This is probably not as interesting to some as the Dolan v Sherman et al debates... I drove /
ferried / rode from Philadelphia to NYC last weekend. The Halloween Critical Mass ride left from
Union Square at 7:30. What a HOOT! I'd guesstimate 900+ cyclists biked slowly and peacefully through
Manhattan and over the 59th Street bridge. (Un)fortunately the NYPD scooter patrol felt the need to
escort us along much of our ride. Unforgettable moment - the CM occupied as much of Times Square as
I could see, hoisting cycles and celebrating the street. Bent content - saw 3 including 2 VRexi and
a homebuilt. I am still not in favor of critical mass rides because I see little gain from
aggravating thousands of pedestrians and mostly law abiding motorists ... but it sure was fun. Ride
total - about 25 miles including to and from the ride.
On Saturday Ray and I biked over the Brooklyn Bridge and to Coney Island by way of Propect Park.
From there towards Far Rockaway, then back through Queens. Bents musr be pretty rare in the city,
judging from the stares and reactions. We had no problems riding in NYC. Traffic is more aggressive
than at home in Philly, but also more predictable. You KNOW that cabbie is going to skim past and
turn right directly in front of you. Ride total - about 55 miles. Unforgettable moment - the
butthead NYPD cop snarling at us that we could not bike back along the 94th street bridge, or on ANY
bridge in NYC because of terrorists ... just before we biked back along the dedicated bike / ped
entrance to the nice wide sidewalk.
Sunday - biked from where we were staying on the Lower East Side to the 38th street peer on the west
side. Bought tickets 90 minutes before the ferry left, so biked further along the greenway up onto
the west side. Ferried to Belford NJ where I'd left my car Friday afternoon an drove to Sandy Hook,
then biked along the penninsula out to the lighthouse and Coast Guard station along bike paths and
back on roads. Paths were semi finished - some smooth asphalt and mostly compressed hardpack waiting
for asphalt. Only problem was that the workcrews left their equipment strewn along some of the trail
heads and it was a pain to get past. Total miles - dunno - about 25.
My miles from the weekend were about 85. Ray had just finished a solo tour from Philadelphia to
Montauk, Long Island so he already had about 350 miles for the week before the weekend's
festivities. What a great weekend! Jon Shinefeld Philadelphia, pA