Five Borough Bicycle Club - New York

[5BBC - New York's Five Borough Bicycle Club]

These were rides in July-August 2007. Click here for current rides.

May 27, 2007: On 5BBC's Memorial Day Ride, riders remember veteran John Martin (Giovanni Martini), the only survivor of George Armstrong Custer's command at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Photo by John Chiarella.

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

Indicates relaxed pace, easy ride

For more information, please see:

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Saturday June 30th

THE SUPERIMETER, Quick Spin

8AM, Doughnut Plant, 75+ miles

This is the ride - from Coney to Fort Totten, with lots of greenways along the way. Only the best parts of the Brooklyn and Queens perimeter trips makes this one of the best urban rides you’ll find all summer. Note: no point-drop-sweep on this ride. Fast paced and sure to be a pleaser. B16 pace. Leaders Danny Lieberman, Neile Weissman, and others.

Sunday July 1st

AROUND AND OVER THE HUDSON

8:45AM, City Hall, 43 miles

9:15AM, South Ferry

10AM, St George Ferry Terminal

See NYC from a ferry, the Liberty State Park & Hoboken. Then stretch your legs along a long shoreline stretch from Hoboken to the G.W. Bridge(with the one big hill). Bridge the Hudson back to N.Y.C. Pass Seinfeld's (who?) old haunt and choose your lunch cuisine from italian, asian and eastern Europe. It's all on one Amsterdam Ave. block. Then, we'll follow the Hudson River line (really, ask Ed why.) back down to City Hall. Bring a lock & $ for lunch. Moderate pace. Terrain: Mostly Flat with one hill. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Owens Ridges

LIFE’S A BEACH AND THEN YOU DRY

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

Don’t let a summer Sunday go by without taking a dip into the Atlantic Ocean. Lunch stop will be in Brighton Beach, the land of the knish, but we’ll be swimming in the Rockaways so we can catch some genuine waves. Leaders Ed Ravin and others.

Wednesday July 4th

INDEPENDENCE ISLAND

9AM, Columbus Circle, 40 miles

City Island is a favorite destination of mine, so let’s go back there for our national holiday. We’ll have lunch right on the water. Plenty of greenways along with some urban scenery. Moderate pace. Bring a cable lock and $ for lunch. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Maria Cummings.

HISTORICAL CEMETERY RIDE

9AM, City Hall, 40 miles

You know how famous people lived. Now get a look at how they spend eternity. Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, Tiffany, Greeley, Ebbets, Eubie Blake, Joe Gallo. The inspiration for Central Park. Brooklyn is a great place. Bring a camera and binoculars for bird spotting. Leaders Terry Chin and Ed DeFreitas.

Saturday, July 7th

SANDY HOOK

8AM (get there earlier, boat leaves at 8:15am), Pier 11, 23 miles

Go on a perennial bike boat day trip to the Jersey Shore. Ease away your worries for today. Ride a classic cycling route (except for August 25th) with four bridges, a lighthouse and vast views of the Atlantic as well as beach time. August 25th we will explore Asbury Park and a local bike shop. Bring swimwear, sunscreen, lock, lunch or money for it, and $38 roundtrip fare (including bike fare) for Seastreak Ferry (seastreak.com). Arrive early as the tickets go fast. Co-listed with NYCC. Leaders Alfredo Garcia, Phil Goldberg, David Seto.

THE FIX IS IN - RIDING REPAIR CLASS

10AM AYH, 25 miles

Don’t know how to fix a flat? Need to adjust those rubbing brakes? Don’t want to stay indoors to learn how? Take a fun ride to a scenic park in the Bronx or Westchester County for a laid-back, open air class on bike repair. A shade tree will be nearby for those who would rather nap through the 1-hour course. Bring or buy lunch. A few steep hills. Leaders Ed Ravin and Jim Mallard.

Sunday, July 8th

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #1

10AM, Prospect Park, 30 miles

The beach rides are back and the 5BBC has them! Why tire yourself out riding at a furious pace when you can be relaxing on the beach? Join us every Sunday through the end of August when we ride out to the delightful beaches of the Rockaways. The trip is pancake flat and the water’s warm. Bring a bathing suit, bike lock, sunscreen, and bring or buy lunch along the way. This is a moderate paced ride suitable for everyone! Leaders Ed Ravin and Brian Hoberman.

THE MIRAAJ AND THE ICE KING

9AM, Bridgemarket, 20 miles

After riding a few miles in the heat of summer, you might want to reach an oasis, but we will visit the Miraaj, an outdoor middle eastern restaurant. On our way back we will visit the Lemon Ice King of Corona. Bring $ for lunch. Leaders Martial Henrys and others.

BROOKLYN MAX PERIMETER

8AM, City Hall, 55+ miles

9AM (slow group)

Every year I try to improve this ride, by adding more neighborhoods and scenery. This year we will add special emphasis to historic Coney Island and some of the surrounding communities (Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Mill Basin, and so on). The ride is still mostly flat, but the mileage goes up. Bring a bag lunch or buy one at a deli and eat outside on the pier at Canarsie. Remember to pack water, sun screen, and a camera. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Jesse Brown. “Regular” group leaders Ed DeFreitas and others.

Saturday, July 14th

ROOFTOP TOMATOES AND LOFTY LETTUCE

9:30AM, Prospect Park, 20 miles

A juicy Times Square tomato? A crunchy Coney Island cucumber? How about a leafy Lefrak City lettuce? Imagine your building’s super not only fixing your leaky faucet by Christmas but helping you to carry bushels of tomatoes from your rooftop’s solar and wind-powered bio-diesel heated farm to your block party’s county fair. Join us for a free tour of the Science Barge in Manhattan and discover how the Big Apple can be the Sustainable Apple. Bring lock and money for lunch at a local eatery. Rain at start cancels. Leaders Richard Sanford and Jim Mallard.

CATS IN THE CRADLE

9:30AM, AYH, 22 miles

10:45AM, Governor’s Island Ferry Terminal (next to South Ferry)

Join us for this ride to the Governor’s Island Folk Festival, where today Harry Chapin will be celebrated (folksontheisland.com). The famous musical Chapin family comes together to celebrate and bring alive the music of the late Harry Chapin. Songs like “Taxi”, “Cats in the Cradle”, “Mr. Tanner”, and “Circle” and sung by those who know them best, Harry’s original band and his amazing family. The concert and the ferry ride are free and Governor’s Island is open this summer for the first time to bikes! Bring a blanket, lunch or money for it, sunblock, a hat, and a bike lock. Leaders Brian Hoberman and Ted Kushner.

SANDY HOOK

8AM (get there earlier, boat leaves at 8:15am), Pier 11, 23 miles

See July 7th for description. Leaders Alfredo Garcia, Phil Goldberg and David Seto.

Sunday, July 15th

CENTRE ISLAND SWIM-N-CYCLE

8AM, Bridgemarket, 66 miles

9:45AM, Cunningham Park, 53 miles

Join us for this ride to Centre Island Beach in Bayville, on the North Shore of Long Island. We’ll stay at the beach for a couple of hours, which will leave enough time for those of you who want to do the optional 6-mile loop around scenic Centre Island. We will ride at an easy pace on somewhat hilly terrain. Don’t forget your bathing suit and towel. Ride will return to Cunningham Park around 6PM. Leaders Brian Hoberman and others.

RIDE TO HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM

9AM, Plaza Hotel, 35 miles

You’ve heard of two-fers? Well, how about 3, or even 4? Here we have a museum that changes it’s main exhibits frequently (hrm.org). It’s also a planetarium and a mansion full of Hudson River School art. Varied terrain. Leaders Ed DeFreitas and others.

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #2

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

See July 8th for description. Leaders Jim Zisfein and Marina Bekkerman.

Saturday, July 21st

TO THE FRESH KILLS

9:15AM, Doughnut Plant, 15-25 miles

9:45AM, South Ferry

Once one of the smelliest places on earth, now fully tamed and manicured for our inspection. We’ll travel old Dutch roadways on Staten Island. Lunch at the Golden Dove diner. The tour given by NYC Park Rangers takes about an hour. Optional Quick Spin to Rossville, for those who missed it last time. We will take the 4PM boat back to Manhattan. RSVP to joshgo@awild.com for the park tour, because seating is limited. Leaders Josh Gosciak and Alfredo Garcia

Sunday, July 22nd

QUEENS PERIMETER, EXPANDED

8AM, Bridgemarket, 80 miles (one group)

The borough itself has not grown but this ride surely has. We cover more territory and expand to include the often neglected Rockaway Peninsula. In addition, we added some more scenic sections in nearby Nassau county to make the ride even more challenging. Long, fast, and a few noticable hills just for kicks. Note: no point-drop-sweep on this ride. Travel light but bring enough snacks and water. Limited stops. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Jesse Brown.

NORTH AND SOUTH COUNTY TRAILS

9:30AM, Grand Central, 55 miles

9:45AM, 125th St station

Take the Metro-North from Grand Central (or 125th St) to Brewster and then ride south along the North and South County trails at a B16 pace. Train departure time is 9:50 at GCT or 10:00 at 125th St. This ride is 75% traffic free, and mostly in remote areas. Bring lunch, snacks, 2 spare tubes and plenty of water. One way train fare is $10. There will be a brief lunch and rest stop. We want to get back to Manhattan around 5PM. Leaders Ken Williams and Wentworth Price.

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #3

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

See July 8th for description. Leaders Alfredo Garcia and Phil Goldberg.

Saturday, July 28th

THE FROZEN SEATPOST, THE 2007 FROZEN DESSERTS RIDE

9AM, Bridgemarket, 50+ miles

Ice cream, gelato, spumoni, tofutti, and maybe a sundae or two. I’ve been collecting my favorite outer-boro frozen delights over the years and want to present them to you, my friends. So what better way to burn off the calories than a bike ride? Join me for this sweet trip and we’ll freeze our way around town. Bring a bag lunch and a camera. Your leaders are Danny Lieberman and Natalia Lincoln.

GREEN SPACES AND NICE ICES
THIS RIDE IS CANCELLED. Sorry.

9AM, Kew Gardens, 30 miles

We have pleasant riding through Eastern Queens neighborhoods and nearby Nassau county to one of the island’s oldest state parks. Stop at Guido’s Deli for lunch, and later we will stop at “Nice Ices” on the way back. Moderate pace and flat terrain. Leaders Martial Henrys and Owens Ridges.

Sunday, July 29th

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #4

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

See July 8th for description. Leaders Danny Lieberman and others.

Saturday, August 4th

“TRAINING” FROM SYOSSET RIDE

7:15AM, Kew Gardens, 75 miles, Quick Spin

7:30AM, Penn Station, 50 miles

Two seperate starts for this “training” ride. August is hot! Cool off by taking your bike on the LIRR’s special Bike Train to Syosset (arriving 8:15). The intrepid group leaving from Kew Gardens will meet you in Syosset. Together we ride to Huntington, Huntington Bay, Cold Spring Harbor, Oyster Bay and back to Queens. Note limited point/drop on this ride: you will be expected to follow the cue sheet. Multiple bailout points for the RR along the way. Quick Spin (15+mph) pace on the flats. Leaders Dennis Griffin and Neile Weissman.

UP, UP, AND AWAY!

9:45AM, Cunningham Park, 35 miles

Celebrate the history of aviation at a new museum, in Hicksville, LI. Bring $10 admission (Imax theatre is extra). Lunch is available in the Red Planet Cafe. For more info see cradleofaviation.org. The museum has a bike rack so bring a lock. Leaders Phil “Bike21” Goldberg and Bob Castro.

Sunday, August 5th

SCENIC KATONAH, Quick Spin

8AM, Wakefield (East 241st St & White Plains Rd), 70 miles

This is a scenic and hilly ride through lower Westchester’s most picturesque townships. A little bit of country just outside of the City. Bring or buy lunch. Travel note: this ride begins at the last stop on the Bronx-bound #2 train. Leaders Jesse Brown and Rodney Millard.

LONGER RIDE TO A SHORTER PIER

9AM, Plaza Hotel, 50 miles

Yeah, yeah, everybody goes to Piermont, big deal. But do you know why the place exists? Who cares besides Ed? There’s a common thread that connects cyclists, computer folks and railroad nuts (that’s a hint). As long as we have Piermont as a destination, we’ll keep going. So knock yourselves out. Have a doughnut on the way back, maybe. Moderate pace, hilly terrain. Leaders Ed DeFreitas and Owens Ridges.

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #5

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

See July 8th for description. Leaders Rhonda Wittorf and Brian Hoberman.

Saturday, August 11th

TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS

9:45AM, Prospect Park, 20 miles

Is there life on Mars? Where is the lost city of Atlantis? Does the Loch Ness monster really exist? How do clothes get dry cleaned? Now we attempt to answer the latter based on facts, not conjecture. If it’s dry, do they use a liquid, and, what happens to that liquid? Does some character dump it down the sewer? Join us for a ride to Chip’s Dry Cleaners in East Harlem as we iron out the answers to the mysteries of Dry Cleaning. Bring a lock and $ for lunch at a local ethnic restaurant. Rain at start time cancels. Leaders Richard Sanford and others Jim Mallard.

ENDURANCE RIDE #1
STATEN ISLAND EARLY PERIMETER

4AM, South Ferry, 40+ miles

Early bird ride for those who want to do other things in the day. We take the 4:30AM boat to Staten Island. We’ll take about 4 hours to ride around Staten Island, averaging about 12mph (note: leader will ride a sturdy touring road bike). Bring food & water. Cyclists must have bike in good working order as well as being fit to finish ride in 3.5 hours or less. 1st of 3 rides to be done within 24 hours. Leaders Alfredo Garcia and others.

ENDURANCE RIDE #2
SANDY HOOK

10AM (yes, 10am for this date only), Pier 11, 23 miles

See July 7th for description. 2nd of 3 rides to be done within 24 hours. Leaders Alfredo Garcia, Phil Goldberg, David Seto.

ENDURANCE RIDE #3
LINCOLN TUNNEL RUN THROUGH

9:23PM, Columbus Circle (Merchant’s Gate), 23 miles

Cycle to this annual night ride, going under that imbedded underwater worm, the Lincoln Tunnel. Beforehand we’ll ride down Time’s Square, up the west side greenway, and over the George Washington Bridge. Ride subject to cancellation by the Port Authority. Bring front and rear NON-BLINKING lights. No flashing. Ride should finish by 2AM, with optional breakfast. 3rd of 3 rides to be done within 24 hours. People who do all 3 will receive an award. Co-listed with NYCC. Leaders Alfredo Garcia, Ed Pino and Liz Baum.

Sunday, August 12th

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #6

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

See July 8th for description. Leaders Jim Zisfein and Marina Bekkerman.

STAATEN EYELAND PERIMETER

9AM, South Ferry, 40 miles

10AM, St George Ferry Terminal

The original “perimeter” ride, the trip around Staten Island is quiet and green, passing old and new neighborhoods. Lunch stop at Conference House park at New York City’s southernmost point, facing Raritan Bay. Route contains both scenic greenways and busy streets. Leaders Ed DeFreitas, Jesse Brown and Rodney Millard.

Saturday, August 18th

TO THE FRESH KILLS

9:15AM, Doughnut Plant, 15-25 miles

9:45AM, South Ferry

See July 21st for description. Leaders Josh Gosciak and Alfredo Garcia.

Sunday, August 19th

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #7

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

See July 8th for description. Leaders David Balzer and Owens Ridges.

BROOKLYN SOJOURN

9AM, City Hall, 40 miles

Electric cars aren’t new. Beautiful brownstones not in the expected neighborhoods. Nothing weak about Weeksville. Lunch at Sheepshead Bay, and a piece of Brooklyn Dodger history. Maybe more stops in a Brooklyn Sojourn. Bring a lock and $ for lunch. Moderate pace. Leaders Ed DeFreitas and others.

Saturday, August 25th

BATHE IN BAYVILLE XX

9:30AM, Cunningham Park, 55 miles

Join us on this perennial 5BBC summer favorite to Long Island’s North Shore. Our destination is Centre Island Beach, where we’ll take time out for a swim in Oyster Bay Harbor, and some sunbathing. Bring $ for lunch or a bag lunch, bathing suit, towel, lock and an MTA bike pass. Rolling terrain and some steep climbs. Moderate pace. Leaders Ira Najowitz and Dennis Griffin.

SANDY HOOK

8AM (get there earlier, boat leaves at 8:15am), Pier 11, 23 miles

THIS RIDE IS CANCELLED. Sorry. Instead, you can "Bathe in Bayville" (see above).

See July 7th for description. Leaders Alfredo Garcia, Phil Goldberg, and David Seto.

Sunday, August 26th

BICYCLE BEACH BUMS #8

10AM, Prospect Park, 35 miles

The final ride in our summer series to the Rockaways. See July 8th for description. Leaders Rhonda Wittorf and Caryn Greenberg.

MANHATTAN PERIMETER RIDE

9AM, City Hall, 35 miles

Free pizza. Do we have your attention? This is the last of the perimeter series and we’ll circle the island where it all started with $24 worth of baubles. Today it wouldn’t pay the brokers fee on your condo parking space. We’ll zip up the west side greenway and lunch on the Harlem River. Trace the uneven shore back down the east side back to South Ferry, and on to the free pizza at the Perimeter Series Blowout party. Leaders Ed DeFreitas, Jesse Brown and Rodney Millard.

Saturday, September 1st

THE OLD PUT CENTURY ENCORE, Quick Spin

8AM, Woodlawn (Jerome and Bainbridge Aves), 100 miles

The New York and Putnam Railroad, a/k/a "The Old Put", was a dismal failure as a commercial rail line and was finally put out of its misery circa 1980. Fortunately, the right-of-way was preserved, and the rail barons' loss became our gain when Westchester and Putnam Counties built a rail trail for recreational use. You can now bicycle most of the way from Bronx to Carmel on a path that is paved, level, and car-free. Hooray! We are offering this ride again due to the response we got when we first did it in June. Riders should be able to maintain a "B" pace (15 mph). Bring water, snacks, lunch or $ for it, and $ for Metro-North in case you need to leave early. Travel note: this ride begins at the last stop on the Bronx-bound #4 subway, not the Metro-North station of the same name. Leaders: "The Old Putzes" Jesse Brown and Jim Zisfein.

Sunday, September 2nd

FLAT ROCK NATURE PRESERVE

9AM, City Hall, 35 miles

This a bike to hike ride to a not well known but beautiful nature preserve. It’s privately run, includes a nature center and you can take lunch beside a pond and take an unsupervised nature hike. Bring a lock and lunch or $ for it. Leaders Ed DeFreitas and others.

Monday, September 3rd

GATEWAY GETAWAY

12:45PM, South Ferry, 25 miles

Enjoy the views of the Narrows and New York Bay. Tour historic Fort Wadsworth, Miller Field and the natural habitat of the Great Kills National Park. We’ll time our return for bay watching on the afternoon ferry. Bring a light, snack and a lock. Leaders Terry Chin and Ed DeFreitas.

Saturday, September 8th

NORTHVALE INSTEAD OF PIERMONT

9AM, Columbus Circle, 45 miles

Tomorrow is the TA Century and we we’re going to head over to the Northvale Diner for a quick trip around and back. We were originally planning to head over to Piermont but the town decided they were going to have a parade and close all the roads, so we’ve adjusted the ride to Northvale. It’s just about 45 miles total round trip, enough to get warmed up for the big ride tomorrow without wearing you out. Bring a lock and a few $ for diner lunch. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Fred Dieckamp.

Sunday, September 9th

TRAFFIC HATER’S RIDE TO LONG BEACH

9AM, Cunningham Park, 50 miles

Cycle all the back roads of Queens and Nassau counties for lunch on the boardwalk in Long Beach. No bathing suits and no locks are necessary, because we go all over the place to avoid traffic. Moderate pace and flat terrain. Leaders: Martial Henrys and Manuel Sanudo