Filming along the Palisades Interstate Parkway

For Independence day me and my mate Spencer went on a quick 40 miler, up from Fort Greene, over BKYN bridge and up the West Side Highway, across the GWB and up the Palisades. A beautiful ride that is a lot of fun with a great tree filled environment once you're on the other side of the Hudson. 

No pics for this post but check out my funky video here of the day here!

A little shaky as I was using my pocket samsung camera in my hand whilst riding, maybe I will invest in a gopro cam before the cross country trip next year to get some more professional footage. For now its worth gambling on their 'everything we make' daily competition! Check in here to try your luck: http://gopro.com/daily-giveaway/

Still catching up...

And so even more happened over the summer...

Vancouver was a quick vacation destination in early June. One of the highlights was a quick weekend spent in Whistler whilst we were there. This is a fantastic mountain side resort which in the summer has a really vibrant downhill mountain biking community. Lots of equipment shops will rent out a range of bikes and kit for reasonable amounts for the day and lift passes are likewise affordable.

Extreme downhill and full face helmets aren't for everyone though (including Sonia) and so there are miles and miles of green routes too. These are great trails that take in a couple of large lakes and paths through the pinewood forest. Great for a few hours. We didn't see any bears on our ride though!

 

So theres been a bit of a gap, but now I am back!

Quite a gap since May 29th on my blogging. I chalk it down to exuberance and excitement at first putting the blog together and then an immediate crash once the realisation sank in that it is seriously hard work creating good copy! Even so, lets have a quick catch up and see where I am 4 months down the line from my first blog post...


Previously I was just about to attend the Tour de Brooklyn with a few friends. It was a perfect day with blue skies and warm temperatures. There were over 2000 people participating and the route took us down some main routes through Brooklyn.

I must say that for someone who lives in Brooklyn the route was not the prettiest. Most likely due to the numbers of cyclists that we couldnt take in the really beautiful cycle lanes along the Hudson. However we were allowed to go through Hamilton military base which is usually off limits.





Overall though I would say that the ride had too many stops (due to having to stop traffic) and was heavily congested. If you are from another borough and want to cycle around Brooklyn this could be a good ride for you (as long as you dont expect a fast ride or a deep workout). Still, the people make a good ride and I loved spending the day with my friends.

Brooklyn Bridge to Coney Island Memorial ride

The best thing about memorial day is that its a public holiday in the US and it marks the start of the summer. For 2012 me and some mates took a quick jaunt down to Coney Island to take in the cycle lanes that go past the Verrazano Bridge (read Staten Island bridge) in the blazing summer sun.

Its an easy route, through Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook before we get onto the cycle lanes which takes us down into Coney. Check the google route here: http://goo.gl/maps/xcNP

Only a few hours but the sun was strong so I now sport some touchy sunburn on my nose, arms and knees! Need to watch for that when I am on the TransAm.

Tour de Brooklyn in 10 days

This will be my first time on the Tour de Brooklyn. This looks like a calm and relaxing way to see the borough of Kings. I can't imagine that it will be strenuous but it will be an interesting 21.5 miles. Bring it on! And at on $10 for non Transport Alternative members - a bargain.

Sign up now, it starts at 9.30am on Sunday June 3rd.

Trek 520 in my hands baby!

Whoop, just picked up my Trek 520 touring bike. A swift lap of Prospect Park for a test ride and then back to pay on plastic. Done and done. (With a quick picture opportunity in Gowanus)

So far it wasn't much of a ride, but in the 5 miles so far it feels responsive, solid and fast. Extremely happy and a concrete step towards the transam next year.

Colorado!

Back in NYC after a quick weekend visit to my brother in Fort Collins, Colorado. Such a beautiful state and I can't wait to return next year on the Trans Am.

I didn't get to ride this time but I was impressed by the cycling culture in all three towns I visited. Denver and Boulder both have established bike & ride schemes and cycle culture is really part and parcel of Fort Collins daily life.

Most impressive however was the New Belgium Brewery. Free tours and craft beer tasting mixed with history of their founders first beer-Fat Tire, conceived whilst on a European bike tour in Belgium on an early mountain bike!

New York City Bike to Work Day

Hey ladies and gentlemen - a heads up - its National Cycle to Work day tomorrow. If you are heading into Manhattan there will be fantastic 'Transportation Alternative' volunteers handing out free snacks on the bridges!


This is a good way to re-kick start my cycling to work habit. Its a good 9 mile warm up from Downtown Brooklyn to Midtown but I've been rather lazy of late. 


Check out the transport alternatives link for bike to work day here and also if you want to meet other commuters at Gorilla Coffee in Park Slope check out this link with more details.

You want to do what...?

The TransAmerica bicycle trail is a 4,241.5 mile route through the heart of America. For me it will start in historic York Town, Virgina and end months later in Astoria, Oregon. I am promised from the adventure cycling association that I will ride through "ocean coastline, lush forests, high desert, mountain passes, snow-capped peaks, sweeping vistas, expansive plains, fertile farmlands, rolling hills, and wide rivers". An adventure of the truest sense. A reimagining of exploring the frontier, albeit on two wheels rather than a horse. For someone locked at his desk for the next 12 months saving money and day dreaming, an adventure to savour.

This is my blog site. I have just come back from my favorite bike shop in New York city after placing my deposit on a sleek Trek 520 touring bike. Pam at Bicycle Habitat in Park Slope swiftly helped me reserve a 57cm frame, to be built and purchased in full next week. As I have now made my $1,349 commitment I thought it would be good fun to chart my training progress and trip via this blog.

I am a novice cyclist at best, mainly riding around New York on an imported Chris Boardman SC single speed road bike. My single longest ride last year was the 140 mile ride to Montauk from Penn Station which was punishing on the SC. I have not riden such a distance close before or since so I know the next 12 months of training will be crucial. I am approaching 30 this year and am not overly fit or athletic. This ride will test my endurance, courage and will power to breaking point. Just what I need to break 8 years of office (read software development) routine.

So, here we are, the very first step in a long journey. Next week promises a new bike and the start of some serious training!