To start the day, the morning was wet and overcast, and looking like we were going to get more rain that morning. But since it wasn't raining at that moment we decided to take our chances and head out to the tour via E train to Chambers street, which is the last stop for the E Train. That's where we would remain with a a couple thousand other people until start time. Ground Zero(WTC) would be our starting point and final finish for this adventure(Ironic?). As we stood around with a thick haze above, covering the tops of the buildings around us, all were peaceful and in good spirits, even though the skies above could open up on us with buckets of rain at any moment. The ride started at 8:30, but not for another half hour would we get started as the groups in front of us had to be let go to have their freedom to ride. All was good for the 1st 4 miles, then all hell broke lose at 57th and 6th as that was the spot where the NYC DOT was letting cross town traffic to go. That created a pretty large tie up for thousands that were just setting in and getting warmed up for the 42 miles.

After a short time we decided to find a short cut out of the bike jam and rode up one block and back around to central park where the ride resumed. Ha, good move cause we were standing two blocks from 57th and would been standing around for another 30 minutes waiting.

The ride through central park was nice, but very crowded cause the roads were pretty narrow, so that took some patience, while alerting your fellow riders that your passing them on the left or right. Upon exiting the park and entering the Bronx, the road grew wider and people spread out a bit. Half way through the Bronx part of the ride, the sun was seen looking down on us, through the clouds a couple times and then went back into hiding for a while. Through the Bronx and over a couple bridges we were now on the FDR heading south to the 59th Street bridge that would bring us into Queens.

At his point we wound up in a another slow moving tie up and again the passage narrowed as we walked our bikes up the ramp to the bridge while sharing short hello's and conversations with people sharing this short part of the ride or walk together. Reaching the top span of the bridge we all started to climb up on our bikes again and start pedaling to meet the long descent, allowing for smooth and fast cruise down to the passage's of the borough of Queens. Through the valley's of houses and building's in Queens we ride on to Astoria Park which is the 3rd rest area where we munched on some free orange slices offered with some bananas and free bottled water. At this point of the ride probably about 3/4 of the riders had to use the public bathrooms and decided to stand in line for 30 minutes waiting for them. You can see a picture of those lines below. For the selected few being us men, you could find a a few bushes or corners under a bridge 100 yards a way to beat those lines. After a while, there were probably some lines forming under the bridge as well, but didn't stick around to see that. The ride must go on!

The ride through Queens was nice and flat where as at some point, the clouds had burnt away and the sun had come out to join us for the rest of the day journey. On approaching a small bridge which seemed to be a very big Pulaski bridge that gave a slight struggle to ascend, you could see a sign above that read, "Welcome to Brooklyn!" which would be accompanied by some cheers and other comments by fellow travelers, for making it to this point.

Continuing the Brooklyn ride through Greenpoint, and Williamsburg, then on towards and onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was smooth sailing with the view of the East Side of NYC to our right as we passed under the Brooklyn Bridge. Up and over the Gowanus Canal, which was just one more of the higher hills to climb, but you know that when you reach the top, you will have a smooth and fast descent to enjoy, and results to being reprimanded by the Marshall's supervising the ride to yell, "Slow Down" which you so casually ignore and cruise on by with a smile, as you think to yourself I just climbed that bridge and or hill, so don't deprive me of these few moments to enjoy my accomplishment at a high rate of speed (Yaaahhhhooo, or as my son would say, weeeeeeee).

Along the BQE we approach another narrowing section which allowed for another break and time to meet some other riders, that came here from Montreal, and Philly to enjoy in the days events. That was an interesting little gathering considering the Philadelphia Flyers just eliminated the Montreal Canadians from the NHL Playoffs. There was some trash talking going on but it was all in good fun. From that point and slow moving walk, the ride begins again, down a long hill that dropped us on to Belt Parkway west of the Verrazano Bridge with the Narrows on our right with a group of large shipping vessels and barges sitting idly in it's waters.

On the approach to the Verrazano Bridge you would find a small rest stop where some local were cooking up some hotdogs and offereing a gatorade for $3.00 a each. Seemed like a good deal cause at this point I was getting pretty hungry and still had to climb and over the forthcoming Bridge to get closer to the final stages of the ride.

I have to give thanks to those hotdog vendors, cause those were probably the best hotdog's I have ever eaten and gave me the strength to get up and over to Staten Island with out much struggle where as alot of rider's were stopping for a rest during the ascent of the bridge.

Getting over to Staten Island your greeted by a park on the right side which was the fair, but mostly there for the Sponsors and Organiszer's to promote there products and advertise with a shot glass sized taste of a new drink or finger sized snack of a new concoction. You could also spend $6.00 for a bowl of fruit, vegetables, or pasta at this time accompanied with some loud music being played around the fair. After walking around a bit to look at some merchandise, It didn't seem much to me but just a waste of some time. So we hung another few minutes and went on our way.

Upon getting back on to ride after this pointless little fair, My riding partner who was in front me almost crashed. cause someone from the fair had decided to buy merchandise and grab some other loot, that hung off his handle bars in a plastic bag that got caught up in and eaten up by his front tire almost throughing him over the handle bars face first. All of us following would have wound up in the same pile of aching riders if it wasn't for some quick cat like reactions.

The final 2 miles of the ride through Staten Island was calm as we were now on the opposite side of the Narrows looking at Brooklyn with the Air Craft Carrier Intrepid in dock being cleaned up and restored, with some old docks and abandoned piers from years past slowly disappearing from the wear of the water's tides and weather. This side of Staten Island, kind of represented a time that no longer exists with the houses and store fronts looking aged and forgotten, from a time of prosperity.

The final quarter mile was through a quiet downtown area that had a couple large office building with large signs that read, "For Rent or lease." and you knew that that these buildings weren't going to have much of a future in the area unless, something were to revive this small downtown area. The final leg of the tour was a short uphill which brought you to a hilltop looking down on the Staten Ferry terminal which was the end and would leave thousands of weathered, beaten, and exhausted people waiting around for a couple hours to be shipped back over to the Manhattan Island via the ferries.

All in all, it was an enjoyable experience and I say now that I probably wouldn't do it again, because of the involuntary stop's that were needed to be taken, which a large amount a people weren't pleased with. But how many times do you get to own the roads of NYC on a bicycle and get a chance to take in scenery as we were allowed to do for 42 miles and 4 or more hours on what was to be a beautiful Spring Sunday in the month of May.

Thanks to the kids with their parents in the baby seats, that made it fun to watch them, as they watched us. And thanks to the 3 on the unicycles in the Bronx that shared a good laugh along the way, along with all the helmet decorations that were fun to look at as you whiz on on by them.
And thanks to those that mentioned doing this bike-ride a couple months ago.
I guess I'll be there again next year.