Do I Love NY?

[LivingProof]

This post is for Lynn and, perhaps, will atone for some previous thoughts about her hometown. My NYC experience is very limited. In many ways it?s overwhelming, busy and strange. Jim and Ron may relate. I presume I get some non-skiing topic space, as, we are in the off season.

Yesterday, I accompanied a family friend, who is a major walking enthusiast, on a walking tour of southern Manhattan in NYC. We did the train to Penn Station, then walked south on 8th to the World Trade Center site, Battery Park, East River tourist walk, onto the Brooklyn Bridge, returning to Penn Station via Broadway, Ave. of the America?s etc. Five continuous walking hours on a great bluebird spring day. In very many respects, walking with my bud is like skiing with Philpug, he?s much faster and just wore me out. Unlike my wife, he doesn?t shop which is a big plus!

The highlight was walking through the many unique neighborhoods. For the first time in my life, I could see why residents believe it is so vibrant. Yeah, we were in the better sections and didn?t see the downside or the real high-rise portion. It reminded me of walking through San Francisco, only flatter. Many places I would have like to explore, eat or have a beer.

The WTC is now a construction site and the view is non-existent. I can?t imagine all that debris in such a small space. Thousands of people walking about very quietly, in reverence and not as tourist. It brought back memories of that horrible day.

The Battery Park is on the water with views of the harbor, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Sunbathers all over place. Reminds me of walking in Key West should you choose to read between the  lines.

The pedestrian walk-way on the Brooklyn Bridge was jammed as the weather was so great. Shared with cyclist on a narrow path, it?s amazing more people don?t get run over. The walk north was much more typical of NY shopping districts. Washington Square had so many residents just enjoying the sun.

My walking friend, a tough taskmaster, had us headed home on the 3:30 train. Like skiing, I was reintroduced to muscles I forgot I had. A great experience, we plan to go again in the fall. Only this time, we?ll visit something and stay for dinner. Still not ready to buy an ? I love NY? tee shirt, but, it?s growing on me.

[jim-ratliff]

That is a LOT of walking.? Take your bikes on the train next time??

I will say that some aspects of New York have really grown on me as well.?

There is a bike path (and numerous parks) along the Hudson all the way from the George Washington bridge down and around the southern tip of the island, and then back up the East river side nearly to Yankee stadium. Lots of people on the path, but still a lovely easy ride.? Lynn and I have ridden down a couple of times to a restuarant at the tip of the island and around much of the area you were walking around.? We did eventually find a boarded catwalk that gave a bit of a view of the WTC ground site, but you are right that there is a quietness there that is a bit surreal. They now have bike lanes on Broadway all the way from somewhere north of Times Square.? We took that down to the pedestrain crossing on the Brooklyn Bridge (and you are absolutely right about the traffic on the bridge and the pedestrian obstacles on the bridge).? Central Park is a jewel, 6 mile paved loop that is closed to traffic except during rush hours (the only challenge is dodging the horse droppings).? The other memory I treasure was going to see South Pacific at the Lincoln Center.? I am sure that there are areas that are the seamier side, but certainly Manhattan itself is well done in a lot of ways. The view when riding a bike across the GW bridge is wonderful, especially on the one trip where there was a thunderstorm over downtown as a backdrop.? And, of course, there is always my favorite eating place, Gray's Papaya hot dog stand.

Lynn is on the upper West side, one block from Central Park.? It still boggles my mind that it is FAR easier for her to go for a bike ride or a run around the lake than it is for me here in the suburbs.? That and the friendliness of the people was probably the biggest surprise.

[jbotti]

I was born in NYC and lived in NYC 32 years of my life. I moved to the SF bay Area when I was 32 in 1992 and I haven't looked back. It's funny that LP posted this yesterday. I spent the last 4 days in NYC. On thrusday it was 80 and sunny and it brought back great memories of NYC at its best. Even better was thrusday night with 74 degrees at 9:15 at night. People often ask me what I miss most about NY and I always say the same thing: warm summer nights. Although we have great weather in the SF bay area, because this is a semi arrid climate, it gets much cooler every night. It is rare that you can sit out at night without neeiding a sweater or a jacket. As well, the coast out here is always windy and temps rarely get above the low 70's. I miss those warm summer days and nights. It's unclear if I miss that much else about NY. I kept thinking about where I might get a good bike ride in. When I lived in NY, running was the ticket and it still is a great city for runnning. Doing 6 mile loops on the bike in Central Park just doesn't cut it!!

I did go to dinner on Thursday night at a trendy restaurant with a group of seven. NY is still the grestest place in the word to be out on the town especially on warm summer night!!

When I think about skiing with NYC as my base/home, I would be depressed. You really can't beat what we have out west. 2 hour flights to Denver, SLC, Montana and a 3 hour drive to Tahoe. Driving 4.5 hours each weekend to ski Killington would make me pack up and move!!
But whe you guys are sittinng by the BBQ at 8:00 at night and it;s 75 outside and your drinking a cold one, lift your glass and think of me  (wearing a sweater in the cold in SF). It really doesn't get any better!!!

[LivingProof]

@Jim,
NJ Transit only limits bringing a bike on-board the train during peak rush hour, so a bike tour is a possibility. For sure, my body is much more accustomed! So where's the hot dog stand? My bud did some Peace Core work in Jamaica, so I did some real Jerk Chicken. I'd like to do the northern route including the Park and GW Bridge. Are you and Lynn considering any of the NY rides? I saw they have a Hudson Ride, and, next year, I'd consider the 5 boro ride.

@JB
Small world being in NYC on the same day. I've stated before that I need to share a beer with you in Big Sky, but, meeting in Manhatten would have been a hell of an introduction for two skiers. Sounds like you have forgotten about humidity and sweltering summer nights. In football, if you're a Giants fan, then, we have issues.

There is always a directness in your writing style that does not speak to being a Californian.  The Real Skiers community can sit back and enjoy the jousting between you and Ron now that we know where it comes from.

[jim-ratliff]

@LP:
Gray's Papaya (from Wikipedia) is a hot dog restaurant with three locations on the West Side of Manhattan, open 24 hours a day year-round. The three locations of Gray's Papaya in Manhattan are: 539 Eighth Avenue at 37th Street, 402 Sixth Avenue at 8th Street, 2090 Broadway at 72nd Street. Somewhere between a street vendor and a fast food restaurant, Gray's Papaya is famous for its very inexpensive, high-quality hot dogs. The "papaya" in the name refers to the fruit drinks sold at the establishment, which include orange, grape, pi?a colada, coconut champagne (non-alcoholic), and banana daiquiri (non-alcoholic) in addition to papaya.

In the 1988 film Crossing Delancey, Izzy (Amy Irving) has her "birthday dinner"?a Gray's hot dog?in the restaurant, complete with a street singer belting out "Some Enchanted Evening". Michael J. Fox and Gabrielle Anwar enjoy Gray's Papaya hot dogs while chatting about the piano player on the street corner from the window of the restaurant in 1993's For Love or Money. Matthew Perry's character in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In makes mention of his preference for Gray's Papaya hot dogs, and his wife special-orders them to Nevada. Gray's Papaya is also one of many late-night food destinations of several characters in the 2008 romantic comedy film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist


Lynn's neighbor, Glenn, organizes bike rides.? See the link below; she and I are planning on riding the July 18th "Bike the River Valley".? It's a stupid story that was written up by the New York Times, but he had to remove the word Hudson from the title due to threats of litigation.? We did the Farm Ride last year.
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001RTSvD7iYYAAdvp1e2-kwUNuFDHBVPOmJxqLHayf2CbJ4S4qNUnmmbSrjXz9-WQ5H3UO2jyaayQBGIaVh-RjFXQfTNVI6PZ-dnAYY6SGWRKuL8hhhPe4do0_701P72hip1c9cnGRC2Blz7bbaH0nptKjY4S8k_Sc1007ALgelxKqGA0mcMg7JqIcrP4R1y8Cdkb0wbi-fxiy-whD5sA2NEMz2fLEFdd_Qv7h7gz8tZL6nPd0xiNYKmIIc2MM8y54FooSL10AofCkhKD0ZNkDvkicWzSdGCfLeDfKKIKElzoN8nfmVfgXNOzfWMNJKXtuI

[midwif]

Hey Guy

Nice to hear the paeans to my hometown.

I was born and raised in the city. Lived my first 20 years in the bronx and the following 34 in manhattan.
 
I love new york city in many ways. But am very lucky to have an escape valve 2hrs away on Sullivan county, NY.
I have a simple house on a dirt road, an organic garden and have to shoo the turkeys off the front lawn at times. (if I had a gun, I would be tempted to shoot the damn deer off the lawn as they eat my flowers, trees etc.)

Can't imagine living full time anywhere else. However, I wouldn't mind having the discretionary income to spend 3 winter months in Colorado or other ski-full area!

JB, you are right, the riding in circles in CP can be boring. However, the easy access up the west side to the GWB and over to the riding in NJ or to Harriman State Pk, give riders looking for more diversity and miles a reasonable alternative.

There are an amazing number of bikers heading over the footpath on the GWB every sat/sun mornings!

Lynn

[jbotti]

Lynn, nice to hear about the adventuresome cyclists in Manhatten. I was just hit by a car on my bike last week in the county with the lowest bike/car accidents in the country (for highly populated suburbs), Marin. Bikes are very safe but cars often do really stupid and unconscious things. This guy just turned left in front of me as I was descending a hill. The bike snapped in half when I hit the car so I knew that it could have been me. I came away with only minor damage, a broken thumb, and 7 stitches above my eye. I was back on the bike in 4 days, but at this moment I am having trouble imagining myself cycling anywhere in NYC.

I lived on 71st and West End for about 5 years. I know Grey's Papaya on 72nd st. well.

As for my straight forward and occasionally combative nature, well you can take me out of NY but you can never tale the NY put of me!!

Oh lastly, I am a lifelong Yankees, Giants, Knicks and Ranger fan. I hated the jets growing up but since Parcells came to the Jets I have become a junior Jet fan. When they play the Giants I can't root for them, but the rest of the time, Go Gang Green. Interesting team. If you have a record and will travel, Rex and co want and need you!!

Now the Mets are a differnt story. In 1986 I rooted for the Red Sox in the WS. Need I say more!!

[jim-ratliff]

JB, you are right, the riding in circles in CP can be boring. However, the easy access up the west side to the GWB and over to the riding in NJ or to Harriman State Pk, give riders looking for more diversity and miles a reasonable alternative.

Lynn

For me, the riding in Central Park nevers gets boring, I just don't think of it as riding.? Its just a more mobile way of sightseeing.? I love seeing all of the people out and about.? And, it is more satisfying to get a quick 30 minutes of outdoor activity there than here in Virginia (that's what amazes me).

John, glad to hear you are mostly OK (or at least back on the bike). We saw the results of a similar accident across the bridge in New Jersey a couple of weeks back.? In front of a local popular bike store with 20-30 riders around, and some guy made a left turn in front of a rider and she had nowhere to go.? Broken arm.

What does carbon fiber look like when it snaps like that? Dangerous jagged edges?? Sounds like you were 'pretty lucky' given the 'unlucky' circumstances.

[jbotti]

The bike just snapped on the seams. The top tube came apart from tne fork and steering column and same with the bottom. The carbon fiber is quite strong and I doubt it would snap from impact. The seams are obviously a different story. This bike was a Parlee and they are well made. My other bike is aTime. Time makes the srongest carbon fiber out there. You can put any of their tubes in a a vise and tighten it as much as you want and it won't budge. Pretty amazing stuff!!

[midwif]

JB, Glad to hear you are okay. Sounds like a hell of a crash.

LP, I didn't properly thank you. I really appreciated your lovely treatise on the City.
It seems you may have the safer way of sightseeing!!

Anyone who bikes will eventually have a fall. Most are relatively benign falls with just a few bruises/scratches.

Uh, I think the same can be said for most sports, especially skiing.

To play involves risk. I think all here on this forum have accepted this.
Though no one here is reckless either. (though Jim might disagree with me on this 

Off to CP for an 18 mile ride. Then to New Paltz to pick up the college kid.
It's a beautiful day here!

[LivingProof]

Hey Guy

Nice to hear the paeans to my hometown.

Lynn

Lynn,
Paens sent me to the dictionary . = High Praise! I experienced a NYC that I had never seen. Really surprised at all the bikes, biking and bike paths, but, it makes sense given the high density of housing. You and Jim have convinced me to do the northern ride including the GW bridge sometime in the near future. Hot dogs included. But, I'd really like to do an early dinner at one of the outdoor cafe's on a nice evening.

JB,
Really glad your crash resulted in minimal damage to your body. Fast descents on bikes can scare the s_____ out of me. Where I ride, the issue is cars rolling through stop signs and having limited line of sight due to cars and trucks parked very near the intersection. While I get mad at careless drivers, I also get mad at the stupid stuff many bikers and how annoying some can be to persons driving cars. Riding 3 or 4 abreast on a through-going road is insane, but, I see it all the time. My experience with cycles and motorcycles is that it is difficult to gauge the speed when traveling in the opposite direction. Very easy to underestimate and turn into them.

[jim-ratliff]

LP:

Would be fun to ride along and share, depending on schedules.? Let us know?? Lynn's hospital schedule is fixed several months in advance.
I will say that the GW bridge still intimidates me a bit.? The good news is that the walkway is separated from the traffic.? The not so good news is the narrow concrete switchback 'path' that leads up to the bridge.? I'm not good enough to ride up and around the sharp switchback.? Then, once you are on the bridge, there are square corners (sort of blind) where the path offsets about 6 feet around the main support pilings.? Not designed with bikers in mind.? But well worth the effort to stop and look back at the city skyline, and good that the pedestrian/biker path is on the south side of the bridge.