These were rides in January - February 2005. Click here for current rides.

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Get in shape for The Montauk Century 2005 with our Montauk training rides. Ride descriptions are included below. For quick reference, our training rides are summarized here.

Please note that helmets are required on all 5BBC rides.

Indicates relaxed pace, easy ride

For more information, please see:

Ride locations - where do we meet?

Ride Update Center - is my ride cancelled?

DayTripper Column - periodic yammerings from the Day Trips Coordinator

More about day rides - what to bring on rides, what's that smiley thing, participants under age 18, bike access on trains

Sunday January 2nd

FROSTBITE RIDE #5: NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
10AM, Plaza Hotel (59th St. & 5th Ave.), 30 miles

Note: start point incorrectly printed in Nov-Dec Bicycletter.
Elly Spangenberg's perennial ride. Smell fresh roses at one of the foremost American public gardens. Take a look at the Holiday Train Show. Go to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory for "A World of Plants" in a warm environment. See www.nybg.org for internet info. Bring a lock, $ for lunch and $3 admission. Leaders Ed DeFreitas & Ed Pino.

Saturday, January 8th

SHORT TEMPERED RIDER'S GLASS FACTORY RIDE
9:30AM, Prospect Park (Grand Army Plaza), 15 miles

Your psychiatrist suggests you find an outlet for your aggression. What better way than to hurl a bowling ball through your jeweler's window because he refused to take back the ring you bought for your no longer significant other?

Not so fast, "Hurlcules!" Those jewelers have tempered glass, and like you, that bowling ball is useless. Why not channel that simmering streak and join us for a visit to the Colonial Glass works in Williamsburg? We'll see how huge sheets of regular glass are transformed into tempered glass, allowing the rest of society to feel protected from folks like you who "live on the edge". It's a short ride, so no need to get bent out of shape. Lunch will be at a local hero/pizza shop. Bring lock and lunch money (sledge hammer optional). Leaders: Richard Sanford & Randy Horowitz

Sunday, January 9th

FROSTBITE RIDE #6: TO GARIBALDI AND ALICE AUSTEN HOUSE
10AM, City Hall, 20 miles

Get transported again on the Staten Island Ferry for scenic riding. You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant-oops wrong song-it's Cargo's. Visit the home of famed photographer Alice Austen, with gleaming views of New York Bay. She won't be home, but appreciates you coming. Check the trip-related web www.aliceausten.org. Don't worry about Guisseppe Garibaldi, baby. Bring $ for lunch, a lock and a digital camera. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Saturday, January 15th

TEMPERATURE REGULATORS (quick spin)
9:30am, White Plains Road & Pelham Parkway, 40 miles

Get up early and meet Jesse for a fast ride up north. Guaranteed to be quick. Have a bite at that awesome Austrian pastry shop. Destination might be Rye, White Plains or Byram, CT. Minimum pace 15mph. Bring a lock and $ for lunch. Leaders: Jesse Brown and company. Co-listed with NYCC.

Sunday, January 16th

FROSTBITE RIDE #7: TO UNCLE GEORGE'S
10AM, City Hall, 25 miles

Oceanography, what!? Ride into the borough that brought the likes of Phil Goldberg, Brian Hoberman, Ira Najowitz, Manny Sanudo and David Seto. Feast on Greek cuisine. Who knows-we might run into Queens' own Steve "Wildman" Brill (see www.bigfoot.com/~wildmansteve) and eat something else. Possible excursions to the Museum of the Moving Image, Socrates Sculpture Park and other waterfront delights. Bring a lock and $ for lunch. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Monday, January 17th

FREEZER JAM
10AM, Bridgemarket, 30 miles

Sure, it's freezing cold out there. But if the temperature is at 30 or above at start time we'll ride to explore a nearby industrial neighborhood and find a warm lunch spot. Be sure to dress for the weather and bring a lock, water, and $ for lunch. Leaders: Danny Lieberman and Brian Hoberman.

Saturday, January 22nd

TEMPERATURE REGULATORS (quick spin)
9:30am, White Plains Road & Pelham Parkway, 40 miles

Get up early and meet Jesse for a fast ride up north. Guaranteed to be quick. Have a bite at that awesome Austrian pastry shop. Destination might be Rye, White Plains or Byram, CT. Minimum pace 15mph. Bring a lock and $ for lunch. Leaders: Jesse Brown and company. Co-listed with NYCC.

Sunday, January 23rd

FROSTBITE RIDE #8: UNDER AND OVER THE HUDSON
10AM, City Hall, 35 miles

We go to the WTC PATH station and take it to Hoboken. From there, we go straight north along the Hudson to the GWB and across to Manhattan. We pass Seinfeld's old haunt in favor of Italian, Indian eastern European cuisine. After refueling, we again follow the Hudson back to City Hall. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Saturday, January 29th

RETURN OF THE HOT CHOCOLATE RIDE
10AM, City Hall, 25 hot miles

All year long I've continued my research and study to make this winter's Hot Chocolate ride the best one yet. We're only interested in the finest beverages, of course, but we'll make a real lunch stop in addition to those yummy drinks. Dress warmly and please bring a lock. Bring a few $ for the HC, too. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Lee Ann Van Wyck.

Sunday, January 30th

FROSTBITE RIDE #9: SHEEPSHEAD BAY AND BEYOND
10AM, City Hall, 35 miles

Yet another excursion into the Borough of Churches. We'll check out the Bay Shore Parkway greenway, a path frequented on Bicycle Bum Beach rides, with a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. Bring a lock, $ for lunch and a camera. You can look but you better not touch (bike) a pedestrian bridge in the area. See www.transalt.org/bridges/sheep.html to know why. Bring a lock, and $ for lunch. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Saturday, February 5th

CHINESE MIAN BAO DIAN RIDE
10:30AM, City Hall, 20 miles

It's quite a skill as Yang Hua Jie (also known as "Franky") shows you how he creates Chinese cakes and pastries at his Bay Parkway Mian Bao Dian shop.The place is home for the locals which includes grandma's from Guangdong, workmen from Fuzhou, teachers from Hong Kong and "foreigners" from Bay Ridge. We'll have to put the cart before the horse as we eat some cakes first and head for lunch second at a Malaysian restaurant in Brooklyn's Ba Da Dao (Eighth Avenue Chinatown). For those who don't want cake, specially created hot and cold drinks are available too. Bring lock, and lunch money. Enjoy Chinese language fun along the way. Leaders: Richard Sanford and Alfredo Garcia.

Sunday, February 6th

FROSTBITE RIDE #10: GARIBALDI AND ALICE AUSTEN HOUSE
10AM, CITY HALL, 20 miles

Get transported again on the Staten Island Ferry for scenic riding. You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant-oops wrong song-it's Cargo's. Visit the home of famed photographer Alice Austen, with gleaming views of New York Bay. She won't be home, but appreciates you coming. Check the trip-related web www.aliceausten.org. Don't worry about Guisseppe Garibaldi, baby. Bring $ for lunch, a lock and a digital camera. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Saturday, February 12th

MERCHANT MARINE CONVOY
10AM, Cunningham Park, 35 moderately hilly miles.

Warm up those dormant cycling muscles on a leisurely ride to the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, overlooking Long Island Sound (www.usmma.edu). We'll bike through some scenic residential areas, eat lunch indoors, and then proceed to the Academy. On the way back, we'll enjoy waterfront views in Douglaston Manor and along the Joe Michaels Mile Bike Path. Note: Temperature below 32 degrees one hour before the start, or ANY ice or snow on the road, cancels. Leaders: Ira Najowitz and John Chiarella.

Sunday, February 13th

FROSTBITE RIDE #11: CONEY ISLAND DREAMING ON SUCH A WINTER'S DAY
10AM, City Hall, 30 miles

To the Borough of Churches we will go. Ride to the serene waterfronts of the Verrazano and Coney Island. Have lunch at Totonno's, renowned for prized pizza. Check out id.essortment.com/historyofpizza_rmgf.htm for interesting mouth-watering facts about our standard cycling food staple. Some examples--pizza was first developed by the ancient Greeks and we consume nearly 4 acres of it a day. Get that mozzarella! Bring a lock and $ for food. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Saturday, February 19th

PRESIDENTS WEEKEND RIDE TO FILLMORE'S
9:30AM, AYH (Amsterdam Ave & West 103rd St), 30 miles

Join Ed & Liz on our Ride to Fillmore's for lunch. This will be an easy flat ride of 30 miles through the borough of Queens. We will circle the globe and eat in a pub like atmosphere. Bring $10.00, for a real lunch. Bring a lock and your appetite.

Sunday, February 20th

FROSTBITE RIDE #12: UNCLE GEORGE'S plus special treat! Tour of Christo's The Gates project for Central Park
10AM, City Hall, 25 miles

Oceanography, what!? Ride into the borough that brought the likes of Phil Goldberg, Brian Hoberman, Ira Najowitz, Manny Sanudo and David Seto. Feast on Greek cuisine. Who knows-we might run into Queens' own Steve "Wildman" Brill (see www.bigfoot.com/~wildmansteve) and eat something else. Possible excursions to the Museum of the Moving Image, Socrates Sculpture Park and other waterfront delights. Bring a lock and $ for lunch. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.

Saturday, February 26th

MONTAUK TRAINING RIDE # 0: RIVERDALE
9AM, Columbus Circle, 25 miles

It’s hard to believe that the training ride series is starting this early, but if you can struggle to get out of the house and meet us for this first ride, we’ll take an introductory jaunt up and around the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Last year we found a great diner there so we’ll go back! Be sure to bring an extra tube, spare bottle of water, and dont forget to dress in layers. Leaders: Danny Lieberman and Diane Goodwin.

Sunday, February 27th

FROSTBITE RIDE #13: WORLD'S GREATEST PANCAKES, ENCORE!
10AM City Hall, 35 miles
11AM, Staten Island (parking lot on WEST side of ferry building)

Kull-ing all bikes! Kull-ing all bikes! Join us for an encore presentation to conclude our fabled series. Lunch will be extremely warm and delicious, at Bayonne's Broadway Diner and the club will kick in some mulla to the "Blow out". Journey further to Liberty State Park, where Ed will give a moving tribute on the Liberation Monument. Shipping & park details at www.siferry.com, www.nywaterway.com and www.libertystatepark.com. Bring a lock, and $ for lunch. Note you can also meet this ride by taking the 10:30AM boat from South Ferry or meet the group on the Staten Island side. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Ed Pino.