syrup, a New York Summer classic. Climbing the bridge at 135th Street to Randalls Island I finished my ice and marveled at how close I was to my goal. Once on Randalls Island I feel I am on my home turf again and make my way to the steep ramp up to the top of the Triboro Bridge. I would like to tell you that I pedaled up this part of my ride, but I can honestly say that I did not. I walked my bike to the crest of the bridge and coasted into my neighborhood for my triumphant return home.

*Edit: For clarification on the network of trails used for this trip I was offered a compact and far more accurate description by a helpful forum member, Steve B. - ...."the "official" South County Trail starts at the Westchester County/NYC border, where the Old Put RR line becomes a paved path. Then it's the SCT to Elmsford, then the North County Trail runs from Warehouse Lane in Elmsford, north to the Putnam County line at Tomahawk St. in Baldwin Place. Then it's the Putnam County Trailway to Brewster." - Thanks, Steve!

Ride to Montauk 2012 (109.36 miles)

My first century ride, complete!

11 hours start to finish, 9 hours of pedaling. Temperatures in the mid 70's and a very shady route helped to compensate a little for the headwinds that were blowing for most of the ride, and were especially stiff on all of Dune Road (15+ mph). With an average speed of 12 mph, a starting weight of 260lbs (I was almost 6 pounds lighter when I got home), and having had no sleep before the ride, I am quite pleased with my performance.

Leaving my apartment at 2:30am to be extra careful that I will be on time, I walked Ditmars Avenue the half mile to the subway station. On my way I encountered more than a few late night revelers wobbling home who gave me a sideways glance when they saw me walking in all my gear. Arriving at the subway I was happy to find a train waiting on the platform, but after waiting about 10 minutes on the train the conductor told me we would be delayed until 3 which further validated my desire to have left extra early. The N train I was on moved much slower than usual, stopping to clear the track of construction workers, and stopping for train traffic ahead. Therefore, a trip into midtown that usually takes me 40 minutes took over an hour, and I arrived at the meeting area on 31st and 8th outside the Amtrak entrance.

Having loaded my bike onto a Babylon bound truck the day before, and receiving my wristband in the mail, there was nothing for me to do at this point except to wait for our train to be called. I made my way down into Penn Station and found a Doughnut shop where I could get a coffee. While waiting on line for my coffee I fell into conversation with a friendly fellow rider named Mo. He was also a New York native and we talked of cycling, music (he is a professional musician), and various related topics. We walked back out to the street where we would then wait together until the train was called. Mo suggested riding together for a little while, and I made sure he understood that as a much heavier rider, I may not be able to pace him. He said not to worry and that he would likely stick with me for awhile, and would then take off when he felt ready.

Soon we were lining up to walk down to the train tracks. We were guided down to the Amtrak tracks by a single volunteer where our train arrived after just a couple of minutes. Mo and I took our seats talking a little while I set-up my gear and eventually Mo drifted off for a little while. After an hours ride to Babylon we all shuffled off the train to seek our bikes, and some food. I ate 2 small bagels with cream cheese, and a banana; earlier I had made sure I ate about 10 dried apricots in an effort to load up on Potassium as that should help me to avoid cramps. Once we were all set Mo and I took off following a small pack of riders including a recumbent bike.

One of my goals was to try to pace myself as best as I could in the hopes that it would help me to finish the 109+ mile route. The best way I found to accomplish this was to try to find someone traveling at a speed at which I could comfortably follow and then attempt to (respectfully) draft behind them. While riding with Mo I had drafted a ride Marshall who had full panniers and a license plate that said, "Moser Retired Coastguard". He was keeping a very respectable speed considering the load he must of been hauling.



Starting the route, Mo and I follow a recumbent cyclist.



Following Mo over a bridge on Montauk Highway before passing Dowling College.



2 Small Bridges.



Drafting behind ride Marshall, Moser retired Coast Guard, into West Sayville.



Drafting Mo through East Patchogue.

Mo and I kept a good cruising speed for most of the 20+ miles to the first rest area at the Blue Point Brewery. During that first stretch I had my best average speed which was about 16 mph for 7.1 miles. Finally arriving at the first rest area we stopped only briefly, grabbing a quick bite and using the facilities. This time Mo decided he wanted to ride a bit harder than I felt I could so he slowly pedaled off into the distance. I could see him for quite awhile but never caught up again on the road. For the first time that day I found myself riding solo.



Bridges in Moriches.



First small bridge in East Port.



Second small bridge in East Port.



Small bridge in Speonk.





Unable to find anyone good to draft I found myself internally gearing down. By this time I was beginning to feel the effects of sleep deprivation, but thankfully the effects seemed mild compared to what I imagined it might have been like to exert oneself while essentially exhausted. In fact, I believe sleep deprivation to have contributed to my being able to pace myself well for the length of the ride

Somewhere at about 3 miles from the 2nd rest area I began to feel quite hungry and there was a tense sensation in the tendon where my thigh muscle meets the bone alongside my knee. I took this as an indication that cramps were beginning to set in and made an even more concerted effort to pace myself in the hopes that I could reach the rest area before they got any worse. After another mile or so I came upon the only unofficial rest area I had seen all day. A mother and son were handing out free lemonade and gummy candy. I thought that anything containing substance might help me at this point and stopped to drink 2 cups of lemonade and grab a pack of gummies. I do believe this small infusion of calories helped me to make it to the next rest area without too much more difficulty.

Arriving at Westhampton Church I set out to eat some of everything on offer. I hoped that one of these foods would contain "the cure" for the light cramping I was experiencing. Recently a friend of mine informed me that quinine capsule would help but the first aid tent had none. So I opted to try the better known solutions of potassium rich foods and electrolytes and salts. I ate a PBJ sandwich on nice fresh baked whole grain bread, 4 cups of watermelon, 2 cups of pineapple, half a cup of blueberries, a small Lara bar, and a few cups of water before filling my water bladder back up and setting out on the route again.

The impending cramp sensation began to subside, and I felt I was likely out of danger for the time being. A couple of miles down the road I approached the familiar Dune Road. I have family that lives nearby so I have been down to Tiana Beach a few times with them. The scenery is beautiful and the homes are opulent. Unfortunately I was unable to fully appreciate the scenery as intense headwinds relentlessly blew along the entire 8 mile stretch, making for slow going and reminding me of similar conditions on the Gowanus Expressway during the Five Boro Bike Tour in May. I had tried drafting a couple of slower riders to try to relieve some of the strain, but I found myself having to stop a couple of times to rest before eventually making it to the Ponquogue Bridge.



Third small Bridge in Quogue, and Beach Lane to Dune Road.



Neptunes and Tiana Beach



The view from Ponquogue Bridge.

As I climbed this bridge I saw a dead seagull lying in the shoulder and later heard a rumor that this seagull had flown into a woman cyclist killing itself on impact! Gliding down the other side of the bridge I was relieved to have that section behind me and rode into the idyllic Southampton neighborhoods that lead to Milcox Bay and the final rest at Water Mill. This was when I began to doubt my ability to complete the 100 mile route, and in talking to 2 other riders who were calling it quits I had decided I would stop the ride at Water Mill. The views along this stretch were very pretty, conjuring up images of old New York as it was when the East End was first settled. Old cemetery's, churches, ponds, and quaint bridges looking out onto harbors helped me to forget some of my pains.



Drafting behind yellow cyclist continued.



Agawan Lake, I consider calling it quits at the next rest area.



Agawan Lake 2.



Wickapogue Road.



Amagansett Rest Area

Having reached Water Mill I drank 2 glasses of blue gatorade, and filled my water bladder again. Here was where I found my piece of the famous pie that I anticipated for so long. Approaching the table I spied an enormous quarter pie sized slice of blueberry sitting by itself looking woefully neglected. I heaved the glorious pile of sweet goo and buttery crispiness up off the table and plopped down to fill my pie hole. After maybe 15 minutes I stopped to take stock on the condition my condition was in, and quickly came to the conclusion that I should make every effort to complete the 109 mile route I had started off on.

Back on the road again now resolved to finish, I once again allowed my internal dialogue to slow my roll. Chugging along at a slow, plodding, deliberate pace; every successive pedal stroke seemed to take a little more mental effort. After a few miles or so I came upon a couple, Mitchell and Jessica who were keeping a similar pace as myself and tucked in behind Mitchell to draft for awhile. At this time I called out to Mitchell to ask if he minded my drafting him, which he did not.

Jessica was riding a steal frame mountain bike with knobby tires and seemed greatly restricted by the limitations of the bike. She did seem resolved to finish though, and Mitchell seemed to be doing his best to constructively encourage her. We tried to make light conversation even as we approached main street Montauk and the worst hills of the ride which to everyone's dismay was at the end of the route. It was at this point that I split off from them trying to make the best of the momentum from these hills. Once I made it to the bottom of the very last big hill, I decided it was not safe for me to try to pedal up it, and seeing that the majority of riders were walking this hill I dismounted and marched up behind the rest. During the last 10 or so miles I was beginning to experience something I could only describe as a tightness or pressure above my kidneys. I did not have to pee, I only felt this sensation when I took a deep breath, and there were no other symptoms which seemed to be effecting my performance or mental state that I associated with this feeling, so I decided it wasn't an emergency and gutted it out.



Bridge on Little Cob Road in Water Mill.



South End Cemetery



Drafting behind Mitchell and Jessica through East Hampton.



The sign to indicate 10 miles to the Montauk Lighthouse.



Descending to Main Street Montauk.



The last few miles of the route.

Once at the top of this terribly steep hill you get the thrill of hurtling down it to gain speed for the last 2 small hills which can be crested mostly with the speed from the hill prior (or "rollers" as their known). I had thought I was filming this particular descent, but failed to start the camera at the time (Thankfully that was my only real filming mishap). As we approached the lighthouse we came upon some tightly packed car traffic which was trying to enter the rest area as well. I actually clipped the corner of a charter bus with my handlegrip as I weaved through when I made a slight miscalculation but I was able to keep control of my bike.

FINALLY arriving at the Montauk Lighthouse I immediately handed my bike over to the staff to be loaded onto a truck for the return trip to Manhattan. My bike safely in the hands of staff I made my way to where the luggage was being displayed so I could try to retrieve my after ride change of clothes and have my most anticipated shower. I was given instructions on how to locate my bag and had no luck in finding it. After triple checking all of the baggage areas I enlisted one of the staff to assist me. Neither of us had any luck and asked a 2nd staff member to help look for my bag. Still no luck in locating my bag. Now I have spent most of a half an hour trying to find my bag and desperately require food, I told the guys to keep looking and that I would be back.

I went to the buffet area and had a hotdog, a hamburger, some potato salad, and a soda, and quickly ate them at a table where I had brief but nice conversation with a few women who expounded upon the benefits of beer after a ride when I told them I opted for soda. At about the same time that I was finishing up my meal an announcement was made that the last buses to Montauk train station would be leaving in 15 minutes, so I quickly ran back to where the luggage was and asked if they had found my bag, which they had not. Now they directed me to the merchandise table to leave my contact information so they can reach me if they find my bag (which they have not). I have also sent an email to one of the organizers outlining the contents of the bag (which included my brand new Ride to Montauk T-shirt), but I know I may not hear from them for a few days as they are dealing with many people and many different issues. Along the way I saw many flat tires, a few accidents, and more than few people sitting on the sides of the road grimacing as they tried to nurse their leg cramps.

Besides the fact that my bag was lost the only thing that bothered me was the lack of sufficient water at the Water Mill rest area. They only had a single slow flowing hose which created a very long line full of very thirsty riders wondering why the water situation was so scant. Apparently some others ran into problems at rest areas where they didn't have enough food, but I did not witness this myself. Apparently a truck carrying some of the bikes broke down which caused a lot of people stress as well. I can imagine that logistical problems are the order of the day when it comes to events like this. Though I do feel the staff might have been better prepared for some of these contingencies.

For me this was a very special ride, one which I'm sure I will never forget. I learned a lot about myself and what I am capable of now, and it has further inspired me to lose weight as "wanting" to carry so much excess weight for such long distances is ludicrous and is likely extra stressful on my body. That being said I look forward to being substantially lighter for century route on The Farm Ride, July 28th.

Astoria to Bensonhurst (31.57 miles)

The chest mounted camera was a great perspective and worth trying, but I wanted to go back to my helmet mount for today and use the Omnidirectional microphone that I started with. Earlier this week I had made a lunch date with my girlfriend and had made a plan to ride to Bensonhurst. On past trips down Kent Avenue I had noticed some interesting looking graffiti and thought that I might try to film some of it at some point during today's ride.

Today was also the first time I would try my new hiking backpack, and my new 2 liter water bladder (featured in my first touring gear post). The backpack has chest and waist straps which I've never had on a backpack before. These straps took some getting used to, especially around my portly frame, but after awhile I had them adjusted so I felt comfortable and the pack felt stable. The water bladder works well, and the water even seemed to stay cool in the backpack compartment. I found the outer cap to be a little awkward, but the valve on the end worked well, and I'm sure with some practice I'll get better at fully recapping the end while riding.

I set out after 11 and immediately cut through Astoria Park to pick up the Waterfront Route and Vernon Blvd, my preferred route to the Pulaski Bridge and Brooklyn. The weather was favorable for NYC in June, mid 70's with some moderate winds around 15mph+, sunny skies and dry lanes made for a pleasant trip. I made my way through Astoria and Long Island City taking in some of my favorite local scenic spots, including a bustling Socrates Sculpture Park and soon came upon Pulaski Bridge. AFter cresting the bridge, I made my way South to Kent Avenue to find the graffiti building I had spied on other trips to Brooklyn. What I found was an interesting mix of graffiti styles wrapping around the entire structure, seemingly contributed by a group of artists. There are famous graffiti buildings in Five Points which I plan to film one day, the work on those buildings is huge in scale and variety.



Astoria Park to the Waterfront Route and Socrates Sculpture Park.



Queensbridge Park.



Cresting the Pulaski Bridge.



Freeman Street to Franklin Ave, which becomes Kent Ave.



Graffiti Building on Kent Ave.



Kent Ave to the Manhattan Bridge and Flushing Blvd.

Still heading South I followed my usual route to Prospect Park. The bike lanes along the outside of Prospect Park are continually under construction and at some point you usually have to ride in the car lane until you can get back over. Today while riding around the construction a woman decides to honk and yell at me through her closed window that I should be in the bike lane. It was apparent that she had little regard for cyclists or the rules of the road which state that any lane is mine if needed. Descending along the park to the traffic signal I find her caught at the light and decide to use this as a "teaching moment". I do believe that ignorant drivers are often best left ignored but sometimes my frustrations get the better of me. Of course the irony of all of this is that she was driving a hybrid, but I guess that could just mean a person is cheap and not necessarily "green" or bike friendly.



Prospect Park bike lanes under construction, an irate motorist honks and yells at me. I find her at the light and explain the rules of the road.

At the top of Prospect Park is 20th Street and Mc Donald Ave which run along Green-wood Cemetary for a steep descent to Fort Hamilton Parkway. On this downhill stretch it is easy to reach the posted speed limit of 30MPH, and I do. Now on Dahill Road It's a long straight burn to 17th Ave, and then a long straight burn to my girlfriends door.



Prospect Park West to Mc Donald Avenue, rapid descent, doing the speed limit (30 MPH).



Children crossing, Dahill Road to 46th Street.

I took a shower and then we walked down 86th Street in Bensonhurst to get lunch. After a few hours hanging out in Brooklyn I decided to head back to Queens to get ahead of rush hour, and the glare of Sunset.



Vanderbilt Avenue.



Kent Avenue to the Manhattan Bridge.

Along Kent Avenue there seems to be quite a few interesting spots to explore, one of which is East River State Park. Mostly gravel and grass, this little park offers beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline along the East River. As I was leaving the park I was told that bikes were not permitted though there was no clear sign saying so on the gate.



East River State Park

Exiting back onto Kent Ave I then resumed my regular route and approached the Pulaski Bridge for the 2nd time that day. Near the top of the bridge there is an opening in the fence and a small outcropping which seemed perfect for a panoramic photo opportunity.



View from Pulaski Bridge





Cresting Pulaski Bridge to Long Island City.

Rolling home through Long Island City on the last third of my trip, the temperature continued to drop cooling me nicely. I found myself thinking more and more about The Ride to Montauk Saturday, and tried to gauge my strength. All things considered, I feel strong, tomorrow I will clean and lube my drive train before riding to the bike shop in SoHo where my bike will get packed up to meet me in Babylon early the next morning.

Astoria over the East River via Triboro, Wards Island, and Queensboro Bridge. (11.05 miles)

Today's ride was intended to help work the kinks out of some new gear. I had sent my camera back to the manufacturer because of a background noise my camera was producing when recording with my external microphone. In the meantime I had purchased a completely different type of microphone and was also given a chest mount for my camera as warranty fulfillment to longer than expected. Having received my replacement camera and chest mount today, I decided on a short ride to test them out, along with a different kind of microphone (Unidirectional, externally powered).

Unfortunately I must warn the viewer that there is a new sound "artifact" on most of the video for this ride. I need to experiment more with this new type of microphone and mount and see if I can figure out what makes the new sound. Otherwise, I'm fairly certain that I should have no trouble using my other Omnidirectional self powered microphone, which does seem to have superior sound quality but has the added battery pack and wires which make it more inconvenient.

One of my favorite local training routes involves using a combination of the Triboro Bridge, Wards or Randalls Island, and the Queensboro Bridge. When I began exploring Wards and Randalls Island last year I realized that once the East River esplanade was completed to the Queensboro Bridge, one could effectively do laps over the East River by joining the Triboro, Wards Island, and Queensboro Bridges. I would estimate that at least 75% of this route is MUP, and bike lane making it safe training grounds with plenty of climb, less than a half mile from my apartment. Up until this month either the esplanade or the Wards Island Bridge were under construction and made this circuit less appealing as you had to use the 125th Street Bridge and ride on Manhattan streets.



Cresting the Triboro Bridge.



Descending the Triboro Bridge to Wards Island.

Today, for the first time since late October of last year, I was able to cross the Wards Island Bridge to connect to the East River esplanade at 103rd Street! I had been on the mailing list for the project but never received word that it had completed construction. This also makes using this route to access midtown much more appealing. Though it adds a couple of (very scenic) miles to the route, it is far safer than riding through Long Island City over the Queensboro Bridge.



Discovering that the Wards Island Bridge has been reopened, crossing to the East River esplanade.



The East River at 79th Street





Riding along the East River from 79th Street to 59th Street.



From the 59th Street sculpture park to the foot of the Queensboro Bridge.



Descending the Queensboro Bridge to Long Island City.

Tomorrow will be my last day to test gear before my first century ride (actually 108 miles this year), The Ride to Montauk Saturday. I will likely ride to Brooklyn to visit with my girlfriend, and ride home that same afternoon. Friday I plan to drop my bike off for early check-in so I can just start riding almost as soon as I arrive at Babylon Saturday morning.

Astoria to Roosevelt Island and Wards Island (21.59 miles)

Roosevelt Island is mostly unfamiliar to many New Yorkers, including myself. Having only recently realized that a bridge (Welfare Island Bridge) connected Long Island City to Roosevelt Island, off of Vernon Blvd, I followed the Waterfront Route along Vernon passing through Socrates Sculpture Park, and crossed the small bridge to Roosevelt Island. This bridge is narrow, and offers a small mostly unprotected shoulder for cyclists to cross in. The blacktop surface of the bridge gives way to a metal grate which I did not feel comfortable riding on with my thinner tires. Once over the bridge you descend a twisting ramp not unlike a parking garage ramp, and spill out onto Main Street where I quickly picked up East Rd and headed toward the lighthouse. Though it was warm, humid, and hazy, only a few cool drops fell once in a while, and I was never concerned that I would get soaked trusting in the forecast which called for rain in the late evening.



Vernon Blvd and Socrates Sculpture Park.



Crossing Welfare Island Bridge to Roosevelt Island.

More than a few times, I had viewed this miniature lighthouse from a distance and I was glad to have a chance to get close to it. Once I was on the West side of the Island I was able to chase a Seastreak boat along the East River all the way until it approached the U.N.. Having gone as far South as my path permitted, I found myself inside a small park under construction, slated for completion in 2013. Inside this park a crumbling building sat overgrown with strategically placed spot lights at it's feet, to provide what would be a chilling sight, lit up at night. Riding along a small stone wall, I found a nice fairly clean and modern public restroom and water fountain; and the bathroom was even big enough for me to bring my bike in with me, and lock the door. Once I exited this park the way I had come in, I cut across to the East side of the island again and completed my first lap around. On google maps it shows a complete circuit of bike lane around Roosevelt Island, this is not truly accurate. There is poorly maintained MUP, quite dangerous and somewhat narrow in some sections. There are sections on the East and West side where there is no MUP at all and you must ride in the road. Yet another example of maps showing what is planned for an area rather than what is actually there. The island has nearly 80% of it's perimeter traced with MUP which looks as if it has not been maintained in decades. Cracked walkways leave jagged sections too dangerous to ride over, the edges of steel plates jut out between where cement and grass meet, and the path makes equally treacherous and awkward "U" shapes around the man made shoring structures that line the island. All of this made for fairly slow and somewhat hazardous riding, and after a few laps around the island I decided to leave and make my way over the Triboro Bridge to try to get some decent climbing in and a few miles around Wards Island.



Traveling the West side of Roosevelt Island, chasing the Seastreak to the 59th Street Bridge.



A crumbling building inside a park under construction, slated to open in 2013.



Riding a small stone wall to find a bathroom



Leaving the Park a Seastreak boat passes, I then cross over to the East side of the Island and arrive back at the Welfare Island Bridge completing my first full circuit of Roosevelt Island.



Nearly half of a full lap around Roosevelt Island, including the Lighthouse to the 59th Street Bridge.



The 59th Street Bridge to the Welfare Island bridge.



Stopping at the lighthouse I view the water and Manhattan as well as the plaque honoring Vicki Holland at the foot of the lighthouse.



Bow shaped structure on the West side of Roosevelt Island.



Walking across Welfare Island Bridge to Long Island City.

Following Vernon Blvd back through Long Island City, I made my way to 27th Street and Hoyt Avenue to enter the Triboro Bridge path and cross over to Wards Island. Enjoying the rapid descent down the bridge, I continued to film as I glide through a wooded area and crest the rise near the 103rd Street bridge. Riding into the wind I find myself pacing a DEP boat as it approaches the Triboro Bridge. Quickly climbing the last small but steep hill, I stop in the shadow of the Hellgate Bridge to finish filming the boat until it passes.



Descending the Triboro Bridge, following a DEP boat to Hellgate Bridge.

Astoria to Pulaski Bridge (11.17 miles)

This afternoon I had the pleasure of taking a short scenic ride along the waterfront route on Vernon Blvd with my special lady. I wanted to show her part of the ride I take to get to her apartment, while also showing her some of the unique parks, and paths, along this route. Though it had rained in the morning, the roads were fairly dry, and there weren't many puddles. Slowly tooling down Vernon, the Boulevard was busy, but bike lanes on both sides make this a decent road to ride on day, or night. As we made our way through Long Island City we came upon the first of a few scenic locations, the waterfront leading to Goodwill Park. This is a short bend around some housing projects starting at 21st Avenue and 1st street, that offers some beautiful views of uptown Manhattan, the tip of Roosevelt Island, and the Queensboro Bridge.

Once you exit at Goodwill Park, you are now riding on Vernon Blvd, and soon arrived at the Socrates Sculpture Park. A small but beautiful space, this park had some quirky statues, and some projects that looked as if they were being installed for an upcoming exhibit. Signs in and around this park touted the many events they host, including being the starting point for the LIC Bike Parade June 9th. A small community event that hosts free bike repair, and free helmets, as well as a short ride to Queensbridge Park for a waterfront celebration. Riding along Vernon Blvd again, we come upon Rainey Park, which was unfortunately closed for renovation. Which left the last park along Vernon Blvd before you approach Pulaski Bridge, Queensbridge Park. This park had recently under gone a renovation of it's own, and featured slick new bike lanes and pedestrian paths. The view of the bridge from this park is quite awe inspiring, and it seems that they still plan to do more work to help bring the park back up to it's potential. After exiting Queensbridge Park, we rode down Vernon Blvd until we came upon Pulaski Bridge. I thought it would be fun for my girlfriend to at least set foot in Brooklyn for a moment so we proceeded to cross. Views of the skyline from the bridge were interesting, as thick gray clouds hung just over the tips of the tallest buildings. Now standing in Brooklyn I decided it was time to turn around. and after crossing the Pulaski Bridge back to Queens again, we stopped at a small park in the median of Vernon Blvd, and shared a protein bar. Heading home, we made a small detour cutting directly through Astoria Park, which then left us near my doorstep.



Waterfront Route leading to Goodwill Park. NYC skyline, and Roosevelt Island are seen.



Socrates Sculpture Park.



Queensbridge Park.



Pulaski Bridge to Brooklyn.



Pulaski Bridge to Queens.



Vernon Blvd, approaching the Queensboro Bridge.



Graffiti on Vernon Blvd.



Astoria Park.

Astoria to Cliffside Park (32 miles)

Having returned from the beautiful city of New Orleans yesterday, I felt great urgency to start racking up miles to try to reach or surpass my personal monthly quota of 200 miles. Riding 400 miles in the month of March had taken a toll, and the 2 weeks of light to no riding was necessary to heal so I may train hard in the next 2+ weeks leading up to the 5 boro bike tour.

Ever since I rode to Tallman Mountain, I've wanted to ride in the opposite direction South, on River Road into New Jersey. When I awoke this morning I saw sunny skies, and mild temperatures, which was all the more reason to take the fairly long trip. I set out at approximately 12:30, and immediately noticed that cloud cover was setting in, there was no rain in the forecast so I was not overly worried, only mildly disappointed that I would likely not be shooting video of a sunny day.

I had no need to plan an exact route as I knew that it consisted of roads I was familiar with, River Road (South) itself would be the only stretch that was new to me.

Entering Harlem via the Triboro, and 125th Street Bridges, traffic seemed light, and fairly subdued on this Wednesday afternoon. I cut across town to St. Nicholas Avenue, turning on 141st Street to utilize the entrance to the Hudson River Greenway at 139th Street. Following the stretch of Greenway through River Bank Park, and Fort Washington Park is always a feast for the eyes. There is probably an "easier" way to get to the George Washington Bridge, but I believe the scenic views make the detour well worth an extra mile and a couple steep climbs.


Arriving on the Hudson River Greenway.


Riding through River Bank Park, and Fort Washington Park.

Now in New Jersey I came upon Henry Hudson Drive, and decided I could not resist riding North under the bridge before turning back South. After passing under the bridge, I came upon a small park down by the shore which had intrigued me the first time I passed through, and rolled down to explore it. I found I was able to follow the shoreline quite closely along some brick paths, turning into blacktop, which gave way to a small grassy dirt trail littered with chunks of rock. Soon I found myself trucking along this trail quite satisfied with my discovery so far. After only a few minutes, the dirt trail led to a set of granite benches with river related poetry etched into them. Being no outlet from this point, I found myself carrying my bike up stone steps slowly behind an apprehensive Robin who then flies away.


Riding Henry Hudson Drive under the George Washington Bridge.


A park on the shore, leads to blacktop heading South.


Blacktop along the riverside gives way to a dirt trail.


A dirt trail heading South along the Hudson River leads to a set of granite benches.


River poetry on granite benches on the banks of the Hudson in New Jersey.


Slowly following a Robin up the stone steps.


The benches and steps below me, traversing the skinny stone path back to civilization.

I found my way back to River Road, and pointed myself South. I found that the though the road was marked as a "shared road" on the map, there wasn't even the arrows and bike symbol, let alone enough shoulder in some places to make the route truly safe. The only sigage featured was to tell cyclist to ride single file, with nothing other than those same signs to keep motorists aware. I only rode as far South as Cliffside Park before I decided to turn back North. Riding back to the George Washington Bridge steep climbs make for slow going. Onc back on the bridge towards Manhattan it was smooth sailing as I back tracked my route to Astoria via the 125th Street, and Triboro Bridges. After such a long hiatus from cycling it felt great to lay down some solid mileage, and get my blood pumping again. Tomorrow should be equally as nice for riding, and I plan to make the best of it.


Crossing the George Washington Bridge back into Manhattan.


Rapid descent down the 125th Street bridge, stopping just short of an uncomfortable encounter with the cement wall.


A small stretch of the new paths under the Hellgate Bridge.

Astoria to Penn Station and Rockefeller Center (15.16 miles)

After a setting a new personal high mileage in a single month in March, minor sports related injuries, and personal obligations, have made the start of April unusually low in mileage.

This will likely be my only post for this week, as I will be in New Orleans until next Tuesday.

If possible I might be able to borrow a bike for a ride while I am down south, but I may not have the opportunity.

As I like to be an appreciative guest, I decided to collect a few gifts for my gracious hosts in New Orleans. I rode through Long Island city on Crescent Avenue, to reach the Triboro Bridge, and Midtown.





I walk my bike through Rockefeller Center commenting on the sights.



Still needing to print out my Amtrak tickets for my trip down south, I rode to Penn Station to find their Kiosks where I can print out my tickets. Once inside Penn I find a Latin Guitar duo who I record for a few moments, and then walk through the station.



Back outside on the street again, I walk past some skateboarders using some nearby steps to attempt tricks.









Soon, I'm heading back uptown along Madison Avenue towards Rockefeller Center again, this time I plan to lock-up my bike and purchase some gifts from the fine shops there. First I went to Teuscher for their exquisite Truffles. Then I went to Nintendo World to find my friend a unique gift.





Leaving Rockefeller Center, I crosstown on 51st Street to 1st Avenue, and negotiate the final tricky stretch before the 59th Street bridge. Once over the bridge I made a short detour to Tony's Bike Shop for a little tune up and friendly conversation, before heading home.

Astoria to Central Park via Harlem (20 miles)

I had hoped to try to ride out to Hicksville again this week, but my schedule, and my friends schedule didn't match up. Having to change my plans at the last minute, I decided that some laps in Central Park would be a good idea. I rode over the Triboro and 125th Street bridges and used 126th Street to cut across to St Nicholas Avenue. Out of habit I made a right, and traveled a few blocks out of my way before realizing my error, and turning around. Now headed in the correct direction to link up with Central Park, I see a soupped-up car, with an awesome paint job sitting at a red light. I start my camera, and pan along side the waiting vehicle, to find the passenger wearing a creepy mask, which definitely caught me off guard.



Deciding to go to Central Park is always a good idea, and today, with such pleasant weather (Sunny in the 50's), and spring blooming brightly, the park was bustling, and beautiful. Central Park features a few good descents, some of which you can use to carry you through the next climb. When I'm riding in the loop, I sometimes use stronger cyclists to try to motivate myself to ride harder. A cyclist in red passes me, and I attempt to pace him for a stretch.



Trying to follow the cyclist in red, an exercise in futility, but good exercise none the less.



Rapid descent past the lake in Central Park.

I had planned on buying Cashews from a cart in the park, but I had not seen any carts selling them in almost an entire lap. After seeing more and more ice cream carts, I had assumed that the season for the warm roasted treats had ended, and I might not find the food I desred at all. Just when I had all but given up hope, I locate the Cashews I was craving, and munched them down. Observing the tourists, and the commuters on detour, I finished my snack, and set out for another lap around the park.



Beautiful spring scenery in Central Park. My wolf whistle alerts a group of anxious teenagers.



Descent, strong climb, and rapid descent behind SUV, in Central Park.



Rapid descent, catching up to the commuter on a Bianchi.



Lush green fields in Central Park, 2nd rapid descent past the lake.



More gorgeous skyline as I approach Columbus Circle to head home.

Whenever I pass through Columbus Circle I always dismount and walk my bike through the connecting path, and sidewalks. As I walked along the path I see people looking up to a tree with their cameras ,and phones. As I walked around them, and looked up, you could see a hawk eating a smaller bird. It was dimly lit on it's perch, but you can see him well when he briefly spreads his wings for a moment. After that bit of excitement, I found my way to 54th street, and cut crosstown to pick up 1st avenue, and the 59th Street Bridge. My timing as I crest the 59th Street Bridge was such that when I slid my camera between the bars for a shot of the river, I happened to get a very nice shot of the Roosevelt Island Air Tram as it passes, before descending the other side of the bridge. Once back in Astoria, I rode through the park, enjoyed a milkshake from the resident Mr. Softee, and briefly soaked in the clear scenic expanse, watching the waters under the Hellgate swirl.



People stop to film, and take pictures of a hawk eating a small bird on a branch above our heads, near Columbus Circle.



The golden statue in Columbus Circle.



An interesting paint job on the side of a van crossing the 59th Street Bridge depicts a stick figure holding a movie camera.



Lucky timing as the Roosevelt Island Air Tram passes me at the top of the 59th Street Bridge, then following the yellow rider down the bridge.



Standing between the Triboro, and Hellgate Bridges, stunning skyline, and my commentary regarding the tumultuous waters running below Hellgate.



Fooling around for effect, riding under the Hellgate, rolling out from the grassy hill towards home.

Astoria to Fort Washington Park (16.28 miles)

My original plan for today was to cross the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey, and head South along Route 9.

Once I arrived in Harlem I found myself working my way up to 157th Street, before cutting the rest of the way across town, and luckily running into the entrance to Fort Washington Park. Halfway to the foot of the George Washington bridge 2 road bike cyclists passed me a bit too close for my liking, and I proceed to follow them as far as the foot of the George Washington Bridge. Though the temperature was in the mid 50's, 25-30 mph winds made it feel much cooler, which likely kept some people away from the waterfront.

Heading back was mostly downhill with a tailwind, making for an easy and quick ride home. I'm glad I came upon this stretch of Greenway, and Fort Washington Park, as I believe it is a good way to get to the George Washington Bridge. I may take this route tomorrow if I decide to go the rest of the way to New Jersey, and South on route 9.

Astoria to Hicksville (43.65 miles)

Most of my riding has been in an Westerly direction, so I decided to try to ride to a friends house in Nassau County Long Island, in the Town of Hicksville.

Maps show a distance of approx 26 miles using the Brooklyn Queens Greenway to get to the midway point near the border between Queens, and Nassau County. From that point the directions I found had me weaving through side streets that ran parallel to Jericho Turnpike. This proved to be challenging as my familiarity with the neighborhoods involved was very limited, so stopping to check directions every few blocks became tedious at times. After making a couple of wrong turns, and losing my route I decided that I would stop where I found myself (about 3 miles from my destination and ask my friend to pick me up.

After a sandwich and a few hours of good conversation it was decided that I would be dropped off near the entrance to Alley Pond Park and the Brooklyn Queens Greenway and ride home from there (approx 13miles) as I was very familiar with the route form that point. Gliding through the dark and quiet Greenway Trails nearing midnight was thrilling and beautiful. Flushing and Roosevelt Avenue were quite subdued, and I rolled through without incident.

Arriving home at 12:30 a.m. I took a shower and laid down for the night.

I'm hoping to take what I learned from this experience and make another attempt to ride the entire way to my friends house. I believe I might be better off mapping out my directions, and try to come up with a more direct route that involves less weaving between back roads.

Astoria to the Worlds Fair Marina (13.92 miles)

Sometimes life can get between myself and my bicycle, and last week I had many things to attend to that kept me from riding.

Also, this was a much needed break from riding as my legs and body were nearing their limits.

Today it was more chilly than it had been recently with temperatures in the high 40's and wind's between 25-35 mph.

These are not ideal riding conditions so I decided to ride to a nearby stretch of MUP near LaGuardia Airport, running between the Worlds Fair Marina, and Flushing Bay. This short path offers some beautiful views of the bay, and the planes as they glide in over the bay towards the runways at the Airport. As you might imagine, winds near the waterfront were especially intense making for slow going when I turned back around, and into the wind, to return to Astoria.

Tomorrows forecast is much more favorable, and I hope for a good long ride in the morning.

Astoria, Manhattan, and Long Island City Twice (26.9 miles)

I had discovered that work on the East River Esplanade had been completed up to 59th street a few weeks ago, and realized that this now created a long stretch of MUP connecting the 125th Street Bridge with the 59th Street Bridge leaving only Long Island City to contend with to make a full circuit back to the entry to the Triboro bridge to start the route over.

Today I used this route to make 2 laps totaling 26.9 miles. This included 1,178 feet of climb according to GPS (6 bridge crossings).

The weather was fine, a little moderate headwind on the East River Esplanade, and tons of foot traffic (as expected by day of week + weather). I believe this route would be better for laps on a weekday, and it's still a safe way to get to midtown from Astoria any day.

This is my first daytime shoot with the HD Hero 2, and I can see a marked improvement in the image quality already.

Taking a cue from a picture of a GoPro helmet I found, I placed another mount on the right side of my helmet, horizontally. As shown in the picture, I created a 45 degree angle arm with the joints supplied with the original Moto Edition, and my new Outdoor Edition accessories. This way the camera can be turned upside down so it rests near the eye level of the helmet wearer. The good people at Gopro included a setting built into the camera that allows it to shoot upside down, as well as making the LCD display upside down. Here is a picture of the latest mount, you can also see where the first mount is placed. I'm not sure which I like better, but I am sure that I like having the camera centered on my helmet rather than always pushing down on the right side. I could probably add some padding inside my helmet that might make it more comfortable to wear.



As far as the new viewing angle is concerned, I'm not sure it adds much to the footage, and likely detracts from it due to the fact that my face obscures the left side of the frame. Either way, it was worth trying. I will likely be purchasing, and testing, the GoPro chest mount at some point, as I like that camera perspective as well.

Some highlights of the ride were the young skateboarders shenanigans on the 59th Street Bridge. You can see them nearly run into a tricky gap at 1:10 of 3-17-2012 Part 12, after dodging the skateboarders I had a bit of luck though, when I finally got a nice shot of the Q/N trains as I came down the bridge. I was able to follow one train as it left Queensboro Plaza, and watch it turn towards Astoria to disappear behind a building. On Randall's Island I shot a purposefully cinematic clip rolling off a grassy hill following a DEP boat as it passed under the Hellgate and Triboro Bridges, this video is found under 3-17-2012 Part 5. The second time I reached the foot of the Triboro Bridge, I crossed paths with a cyclist who I had spoke to before near the same spot some weeks ago, when I was riding with my girlfriend. He is a more knowledgeable cyclist who offered good advice regarding what to eat during rides, and where to meet other cyclists on 9W. After maybe a twenty minute chat, we parted ways, and I started my second lap of this route. Nothing more of note transpired, and it was a very enjoyable ride as a whole. I feel that this route will make a good addition to my usual rides.