New York New York and New Jersey, July 14th
New York, New York, or should I say New York, New Jersey? well, covered them both and a number of times depending on the roads you get to cross from state to state. Sorry no pictures because there are just some roads you don’t want to stop on for a photo opportunity, especially with all the traffic. Today was a day to take the bike to a number of sites and it was a good thing I spent at least one day in the city already to get a little better feeling of how the roads work and where I’m going…not that I didn’t get lost, but had a better idea where I was heading. Well, Dale gave me a nice scenic road to ride to downtown, the Palisades Pkwy and the directions were easy and great. He told me once I got over the Washington Bridge though I was all on my own. Scoped out where the Today show was so wanted to get down there and see about getting on TV, so for anyone who saw the last 10 minutes of the show, did you see me? Dale also suggested don’t worry about getting there early because everyone thinks you have to, but the crowd isn’t as bad later on and he must be right cuz got right up there - also, got front row parking, the only kind on a bike. Ok, only caught the last 10 minutes, but did some good pictures of some of them and talked with security as well as the police on the setup and whether Matt was around or not, but no luck, he left at 9:00 so where in the world is Matt Lauher? well, not the same place where Webby is.
Took a number of pictures of the Rockefeller center, the Rock as they call it and after getting directions figured it’s time to take the bike to Time Square. Check it out, the bike and me front row on the square. Yea, maybe the picture didn’t capture the building behind it, but the guy taking it wasn’t going to stand in the middle of the street with traffic, so just use your imagination and you can see the bike on one end of the square that my picture with the bike is on the other end…right in front of the police station of all things, but the cops didn’t seem to mind since I was out of the way of the traffic – thanks for letting me take a picture. There is way too much to see on Time Square and the Broadway shows that are down there, but I can cover that on my return trip when I share…ok, you should know what I mean by now.
What other sites should I see and everyone says ya have to check out the Empire State building. Ok, that place is easy to find, but had a big problem finding parking. No streets around the building that just had car parking that I could squeeze the bike between and all the parking is by vendors with permits that they told me I’d either be ticketed or towed if I left it there so better find a garage. That shouldn’t be hard to do in downtown New York because see a number of them around, but wait, most don’t take bikes. Some said they don’t have insurance for parking them and others are those type of ramps where they park it for you…you know the ones, they take the cars out for a spin every once in awhile. Finally found a ramp and ok, gotta deal with the cost, but I guess $22 an hour downtown NY probably isn’t too bad. Close to the Empire State building so time to get in line and see what I can finagle to get to the top without having to stand in all of these lines. Wouldn’t you know it, front row, well, not in this case cuz they already have an express ticket that you can purchase for more so no matter what kind of talking I did, can only get up there sooner buying the pass, ok will stand in line today and see what I think. Also have to buy and extra ticket to go to the 102nd floor and I have to go to the top that I might as well spend the $30 all the way to the top. Well, nothing but standing in line because there are only so many elevators and they don’t all go to the top. You take a ride to the 80th floor to get into another line for the 86th floor where the observatory deck is. Some pretty great views of the city and maybe didn’t give it as much time as should have because gotta get to the 102nd to see even more. That’s where the extra cost isn’t worth it. True you are way up there, but inside an old enclosed observatory with some pretty dirty windows, oh well, deal with it and was able to get some great shots. Also got some great directions for heading to Central park…a little easier to do from up there when you can see where you want to get and how far ya have to go.
Central Park here I come and you know something, it’s kind of fun driving thru downtown NY on a bike and made it to the park in no time, yep, get to go between the cars and the way some are driving ya gotta go around them…ok, it is a little tense at times, but that’s what makes it fun. Hey what’dya know, can drive right thru the park. Ok, not really, but remember this bike seems to go places it shouldn’t and it just happened to follow some taxis thru. Did find parking in the park but had to move it because asked the rangers and again, unless I went to the zoo to get a permit, it might not be there when I get back. Well, here not a problem because there’s parking all around the park so just have to find a spot big enough between a couple of cars which wasn’t hard to do. Time to walk the park and I can see why so many people come here to hang out…it is a jewel in the middle of such a large city and the scenery isn’t too bad…yea, that scenery was ok too. Ok did my walking thru the park just reminiscing…can you name that tune and artist? Did have fun just walking and soaking up the sun, yep, without a shirt on, but if the women can get away with it around here, then I should be able to also, right? well, didn’t see any topless women walking around, just lying face down. Anyway, this is a big park so spent quite a bit of time just hanging out and yep, this time did get lost. Thought for sure had gone out one road to park the bike, but I couldn’t find it, that had to walk the other way until I went far enough to finally found it. Was thinking for a while that maybe it got towed, but not today, should have left bread crumbs on the trail to find my way back, but oh well, a beautiful day for a walk.
What next, oh yea, Coney Island to check out Nathan’s hot dogs and have to take the Brooklyn bridge to get there so did just that. It’s also on the way to Long Island that someone said have to check out the beaches. Well, the bridge was easy to find and pretty interesting to drive over, but at least I can say I did it, but the traffic thru Brooklyn is pretty bad. That reminds me what the chic in the park who helped with directions told me, the roads would be terrible on Friday since it’s gonna be a great weekend and everyone heading to the beaches, she’s right, pretty bad, but found Coney Island just where she said it was an hey check it out, Nathan’s original hot dog building and they’re my favorite that gotta have the original. That made for a great late lunch and boy was it good. Ok, also right next to the Board walk that have to walk some of and it’s all pretty cool. Well, you can see these beaches are full and on a day like today they should be. Let’s see what some of the other Long Island beaches have to offer and back into the stop and go traffic, but did make it to Long Island and found my first beach which wasn’t what I was expecting. It was ok, but really interesting in what they have and how it works. There are cabana buildings that families rent for the weekend or weeks and they didn’t seem to have sleeping, just a changing room with a shower and a place to put the cooler and stuff…not sure if the other rooms across the sand were the ones with beds or anything, but wasn’t going to interrupt those families hanging out there. Did ask one guy sitting there, but the only one his family was using was the changing room one which he said wasn’t much.
It’s getting late and I’d still like to find some really good authentic NY style pizza so better head back to Manhattan and that’s the place to be anyway on a Friday night. Don’t get it though, the traffic heading away from Long Island is even worse than it was going out there that where are all these people going. Bet I used over half a tank of gas just sitting in traffic and most of it was in this traffic trying to get off from the island. Well, since going by the airports and apparently there’s a Met’s game, that was part of the problem and here, can white line it like California, but I don’t think the cars are paying that much attention that not going to risk it. Finally found the open road to Manhattan and guess where I ended up, yep McSorley’s and this is definitely my favorite NY bar. It was a place I knew how to get to so figured if ask about pizza there which I’m on the wrong island for that. Oh, well, how’bout some cheese and crackers with an ale…works for me. Which reminds me, this weekend will be the first time I’m missing Colby Cheese days in over 33 years if not longer. It’s a celebration in my home town of Colby Wisconsin for the cheese named after the town and I’ve been going since we moved to Colby when I was in kindergarten…yep, another story, but that’s just for me. Had a great ride thru downtown NY and back to Allendale, but under an almost full moon and with the city lit up, it’s quite a site and definitely something that I’m glad I did. Tomorrow, let’s see what adventures we can find. NY city Pictures.
Took a number of pictures of the Rockefeller center, the Rock as they call it and after getting directions figured it’s time to take the bike to Time Square. Check it out, the bike and me front row on the square. Yea, maybe the picture didn’t capture the building behind it, but the guy taking it wasn’t going to stand in the middle of the street with traffic, so just use your imagination and you can see the bike on one end of the square that my picture with the bike is on the other end…right in front of the police station of all things, but the cops didn’t seem to mind since I was out of the way of the traffic – thanks for letting me take a picture. There is way too much to see on Time Square and the Broadway shows that are down there, but I can cover that on my return trip when I share…ok, you should know what I mean by now.
What other sites should I see and everyone says ya have to check out the Empire State building. Ok, that place is easy to find, but had a big problem finding parking. No streets around the building that just had car parking that I could squeeze the bike between and all the parking is by vendors with permits that they told me I’d either be ticketed or towed if I left it there so better find a garage. That shouldn’t be hard to do in downtown New York because see a number of them around, but wait, most don’t take bikes. Some said they don’t have insurance for parking them and others are those type of ramps where they park it for you…you know the ones, they take the cars out for a spin every once in awhile. Finally found a ramp and ok, gotta deal with the cost, but I guess $22 an hour downtown NY probably isn’t too bad. Close to the Empire State building so time to get in line and see what I can finagle to get to the top without having to stand in all of these lines. Wouldn’t you know it, front row, well, not in this case cuz they already have an express ticket that you can purchase for more so no matter what kind of talking I did, can only get up there sooner buying the pass, ok will stand in line today and see what I think. Also have to buy and extra ticket to go to the 102nd floor and I have to go to the top that I might as well spend the $30 all the way to the top. Well, nothing but standing in line because there are only so many elevators and they don’t all go to the top. You take a ride to the 80th floor to get into another line for the 86th floor where the observatory deck is. Some pretty great views of the city and maybe didn’t give it as much time as should have because gotta get to the 102nd to see even more. That’s where the extra cost isn’t worth it. True you are way up there, but inside an old enclosed observatory with some pretty dirty windows, oh well, deal with it and was able to get some great shots. Also got some great directions for heading to Central park…a little easier to do from up there when you can see where you want to get and how far ya have to go.
Central Park here I come and you know something, it’s kind of fun driving thru downtown NY on a bike and made it to the park in no time, yep, get to go between the cars and the way some are driving ya gotta go around them…ok, it is a little tense at times, but that’s what makes it fun. Hey what’dya know, can drive right thru the park. Ok, not really, but remember this bike seems to go places it shouldn’t and it just happened to follow some taxis thru. Did find parking in the park but had to move it because asked the rangers and again, unless I went to the zoo to get a permit, it might not be there when I get back. Well, here not a problem because there’s parking all around the park so just have to find a spot big enough between a couple of cars which wasn’t hard to do. Time to walk the park and I can see why so many people come here to hang out…it is a jewel in the middle of such a large city and the scenery isn’t too bad…yea, that scenery was ok too. Ok did my walking thru the park just reminiscing…can you name that tune and artist? Did have fun just walking and soaking up the sun, yep, without a shirt on, but if the women can get away with it around here, then I should be able to also, right? well, didn’t see any topless women walking around, just lying face down. Anyway, this is a big park so spent quite a bit of time just hanging out and yep, this time did get lost. Thought for sure had gone out one road to park the bike, but I couldn’t find it, that had to walk the other way until I went far enough to finally found it. Was thinking for a while that maybe it got towed, but not today, should have left bread crumbs on the trail to find my way back, but oh well, a beautiful day for a walk.
What next, oh yea, Coney Island to check out Nathan’s hot dogs and have to take the Brooklyn bridge to get there so did just that. It’s also on the way to Long Island that someone said have to check out the beaches. Well, the bridge was easy to find and pretty interesting to drive over, but at least I can say I did it, but the traffic thru Brooklyn is pretty bad. That reminds me what the chic in the park who helped with directions told me, the roads would be terrible on Friday since it’s gonna be a great weekend and everyone heading to the beaches, she’s right, pretty bad, but found Coney Island just where she said it was an hey check it out, Nathan’s original hot dog building and they’re my favorite that gotta have the original. That made for a great late lunch and boy was it good. Ok, also right next to the Board walk that have to walk some of and it’s all pretty cool. Well, you can see these beaches are full and on a day like today they should be. Let’s see what some of the other Long Island beaches have to offer and back into the stop and go traffic, but did make it to Long Island and found my first beach which wasn’t what I was expecting. It was ok, but really interesting in what they have and how it works. There are cabana buildings that families rent for the weekend or weeks and they didn’t seem to have sleeping, just a changing room with a shower and a place to put the cooler and stuff…not sure if the other rooms across the sand were the ones with beds or anything, but wasn’t going to interrupt those families hanging out there. Did ask one guy sitting there, but the only one his family was using was the changing room one which he said wasn’t much.
It’s getting late and I’d still like to find some really good authentic NY style pizza so better head back to Manhattan and that’s the place to be anyway on a Friday night. Don’t get it though, the traffic heading away from Long Island is even worse than it was going out there that where are all these people going. Bet I used over half a tank of gas just sitting in traffic and most of it was in this traffic trying to get off from the island. Well, since going by the airports and apparently there’s a Met’s game, that was part of the problem and here, can white line it like California, but I don’t think the cars are paying that much attention that not going to risk it. Finally found the open road to Manhattan and guess where I ended up, yep McSorley’s and this is definitely my favorite NY bar. It was a place I knew how to get to so figured if ask about pizza there which I’m on the wrong island for that. Oh, well, how’bout some cheese and crackers with an ale…works for me. Which reminds me, this weekend will be the first time I’m missing Colby Cheese days in over 33 years if not longer. It’s a celebration in my home town of Colby Wisconsin for the cheese named after the town and I’ve been going since we moved to Colby when I was in kindergarten…yep, another story, but that’s just for me. Had a great ride thru downtown NY and back to Allendale, but under an almost full moon and with the city lit up, it’s quite a site and definitely something that I’m glad I did. Tomorrow, let’s see what adventures we can find. NY city Pictures.
posted by Dalej Webb at 10:14 AM
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