![[5BBC - New York's Five Borough Bicycle Club]](/images/5bbc.gif)
These were rides in September-October 2007. Click here for current rides.
October 8, 2007: Terry at the Pulaski Bridge. Queens Brooklyn Mosaic. Photo by Arabelle Taggart. Please note that helmets are required on all 5BBC rides.
![[Happy-face ride]](/images/smiley.gif)
Indicates relaxed pace, easy ride
For more information, please see:
- Ride locations - where do we meet?
- Subway service advisories - can I get there?
- Bulletin board - 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
- Rides archive - what we did last month, and last year
Your membership keeps our day rides free. If you are a 5BBC member, thank you! If you are not a 5BBC member and enjoy our day rides, please give us your support. For only $20 per year, enjoy the benefits of membership in New York's friendliest bike club.
Get the 5BBC Weekly Update! All members are eligible to receive this weekly newsletter that summarizes the upcoming weekend's 5BBC rides and other Club-related or bicycling events. If you are a Club member and would like to subscribe, drop a note to communications@5bbc.org.
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
THIS RIDE IS CANCELLED. Sorry. Instead, you can "Bathe in Bayville" (see above).
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. 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, 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
If the #4 subway terminates at Bedford Ave., then pedal north on Jerome Ave. under the elevated tracks for 1 mile until you get to Bainbridge Ave.
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: Jim Zisfein and Steve Faust (& get well soon, Jesse).
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 Owens Ridges.
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.
Saturday, September 15th
LOTTERY RIDE, THE DIRECTOR’S CUT
8AM, AYH, 70 miles
Interest in this ride has peaked since Jesse won $500 with a ticket he bought recently. Will you be the next winner? There’s only one way to find out: join the brigade that rides up and down the many hills between New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Quick spin pace of about 18mph. Hilly terrain. Bring a lock, $ for lunch and lottery tickets. Leaders Jesse Brown and Rodney Millard.
DESIGN FOR THE OTHER 90%
9:30AM, Prospect Park, 20 miles
Nearly 90% of the worlds population do not have the products and services that we take for granted. Nearly half the world do not have access to clean water, food, and shelter. “Design for the other 90%”, a fascinating exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design in NYC, explores 30 projects among designers, engineers, and social entrepreneurs that come up with unique solutions. So what about the bicycle? You’ll be amazed! Bring lock, $12 for museum admission, and $ for lunch at a local eatery. Rain at start cancels. Leaders Richard Sanford and Jim Mallard.
Sunday, September 16th
HISTORIC HOUSES OF BROOKLYN
9:30AM, Prospect Park, 21 miles
Cycle to the historic houses of Brooklyn. Visit market day at the Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House, fruit and vegetables grown on site! 21 miles of flat city cycling. Bring water and $ for lunch and museum admission. Kick off ride of the series. More info at historichousetrust.org. Leaders Fred Dieckamp and Steven Libby.
TO AN ABANDONED VILLAGE
9:45AM, Grand Central, 20 miles
A ride only a kid would love. We’ll voyage to where no roads go, an abandoned seaside village off the coast of Stratford, Connecticut. Be forewarned, depending on the tides we may portage bikes along a narrow spit of beach that goes to the village, the only access since the bridge was closed. This is a mile in each direction. Before we get there we’ll have lunch with time for sun and surf. Bring MTA bike pass, locks, bag lunch or $ for it. We should be back by 6:20PM depending on the tides. Note this is a family ride, so you are encouraged to bring the kids. Email Josh for further information: joshgo@awild.com. Leaders Josh Gosciak and Marina Bekkerman.
Saturday, September 22nd
REMEMBRANCE DAY RIDE
9AM, Doughnut Plant, 30 miles
We travel lightly through Williamsburg to Sheepshead Bay, where we’ll place stones on the Holocaust memorial in observance of Yom Kippur. Then we’ll ceremoniously lift the veil, close the book, wash our hands of it (in the nearby ocean), and head over to Totonno’s Pizzeria for lunch. (Those observing: we’ll be back in the city by 3PM, in time to hear the shofar and break the fast.) Leaders Josh Gosciak and others.
Sunday, September 23rd
HISTORIC HOUSES OF QUEENS
9:30AM, Kew Gardens, 26 miles
Cycle to the historic houses of Queens. We will visit the Queens County Farm Museum, one of the last working farms in NYC. 26 miles of mostly flat city cycling. Bring water and $ for lunch and farm tour. Second ride of the series. More info at historichousetrust.org. Leaders Fred Dieckamp and Lee Ann Van Wyck.
Saturday, September 29th
EAST ISLAND
9:30AM, Cunningham Park, 50 miles
Come on a scenic fall ride to East Island in Glen Cove on Long Island’s North Shore. Former J.P. Morgan Jr’s estate, the great Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campenella also lived there. If the weather is warm we’ll eat lunch at Pryibill Beach and return via Sea Cliff. Great views of Long Island Sound are guaranteed. Moderate pace. Rolling terrain with some steep climbs. Leaders Ira Najowitz and John Chiarella.
Sunday, September 30th
SANDY HOOK
7:30AM, Pier 11, 23 miles
Last Seastreak cruise for the year and we’re going. Nice stretches, with some busy traffic and some hills. We’ll go through several Monmouth county towns, plus selected sights. Bring $39 for round-trip fare, sunglasses, sunscreen, lock, $ for lunch and swim gear for North Beach, maybe a camera. Make sure your bike is in good condition. Minimum pace 12mph. Co-listed with NYCC. Leaders Alfredo Garcia and others.
THE OLD PUT METRIC CENTURY TO YORKTOWN HEIGHTS
8AM, Woodlawn (Jerome and Bainbridge Aves), 66 miles
This is a regular point-drop-sweep metric century version of the popular new “old put” quick spin full century (see Sept 1st). Come enjoy the fall colors, support the rail-to-trail movement. Bring lunch or $ for it and your MTA bike pass just in case. Leaders Ed Defreitas and Jesse Brown.
FIVE TOWNS RIDE
9AM, Doughnut Plant, 50 miles
Can you name all five of the five towns? We’ll trip through Queens and these nearby and scenic suburbs, enjoying the fall foliage. Mostly flat terrain and scenic backroads. Moderate pace. Bring a lock and $ for lunch. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Lee Ann Van Wyck.
Saturday, October 6th
TEATOWN LAKE BIKE/HIKE
8:25AM, Grand Central, 26 very hilly miles
For those of you who have done my ride to Chappaqua, this will seem familiar, but with an added attraction: quality time at Teatown Lake Reservation (teatown.org) in Ossining for some hiking. While the ride starts at Croton-Harmon, to allow for hiking time, the ride will end in Bedford Hills, after 26 miles. For those of you not familiar with this terrain it is VERY HILLY, though we will take our time reaching the peaks. We’ll lunch in Chapaqua, perhaps running into their most famous residents. Bring a lunch and snacks (Lunch will be on the late side.) Leaders Brian Hoberman and Ed Ravin.
Sunday, October 7th
GREEN SPACES AND NICE ICES
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.
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. Note that we are repeating this ride due to it’s popularity. Travel note: this ride begins at the last stop on the Bronx-bound #2 train. Leaders Jesse Brown and Rodney Millard.
Monday, October 8th
GARDEN CITY AND MORE
9AM, Doughnut Plant, 60 miles
Garden City dates back to the 1880s, one of the earliest planned communities on Long Island. We’ll take a backroads route at a B16 pace and lunch in Garden City. Bring a lock and bring or buy lunch. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Maria Cummings.
A QUEENS BROOKLYN MOSAIC
9AM, Bridgemarket, 30 miles
Explore these outer-boroughs with multiple stops among these diverse neighborhoods. We’ll wander to Roosevelt Island, Long Island City, Hunter’s Point, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Dumbo and Red Hook. Bring a snack, lock and $ for lunch. Leaders Terry Chin and Ed DeFreitas.
Saturday, October 13th
OY-OY-OYSTER!
9AM, Cunningham Park, 50 miles
Ahoy there mateys! Before ye swab the decks, unfurl those sails for our fall foliage visit to Oyster Bay's yearly classic Oyster Festival. Not only do they look slimy, but they also sure taste good. So do their cousin shrimps, clammies, steamers, and other nautical delicacies, plus the best chowder this side of Cape Horn, music, crafts, souvenirs, tall ships and maybe a turkey leg or two. What's a better way to work up an appetite than by cycling to this North Shore enclave. Free admission, but bring pieces of eight for goodies, bike locks, that wooden pegleg, and a hearty appetite. Moderate pace with the usual Long Island hills. Leaders: Captain Brian Hoberman and First Mate Robert Eberwein.
Sunday, October 14th
THE GREAT SWAMP RIDE
8:30AM, Penn Station (8th Ave & W31st St), 37 miles
Cycle from Morristown, NJ to explore the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Visits may include Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, the Environmental Education Center, and the Raptor Trust, a rehabilitation facility for birds of prey. 37 miles of somewhat hilly country and suburban cycling. Bring water and $ for lunch. Round trip train costs $17.75 and space is limited to approx 14 bikes. Leaders Fred Dieckamp and David Seto.
CANCELLED : CHUANG YEN MONASTERY
8:20AM, Grand Central, 30 miles
This is our annual trek to the Great Buddha. One of the world’s largest buddhas is located in Carmel, NY! We’ll travel quiet backroads to get there, though, and dine a la vegetarian with optional meditation and stroll before to Fahnestock State Park, for a quick dip. Downhill ride to quaint Cold Spring. Bring your MTA bike pass, $ for lunch. Leaders Josh Gosciak and Ed Sobin.
Saturday, October 20th
HUMES JAPANESE STROLL GARDEN
9:45AM, Cunningham Park, 45 miles
Note: no Bridgemarket start. Take 63rd St. Lex. Ave "F" train to the last stop and pedal from there to Cunningham Park.
Join us for a ride with rolling hills to the Humes Japanese Stroll Garden in Mill Neck. A four acre gem of landscape design, it features gravel paths, stepping stones, a tea house, stone lanterns, mosses, waterfall, asian plants and bamboo. Bring a lock, and $7 for admission. Bring or buy lunch. Leaders Alfredo Garcia and Ira Najowitz.
Sunday, October 21st
FALL CLASSIC TO UPPER MONTCLAIR AND LITTLE FALLS
9:30AM, World Trade Center PATH station, 40 miles
Let’s venture into Essex and Pasaic counties in NJ on one of the late great Irv Weisman’s very pretty routes through Branch Brook Park, Cherry Blossomland, and through the beautiful estates of the Montclairs to Little Falls at the height of the fall colors. Lunch will be indoors or outdoors depending on weather. Bring lock and $ for round-trip PATH and lunch. We will observe orderly and predictable riding. Excessive wind, temps below 40F at start, or 50% or greater chance of precipitation will cancel. Call Maggie after 7:30AM if in doubt. Co-listed with NYCC. Rolling terrain. Leaders Maggie Clarke and Josh Gosciak.
PALISADES BIKE HIKE: BOMBAY HOOK
8:30AM sharp, GWB Bus Terminal, 20 mile ride, 7 mile hike
Get up close and personal with New Jersey’s Palisades Cliffs and learn about the history of the area on a professionally-guided tour with a park historian. Bring a bike lock, comfortable walking shoes, bag lunch and water. Relaxed, easy pace for both ride and hike. Leaders Jim Zisfein and others.
BEAR MOUNTAIN METRIC CENTURY: THE SIX COUNTY RIDE
8AM, Plaza Hotel, 65 miles
After biking up the western bank of the Hudson for 50 miles through Fall foliage, challenge yourself by ascending Perkins Drive to the 1,300 foot summit of Bear Mountain. The view is worth it! Return to NYC on Metro North from the Garrison station. Bring your MTA rail pass and $10 train fare. Terrain is HILLY with some VERY STEEP CLIMBS. Leaders Ira Najowitz and Dennis Griffin.
Sunday, October 28th
QUEENS’ SHORTER PERIMETER
8AM, Bridgemarket, 65 miles
If you think you’ve already done the ride around Queens you haven’t done this one. The borough that keeps on giving, gives us still more to see. Lunch stop at a diner. Bring a lock, $ for lunch, and the strength to climb a few steep hills. Leaders Danny Lieberman, Jesse Brown and others.
MORRISTOWN NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK
8:30AM, Penn Station (8th Ave & W31st St), 26 miles
Cycle from Morristown, NJ, to explore the three seperate parts of Morristown National Historical Park: Washington’s Headquarters, Jockey Hollow, and Fort Nonsense. 26 miles of hilly country and suburban cycling. Bring water and $ for lunch. Round trip train costs 17.75. Space is limited to 14 bikes. Leaders Fred Dieckamp and David Seto.
Saturday, November 3rd
PALISADES BIKE HIKE: GREENBROOK SANCTUARY
8:30AM, GWB Bus Terminal, 15 mile ride, 3 mile hike
From their website: “Greenbrook Sanctuary is 165 acres of woodland on top of New Jersey’s magnificent Palisades. 4.7 miles north of the GW Bridge, off of US Route 9W, the sanctuary is an oasis of solitude and natural beauty, minutes away from one of the noisiest, most densely populated areas in the world.” Escape from the city to this nearby and truly natural wonder and learn about its history on a professionally-guided hike with a park historian. Bring a bike lock, comfortable walking shoes, and $ for lunch at the nearby Royal Cliffs Diner. Leaders Jim Zisfein and Rhonda Wittorf.
Sunday, November 4th (Standard Time Begins)
UTOPIA PARKWAY
10AM, Kew Gardens, 40 miles
We’ll sing along with our favorite songs by Fountains of Wayne (who brought us such suburban classics as “Utopia Parkway”, “Sink to the Bottom”, “Mexican Wine” and “Denise”) as we ride through northeastern Queens and nearby Nassau county. Some steep and rolling hills. Lunch stop at a friendly diner. Bring a lunch and $ for lunch. Leaders Danny Lieberman and Ira Najowitz.
OFF-ROAD VISTAS: SADDLE UP AND RIDE THE HUTCH
10AM, Eastchester (Dyre Ave), 20 miles
MOUNTAIN OR HYBRID BIKES REQUIRED!
What this ride lacks in distance it makes up in fun. This is a trail ride, we ride over ruts, rocks and water. Bring lunch or $ for it because there’s a lack to enjoy it by. Bug spray optional. No gonzos. This is a fun ride with safety as the requirement. Leaders Ed Defreitas and others.
Saturday, November 10th
THE GREATEST TURKEY RIDE: CHARLIE’S TURKEY
10AM, Kew Gardens, 30 miles
Join Ed and Liz as we travel around Queens and eat Charlie’s turkey, the best you can find in Queens. I can say that I have been eating it for years. This is an easy 30 mile ride, mostly flat terrain. Bring $5-7 for lunch. Please call 718-487-4992 before November 9th to reserve your turkey. In the case of rain the ride will be cancelled but there will still be turkey to be had. Check the message board if the weather is iffy. Leaders Ed Pino and Liz Baum.
Sunday, November 11th
CHOCO-LOCO: THE CHOCOLATE RIDE
9:30AM, Doughnut Plant, 40+ miles
It’s time again for chocolate, and what better place to start than the home of the chocolate blackout doughnut! This ride will visit a number of chocolatiers and shops in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Don’t be surprised if we pass a cemetery or two along the way. Terrain, bitter. Pace, sweet. Bring a lock and $ for lunch and all that chocolate. Leaders Danny Lieberman and John Chiarella.
HISTORICAL CEMETERY RIDE
12:45PM, City Hall, 20 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. Bring comfortable walking shoes and a camera. Leaders Terry Chin and Ed DeFreitas.