May 8, of last year was the day I got back into cycling. What started out as a leisure ride around Prospect Park with my good friends Sam and Seth turned into a journey to Coney Island. We stopped to soak in the view of the beach and had Nathan's famous hot dogs for lunch. What I remember most from the ride was that sense of aimless and unintentional discovery. We didn't plan on riding that far, but our ride around the park was too short to call it a day for such a sunny Sunday afternoon. Since that day I've ridden almost every single day. So thanks guys, for getting me back on the saddle again.
19º at Central Park
I rode Central Park again for the second time in my life on Sunday. I was one of the few brave souls on a bike in the 19º bitter cold. Definitely the coldest day I've ever ridden on. My legs were pretty fried from my epic ride yesterday, but I wasn't about to waste away another sunny day.
What took me so long to discover one of New York's best place to ride a bike? Maybe it's all the stories I've heard of riders getting ticketed for speeding and running red lights, or maybe it's because I've been to the park on a busy Sunday afternoon. However, due to the ridiculously cold temperature I pretty much had the entire park to myself, minus all the walkers, joggers and horse carriages.
I started off riding through Williamsburg and Greenpoint, rather than riding through Manhattan. I hate the city's traffic. I'm no longer intimidated by it, but it still air on the side of caution. There's a fairly new bike path that runs up along the Brooklyn side of the East River that's been in development over the last few years, and it makes getting uptown quite easy without worrying about traffic.
Shortly after I cross into Long Island City, Queens. The bitter cold is already starting to penetrate my many layers.
Riding across the Queensboro Bridge offers a great view of the east side of Manhattan as well as a short gradual climb to keep my body temperature up.
Randall's Island is just to the left which is accessible through a cable car.
A short ride cross town, and I'm in the Central Park. Even in the dead of winter the park has a lush and lively quality about it. The roads twist and turn, go up and down, and make you forget you're in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world.
Due to my heavy effort on Saturday I start to feel the cold seep into my muscles. My bottles have already frozen on my, and my Garmin is starting to act up again. Sadly, I forgot to bring any food with me and decided after two laps around the park to turn back the way I came. Even the new winter gloves I recently got were no match for the intense cold. Total distance: 30 miles. I definitely need a day to recover, or at least spin indoors till it warms up again.
Too Cold to Even Take a Single Picture for This Post
I rode up to Nyack on Saturday morning to increase my 'holy shit it's cold and windy outside' threshold. Total elevation gain was roughly 3,500 ft over the 70 mile route. Surprisingly there were a quite few brave souls out on the road who also felt the need to ride no matter what. I like that it gives me some bragging rights for suffering it out in the dead of winter. It was cold to say the least. At 30º the entire day I had to be prepared. I had on a thin base layer, a thick long-arm jersey, a soft-shell jacket, thermal 3/4 tights, shoe covers, winter gloves, a cap and a new winter collar, all from Rapha. What can I say, I'm a brand whore, but they make really great stuff, unadorned with flashy graphics. Here's a good blog post from Rapha about winter attire. I get cold really easily, and layering is essential for cold weather riding. I like to be able to regulate my heat by zipping and un-zipping things, rather than having to stop and change.
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” - Sir Ranulph Fiennes
It was so cold in fact that my water bottles began to freeze. At one point I had to stop to unscrew the cap just to get a drink of water. Not only did my water freeze but my Clif bars and my Garmin did, too, which is why you'll see on my Strava page that the ride was broken into two parts. It was so cold that I didn't even bother to take a single picture of my ride, which I usually do.
I also decided to take a new route towards the George Washington Bridge by cutting through Long Island City in Queens, over the Queensboro Bridge, up through Central Park and along Riverside Drive. It was my first time riding through Queens as well as Central Park, which I found to be quite beautiful despite the massive amounts of people crisscrossing the lanes. There was definitely a lot more climbing involved compared to my usual route along the flat and rather boring ride along the Hudson River Greenway.
The ride itself was nice as usual, and it's a bit further than I usually go. I began to feel fatigue later on, as my effort getting through Queens and Manhattan was intense yet really fun. My energy level was plummeting fast, and thankfully I hooked up with a group on 9W that pulled me back into the city at a very fast pace, averaging at least 20-24 mph.
I missed my turn back into Central Park, but managed to snake my way back halfway down through the park. At this point all I could think about was taking a hot shower and eating something non-frozen. Even at 70 miles I felt really good afterwards. I could tell my endurance has picked up over the past few months as well as my power. Old man winter, bring it on.
Bear Mountain
The ride to Bear Mountain is long and hard. I did this on a whim to see if I could do it. It was an early October morning when I set out on the longest single-day ride of my life. 120 miles to be exact. I didn't know what to expect other than to follow route 9W, way north of the city. So with a saddle bag of tools, four Clif Bars, and two bottles of water I set out on a day long adventure into unknown territory.
New York City will always be an inescapable concrete jungle to me. For years since moving here I was content living within its confines, exploring its many cultural corners, however coming from the Northwest a sense of imbalance slowly crept into my consciousness. Where are the mountains and trees? How does one get out of here without a car? Get me out of here! I didn't realize how much of a country boy I was deep down inside till this year. The stress of city life have compounded and concentrated to the point of having to regularly seek refuge some 30 miles north of home.
Thankfully there lies a break from the honking horns, crowds of people and the smell of exhaust, but you really have to work for it, like most things in New York. Once you're on the other side of the George Washington bridge the land really opens up to some gorgeous landscape, full of rocky cliffs and endless tree-line. Surprisingly enough it begins in New Jersey, which is where the Henry Hudson Drive starts.
Following Henry Hudson Drive along the water is truly special. Maybe it's because I've been away from the Northwest, which has endless amounts of road just like it, but I can't help feel happy excited every time I ride it. I guess it's the novelty of having something so pristine and untouched just on the other side of the river that makes it so special to me. I'm not the only one who'll agree, judging by the crowds of cyclists it draws every weekend, especially the past few since the weather has been cooperating so well.
9W takes you through some really cute towns like Piermont and Nyack. My wife grew up in Piermont so it's really cool to see where she came from. But once you're past Haverstraw and beyond the roadway becomes really grim and tough. This is about 40 miles into the ride where it becomes apparent that you're out on your own, so you'd better be prepared.
Cars give way to semi-trucks as the trees and cliffs grow taller by the mile. I can't help but feel the weight of the city lift off my shoulders as I'm truly out in the wild, where cell-phone reception dwindles at every turn. You know you're out in the sticks when you only have a bar or two of reception.
The climb to the summit of Bear Mountain wasn't as crazy as I was anticipating. I'm not sure what the elevation gain was, but I recall climbing for a good half hour till I got a flat tire. I had brought an extra tube, which is something I recommend in addition to a patch kit if you're planning on riding more than 75 miles. Nothing is worse when you're completely stranded and miles from home. It's never happened to me, and hopefully it never will.
The view from the summit is amazing. You can even make out the city way out in the distance. It felt really good to have reached my destination surrounded by people who drove to the top. I'm sure they were all thinking, 'what's this guy doing up here? Did he get here by bike?'. I stayed long enough to finish my last bottle of water, knowing this is only the halfway point. 60 miles to go.
The ride back is where I began to suffer. With 80 miles into the ride and 40 more to go I realize I didn't bring enough food. I push through. I'm moving at snail's pace when I hit the bridge. I make it back into the city just fine, but had to stop for a hot dog, just off the Hudson River Greenway. The sun was setting and I wanted to make it home without stopping for more food.
Rides like this take time to recover from. I made the mistake of layering incorrectly and was pretty cold for most of the morning. I set out just as the sun rose, and spent half the ride in damp shade, later developing a congested cough I couldn't shake for a week. I was off the bike for a few days.
I look forward to doing this ride again as soon as the weather warms up. It's virtually the same course as the upcoming Gran Fondo in May, and I want to make sure I ride it again beforehand. It'll also be good training for the Leadville 100 in August.
Colder Than Cold
Just a few days ago it was a pleasant 50º, and this week it dropped well below 30º. On Tuesday I went for a ride to test out some new winter gear I got this Christmas, a new Rapha winter jersey and a pair of 3/4 bib shorts. It was 24º by the time I hit the road, and a part of me wanted to turn back immediately. It was so cold by the end of the ride my hands were numb. Guess it's time to upgrade to some winter specific gloves.
Not only was it 24º there was a 15 mph northeast wind gust making it even colder, not to mention I rode along the waterfront a bit.
At this point the cold has penetrated the outer layer of my new jersey, which is lined with a heavy merino wool fabric and windproof chest panels. I also had a base layer underneath, but I think it was the super windy conditions that did me in. However, once I got rolling and warmed up I didn't notice it as much. I think wearing a lightweight shell would have been perfect.
What I appreciate most about this jersey is the pocket layout on the back. There are two large pockets, along with a large and small zip compartment. I could easily carry a jacket, food and my usual stuff. There's also a thin reflective band at the bottom which is a nice detail. Overall the construction is superb. I even got one for my Dad this Christmas.
The 3/4 bib shorts are perfect for rides below 40º. They're lined with a fleece-backed Thermoroubaix fabric. I prefer this length to full on tights.
Halfway into my ride, near Coney Island my shifting started to act up. Upon closer inspection my rear derailleur cable stop inside the shifter came loose, forcing me to ride in my 11 tooth cog. What's worse is that my drivetrain is so worn down that cross-gearing from my 39 tooth chainring would skip all over the place. I rode all the way home in my highest gear, beaten by the cold with stumpy frozen fingers. Surprisingly I finished in good time.
New Years Eve Ride
Having signed up for the Gran Fondo New York coming up this May I got excited and decided to ride a section of the course on Saturday. It was a great day for riding. The sun was out and the temperature was a nice 50º, rather warm for being the end of December. I think everyone realized we weren't going to have many days like this and decided to hit the road, too. I ended up doing 60 miles and 5,000ft of climbing.
At the last-minute I met up with my friend Fred at the start of the George Washington Bridge. We had a miscommunication over time, and I ended up waiting for him for a while, which was cool because it made for good people/rider watching. He showed up on his Salsa full-suspension mountain bike. If I had known he was riding that I would have joined him on mine.
Going over the bridge. See yeah, NYC.
At the top of one of many climbs along Henry Hudson Drive.
A section of the road was closed to traffic. It's quite bumpy in sections with a lot of debris, good for honing in maneuvering skills.
One of many views of the Hudson River.
Nice wide shoulder along 9W. Plenty of room to ride and pass people safely. The halfway point for us was in Lamont, just past the New Jersey/New York borderline, and had a quick bite to eat before turning around.
It's such a unique and challenging place to ride. On my way back I caught a few groups, and someone trying to chase me down. He/she kept a good pace and pressured me to keep pushing all the way back to the bridge.
The view on my way home.
Gran Fondo New York
I just remembered to register for the second annual Gran Fondo New York this May. A Gran Fondo is a pseudo race that combines aspects of a century ride mixed with Italian culture. I remembered because I planned on riding part of the course this weekend. It's an out and back race that starts at the George Washington Bridge, and goes up to Bear Mountain along Henry Hudson Drive and 9W. It's a total of 100 miles and over 8,000ft. of climbing, with four timed climbs. Close to 3,000 riders turned up last year from all over the world, including pro racer George Hincape.
Prospect Park
We live 5 minutes away from Prospect Park by bike. It's roughly a three mile loop with a couple of hills, enough to get some speed going down, and long enough to feel the burn on the way up. It has a one way two lane road for cars and another set for cyclists and pedestrians. However, be careful of going too fast. It's a pretty good place to train, and more importantly, unwind.
I'm usually at the park early in the morning, weather permitting, or later in the afternoon on weekdays. I ride anywhere from one to two hours, putting in 20-30 miles.
It gets a little too crazy over the weekend, but the park is closed to traffic. It's good for going at your own pace since there's a lot of room to ride. I often see members of the Kissena Bicycle Club spinning in their pace lines pushing 25 mph on the flats, so there's definitely competition out there to push me along. I probably wouldn't have gotten back on the saddle so hard if it weren't for this park.
8 Mile
We're here in Grosse Pointe, Michigan for the holidays. We opted to drive instead of fly this year. It took us a total of 10 hours to get here. We covered roughly 700 miles and traveled through four states. We rented a car and packed it full of presents, our dog, Marlow, along with my bike and trainer.
It's the first time in a long time that I brought a bike on a trip. Fortunately we pack light, but it was a tight squeeze.
I woke up to a slight dusting of snow on the ground, only to melt by mid afternoon. It was 28º when I hit the road, which was freshly salted and wet. So glad I brought along my shoe covers.
I rode along Lake St. Claire, which divides the US and Canada, on Lake Shore Road. It's lined with mega-million dollar homes of the Ford Family. The lake is beautiful since it looks like the sea. It goes on forever without seeing the other side. The sun came out long enough for me to enjoy the afternoon, setting at a blistering 22 mph pace.
It only stretches for a few miles north till it cuts into the suburbs of Grosse Pointe Farms. I'll try going south next time and see if I can make it all the way to Detroit and back alive.
After 25 miles I was thoroughly covered in a salt residue. Not good for your bike, especially if it's made from steel. It's kind of like liquid sand paper, and will eat away your drivetrain in no time. I should have brought a heavier chain lubricant.
Winter Ride Redux
The day after my ride along the Hudson River I drove up with my wife, sister-in-law and a friend to Piermont to visit some family friends, almost on the very same route. It was really cool to get an idea how far I've ridden on my own. I snapped the picture above just as we got turned around off the George Washington Bridge onramp.
For years I got confused as to which direction was north and south coming out from the subway. There aren't many landmarks to help orientate oneself. I used to use the Chrysler building and Empire State Building, but they're often obscured by other random tall buildings. Eventually, you just know, but it takes some time.
I think cycling is the best way to get to know any city. You remember shortcuts and which streets are one-way or the wrong way. The subway has this ability to make a relatively dense city even more of an epic sprawl. Once you've ridden through connecting neighborhoods you begin to connect the dots, and the city doesn't seem as big as it used to be.
On our drive I could connect those dots quite easily. There's the bridge, and there's the Hudson River Greenway. Oh, now we're at the bridge and just over there is Henry Hudson Drive. I could replay and fast forward the entire route in my head.
King Me, 3X
Man, I miss living in the Northwest at times. With these really inspiring views of B.C. I wish Rapha would do a gentlemen's ride out in New York sometime.
Winter Saturday Ride
What was supposed to be a leisurely Saturday morning ride around the neighborhood turned into an epic 50+ mile out-and-back ride up the Hudson River (sorry Nate and Martín). I checked the temperature outside right before I went out, and it was a cool 34°. As soon as I started I was feeling pretty good, despite having a bit too much to drink at last night's holiday party. I couldn't bring myself to stop with the sun shining with the invigorating cold air. So I kept going.
I started off across the Brooklyn Bridge. The path entrance is less than two miles from where we live. The Manhattan Bridge is also accessible and close by.
What you'd think would be a great part of the ride is actually not, unless you stop to take in the sweeping view of Manhattan. Most of your attention is paid closely to the never-ending stream of tourists. I get it. It's probably the best view of the city, but it's freezing cold in December. At least it's not as bad as in the summer. I avoid it completely, and take the Manhattan Bridge instead.
Once you cut through the narrow slice of downtown Manhattan you're on the Hudson River Greenway, which runs parallel to the west side of Manhattan. While not my favorite path due to the heavy pedestrian and cycling traffic, it does offer a safe and straight-shot all the way up to the top of the island. Past Harlem and Hamilton Heights the path begins to really open up to some great views. Out in the distance is my goal, the George Washington Bridge, and beyond, the Palisades.
Underneath George Washington Bridge. It took me a while to figure out exactly where I needed to go in order to get onto the bridge. It's a rather steep, but short climb into Washington Heights, but if you follow the signs it'll take you to the very obscured pathway entrance.
Crossing the Hudson and into… Jersey, baby!
Mile 25 Immediately after the bridge it's a sharp left and down a steep road onto Henry Hudson Drive. This is what makes the ride so good. While cars are allowed on the road you typically don't see that many. It feels like you're out in the country. It runs alongside the Englewood cliffs and is lined with trees for the entire 8 mile stretch, parts of which are completely closed off to cars. It has some decent climbs and descents, which remind me of the Pacific Northwest.
I passed a few groups on my way up, but almost got passed by a guy on a blacked-out Pinarello Dogma. Almost. Even Lance Armstrong has been sighted on this route from time to time, which goes to show that this is some serious training ground.
I brought my Canon Elph with me, but forgot to put a memory card in it. All these shots were taken with my iPhone 4S, which already has a great new lens and sensor. Unfortunately I had it on the HDR setting; I usually snap pictures as I'm riding so half of my shots had this double exposure thing happening.
Mile 25-55 It's an out-and-back ride, but with hills it's so different in that the saying 'what goes up must come down' applies in reverse, to your detriment, 'what goes down must come up'. Luckily it's short enough to conquer, but not long enough to feel like you're king of the mountains.
This is one of those surprising rides you'd never think would exist just outside of New York City, but it does. Because it's tucked along a cliff side with a wide river next to you the noises of cars and the city are completely drowned out by falling leaves, the wind passing over your ears, and steady breathing.
Just above the cliffs is another popular route, 9W, which I've ridden, 60 miles one way to Bear Mountain and back, with a total mileage of 120 miles. The most I've ever ridden in a single day. 9W features a nice wide shoulder and doesn't have as much climbing, but it takes you through some nice upstate New York scenery. I'll save that ride for a future post.
Winter Sunday Ride
This is one of my favorite rides in Brooklyn. I do this about every weekend. It's close to 50 miles. It goes down to Coney Island, over to Rockaway Beach, up through the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve and back up Ocean Parkway. What I love about it so much is that most of the route is either on a bike path or a lane, and that there aren't many cars, or other cyclists for that matter. It often feels so far removed from the rest of New York City and Brooklyn it feels like my own escape from the city.
At a near freezing 32° it was the coldest ride of the year so far. I decided to leave a bit later than usual, hoping that the afternoon sun would keep me warm. Luckily I just bought a new soft-shell jacket, and had a nice Smartwool base-layer. The other life saver is a thin cycling cap to block out the wind and sun, but also trap a bit of body heat from escaping my head. I was worried it would be too cold to ride, but once you get moving and have the proper layers on it's not that bad.
Mile 0 We live in Carroll Gardens, right next to the Smith and 9th St. stop along the F/G train. You can see the train tracks just above. Also, notice that there's netting dangling from the track itself. They're doing track renovations till next year. The station itself closed at the beginning of summer, which means we have to walk to the next stop to catch the train. Such a bummer. Even more reason to ride a bike or to just stay in Brooklyn.
Mile 4 Cut through the industrial zone of Sunset Park, and around Owls Head Park in Dyker Heights you'll hit the pier along the Hudson River. From there you can see Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty as well as the Verrazano Bridge way out into the distance. So far it's a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in sight.
This is also where a long stretch of bike path begins. It goes on for about 4 miles, almost all the way down to Coney Island. Along the water you'll see fisherman, each with at least 3 fishing poles leaning against the rails. I have no idea what they're trying to catch, but then again I never stop to find out.
Mile 7 The Verazzono bridge looms overhead. It connects Brooklyn to Staten Island. Unfortunately there isn't a bike lane on the bridge. However, my neighbor told me this crazy story about when he and his buddies to rode their bikes over the bridge, along the edge, traffic roaring by, just for fun. I think they eventually got pulled over by the police.
Mile 10 First pit stop, Best Buy… Liquors. WTF! Now I know I'm in Coney Island. This is also a great point in the ride if you ever feel like you just can't pedal anymore. You can hop on the F train all the back home.
Mile 12 Past Coney Island, Brighton and Manhattan beach you come across this washed out section of trail, which means off-roading skills will come in handy. It's only about 100 yards or so of sand. To the right is the bay opening to the Atlantic. In the summertime you can see a ton of windsurfers all cutting across the water.
Just past the washout is Shore Parkway, all jammed with traffic. At this point I have only seen a couple of other cyclist on my ride so far.
Mile 16 Past the Brooklyn Marine Park, there's the Marine Parkway Bridge, which goes right into the Rockaways. You real begin to feel the distance. Sometimes the wind gusts are so strong it feels like it'll toss you right over the edge. I guess that's why there's a sign that says to walk your bike, but who's gonna walk the entire length of this? The entire ride remains relatively flat. The only elevation gain is at this crossing.
Halfway across the bridge and you can see the edge of Coney Island to the right.
Above is an epic vacant parking lot of Jacob Riis Park. I can't imagine it filled with cars. Even in the summer I rarely see a quarter of the lot full. It's at this point when all you can hear are your gears spinning and tires gripping the road. No one for at least a half mile in either direction.
Mile 22 At the very edge of Rockaway Beach there's a connecting path that goes up through the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve. Beyond the water on the right is JFK International Airport. Also, another walk your bike across the bridge sign. Why?
Halfway across the bridge you can see pretty much the entire stretch of Manhattan way out in the distance. The photo really gives you an idea of just how far away from home you are.
Riding through the preserve isn't as spectacular as one would imagine. It's on either side of this rode where bikes are prohibited. I remember once in August, along this same route, it was in the upper 90's, and I ran out of water. While relatively short it was the longest 5 mile stretch. Thank heaven for 7-11 on the other end.
Mile 26 The bike path picks up again after winding through the suburbs of Howard Beach. It's just past the halfway point, on the furthest edge of the figure eight loop. It's not my favorite part of the ride because of all the construction being done to the road as well as bike lane. The Belt Parkway runs parallel to the path for most of it's length, and it's always littered with debris and deafeningly loud.
Along the left side, behind the gates is the soon-to-be-opened park-project by Mayor Bloomberg. I forgot the name of it. I guess it's a mountain made of trash. Sadly it blocks the view of the bay on the other side.
Mile 31 Another narrow, but beautiful crossing along Belt Parkway.
The view on the way back is spectacular. You can see the Marine Parkway Bridge out in the distance.
A lesson I learned a long time ago was to ALWAYS bring either a spare tube or patch kit, especially riding in New York. I flatted just as I was making my way up Ocean Parkway. Luckily I've fixed hundreds of flats in my lifetime so I'm up and running in less than 10 minutes. It would have been sooner if it weren't for the dropping temperature and my frozen fingers. I'm thinking it's time to upgrade my tires to something slightly heavier, but with a tougher casing.
Mile 40-50 The homestretch. Although there's a bike lane on the either side of Ocean Parkway I choose to ride on the road. Why? For me it feels safer. So many times have cars cut corners, trying to make the endless row of lights, nearly plowing me over as I'm crossing. Plus the pathway is often overrun with people, despite there being a dedicated pedestrian walkway. Most of the pathway is uneven with slabs of concrete jutting straight up, waiting to give you a pinch flat.
Normally after a ride like this I'd collapse. Dead tired. However, because it's now a part of my regular riding routine I remain relatively unaffected. Doing long miles like this is not only a physical but mental exercise. I know what 50 miles feels like, and I know how much I should eat beforehand, during and after. I know how hard I can push myself and when to back off as needed. As I begin to increase my time and distance on the bike it all gets easier, gradually. Rides like this also give my mind a break after sitting on a trainer for days at a time. It also reminds me that Brooklyn has a it's own natural (and unnatural) charms.
The Captain
Ned Overend "The Captain" turned 56 years old this year, and has dominated the mountain biking scene for as long as I can remember getting into mountain biking.
Having won the first official World XC Mountain Bike Championship, the picture above is of his recent victory at the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, beating out pros half his age. It goes to show you're never too old to ride or race. Truly an inspiration.
Gets Me Going Every Time
Rapha Continental – The Movie from RAPHA on Vimeo.
One of my favorite short films about riding around the countryside. The Rapha Continental is in it's fifth year and features some amazing scenery I someday hope to ride myself. Who are these guys? Well, I know at least one of them, Joe Staples, a creative director at Wieden+Kennedy, whom I worked with briefly while freelancing in Portland. Goes to show you don't have to quit your day job to do epic rides.