Five Borough Bicycle Club

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NEW! Jersey Shore Series
It all begins with a few Sandy Hook incursions (via Seastreak ferry) of about 20 miles to warm up; we then move inland to the Henry Hudson Rail Trail route, with a visit to Keansburg, an old forgotten resort town that still has a few amusements (35 miles). Then head farther south for an incursion into the Pine Barrens and Barnegat -- the name alone conjures encrusted barnacles, sailor's knots, salty air. We'll have lunch in town, at a family-style Italian restaurant, and tour the inlets and environs. Note: The Barnegat Circuit is a midpoint training ride for the Cape May Century, which we'll do on the weekend of October 25 and 26; see 5BBC weekend trips for more details. Ride the entire series (or 4 out of 5) and get a patch. And if we don’t have patches by the end of the ride, Alfredo promises to buy everyone a beer when we get into Cape May -- or later, in New York!

Saturday, April 26

Day Ride

TRAINING RIDE #11: STONY POINT

8AM, Columbus Circle, 82 miles

Leaders Alfredo Garcia & Steve Sakson

Day Ride

MARITIME GREENPORT

Meet 7:25 AM sharp, Penn Station, or 9:15 am, Smithtown LIRR station, 55-60 miles
RAIN DATE is Sunday, April 27

Enjoy a fun day outing of early spring cycling, flowers and coastal views on (mostly) quiet back roads. We follow the North Shore then branch onto its Eastern End, culminating early/mid-afternoon in Greenport. Enjoy the seafaring port (blacksmith, rail and sea museums, antique carousel, stocked chandlery, wharf, harbor), have a shore-type meal, then catch the 6:15PM train to NYC. Full cue sheet, so rabbits can hop ahead or others can "smell the roses" or use alternative cut-outs (but note limited train schedule!). Terrain: Gentle hills to flat. BRING: bike permit & light bungee cord for train, cord bike lock, bike lights, plenty of snacks or nutrition (we don't dine 'till Greenport), $ for meal. Iffy weather? watch the Google Bulletin Board for updates. Email leader (srodetis@earthlink.net) for advance info on route, destination and points of interest. Leaders: Susan Rodetis

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Day Ride

TRAINING RIDE #12: LLOYD NECK

8:00 AM, Cunningham Park, 85 miles

The big bike tour is tomorrow so what better way to warm up than with a long roller coaster trip like Lloyd Neck? Because it’s such a long distance ride one group will do just fine. Pack some snacks for the trip, in case you need the extra energy, and plenty of water so you don’t get leg cramps. Warning: not for beginners. Leaders: Dennis Griffin and Ira Najowitz

Sunday, May 4, 2008

BIKE NEW YORK: The Five Boro Bike Tour

Note: registration has closed for this event.

Day Ride

SHAD BAKE AT MRS. KEARNEY'S TAVERN

11:30 AM, GWB Bus Terminal (W 178th & Ft Washington Ave), 20 miles.

When I hear that 30,000 cyclists are coming to town, my impulse is to head in the other direction. For me, that direction is New Jersey's Palisades Interstate Park, and you're welcome to join me (but not all of you!) Our destination will be an 18th-century house that was a tavern run by the Kearney family and possibly a Revolutionary War British army headquarters. The Kearney's are having an open house and shad bake -- but I promise if it gets too noisy and crowded we'll go and find quietude someplace else. Relaxed, easy ride pace. Leader Jim Zisfein.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Day Ride

MANHATTAN EVENING RIDE

6:45 PM, NW corner of 5th Ave and E 60th St, 25 miles

Join us for our annual leisurely evening ride on Manhattan's greenways and pathways. This "day ride" is in the evening, so bring lights! Leaders: Trudy Hutter and others.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Day Ride

TRAINING RIDE #13: EATON’S NECK

8:00 AM, Cunningham Park, 90 miles

OK, you’ve done the rest - now finish the job! The scenery of the North Shore expands on this beautiful trip and the main century event is just one week away. If you’re ready for this 90 miler you’ll have no problem with the full century coming up. Leaders: Dennis Griffin and Ira Najowitz

Day Ride

EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY FIRE ESCAPE RIDE (SECOND ALARM!)

10:00 AM, Kew Gardens, 20-25 miles

The weather extinguished our first “alarm” ride, but disasters still go on 8-10 times a day in our town. You guessed it! Fires top the list. This ride to “The Fire Zone,” in Midtown, will have you caught in the riveting drama of a real life simulated fire. And should the actual thing ever happen, you’ll feel much better prepared to save your life and the lives of friends and family. Hold on! It’s not all serious. You’ll have a chance to darn your turnout gear, get behind the wheel of an engine and shop for some official FDNY gadgets and toys. Bring $6 admission fee along with lock and money for lunch at a local eatery. (Anyone for 5 alarm chili?) Rain, snow or icy conditions at start cancels. Leaders: Richard Sanford and Julia Cohen

Sunday May 11, 2008

Day Ride

METRIC TRAINING RIDE #4: PIERMONT

9:00 AM, Columbus Circle, 50 miles

Our metric series concludes with an old standard - Piermont, NY. Enjoy the hills, green pastures and river views. We’ll visit the pier that extends nearly a mile into the mighty Hudson. Bring lunch dough and a camera. Leaders: Marina Bekkerman & Ed DeFreitas

Day Ride

LUNCH AT THE GREAT HUNGER MEMORIAL

9:30 AM, RING Garden in upper Manhattan; Take “A” train to Dyckman St / 200th St., 30 miles

The Great Hunger Memorial in Irvington commemorates the suffering of the millions of Irish who died from the 19th-century potato famine or were forced to leave their country. The location of this memorial, by the Saw Mill River near a cluster of picnic tables, also makes it an ideal spot for lunch. Much of our ride will be on the South County Trailway (the right-of-way of the defunct "Old Put" railroad) and will include a 2-mile unpaved (but very rideable) section. Bring lunch or $ for it. Leader: Jim Zisfein

Day Ride

CANCELLED : ONE WAY TO STAMFORD

9:30 AM, RING Garden in upper Manhattan; Take “A” train to Dyckman St / 200th St., 40-45 miles ride

Let’s venture north again on a very pretty route through the burbs of lower Westchester but this time keep going into Connecticut. The ride gets hillier as we go, but the lovely residential roads with immaculate landscaping just get better and the mansions get larger as we go through the back roads of Greenwich. If we’re lucky we’ll do the loop of Old Greenwich Point park that juts into the Long Island Sound, and end up at Stamford Station. We will observe Club riding etiquette. Bring your Metro-North pass for the ride home. Cancellation: 50% chance of precipitation. Call Maggie 212-567-8272 after 8 am if still in doubt about weather conditions. Leader: Maggie Clarke

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Special Event
THE MONTAUK CENTURY 2008

Penn Station and Babylon NY. 65, 100, or 145 miles.
Registration required.

It doesn't get any more special than this.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Day Ride

OFF-ROAD VISTAS: THE OLD PUT AND THE OLD CROTON AQUEDUCT

9:00 AM, Van Cortlandt Park, 40 miles - OFF ROAD

Ride up the Old Putnam Railroad trail to Tarrytown and then back along the Old Croton Aqueduct. This is an off-road trip – mountain and hybrids only! The terrain is rough but not terribly hilly. Bring or buy lunch. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and others

Monday, May 26, 2008 (Memorial Day)

Day Ride

THE GREAT HISTORIC TOUR OF BROOKLYN

9:00 AM, City Hall, 15-20 miles

Explore some historic neighborhoods of Brooklyn. This ride will have many stops including the Heights and the Promenade, Dumbo, Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Park, Clinton Hill and others. Bring & fir snack and a lock. Leaders: Terry Chin and others

Day Ride

FIVE TOWNS QUICK SPIN

9:00 AM, Doughnut Plant, 55 miles

Let's go back to the Five Towns at a B16 pace. We'll cut across Queens, then sail by the exclusive sections before we break for lunch in Cedarhurst. A very fun and flat trip. Bring a lock, a camera, and lunch lucre. Leaders: Danny Lieberman and others.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Day Ride

BRONX GREENWAYS TOUR

9:00 AM, AYH, 45 miles

The Bronx Greenway tour offers an opportunity to see the Bronx as never seen before. Be amazed by the diversity and beauty of the Bronx. Staten Island is not the only forgotten borough. A true journey of discovery. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Jesse Brown.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Day Ride

SANDY HOOK (Jersey Shore Series Part 1)

10:00 AM (Note change from previously listed time of 8:30 AM), Pier 11, 23 miles.

For the 10th straight year, come on this wonderful gem to the northern tip of the Jersey Shore, via the Seastreak ferry. Ride to nice roads, a twin lighthouse and of course, the Hook. Bring $53 fare, lock, $ for food, sunscreen & swim gear. Some hills and busy roads. Co-listed with the NYCC. Leaders: Alfredo Garcia & Josh Gosciak.

Day Ride

"GANG" OF THE GOLD COAST

8:00 AM, Kew Gardens, 75 miles, Quick-spin.

The "gang" will ride out to Port Washington to meet our resident-in-training (Adam). We will then proceed along the North Shore of the LI Gold Coast taking in Roslyn, Oyster Bay, Cold Spring and Huntington Bay. Multiple bailout stops at LIRR stations throughout the ride. Bring MTA Bike pass, lunch money, hydration,spare tubes. Ultimate destination will be where we started. Rolling to hilly terrain, quick spin pace (15 mph,18-20 mph on the flats). Not recommended to anyone not able to have completed our Montauk Century ride. Leaders: Dennis Griffin and TBA.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Day Ride

WOODLAWN CEMETERY TOUR

9:00 AM, AYH, 30 miles

Woodlawn cemetery- Come join the celebration of living history, at New York's second oldest cemetery. We visit not only the past but an outstanding venue for reflection, peace, and beauty. We may get a guided tour. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and Jesse Brown.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Day Ride

THE OLD PUT CENTURY

8:00 AM, Woodlawn (Jerome and Bainbridge Aves), 100 miles (almost), Quick Spin

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 (and back) on a path that is paved, level, and car-free. Hooray! 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

Day Ride

SPANISH BY BICYCLE, LANGUAGE IMMERSION RIDE

10:30 AM, Prospect Park Grand Army Plaza, Approximately 20 leisurely miles.

My gosh you've got one week before that trip to San Juan and all you can say is “Gracias?” Have no fear amigo. We'll get your Spanish in shape before you can say, “Coco con cacao.” Join us for this language immersion ride through the Lower East Side and up to “el Barrio (also known as Spanish Harlem).” It’s all there; salsas y sopas, congas y bongos, mangos y manzanas. But, there’s a catch. You've got to pledge to speak Spanish even if you know only one word. (We'll help you be creative). By the time you head out into the rain forest (el Yunque) you'll be cutting cocos from the trees like a native. Rain at start cancels. Bring lock and money for lunch at a local Spanish restaurant. Leaders: Richard Sanford and others

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Day Ride

WESTCHESTER BIKE/HIKE : BRONX RIVER PARKWAY AND CRANBERRY LAKE

9:00 AM, Woodlawn (Jerome and Bainbridge Aves, Bronx, last stop on #4 subway), 42 miles with a few steep hills

Savor 42 miles of scenic Westchester County roads and off-street bike paths. Lunch is at a nature preserve where we'll take an (optional) walk around a swampy lake in a quiet, forested area. Since we'll be using the Bronx River Parkway during the Bicycle Sunday closings, as well as the neighboring bike paths, the ride is 44% car free. All paths are paved and suitable for road bikes. Bring appropriate walking footwear. Bring or buy lunch. Leader: Ed Ravin

Day Ride

HENRY HUDSON RAIL TRAIL TOUR (Jersey Shore Series Part 2)

8:30 AM, Penn Station. 35 miles, easy pace

We'll take the 9:07 AM NJ Transit train out of Penn Station (9:25AM via Newark Penn Station for those coming from downtown Manhattan.) Buy your ticket early ($12.50, one way). We'll meet 11:18AM in Bay Head Terminal, travel west to Freehold, then onto the Henry Hudson Trail (greenway) to Keansburg and the Highlands. We'll take the Seastreak ferry ($23 fare) back from either the Highlands or Sandy Hook, around 4:30. Some hills and busy roads. Co-listed with NYCC. Leaders: Josh Gosciak and Alfredo Garcia.

Come celebrate our 20th annual day-long, start-of-summer retreat to this classic folk music festival! We’ll board Metro North for a jump start to White Plains, then cycle to Croton Park. Clearwater has been thinking “green” long before Mr. Gore, and the Sloop was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 for its role in the environmental movement. Enjoy 5 stages of music, non-stop dancing, crafts, activists, stories, souvenirs, and of course, food. Scheduled performers include the legendary Happy and Artie Traum, plus Cheryl Wheeler, Magpie, Entrain, and the Nobel Peace Prize candidate himself, Pete Seeger. Limited discount admission tickets ($25) will be available. Festival and ride are rain or shine! Recommended but optional return to NY also via train. Free valet bike parking will also be available via our friends at Times Up! And who will be the recipient of this year’s special ride dedication ceremony? Bring $20 for train fare plus Metro North permits, sunscreen. Leaders: Ted M. Kushner and others

Back in 1835, fifty acres of Manhattan were burned to a crisp in what is now called the Great Fire. Shocked by the loss of valuable real estate, New York politicians were finally inspired to build a water supply system. The route of that water tunnel, the Croton Aqueduct, is now an off-road trail through the scenic parks, woods, and backyards of Westchester County that ends at a spectacular waterfall at the Croton Dam. The dirt trail is easy riding - no previous off-road experience needed. Note: Fat-tire or hybrid bike required. Return via Metro-North - bring MTA bike permit and $8 for fare. Bring or buy lunch. 35 miles, mostly off-road. Mostly flat with several steep hills. Leaders: Ed Ravin and Jim Zisfein

Join us for this FREE Connecticut bike event, sponsored by the New Haven Arts & Ideas Festival and Elm City Cycling. We’ll take the 5:35AM Metro North train there, arriving 7:50AM. It's a fully supported ride that starts and ends in New Haven, cycling through beautiful Nutmeg State countryside and coastline. Let's get up real early for this FREE bike event! Please visit www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=6417 to register online or you can sign up on day of event, from 7-8 AM. Bring MTA Bike Permit and $24 for Metro North fare. Note: cyclists choose their own distance; no group ride or point drop sweep will be used. Co-listed with NYCC. Leaders: Alfredo Garcia & others.

More a tour than a ride through Queens, hitting some of the borough’s unusual or forgotten places. Many stops. We plan to visit the Botanical gardens, a 2000 year old roman column, a Kung Fu temple, the Lemon Ice King of Corona and more. Bring money for lunch. Leaders Randy Horowitz and Ted Kushner

Come join us for the first weekend viewing of Olafur Eliasson’s “The New York City Waterfalls,” a public art project that Mayor Bloomberg claims will “bring a sense of awe back to the harbor and encourage all of us to see a familiar part of our city in a completely new way.” Find out if you agree with Mayor Mike. Our ride starts with a loop around Central Park before we take a jaunt down the west side greenway, and then onto the new green-painted bike paths and lanes that cross over from the greenway to Lower Manhattan. We'll travel on the 9th Avenue Green Path, the Green Bleecker Street lane, the once-controversial Green Prince Street Lane, and onto Green Lafayette to City Hall. We'll then cross the Brooklyn Bridge, and follow the suggested "Waterfalls" bike route devised by NYC's Dept. of Transportation. Stops will be made at Brooklyn's Fulton Ferry Park and South Street Seaport, where we'll enjoy ice cream and watch the Falls light up around us as the mid-summer sun sets serenely on the west side. The ride officially ends at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal (at the Battery), but for those wishing to continue, an additional stop will be made at Robert Wagner Park, for one last look at the Falls, before we head up the West Side and into bicycling history. Leaders: Josh Gosciak, Susan Levine, and Jim Zisfein. Remember: Lights, front and back, are required for this ride and bells and horns are encouraged. The more the merrier, as we'll be riding through the Village, and will want to make our presence known.

We'll take the 9:07AM NJ train out of Penn Station (the 9:25 from Newark Penn Station for those coming from downtown Manhattan.) Buy your tickets early ($21.50 round trip fare). We'll get to Bay Head Terminal by 11:18AM, where we'll head down the coast, then inland to Toms River and back down the coast again to Barnaget, backtracking up the coast to Bay Head and the return train ride home. Co-listed with the NYCC. Leaders: Alfredo Garcia and Josh Gosciak

The fleet is in! This midday departure to Sheepshead Bay gives us a chance to join in a flurry of activity at Brooklyn’s Cape Cod. Bring your favorite fish tale to tell over clam chowder. Bring lock and plastic bag for fish shopping. Leaders: Terry Chin and others

You know how famous people lived. Now get a look at how they spend eternity. Pay respects to Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, Tiffany, Greely, Ebbets, Eubie Blake, Joe Gallo and other dignitaries. Bring a camera and binoculars for bird spotting. Leaders: Terry Chin and Ed DeFreitas

8:45AM, City Hall, 9:15 AM, South Ferry or 10:00 AM, St George Ferry Terminal, 43 miles

See NYC from a ferry, Liberty State Park & Hoboken. Then stretch your legs along a long shoreline stretch from Hoboken to the GW Bridge (with the one big hill). Bridge the Hudson back to NYC. Pass Seinfeld's (who?) old haunt and choose your lunch cuisine. It's all on one Amsterdam Avenue 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, mostly flat with one hill. Leaders: Ed DeFreitas and others

These were rides in May-June 2008. Click here for upcoming rides.

These are upcoming rides. Click here for rides archive.